Copyright © S P Townsend
DEESIDE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
STUDIES FROM NEHEMIAH
CHAPTERS 1 & 2 - MAKING THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE
1. Nehemiah's News of Home (1:1-3)
• The disgrace of Jerusalem
Great trouble, disgrace, walls broken, gates burned. Complacency in spiritual behaviour had led to material, economic, social and political problems. (See book of Malachi.)
• What was really at stake
God's name. God's purposes through His people. Judgement or salvation.
2. Nehemiah's Burden of Heart (1:4)
• The character that is exposed
Obedient to God's word (cf Jer 29:4-23), diligent, concerned, sustained by a vision.
• The reaction that he makes
Grief, desperate prayer, thrown upon God.
3. Nehemiah's Prayer to God (1:5-11)
• His preparation
Personal preparation through fasting; seeking God's heart and will; understanding his own role.
• His prayer
Honouring God, sorrowing for sin, remembering God's word, trusting God's promises, depending on God's mercy and grace.
• His petition
Success for the first step only.
4. Nehemiah's Personal Commitment (2:1-20)
• God is able to change the unchangeable
God is omnipotent, human resources are inadequate.
• God uses people to achieve His purposes
Faith is marked by prayer, planning, patience and personal commitment.
• The glory must go to God alone
Acknowledging God's hand, pointing others to Him.
1. Read Nehemiah's prayer (1:4-11) and Daniel's prayer (Dan 9:3-19). Note down the similarities in approach and content. Consider how our own praying could be improved in the light of this, both privately and publicly. What advantage might there by in writing down prayers?
2. What were the basic issues that were bothering Nehemiah, and hence motivated his prayer in chapter 1? Are there any issues that similarly face us, to a greater or lesser extent?
3. How did Nehemiah "do his homework" whilst praying and awaiting God's answer? How might you prepare for God's answer in some of the situations you thought of in the previous question?
4. Consider writing down a prayer which might be used in corporate prayer one Sunday, or at a mid-week meeting. Consider also keeping a prayer diary, in which you regularly write down personal prayers.
Copyright © S P Townsend