Jump Start # 3456

Nehemiah 13:31 “and I arranged for the supply of wood at appointed times and for the first fruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.”

Thanksgiving is over but our thankfulness to God is not. It never is. The book of Nehemiah ends with a prayer, ‘Remember me, O my God, for good.’ The book of Nehemiah is a great historical book that shows leadership, motivation, dealing with opposition and accomplishing a huge task. But it is also a book of prayer. There are fourteen prayers in Nehemiah.

Looking at the prayers in Nehemiah as a unit, we learn some valuable lessons about prayer.

1. Not all prayers are the same.
2. Not all prayers are long. Not all prayers are short.
3. Some prayers are praise and thanksgiving to God.
4. Some prayers are a call for help.
5. Some prayers are offered when we are scared.
6. Some prayers are offered when things are not going well.
7. Nehemiah was not too busy to pray, nor too proud to ask for help.
8. Our prayers must be encased in an understanding of who we are talking to.

It is easy to fall into the habit of praying for the same things and in the same way. When that happens, prayer becomes routine and almost lifeless. Sometimes we just don’t know what to pray for. Below is a useful prayer list to help you. Print this out and keep nearby as a reminder and a help.

SUNDAY: Worship. Pray for a clear mind and an open heart to worship the Lord. Pray for ears to hear the sermon. Thank the Lord for His love and grace that He extends to you. Be thankful to the Lord of Heaven and earth.

MONDAY: Your Family. Pray for the health, salvation and wellbeing of your family. Say names. Include in-laws, cousins and grandparents. Pray for your marriage. Pray for better relationships. Pray that your children will walk with the Lord. Pray that you may be an instrument to point the way to Jesus for your family.

TUESDAY: Your Church. Pray for the shepherds, preachers and deacons. Pray for those that teach Bible classes. Pray for those who are sick and hurting. Pray for spiritual strength and unity among the brethren. Thank the Lord for the congregation and the many tools to learn and grow. Pray for those who attend but have not chosen to walk with the Lord. Be thankful for one another.

WEDNESDAY: Your Community. Pray for opportunities to let your light shine among your neighbors and co-workers. Pray about your job and the people that work there. Pray for your child’s school teacher. Pray for the mayor, governor and president. Pray that peace will prevail and that we may live a tranquil life. Be thankful that we live in a country where we can worship the Lord without fear.

THURSDAY: Thanksgiving. This day, thank the Lord. Count your blessings. Thank the Lord for answering your prayers. Thank the Lord for His Word.

FRIDAY: Self. Pray for wisdom, open heart and making the right decisions. Pray for courage. Ask the Lord to help you conquer specific sins in your life. Pray for the right attitudes in life. Ask the Lord to help you be more like Him. Confess your faults and ask the Lord to forgive you. Pray for open eyes that you may help others.

SATURDAY: Praise. Praise God for all that He has done. Think about the qualities and attributes of God and thank Him for being that way. Thank the Lord for thinking so much of you. Tell the Lord that you love Him and want to be with Him, always and forever. Thank the Lord for sending Jesus. Thank the Lord for even listening to you.

You might come up with a better list than I have. Give it a try and spend a few moments in the day praying for what is on your list. You can also just make a list of people. People that are hurting. People that have helped you in the past. People that you long to see saved. People that you love. New faces. Old faces. Young faces.

Don’t get in the rut of always praying the same thing, the same way. There is so much to pray for. This will end our little journey through the subject of prayer. I hope this has helped you.

Roger