Certain aspects of God are beyond our full understanding, and one of them is how He uses our prayers to work out His will. Although He is the sovereign, omnipotent, all-knowing God who needs no one’s help, He has chosen to allow us to participate in the achievement of His divine plans through our prayers.

Nehemiah was moved to pray after hearing about the hardships of the Jews who’d returned to Jerusalem following Babylonian captivity. At the time, he was doing his job as the cupbearer to the King of Persia. But the Lord quickly answered Nehemiah’s prayer by paving the way and providing the resources that would allow him to rebuild the wall in Jerusalem.

Although we may not see answers as dramatic and obvious when we pray, the Lord still wants us to present our needs and believe that He’ll respond in a way that furthers His will for our life. There will be times when we can’t perceive any change, but that doesn’t mean God is not working everything for our good. And remember, even when we don’t pray as we should, the Holy Spirit helps our weakness by interceding for us according to God’s will (Rom. 8:26-28).

It all starts with accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ provides a relationship with the Father and eternal life through His death on the cross and resurrection, see Romans. 5:10.

Romans. 10:9 promises, "If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." If you have not yet begun your personal relationship with God, understand that the One who created you loves you no matter who you are or what you’ve done. He wants you to experience the profound depth of His care.

Therefore, tell God that you are willing to trust Him for salvation. You can tell Him in your own words or use this simple prayer:

Lord Jesus, I ask You to forgive my sins and save me from eternal separation from God. By faith, I accept Your work and death on the cross as sufficient payment for my sins. Thank You for providing the way for me to know You and to have a relationship with my heavenly Father. Through faith in You, I have eternal life. Thank You also for hearing my prayers and loving me unconditionally. Please give me the strength, wisdom, and determination to walk in the center of Your will. In Jesus’ name, amen.

If you have just prayed this prayer, congratulations!

You have received Christ as your Savior and have made the best decision you will ever make—one that will change your life forever!

When a high-rise building goes up in my city of Atlanta, Georgia, I think about all the construction involved. Underneath is a grid of steel and concrete giving strength to all the floors stacked overhead. In a similar way, we need a firm foundation to build a life with purpose. Jesus lays that groundwork for believers when they receive His salvation.

Christ’s saving grace gives His followers a new life. Sins are wiped away so that we have a clean “work site,” so to speak. Empowered by Jesus’ strength and wisdom, we can build on His foundation. The decision that needs to be made is whether to shape our eternal legacy with God-serving activities and habits or selfish ones.

Paul separates spiritual construction material into two categories: durable metal and dry kindling (1 Corinthians 3:12). A grass hut is easily destroyed by fire, but at the judgment, we want to greet the Lord from a sturdy structure, built with gleaming bricks of godly service and a diligent application of Scripture.

The life we create is useful to God only if it is consistent with Jesus Christ’s foundation. You might say that He is the architect and the Bible is the blueprint for successful living—and it’s in our best interest to follow those plans.

Many people today deny the existence of God. But the reason is suppression of the truth, not a lack of evidence. Because the Lord loves mankind, He has revealed Himself in several ways. We know God through ...

• His creation (Rom. 1:20). By observing the celestial bodies, the earth with its plants and creatures, and the laws of the universe, we must conclude that there is a Creator—such intricate design doesn’t happen accidentally. The order, balance, and beauty speak loudly of a wise God who is powerful and generous.

• Our conscience (Rom. 1:19). Because we’re created in His image, He’s designed the human being with an inner alarm system to provide a general sense of good and evil. That’s an excellent start, but God expects us to continually “upgrade” the conscience as we learn more about His ways. Otherwise, worldly thinking can override its original guidelines.

• His Word (Rom. 1:16-17). While conscience and creation point to the Lord, it usually takes more to bring us to a saving knowledge of Him. That is why God has given us His written Word—and ultimately His Son (Heb. 1:2-3).

With ample evidence of God’s power, character, and salvation, there is no excuse for doubting His existence and love for us.

Until we learn to see sin as God does, it’s difficult to understand what happened at Christ’s crucifixion. God is holy and just, and Scripture tells us that His response to sin is wrath and punishment (Rom. 1:18; Rom. 6:23). Yet He also loves sinners and wants to be reconciled with them. The cross was the perfect answer to this terrible dilemma. It was the place where God’s wrath and love met.

