Nehemiah 1

Audio starts in minute 19:40.

Like every book of the Bible, Nehemiah's book reveals the character and nature of God—who He is, how He acts, and how He keeps His promises toward His people in both obedience and disobedience. 

As Paul reminds us in Romans 15:4, ‘Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.’

And here’s what Nehemiah shows us: returning to the land did not guarantee a change in Israel’s heart. God would fulfill His covenant promises, but His people needed a deeper transformation if they were truly going to love and obey Him.

We will read about a man who loved God and His kingdom devoting himself to God’s Word, to prayer, and to doing whatever he could to advance His glory—and he called others to join him. His burden for God’s glory moved him to pray, to fast, to confess, and to prepare to act.

So the question before us is this? When was the last time the advancement of God’s glory so burdened you that you wept, prayed, and asked Him for the margin and the means to do your part?