1 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your 2 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:12,320 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at Bible Studyheadquarters dot com. 3 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:17,200 Speaker 1: You're listening to the chapter today Audio Bible. I'm John Stangi, 4 00:00:17,640 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 1: and today we're in Nhemiah chapter one, and we'll be 5 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:27,960 Speaker 1: reading from the message the Memoirs of Nehemiah, son of Hakkalayah. 6 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:31,840 Speaker 1: It was the month of Kiss lev in the twentieth year. 7 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:35,319 Speaker 1: At the time, I was in the palace complex at 8 00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:39,760 Speaker 1: Susa HANNONI. One of my brothers had just arrived from 9 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:43,320 Speaker 1: Judah with some fellow Jews. I asked them about the 10 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:46,640 Speaker 1: conditions among the Jews there who had survived the exile, 11 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:52,159 Speaker 1: and about Jerusalem. They told me the exile survivors who 12 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:55,040 Speaker 1: are left there in the province are in bad shape. 13 00:00:55,640 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 1: Conditions are appalling. The wall of Jerusalem is still robbing, 14 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:05,120 Speaker 1: the city gates are still sinders. When I heard this, 15 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:09,800 Speaker 1: I sat down and wept. I mourned for days, fasting 16 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:13,720 Speaker 1: and praying before the God of Heaven. I said, God, 17 00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:18,480 Speaker 1: God of Heaven, the great and awesome God, loyal to 18 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:21,280 Speaker 1: his covenant and faithful to those who love him and 19 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:26,280 Speaker 1: obey his commands. Look at me, Listen to me, pay 20 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:29,240 Speaker 1: attention to this prayer of your servant that I'm praying 21 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:33,319 Speaker 1: day and night in intercession for your servants, the people 22 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:36,880 Speaker 1: of Israel, confessing the sins of the people of Israel. 23 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:41,120 Speaker 1: And I'm including myself, I and my ancestors among those 24 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:44,839 Speaker 1: who have sinned against you. We've treated you like dirt. 25 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:48,720 Speaker 1: We haven't done what you told us, haven't followed your commands, 26 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:52,920 Speaker 1: and haven't respected the decisions you gave to Moses, your servant. 27 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:58,440 Speaker 1: All the same, remember the warning you posted to your servant, Moses. 28 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:01,880 Speaker 1: If you betray me, I'll scatter you to the four winds. 29 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 1: But if you come back to me and do what 30 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:08,520 Speaker 1: I tell you, I'll gather up all these scattered peoples 31 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:11,280 Speaker 1: from wherever they ended up and put them back in 32 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 1: the place I chose to mark with my name. Well, 33 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 1: there they are, your servants, your people, whom you so 34 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:27,519 Speaker 1: powerfully and impressively redeemed. Oh Master, listen to me, Listen 35 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:30,640 Speaker 1: to your servants prayer, and yes to all your servants 36 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:35,079 Speaker 1: who delight in honoring you, and make me successful today 37 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:37,720 Speaker 1: so that I get what I want from the King. 38 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:45,240 Speaker 1: I was cup bearer to the King. Let's pray, Lord, 39 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:47,600 Speaker 1: we thank you for your word, and we thank you 40 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 1: for the start of this new book. As we begin 41 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:52,919 Speaker 1: looking at the book of Nehemiah, and we can see 42 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:56,040 Speaker 1: what you were impressing upon his heart to do. We 43 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 1: could see that he had a great love for your people, 44 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:03,680 Speaker 1: and a great love for the city of Jerusalem, and 45 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:07,280 Speaker 1: a strong desire that you be worshiped sincerely and that 46 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:10,720 Speaker 1: your word be obeyed. Lord. He was asking you for 47 00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:13,600 Speaker 1: favor because he was about to make a request of 48 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:16,480 Speaker 1: the king so that he could help the people of 49 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:20,240 Speaker 1: Judah and Jerusalem. And Lord, we're grateful to be able 50 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:22,520 Speaker 1: to watch what you did in his life and in 51 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 1: the people's lives as we have the privilege to read 52 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:29,680 Speaker 1: the upcoming chapters. Lord, we're grateful that you raise up 53 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 1: leadership that's even greater than Nehemiah. We see that in 54 00:03:33,639 --> 00:03:37,360 Speaker 1: your son Jesus Christ, one with you for all eternity, 55 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:40,840 Speaker 1: who came to this earth and rescued and redeemed us. 56 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 1: We were lost people, We were living apart from your will, 57 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 1: We were ignoring your word. But in the midst of that, 58 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:52,200 Speaker 1: you sent your son Jesus Christ to rescue and redeem 59 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 1: us and raise us up from the pit that we 60 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:58,120 Speaker 1: were in a pit that we didn't even realize fully 61 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:01,000 Speaker 1: that we were in. It's like new things were bad, 62 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 1: but we just didn't know how bad. But we're grateful 63 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 1: for what you've done. We're grateful Lord that through faith 64 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 1: in your son, we have new life. We have eternal life, 65 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:13,760 Speaker 1: we have the promise of living forever in your presence 66 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:16,800 Speaker 1: for all eternity. And Lord, we pray that, by your 67 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 1: grace you would encourage our hearts with that truth. Today. Lord, 68 00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:22,800 Speaker 1: we love you, We thank you for your presence with 69 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:25,039 Speaker 1: us today, and we commit this day to your care. 70 00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:29,599 Speaker 1: We pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen.