DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 10.3.20

Heaven's Tribunal by Max Lucado Some people will stand before God on the judgement day who didn’t treat him like God, refusing to worship him. They traded the glory of God who holds the whole world in his hands for cheap figurines you can buy at any roadside stand. They spent a lifetimedishonoring God and hurting his people. They mocked his name and made life miserable for their neighbors. Even our judicial system forces no defense on the accused. The defendant is offered an advocate, but if he chooses to stand before the judge alone, the system permits it. So does God. He offers his Son as an advocate. At the judgment Jesus will standat the side of every person except those who refuse him. When their deeds are read, heaven’s tribunal will hear nothing—but silence! It’s a sobering truth in Acts 17:31, “The day is coming when God will judge the world.” Standing Strong and Tall through Prayer Nehemiah 1 Nehemiah was a man who lived on his knees. Whenever he needed guidance, strength, provision, or protection, his first response was prayer. Because of Nehemiah’s humble dependence, God was able to use him greatly to achieve His purposes. This principle is still true for believers today. God can use us in the most awesome fashion if we'll seek Him and make ourselves available. He has a calling for each of us and doesn't want us wasting the opportunities He provides. To follow Nehemiah's example of dependent prayer, we must first recognize God as the sovereign Ruler of the universe (v. 5). Although He's our loving Father and loyal Friend, we must never forget that He is also our high and exalted Creator whose holinessis beyond our comprehension. Never think of the Lord as "the man upstairs" or come into His presence in a frivolous manner. Because Nehemiah respected the awesome holiness of God, he approached Him with confession, admitting not only his sin, but his father's and Israel's as well (vv. 6-7). We cannot hide, deny, or cherish sin and expect the Lord to hear and answer our prayers.Purity of heart and the power of God are linked. We need the sensitivity to instantly recognize when we've strayed, and the willingness to deal with sin immediately. The reason Nehemiah stood so tall and strong was not due to his natural abilities, but because he developed a relationship of dependency on the Lord through prayer. The same can be true for you. Don't rush into your day without taking time to enter God'sthrone room to seek His guidance. Lovers of Self “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents,unthankful, unholy.” (2 Timothy 3:2) One of the dangerous teachings of the “New Age” movement that has spilled over into modern evangelicalism is the notion of “self-love.” Many psychologists—even Christian professional counselors—are attributing society’s ills, especially among young people,to the supposed lack of a “positive self-image” or “self-esteem” on the part of those exhibiting antisocial behavior. What they need, we are told, is to learn to love themselves more, to appreciate their own self-worth. The problem with this idea is that itis both unscriptural and unrealistic. People do not hate themselves. The Bible says that “no man ever yet hated his own flesh” (Ephesians 5:29). Instead of learning to esteem ourselves, the Scripture commands us each to “esteem other better than themselves” (Philippians 2:3). Even the apostle Paul,near the end of his life, considered himself so unworthy that he called himself the chief of sinners (see 1 Timothy 1:15). We are told by some Christian leaders that the measure of our great value in the sight of God is the fact that Christ paid such a high price—His own death—to redeem us. The fact is, however, that His death is not the measure of our great value but of our terriblesinfulness. “Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6). In fact, as in our text, the rise of this self-love idea is itself a sign of the last days, when people shall be “lovers of their own selves.” It is the main characteristic of New Age humanism, which is based squarely upon evolutionary pantheism. Christ died for our sins because He loved us, not because He needed us. We should live for Him in thanksgiving for the “amazing grace, that saved a wretch like me!” HMM When It's Time to Part Company - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts. -2 Timothy 2:22 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/when-its-time-to-part-company/ - Listen I don't think I'm an actual hoarder, but I do save a lot of things. It drives my wife, Cathe, crazy because she's very neat and tidy. For instance,I always bring extra items with me when I travel. But sometimes these things slow me down. When we're running the race of life, however, we don't want any excess baggage. If we want to win, then we need to run light. The Bible tells us, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight thatslows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us" (Hebrews 12:1 NLT). Do you have some people who are actually slowing you down in the race of life? Are they dragging you down spiritually? Here's my question for you: Is that a relationship you want to continue? Show me your friends, and I'll show you your future. In Genesis, we find the story of Abraham and his nephew Lot. Abraham walked with God, but Lot started dragging Abraham down spiritually. When a conflictdeveloped, they parted company. Then the Lord began to speak to Abraham again. The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, "Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace.Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts" (2 Timothy 2:22 NLT). We want to influence people for God's kingdom, of course. But if someone in your life influences you with their unbelief, their skepticism, their bitterness,or whatever else it might be, that could be someone who's slowing you down in the race. Sometimes there are people in our lives who may be toxic for us spiritually. We want to run light, and we want to run with other people who love theLord as well. The Blacksmith's Shop by Max Lucado In the shop of a blacksmith, there are three types of tools. There are tools on the junk pile: outdated, broken, dull, rusty. They sit in the cobwebbed corner, useless to their master, oblivious to their calling. There are tools on the anvil: melted down, molten hot, moldable, changeable. They lie on the anvil, being shaped by their master, accepting their calling. The Value of Obedience Proverbs 2:1-6 Despite Peter's vast fishing experience, he returned from a night's work with nothing to show for his efforts. It's quite possible that the Lord's request to let the nets down one more time struck him as unreasonable—after all, Peter and his partners werethe professionals. Nevertheless, the fisherman complied, and his obedience blessed many. Scripture demonstrates that divine plans often defy human logic. For instance, who would design a battle strategy that involved only marching and shouting? God told Joshua to conquer Jericho that way, and doing so proved successful (Joshua6:1-5). Moses is another example. When he felt unsure about his leadership potential, the Lord gave reassurance in an unusual way—by telling him to throw down his walking stick. When Moses obeyed, God powerfully confirmed His choice of leader (Exodus4:1-3). Our Father may ask us to do something that seemsillogical—perhaps to accept more responsibility when we were hoping to reduce our workload, to leave a position that He provided just recently, or to take on an assignment for which we feel ill-equipped. His plan might feel unrealistic in view of our age,stage of life, or health concerns. We must press forward in obedience, regardless of how impractical the request may appear. To grasp the importance of obeying, think about children receiving instructions from parents or teachers. Careful listening is needed for the task to be done safely and properly. Some steps may seem pointless, but the rationale often becomes clear later.Always make obeying God your priority. Receiving from the Word “Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O LORD, according unto thy word.” (Psalm119:65) The good that comes from the hand of the Lord is “according unto thy word,” a common phrase in Psalm 119 that occurs in 11 of the 22 stanzas. Interestingly, the psalmist twice emphasizes that it was important for him to be “afflicted” before he learned something of the gracious provision of the Lord (Psalm119:67, 71). The Hebrew word anah is used widely in the Bible, the most famous passage prophesying about the sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus: “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smittenof God, and afflicted” (Isaiah 53:4). Although affliction does not necessarily come because of personal disobedience (even though that surely happens among us), often the Lord uses an occasion to drive home a concept of holiness or obedience (according to His Word) that will bring His favor or,more properly, bring us in line with His Word so that we may experience the “peaceable fruit of righteousness” (Hebrews 12:11). Three times the psalmist asked his Lord to teach him or let him learn from the Word about the eternal principles of righteousness (119:66, 68, 71). Three times he insisted that he will keep and delight in the holy laws and principles of which he is aware (119:67,69, 70). The core theme of this simple message focuses on the passionate commitment of the psalmist to learn and obey the Word of God. No past history can negate God’s faithfulness. No present difficult circumstances can thwart God’s promises. Thus, “the law of thymouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver” (Psalm 119:72). HMM III The Bandit of Joy by Max Lucado The bandit of joy is Fear. Fear of