9. Nehemiah: Building Unity Brick by Brick - P.R.A.Y.

Prayer is such a powerful thing, yet often when we pray we sound more like toddlers in the toy aisle at the store begging for whatever catches their eye. We can treat prayer as a time for us to make known what we want to God, and in turn we end up feeling that prayer isn’t as powerful as we were told. Prayer is an exercise of faith, calling us to depend on God as the source of all we need. He is the provider, but also He is the Most High God worthy of ALL Praise! Do out prayers reflect that? In Nehemiah 9 we see the people come in sackcloth and with dust on their heads, mourning over their sins and the sins of their ancestors before God. They approach Him humbly in prayer that reflects the heart of Jesus’ prayer in Matthew 6 as we see them praise God for who He is and what He has done. They make requests and admit their sins in true confession. The chapter ends with a unified moment of submission to God as they yield to His authority, protection, care, forgiveness and wisdom. It is clear these people were understanding that prayer was a relational connection with God, rather than a personal list of desires being presented to someone who can give me what I want. Join us this weekend as we dive into prayer together, looking at the powerful tool God has given us for approaching Him. -Pastor Ben Key Verse: Nehemiah 9:3 - "They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the Lord their God." For Scripture, notes, upcoming events, & more: http://bible.com/events/49451011