grace

1. The basis of Nehemiah's appeal is asking God to REMEMBER the covenant He made with His people, that He would not forsake them, but upon repentance would restore them into fellowship with Him. 2.How does he argue his case before God? Nehemiah argues his case before God, but bringing to His remembrance His WoRD TO hIS people. The scripture says that God is not a man that He should lie. When God speaks a promise , then it will come to pass. 3. What do we learn from this about intercession? We learn that the Word of God is the foundation upon which our faith rests. We also learn that what God has promised, He is able to perform. God is always waiting for the backslider to come to his senses and repent, knowing that His God is a merciful and forgiving God.

Why does Nehemiah pray night and day for four months? 1. The responses of Pickledilly and Helenmm are good responses. I believe as Helenmm did, in that the Spirit of God placed a burden on Nehemiah to intercede for his beloved nation and his utmost respect and love for his God. Nehemiah had a lot of bases to cover including coming before the King with a request that might have gotten him into a lot of trouble. He had to pray to God for the King's favour in this matter so he might obtain permission from the king for that which was necessary to go to his homeland and obtain the building materials to repair the city walls. 2.Why does he fast and weep? Fasting and weeping was a strong religious custom for the Jewish people, but in Nehemiah's case , it became his purpose-filled life to seek God with true repentance for the ministry of rebuilding the walls and fullfilling the call of God on his life. This is a good lesson for those of us who are unsure of the calling of God on our life, but a strong desire within us to fullfill the will of God in His plan for each one of us. 3. When it comes to knowing God's will, we should go to great lenghts to find out what God is up too, and be ready for a move of God in our lives.

What was DAniel's essential prayer? 1. I believe his prayer for his nation was solely based on God's righteousness and mercy, not upon any righteousness of Israel. What are the various grounds of Daniel's appeal 2. Grounds of appeal ......For your sake ......for the sake of a city known by His Name ......For the character of His mercy. All these grounds of appeal were totally based on who God is. There was no appeal based on any righteous act of the Israelites. The entire appeal was placed into the hands of the living God to obtain His mercy. This was acceptable to God.

Since Daniel is such a righteous man in his generation , why does he identify himself with the sins of his people? 1. I believe, that, like the body of believers in a local church, we are all part of that one body (1Cor.12:12). When any one of that body falls into sin, we take that burden upon ourself to intercede on behalf of that brother or sister who was overtaken in a fault. We then who are spiritual, seek to restore our brother/sister back into the body. How does this compare with how Jesus sought forgiveness for his people? 2. IN the book of Hebrews we are told that, "He likewise took upon himself flesh and blood , that through death, He might destroy him that hath the power of death, that is the devil, who through all their lifetime were subject to bondage, in order to set us free". Jesus never sinned , but was willing to take upon him our sins in His body upon a tree, that we being dead to sins, might live unto righteousness. Jesus so loved us that He was willing to take upon Himself our weaknesses in the flesh, to bring about our deliverance.

What is Daniel's demeanor when He prays? 1. Without question, Daniel does come before God with a broken and contrite heart (which pleases God) for that is the type of sacrifice with which God is well-pleased. Daniel has a heart for his people and is a true intercessor for his people. 2. It is important because the future of the nation is at stake and unless there is a mighty intervention of God, Israel will be under the control of a pagan government 3. We can prepare for intercession, first by having our own lives in right standing before God by coming under the refining hand of God. When we have placed our own lives under God's authority , then we can enter into our prayer closet and intercede for others.

What encourages Daniel to seek God for the restoration and forgiveness of Israel to its homeland? l. Daniel was a student of the scriptures , and had confidence in the prophet Jeremiah. He knew what Jeremiah prophesized would happen. He also knew that God was a merciful and forgiving God who would forgive Israel if they came to Him in repentance. 2The trait that brings this encouragement to pass would be his upbringing in the ways of the Lord God Jehovah. He took a strong stand against bowing down to false images, at the cost of his life. He knew that the consequences of not taking a stand would bring a judgement upon him and upon the nation of Israel.