The only way to rescue fallen mankind from eternal punishment was to devise a plan whereby the Lord could forgive sins without compromising His holiness. His wrath had to be poured out on a suitable substitute, the perfect Son of God.

So Jesus suffered His Father’s wrath for us as He hung on the cross. Sin was punished, divine justice was satisfied, and God could forgive sinners—all in accordance with His character. His wrath was poured out on His Son so His love and forgiveness could be lavished upon us.

We’ll never be able to understand all that happened while Jesus hung on the cross. Although we can to a certain degree comprehend the physical suffering He endured, Christ bore so much more: the very wrath of God. This costly redemption plan proves the Father’s great love for us.

Walking with someone when you cannot agree on the direction or goal is frustrating, yet that’s exactly what we sometimes try to do with God. In the Scriptures, He gives us guidance for life. But then, when we don’t follow it, we’re surprised to see that He’s walking in a different direction than we are.

Scripture uses the term “walk” to describe the course of a person’s life. For instance, Noah walked with God by having a relationship with Him through faith (Gen. 6:9). And John’s gospel uses the phrase “walk in the Light” (1 John 1:7) to explain what is required of those who want to follow Jesus.

To walk with the Lord in His Light, we must confess and forsake sin, pursue righteousness, and obey His commands. We can’t claim to walk in the Light if our life is characterized by the darkness of a sinful lifestyle or we’re holding onto anger, bitterness, or resentment toward others.

Are you trying to carry old baggage into your walk with the Lord? The attitudes, habits, and conduct that were yours before Christ must be abandoned in order for you to walk with God.

King Hezekiah of Judah faithfully served the Lord with his whole heart (2 Chronicles 29:2). After the nation had fallen into idolatry, he reestablished proper worship of God. But his devotion to the Lord also extended into his personal life, and that’s exactly how we should live as well.  Our seeking after God should be characterized by:

• Wholeheartedness. A united heart has one preeminent desire—to please the Lord. But a divided heart tries to live both for self and for God. Warning that we cannot serve two masters, Jesus calls us to deny ourselves and follow Him (Matt. 6:24; Luke 9:23).

• Diligence. Devotion to God includes careful attention to His Word and unwavering effort to obey Him. Faith is the foundation upon which we diligently build qualities of Christian maturity (2 Peter 1:5-8).

• Persistence. The Christian life is a marathon, not a sprint. We need endurance to overcome obstacles that hinder us from finishing the course God has set for us (Heb. 12:1).

Living wholeheartedly for the Lord is impossible in our own strength. But if we’ll humble ourselves and ask, He will give us the grace to diligently and persistently live for Him.

If I were to ask whether you’d like a deeper relationship with God, you would probably say yes. But are you willing to do what is necessary to achieve it? Many Christians today are trying to find a shortcut to a closer relationship with the Father. But intimacy takes times and effort; knowing God better is a lifelong pursuit. Here’s how we discover the depths of His character through His Word:

Meditation involves reading a Bible passage several times and thoughtfully considering what it says about God. Today’s psalm, for example, encourages us to ponder the Lord’s power, glory, and lovingkindness. 

Study allows us to draw from several Bible passages to gain a greater understanding of the Lord. We benefit by considering the context and writing style of the verses and then asking ourselves what they reveal about God.

Prayer is our response to meditation and study of the Word. What we discover about God overflows into praise, gratitude, and petitions that align with His will.

We can’t cut corners if we want to walk closely with the Lord. But the rewards of a deep relationship with Him are worth the wait and effort—only through intimacy with Him will we know true satisfaction and joy.

It’s amazing how two people can hear the same sermon about the same portion of Scripture and yet walk away with completely different reactions—one could be deeply affected and the other indifferent to the message. Why does this happen? The main reason is the condition of a person’s heart. 

Nehemiah 8 is an amazing scene of God’s people coming together to hear His Word. They had been in captivity for many years and were hungry for His Word. For most of them, this was the first time they heard the Scriptures.

