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Nehemiah 1

 

[Nehemiah] ONE: Depending on God_

Nehemiah 1


Maybe you have heard someone else say (or even said yourself) things like, “I’m too busy too pray” or “This little thing is too insignificant to bother God with” or “That’s too big a problem, it’s too much of an ask for God” or “Who am I to ask that?” or “What right to I have praying a prayer like that?”

 

[Discussion starter] How do you respond when you hear bad news about people you care about?

 

[Read Nehemiah 1]

 

In verses 1-3 what event is being discussed?

 

 

How easy would it have been for Nehemiah to just ignore this report and why?

 

 

What four things does Nehemiah do when he hears Hanani’s report?

 

 

 

 

In verses 5-11 what are the specific concerns that Nehemiah talks about in his prayer?

 

 





[Activity] Using the well-known ACTS (adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication) how do you see these four elements being used here in Nehemiah’s prayer?

A
C
T
S

 

Do you use these elements of prayer in your own prayer-life?
Why or why not?

 

 

What clues do we find in this chapter that Nehemiah believed that God had heard his prayer and would answer it?

 

 

It appears that Nehemiah got more confident as he prayed and fasted.
How did both of these disciplines prepare him to get more involved?

 

 

How does this compare with your own experiences of prayer?

 

 

What do we learn about the character of Nehemiah from both his reaction and his prayer?

 

 

[Think] Take some time to think about the kinds of ‘reports’ you might be hearing about (in your life, your family, your church, and your world) that you need to pray and petition God for…

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