death, fear of failure, fear of God, and fear of tomorrow. His arsenal is vast. His goal? To create cowardly, joyless souls. We try unsuccessfully to face our fears with power, possessions, or popularity. Only inward character creates courage. And it is those inward convictions Jesus is building in the Beatitudes. The result of this process is courage—“they shall inherit theearth” (Matthew 5:5). No longer shall the earth and its fears dominate us, for we follow the one who dominates the earth. If you are in Christ, you are guaranteed that your sins will be filtered through, hidden in, and screened out by the sacrifice of Jesus. That means failure is not a concern for you. Your victory is secure. How could you not be courageous? The Discerner “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividingasunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) The Word of God (both the written Word and the living Word, Jesus Christ) is “living and energizing” and is the double-edged sword of the Spirit, piercing into the deepest recesses of body, soul, and spirit, where it “discerns” even the very thoughts and intentsof our hearts. This discernment, however, is more than just understanding or insight. The Greek word for “discerner” is kritikos and is used only this one time in the Bible. Our word “critic” is derived from it, and this is an important dimension of its meaning. Its discernment is a critical, judging discernment—one that convicts and corrects, as well as one that understands. It is paradoxical that people today presume to become critics of the Bible when it should really be the other way around. There are textual critics who sort through the various ancient manuscripts of the Bible, trying to arrive at the original text; there arethe “higher critics” who critique vocabularies and concepts, trying to show that the traditional authors did not actually write the books attributed to them; and then there are many other purely destructive critics who criticize the Bible’s miracles, morals,and everything else, hoping thereby to justify their rebellion against the Word. But the Bible still stands! It stands in judgment on our lives and our subconscious motives. It will have the final word when “the books [are] opened...and the dead [are] judged out of those things which were written in the books” (Revelation20:12). It is far better to heed the constructive criticism of the Word now than to hear its condemnation later. HMM Deliverance by Max Lucado You’ll get through this! You fear you won’t. We all do. We feel stuck, trapped, locked in. Will we ever exit this pit? Yes! Deliverance is to the Bible what jazz music is to Mardi Gras: bold, brassy, and everywhere. Out of the lion’s den for Daniel, the whale’s belly for Jonah, and the prison for Paul. Through the Red Sea onto dry ground. Through the wilderness, through the valley of the shadow of death. Through! It’s a favorite word of God’s. Isaiah 43:2 says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you… when you walk through the fire, you will not be burned.” It won’t be painless. Have you wept your final tear, received your last round of chemotherapy? Not necessarily. Does God guarantee the absence of struggle? Not in this life. We see Satan’s tricks and ploys, but God sees Satan tripped and foiled. You’llget through this! But God . . . - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org But God is my helper. -Psalm 54:4 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/but-god/ - Listen Have you ever looked up the phrase "but God" in the Bible? You'll find it in a lot of interesting situations where God intervened. Take the story of Noah, for example. I wonder if he started to lose hope as he and his family bobbed around in that ark with allthose animals after the Flood. Genesis 8:1 tells us, "But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and livestock with him in the boat. He sent a wind to blow across the earth, and the floodwaters began to recede" (NLT, emphasis added). Then we have the story of Joseph. His brothers sold him into slavery and thought he was dead. Yet God preserved him. He elevatedJoseph to a position of great power in which he was in charge of the food supply. When a famine struck, his brothers appeared before him one day, asking for food. Joseph said to them, "You intended to harm me,but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people" (Genesis 50:20 NLT, emphasis added). The nation of Israel faced the Red Sea-an insurmountable obstacle-with the Egyptian army in hot pursuit. But God intervened. Andwhat looked like a hopeless situation became a time of glorious deliverance. The Bible tells us, "But the people of Israel had walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, as the water stood up likea wall on both sides" (Exodus 14:29 NLT). The lives of Noah, Joseph, and the Israelites remind us that "with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26 NKJV). Maybe, like them, you're in a place where the only way out is God. You can be sure of this: God is bigger than your problem. AndGod will always have the last word. God's GPS - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org That's the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone's duty. -Ecclesiastes12:13 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/gods-gps/ - Listen I have a love-hate relationship with my GPS because sometimes I think it takes me the wrong way. In fact, I've read some interestingstories about people who followed a GPS and ended up in some pretty strange places. When the Israelites left Egypt, their GPS system was very simple: they moved when the Lord told them to move, and they went wherethe Lord told them to go. Today, God directs us through His Word. It's our GPS system, so to speak, confirmed to us by the Holy Spirit in our hearts. Wecan find everything we need to know about God and about life in the pages of the Bible. Psalm 1 summarizes this for us: "Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners,or join in with mockers" (verse 1 NLT). If you want to be happy, according to Psalm 1, then don't hang out with ungodly people, go to ungodly places, and do ungodly things. The psalmist goes on to say, "But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees plantedalong the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do" (verses 2-3 NLT). God has laid out His parameters for our own protection, for our own good. And as we get older, we start seeing the repercussionsof the decisions people made when they were younger. Solomon, the king of Israel, was renowned for his wisdom. With his unlimited resources, he decided to see for himself everythingthis world had to offer. Eventually, he came to this conclusion: "Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone's duty" (Ecclesiastes 12:13 NLT). It comes down to this: God's way is the right way. UnderstandingThrough the Word �Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.� (Psalm119:73) Understanding the Word of God begins with seeing God as the Creator of all things (Colossians 1:16-17). The beginning of faith rests solidly on belief inthe creation (Hebrews 11:3), and even the �everlasting gospel� embraces the conscious worship of the Creator (Revelation14:6-7). �I am the LORD, and there is none else�.Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker!� (Isaiah 45:5, 9). Scholars who distort Scripture to compromise with the atheistic naturalism of evolutionary science wind up �ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth� (2Timothy 3:7). May God rebuke them. The theme of this stanza (Psalm 119:73-80) weaves a series of requests around various examples of need centered around the psalmist�s leadership position. �They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word� (v. 74). �Let those that fear thee turn unto me, and those that have known thy testimonies� (v. 79). Though he recognized that the Lord �afflicted� him in the past (v. 75), the psalmist also expected the Lord to bring him mercies and comfort, for the law of God was his delight (v. 77). We might view this godly leader as �set for the defence of the gospel� (Philippians 1:17) and �ready always to give an answer� (1Peter 3:15). In summary, the last verse of this stanza reads: �Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed� (Psalm 119:80). Would God that our heartsbe driven to this level of boldness in our witness while resting in the absolute authority, integrity, and accuracy of the infallible writings of the Creator God for our salvation (2Timothy 3:16). HMM III How's Your Vision? - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. -Proverbs 23:7 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/hows-your-vision/ - Listen Experts tell us that we have 90,000 to 100,000 thoughts every day. That's a lot, isn't it? Our thoughts are important because what we think is what we'll do. Someone wisely said, "Sow a thought, reap an act; sow an act, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character;sow a character, reap a destiny." Are you where you want to be as a Christian? I hope your answer is no because a growing believer will always see his or her need to continue to grow. And when you thinkyou don't need to grow anymore, something isn't right. After years of walking with the Lord, the apostle Paul put it this way: "Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've gotmy eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward-to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back" (Philippians 3:13-14 MSG). Paul continued, "If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision-you'll see it yet!" (verse 15 MSG). Sometimes we can have blurred vision. When someone has 20/20 vision, it means they have good eyesight. They see things with clarity. We need that kind of vision as followersof