Are you hungry for God’s Word? Do you listen eagerly with an expectant mind and heart? When we genuinely long to know more of the Lord, it’s easier for our mind to focus on what He’s saying—and this is the case whether we’re listening to a pastor or teacher, reading our Bible, or following a book study.

So many things clamor for our focus, but nothing is as important as what the Lord has to say. He is worthy of our undivided attention. Remember, Jesus promised that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness would be satisfied (Matt. 5:6). Rest assured that whoever listens to God’s Word with an open heart and alert mind will receive from Him.

Most of us dislike being ignored. We feel frustrated and overlooked when our concerns are disregarded, especially by loved ones. Yet this is often how we treat the One who loves us the most—the Lord.  He is always attentive to every detail of our life, but we’re often too distracted by our own interests to think about Him.

Our God—who formed each of us in the womb and gives us life, breath, and all we have—deserves our full attention. Sadly, a majority of the world ignores Him, but those of us who have received His divine mercy, forgiveness, and grace should make Him our top priority.

Distractions come in many forms. Usually it’s the pleasures and cares of this world that cause us to forget about God. We’re so busy pursuing our own desires and agendas that we fail to stop and consider what pleases Him.

To change this trend, we must learn what the Lord desires for us, as revealed in His Word. When we begin to think the way He does, we’ll see our life through a filter of Scripture and have a desire to please Him.

People all around us are disregarding God’s offer of salvation through faith in His Son. If we look at their lives, it may not seem that they’re facing any divine judgment, but we must remember that repercussions don’t always follow immediately. Ignoring the Lord is rebellion and idolatry in His eyes, and unless the offender turns to Him in humble repentance and faith, consequences will come.

King Manasseh of Judah stands as an example of what can happen when someone ignores God. Despite the example of his godly father Hezekiah, Manasseh abandoned the Lord and led his people into idolatry. He was deaf to God’s voice and carried on with this evil for quite a while. But in time God finally got his attention through a painful situation involving the Assyrian military. Humbled, Manasseh repented and began obeying the Lord instead of ignoring Him. 

Are you sensitive to God’s voice, or does He have to bring hardship and suffering into your life to get your attention? Disregarding Him is a serious matter, but God is merciful and responds to the cries of a truly repentant heart.

Do you know someone with a hostile attitude toward God? It can be hard to imagine such a person accepting the Lord’s salvation, but no one is beyond the reach of our loving heavenly Father.

Saul of Tarsus is a perfect example. This self-righteous Pharisee was so confident of his obedience to God’s Law that he couldn’t see his need for a Savior. His goal was to get rid of Christians, but God had other plans for his life. Jesus appeared to him in a blinding light and confronted him about his persecution of the church. Saul repented, placed his trust in the Savior, and spent the rest of his life spreading the good news that salvation comes through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Conviction of sin is an uncomfortable but important step for a life of faith. Before we can understand our need for a Savior, we must recognize the hopelessness of our sinful condition. Then we can repent and receive the forgiveness of sins through faith in Jesus Christ.

Like Paul, we are saved only because God reached down to rescue us. And He will never leave or forsake us (Heb. 13:5) but is always present to mold us into Christlikeness.

Burnout is a term heard frequently today—it describes a lack of motivation that results when something produces frustration or exhaustion instead of inspiration. This often happens in high-stress jobs, long-term relationships like marriage, and even in the church. Every year there are pastors who walk away from their work because the joys of ministry are overshadowed by the difficulties. This type of weariness is something most Christians struggle with at some point in life.

Timothy was experiencing burnout—as the pastor of the church in Ephesus, he was being worn down by the constant battle for the truth that was under attack by false teachers. For this reason, Paul wrote to him with encouragement to “kindle afresh” his spiritual gift (2 Timothy 1:6).

In the same way, sometimes the pressures of daily life, hardships, physical ailments, or relational conflicts can make us feel spiritually dry and empty of zeal. Although an ebb and flow of emotions is normal, a persistently dry spiritual life is a reason for concern. To rekindle the fire, we need the fuel of God’s Word and His Spirit. Pray with the psalmist, “Revive me according to Your word” (Psalm 119:25).