Why is this prayer of surrender to God so difficult to pray? 1. This prayer is difficult to pray because we are asking God to "test" or refine us, which means that God will bring into our lives TRIALS which may be difficult for us to go through. 2.I have prayed this prayer to God many years ago, but understand this prayer to have purifying conditions today. Luke 14:28 tells us "which of you intending to build a tower (your life) sitteth not down first , and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it. I believe when you ask God to search and test (try) you, then you better be ready to count the cost. 3.Can a person be a genuine disciple without praying this kind of prayer? I believe a person can be a christian, but not a genuine disciple, for a disciple is one who not only follows Jesus Christ, but one who desires to be completely obedient to Christ.

How does an awareness of God's involvement in your prenatal development meant to encourage you? Why is such knowledge overwhelming to us? l. God says in His Word, "I knew you before you were in your mother's womb and all my members were written when as yet there were none of them." In fact God knew me before the foundation of the earth. I am encouraged by the fact that I was purposely planned, for the glory and to bless God with my life, with the gifts He has bestowed in me. 2. The knowledge of my prenatal development is overwhelming to me because it goes beyond my ability to understand eg. that He breathed into my nostrils the breath of life and I became a living soul. Also there is something inside of me that constantly makes me aware that I am a SPIRIT made after the image of God (beyond human comprehension).

How does God's hand touch the psalmist? In Verse 5 , God encloses him and places a hedge of protection around him. Have you ever felt God's hand on you in a special way? I believe I felt God's hand on me in times of witnessing to other people, when I least expected to do so. Was it for your good? What was it like? Yes, I believe it was for my good. Anytime I have the opportunity to share God's word with someone, it brings a joy and delight to my soul to have had such a privilege.

Why do people sometimes want to flee from God?Why do people imagine that God doesn't know what they Do?Have you ever felt this way? 1. I believe that the times when people want to flee from God is when they are not walking in the conduct that God wants them to walk, and there is a sense of uneasiness and restlessness , due to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Maybe some people think that it is impossible to live up to the standard that God has set forth in His Word.There are also those times of frustration when prayers over a long period of time do not seem to be answered. 2. For people to believe that God doesn' know what they do can only come from a lack of understanding of the omnisience of a Holy God. They are ignorant of the scrutiny of God who searches the hearts and minds. 3. No-I am very much aware that God knows everything about me and this should result in a stronger desire to please Him.

What is the significiance of Hezekiah's spreading out the enemy's message before the Lord?What is the underlying principle illustrated here?How can we apply this principle to our own lives?What happens when we don't apply this principle? I believe that spreading out the message before the Lord reveals his trust and dependance on the living God, as well as knowing that the odds were against him in fighting this battle in his own strenght. "No man intending to build a house, sitteth not down first and count the cost whether he has sufficient to build it". The underlying principle is that the battle is the LOrd's We can apply this in our own lives by bringing all our needs and problems before the Lord to get His wisdom and direction in the things that come into our lives. When we don't apply this principle , then we are trusting in our own efforts.

Why was Hezekiah's healing important for the nation?How did it relate to God's promises to David? 1. Pickledilly's response seems to be correct. It seems to be the overall response by the forum that Hezekiah's healing was important in that there needed to be a strong Godly leader on the throne, who had the ear of God in revealing how the nation should be led. 2. As indicated by many, there could not be a break in the Davidic line of kings in order that the king of kings would one day reign forever .

How do the first two sentences of Hezekiah's prayerCorrespond to the first sentence of the LOrd's prayer?How are they important to faith?How are they important to God in answering the prayer? 1. Both acknowledge that the kingdom belongs to God and that He is Maker of heaven and earth. Both give God HIS POSITION - between the Cherubims, and who art in heaven. 2.They are important to faith because our faith in placed in the Most High God who watches over every detail of our life. 3. They are important to God in answering prayer because He knows that we are the work of His hands and as such we are to exalt Yawheh with our whole lives.

What is the significance of Hezekiah spreading out the enemy's message before the Lord?What is the underlying principle illustrated here?How can we apply this principle to our own lives?What happens when we don't apply this principle? 1. Spreading out the enemy's message before the Lord is bringing his concerns before the Lord to gain the wisdom from above, without which he cannot win the battle and experience in the past has taught him that the Lord had previous fought his battles. 2. The underlying principle is , especially when the situation is overwhelming to TRUST THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND LEAN NOT UNTO YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING, BUT IN ALL WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM. 3 We can apply this principle to our own lives by bringing all our concerns before the Lord, and casting our care upon Him 4. When this principle is not applied, then we become stressed and listen to ungodly counsel and there is no assurance in the matter.