Christ because the Bible says that "where there is no vision, the people perish" (Proverbs 29:18 KJV). I have found that where I look is where I'll walk. In other words, if I'm looking in a certain direction, then that is the direction I'm walking. We don't generally lookone way and walk another way (unless we're looking down at our cell phones). Where you look is where you'll walk. And what you think is what you'll do. What's More Important? by Max Lucado I remember receiving an invitation to speak at a church in the Midwest. I turned it down. If I had gone, I would have had the attention of a great number of people for an hour. The opportunity to speak about Jesus to some people who didn't know Him. Is a Tuesday evening at home with three children and a spouse more important than preaching to an audience? I decided to make a list of what I had to lose by saying no to my family one night. I would not have been there to hold Andrea when her finger gotslammed in the door. I wouldn�t have been there to answer Jenna�s question, �Daddy what�s a handicapped person?� I would have missed Jenna telling the story of Jesus on the cross during our family devotional. There are a hundred speakers who could have addressed that crowd, but my girls just have one dad! I made the right choice. Sufferings �For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye shouldfollow his steps.� (1Peter 2:21) Peter�s first epistle, written during a time of bitter persecution, deals with the matter of suffering. Peter reminds us that Christ suffered for us and that it is a privilege to suffer for Him. We are �called� to suffering and should �think it not strangeconcerning the fiery trial which is to try� us (4:12). Christ�s suffering was foretold (1:11), as is ours. We see that He had patience, humility, and submission in His sufferings (2:23) in order to bear �our sins in his own body on the tree� (2:24). He suffered unjustly, �the just for the unjust� (3:18), not onlyin His spirit, but �Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh� (4:1), being witnessed personally by Peter (5:1). Since we are likewise �called� to suffer, Peter explains that we also will be �suffering wrongfully� (2:19) even �when ye do well� (v. 20). We will �suffer for righteousness� sake� (3:14) and �for well doing� (v. 17). To avoid being taken by surprise, we areto prepare ourselves to suffer �in the flesh� (4:1), if need be. We will �be reproached for the name of Christ� (4:14) and should �not be ashamed� if we �suffer as a Christian� (4:16). It is much better to suffer in such a way than to have done something evilto deserve it (v. 15). Suffering while following Christ�s example is �acceptable with God� (2:20), and even makes us �happy� (3:14; 4:14). Through it we can �glorify God on this behalf� (4:16) because it is �according to the will of God� (4:19). There is even a magnificent rewardawaiting the sufferer (5:10). In view of all of this, there is little wonder that Peter says, �Rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ�s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy� (4:13). JDM Longing for the Word �My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word. Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wiltthou comfort me?� (Psalm 119:81-82) Those who �love the LORD� with all their heart, soul, and might (Deuteronomy 6:5) and those who seek the kingdom of God (Matthew6:33) deeply long to �understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God� (Proverbs 2:5). Yet in spite of such longing, the saints of God are often perplexed by the apparent success of the wicked. This psalmist is no exception: •�When wilt thou comfort me?� (Psalm 119:82). •�I am become like a bottle in the smoke� (v. 83). •�When wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me?� (v. 84). •�The proud have digged pits for me� (v. 85). •�They persecute me wrongfully� (v. 86). •�They had almost consumed me upon the earth� (v. 87). Among all the heartfelt complaints, however, is the continual reliance on the promises and principles of God�s Word. The psalmist promised not to forget the statutes, though he felt invisible to God (v. 83). And though he knew that his days are not guaranteed,he expected God to judge the wicked (v. 84). He knew the �commandments are faithful,� and he promised the Lord that he would not forsake the precepts (vv. 86-87). The final request should be ours as well: �Quicken me [enliven, revive] after thy lovingkindness� (v. 88). Even though God �hast shewed me great and sore troubles,� the confidence is that God �shalt quicken me again� (Psalm71:20). On the basis of that assurance, our response should be like this godly man�s: �So shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth� (Psalm 119:88). HMMIII Bringing Others to Jesus John 1:35-42 Andrew is the disciple known for bringing people to Jesus. Immediately after meeting the Lord, he introduced his