Devotional - Lifestyle Check-up

“When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. " -  Nehemiah 1:4

Hi!

I recently read the book of Nehemiah and was reminded of the importance of living a prayer-filled life.

Three things from Nehemiah’s prayer life can draw us wherever we are in our business and personal lives to continue in the love and grace of Jesus Christ.

• Nehemiah prayed and fasted in the midst of bad news.
  
  He heard of the troubles and disgrace of his people in Jerusalem and was in distress so he “ ……..mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of Heaven” Neh. 1: 4b.
  
  Who do we run to in the midst of setbacks?
  Do you believe in the mighty hand of God to work ALL things together for your good, even the bad things?
  Nehemiah though, in exile in a strange land, saw the power of God to change the circumstances of his people and God certainly did!
   

• Nehemiah prayed and depended on God’s guidance and direction before he made any decision.
  
  One example, he was asked a question by the Persian king and he wrote  “…then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king..” Neh. 2:4b.
  
  Nehemiah lived a daily life committed to prayer so that the very desire to help the people in Jerusalem was a desire God had placed on his heart.
  Various surveys have shown that prayer and prayer meetings are the most neglected area in the church individually and collectively.
  
  How are we to grow and be under God’s direction if we don’t spend time in prayer? May we be encouraged to spend time alone with God.
   

• From Nehemiah’s’ prayer life, we see that prayer comes in various forms, lengths and styles.
  
  We see long prayer, short prayers and even sentence prayers, prayers of adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and intercession for others.
  
  This is telling us that wherever we are in the day, we can have time for prayer.
  We live in an age of constant distraction, but my prayer is that all of us will always have time to spend with God, our heavenly Father.

Let's pray: 
Father, I pray that the BTF community will grow to be prayer warriors, where prayer becomes a central part of our daily lives.
Father, we commit all our plans, decisions, challenges, and opportunities before you so that one thing remains; your will be done.  
In Jesus' Name. 

Blessings,
Trish & Team Born to Fly