Why is a person's attitude with regard to giving related to that person's attitude toward praise?Why does an attitute of possessiveness with regards to giving get in the way of worship?In what sense do all your possessions belong to God?What then should be your relationships to your possessions?How will these truths re-energize your giving? your praise? 1. If there is a poor attitude of giving, there will be a poor effort to praise. A good attitude in giving will release one in a good attitude of praise. 2. An attitude of possessiveness gets in the way of worship because there is a failure in the worhipers' life to see that ALL belongs to God in the first place. 3.All our possessions belong to God because the scripture says , "the earth is the Lord's and all the fullness thereof". Furthermore, when you give your life to God, He then has rightful ownership of all that you have. 4. Our relationships to our possessions should be a temporal thing knowing that all these things will someday pass away. 5. These truths should energize our giving in that it should be our pleasure to please the Father, and to show Him that He has first place in our lives. 6. Our praise to the Father should be a lifestyle , knowing that we are not of this world , but we look for a better world whose builder and maker is God

How might you begin to mention God's greatness in your own prayers? Where is this kind of praise found for example in the Lord's prayer? What are your favourite songs that point to God's greatness? 1. Often, in prayer, I tell the Lord, that "He is God, and beside Him there is no God" . Also, that the heavens declare the glory of God and the firnmanent sheweth His handiwork. 2. For thine is the glory and the honour and the power (at the endof the Lord's prayer) 3. Favourite songs, "Great are you, LOrd and greatly to be praised" "Great is your faithfulness, O God my Father" " Let there be glory and honour and praises" "Majesty, worship His Majesty"

In what way does praise exalt God?Why should we exalt God?What does this exaltation do in us?What does it say about us? 1. I believe that the view expressed by Pickledilly expresses it correctly, in that giving praise to God , builds up the throne that God has established in our hearts. God is great and greatly to be praised and His greatness is unsearchable. The truth is we are unable to give the kind of praise to God that He deserves. The last verse of Psalms says, "Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord". Praising God is an act of worship that declares His majesty. The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmanent sheweth His handiwork. ALL THINGS WERE MADE BY HIM AND WITHOUT HIM NOTHING WAS MADE THAT IS MADE. 2. We should exalt God because He is worthy of all praise; it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. His word tells us that we are made for His glory and honour. 3. This exaltation for God encourages and strenghtens us in our day to day walk of faith . It brings peace to our lives knowing that we have a real purpose in our lives. 4. It reveals to us that we truly are the sons and daughters of the most high God, for we are a peculiar people that we should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.

In what way does praise exalt God?Why should we exalt God?What does this exaltation do in us? What does it say about us? 1. Praise exalts God because it reveals His Majesty; He is the self-existant One. God is known in Judah(in the praises of His people). Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. 2. We should exalt God, because Revelation 4:11 states, " Thou art worthy O Lord, the receive honour and glory and power , for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure, they are and were created". Also, we are a peculiar people that we should shew forth the praises of Him, who hath called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. 3. This exaltation of God produces in us a desire to be like Him with a desire to walk in holiness and righteousness before Him. 4. It reveals in us God's nature and likeness.

In what ways do our prayers of praise bless God? What do we mere humans have that God desires in a blessing?What are prayers like that don't include blessing God? 1. We bless God with our prayers of praise because we fully recognize that is the source of all blessing. We acknowledge His omnipresense, His omnipotence, and His omnicience. We realize that in Him, we MOVE, and LIVE AND have our BEING. And without Him life would not exist. 2. We have the God-given gifts, talents, and abilities to exercise in our worship and work for the Lord. 3. Prayers that don't include God are simply a religious ritual, an exercise in 'futitily resulting in no fruit for God.