brother Simon to the Messiah. Another time, when a great multitude was hungry, he found a boy with five loaves and two fishes and brought himto Jesus (John 6:8-9). When some Greeks wanted to meet Christ, Andrew and Philip made the introductions (12:20-22). This disciple never lost his enthusiasm for the Savior. Andrew's own conversion experience motivated him to let others know about the One who'd changed his life (1:36-37). How about you--have you lost the joy of your salvation? If your Christian life has become stale and musty, it's time to remember what Christ has done for you and to ask that He restore your excitement. God�s Workshop by Max Lucado I remember knowing kids whose fathers were quite successful. One was a judge. The other a prominent physician. I attended church with the son of the mayor. �My father has an office at the courthouse,� he could claim. Guess what you can claim? �My Fatherrules the universe!�� Scripture says, �The heavens declare the glory of God and the skies announce what his hands have made.� (Psalms19:1) Nature is God�s workshop. The sky is his resume. You want to know who God is? See what he has done. You want to know his power? Take a look at his creation. How vital that we pray, armed with the knowledge that God is in heaven. Pray with any lesser conviction and your prayers are timid, shallow, and hollow. But spend some time walking in the workshop of the heavens. Seeing what God has done�seeing what yourFather has done and watch how your prayers are energized! From Ordinary to Great Acts4:13 Anyone who studies God's ways soon realizes they are quite different from man's. Worldly wisdom says that extraordinary people and abundant resources are needed for great tasks, yet the Lord often chooses the small and insignificant to achieve His purposeson earth. For example, Christ selected a rather unimpressive group of men as disciples, yet after being filled with the Spirit, they "turned the world upside down." During His ministry on earth, Jesus fed thousands with a child's meager lunch, and He viewed the widow'stwo small coins as a greater offering than all the other generous donations (John6:5-12; Luke21:2-3). In Good Company - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has satdown at the right hand of the throne of God. -Hebrews 12:2 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/in-good-company/- Listen Have you ever been worried and discouraged in your soul? Maybe you're feeling that way today. Perhaps you're discouraged or spiritually lethargic,and you need a jump start. You're wondering how to get back on track. In Hebrews 12, we read, "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin whichso easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" (verses 1-2 NKJV). This chapter begins with the word, therefore. And what comes before Hebrews 12? Hebrews 11, of course, which has been called the Hall of Faith. It'swhere we read of all the great men and women of God who persevered despite overwhelming circumstances and massive obstacles. They lived their lives by faith. In light of Hebrews 11, since we're "surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses," let's run this race with endurance. I'm not naturally an athleticperson, but in this race, we all must be athletic, so to speak. We must all be very committed. It's also great to have an example to follow. The men and women of Hebrews 11 were amazing people. They opposed Pharaoh and passed through the RedSea on dry land. They shouted down the walls of Jericho and shut the mouths of lions. And they called down fire and also walked through fire. So the author of Hebrews is effectively saying, "Look, they did it! In light of that, you can do it, too." We should run our race well, knowing we'rein good company. Most importantly, we should run our race, looking to Jesus. Keep your eyes on Him, and that will keep you going in the race of life. You Are His by Max Lucado God�s grace defines you! Society labels you like a can on an assembly line. Stupid. Unproductive. Slow learner. Fast talker. Quitter. But as grace infiltrates, criticism disintegrates. You know you aren�t who they say you are. You are who God says you are: �spiritually alive.� Heavenly positioned, �seated with him in the heavenly realms.� �One with Jesus Christ.� Prayer in Times of Inadequacy Nehemiah 2:1-10 After Nehemiah heard about the desperate condition of the Jews who had returned from exile to Jerusalem, his heart was burdened (Neh. 1:3-4). By getting his attention in this way, the Lord could reveal what He wanted Nehemiahto do. Scripture doesn't spell out the man's reaction on realizing that he was to be a part of the solution, but we can imagine a sense of inadequacy probably engulfed him. How could he possibly help? He wasn't even near Jerusalem, and as a servant of theking, he didn't have the freedom to pack up and leave. 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