DAY 11 OF 40 - Better Together Through Prayer And The Word

DAY 11 OF 40 - Better Together Through Prayer And The Word

Nehemiah 4:10-11

10 In Judah it was said, "The strength of those who bear the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble. By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall." 11 And our enemies said, "They will not know or see till we come among them and kill them and stop the work."

Galatians 6:9-10

9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

DAY 11 – DON’T GIVE IN TO DISCOURAGEMENT

SCRIPTURE: Nehemiah 4:10-11

But soon word was going around in Judah, The builders are pooped, the rubbish piles up; We’re in over our heads, we can’t build this wall. And all this time our enemies were saying, “They won’t know what hit them. Before they know it we’ll be at their throats, killing them right and left. That will put a stop to the work!” (The Message)

What happened to the people who prayed to their God? How could there be such a change in the builder’s attitudes from verse 9 to verse 10? They went from confidence in God to “let’s quit!”

As they looked around them, the amount of rubble seemed to get larger, not smaller; their enemies were making threats to kill them and put an end to the work; and they were physically exhausted! Looking through their circumstantial lenses was suicide for the Jews! There was no reason to continue.

But I wonder how long it had been since they had prayed to their God. A task seems impossible to us when we don’t keep our intimate relationship with God current. We lose our firm foundation. Prayer to their God had been theirs and should be our strong foundation. Without prayer, discouragement takes over!

LIFE APPLICATION: What task(s) are before you today? What lens are you using to see those tasks? • A Circumstantial Lens as the builders of the wall were using. • A Me Lens that says “I have the strength and wisdom to do this all by myself.” • A God Lens which believes Philippians 4:13…I can do EVERYTHING through CHRIST who gives me strength.

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