What does it mean to have a broken heart and spirit?Why is this essential in the prayer of pardon?In what sense is this a sacrifice?Why do we tend to resist a broken and contrite heart within ourselves? 1. I often use the analogy of a wild horse roaming on the plains. A wild horse does not serve a purpose to man, until it is captured and after many efforts to ride it, it finally gives in to the purpose man intends for it. We cannot really function to serve the purposes of God until, we too, have come to a place of brokenness, and with a humble heart cry out to God, "Here I am Lord, What will you have me to do". 2. This is essential in the prayer of pardon because then we will be open to please God rather than be self-pleasing. Then we know that we were created for God's purpose , not our own. 3. This is a sacrifice, because you have put away all your worldly desires and have given your life to serve the living God, because you now realize that your life is not your own, for you have been bought with a price. 4. We tend to resist a broken and contrite heart because of the ongoing struggle between the flesh and spirit. We have not come to that place of letting go and letting God have his way in our lives. We also struggle with giving over to God complete control as the flesh wants to gain the upper hand.

Is it possible to have a pure heart? How does God bring about a pure heart? What is our part in this? 1. First, I did not think so. However, Matt. chapt. 5, says, "Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God". I know that the mind is hostile to God but I believe that when we receive salvation, then we have been purified by the blood of Jesus. The bible says that we are CLEAN THROUGH THE WORD, or washed in the Word. For our hearts to remain pure, we must be daily walking , meditating, and seeking God in His Word. David said, "Create within me a clean heart", even though he was a friend of God. He must have considered the possibility of his heart becoming impure. I believe we can have impure hearts if we go contrary to God's word. 2. God will bring about a pure heart by being with us every step of the way, admonishing, discipling, forgiving, and bringing healing to us when we veer of the path that He has chosen for us to walk in. 3. Our part is TRUST AND OBEY. l A pure heart that's what I long for a heart that follows hard after thee, A pure heart that's what I long for a heart that follows hard after thee, A heart that hides your Word So that sin cannot come in A heart that's undivided, one you rule and reign A heart that beats compassion, that pleases you my Lord, A sweet aroma of worship that rises to your throne N.B. Learn this song and sing it to yourself in prayer

In his prayer, does David seek to minimize his sins? to maximize them? Why does an authentic prayer for pardon require clear,unvarnished acknowledgement of sin to be effective? 1.No, David does not seek to minimize his sin. He openly declares sin in his life for what it is - SIN. He knows that he cannot cover sin, for he that covereth sin shall not prosper. He takes full responsibility for it. 2. Nor does he seek to maximize them ;he has no desire to flaunt his sin inthe face of God, as he cries out to God not to take the Holy Spirit from him. 3. An authentic prayer for pardon requires a clear acknowledgement of sin, because God says in Jeremiah that our sins have separated between us and our God, that he will not hear. But he that confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall find mercy. Then we have the wonderful assurance that , "If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

In what ways does a prayer for pardon require faith?What is that faith based on?How does a person gain the faith topray this prayer in confidence 1.If I understand the question correctly, a prayer for pardon requires faith in trusting God who states that His mercy is everlasting , even though we are aware of our sinful actions. God is married to the backslidder. IF God requires us to forgive seventy times seven, will He do less! 2.Our faith is based on the INERRANT AND ETERNAL WORD OF THE LIVING GOD. Our faith is also based on the work of Christ on the cross, who from the cross, said,"Father , forgive them for they know not what they do". 3. We can pray this prayer in confidence, for He said , "If we confess our sin, He is willing to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness. Also, there is therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.

IN what way does Abraham show persistence?Why is persistence necessary in prayer?Have you ever experienced praying through? What was it like? 1.Abraham showed persistence in that he kept coming to the Lord in prayer until he got the answer that SATISFIED him, even though he thought he might press the issue too far with the Lord. Result: He got what he wanted. 2.Persistence is necessary in prayer, because it shows a determination, that one will not give up until he has prayed through. If Jesus found it necessary to come aside from the world to pray, why then do we neglect that which is such a priority to God??????? 3. I have not experienced praying through and would appreciate help from the forum from those who have "prayed through" to know their experience and results.

Do you think Abraham's boldness pleased God?Why or why not? What might cause God to take delight in your prayers for Him? 1. Yes, it pleased God, because it was not an arrogrant boldness, but a boldness he had in being so intimately acquainted with God and His righteous character. Because of grace , we too, are told in Hebrews to come boldly to the throne of grace that we may find help in our time of need. 2. God will take delight in our prayers when they are God-centered and not self-centered- seeking to know God's will and a willingness to walk in obedience to God's will. This of course would be preceded by praise and thanksgiving for all that God has done and is doing in our lives.