As we grow in our Christian faith, we move from the milk of elementary truths to the meatier issues of Scripture that challenge our heart and our thinking. One of those deeper concepts is the question of whether God is involved in every circumstance. Spiritually, it gives us a lot to “chew on” because the answer goes against our natural reasoning.

For example, Joseph was treated cruelly by his brothers, suffering enslavement and imprisonment in Egypt because of their hatred. We tend to wonder, How could a good God have been involved in that painful circumstance? Yet He worked it all for good, eventually moving Joseph to a position of power as Pharaoh’s right-hand man. (See Genesis 37-39).

When we ponder Scripture’s deeper teachings, it’s important to start with the truths about the Lord’s character, power, and promises. These form a foundation that can help us understand His role in both the triumphs and tragedies of life.

Although we can’t always grasp what God is doing in our circumstances, we can rely on His promise to work all things together for good to those who belong to Him (Rom. 8:28). It’s important to remember that nothing touches us without passing though His loving, sovereign hands.

In those frightening times when our well-ordered life appears to disintegrate around us, what are we to do? Today’s psalm gives valuable advice that can steady us in the midst of chaos.

Remember that “God is our refuge and strength, a very ready help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1)—and that security is found in Him, not in this world. Troubles will come, but we can rest in the knowledge that He is sovereign over every situation and will bring about His good purposes for those who seek refuge in Him.

Next, our heavenly Father admonishes us to stop striving and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10). In other words, we’re to rest in Him and the truths of His Word instead of fretting, panicking, and trying to control or manipulate the situation toward our desired end.

Peace comes through trusting in the Lord’s sovereign control, submitting to Him in the midst of our circumstances, and believing that He will work it out for our good and His glory. Ultimate relief comes in eternity, but until then, we have His strength to help us in times of trial. Keep an eternal perspective and live by faith, not by sight.

Is God answering your prayers, or does it seem as if He’s not listening? Hearing no reply can be very discouraging, especially when you really need His help. Although it’s not always possible to know why God is silent, James offers some possible reasons:

• Sin (James 4:1-2). Unaddressed sin hinders communication with God. This may have been the case with the recipients of James’s letter, who were quarreling and feeling animosity.

• Wrong Motives (James 4:3). Sometimes our petitions may be self-centered. James clearly says that God won’t answer this kind of prayer, which amounts to asking for our will to be done rather than His.

• Worldly Desires (James 4:4). The world presents deceptive philosophies that lure us away from pure devotion to Christ. When we find more pleasure in its offerings than in Jesus, we are vulnerable and can easily be distracted from things that are of eternal value. Whether we realize it or not, this puts us in opposition to God.

If you recognize any of these hindrances in your life, the solution is clear: Confess and repent of your sinful attitudes, actions, and desires (1 John 1:9). Then thank God and rejoice in His cleansing.

Goliath was a daunting enemy of Israel, and a strong incentive was offered to anyone who could kill the giant: money, exemption from taxes, and marriage to King Saul’s daughter. Though these rewards would intrigue any young man, David was not foolhardy. The young shepherd had a different motivation for standing against Goliath: He wanted to serve the Lord.

And so David called out, “For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he has dared to defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26). To him, a challenge to God’s chosen nation of Israel was the same as defying the Lord Himself. David was prepared to defend Yahweh’s holy name and His people, even against this formidable warrior.

It is possible for believers to seek victory with wrong motives. In fact, many reasons that sound good are actually selfish. For example, I’m tired of being in this mess, or Lord, I can’t run away, so You’ll have to remove this problem, or even, If I had more money, then I’d give more to the church. At the end of the day, the right motive is a desire to follow, serve, and honor God.

Life’s “Goliaths” happen to us all, and they can either impede or strengthen our walk with the Lord. As He did with David, God will give victory to those who stand strong in His name.

Life’s “Goliaths” come in all shapes, sizes, and intensities—such as an unhappy relationship, a rebellious child, a difficult job, a pile of debt, or an uncontrollable habit. But if we avail ourselves of God’s power, then we, like David, can ultimately gain victory over a seemingly insurmountable problem.

Notice that David declared victory over Goliath before the battle even began (1 Samuel 17:46). His confidence came from ...

• Remembering times in the past when the Lord protected and strengthened him, such as moments when a lion or bear threatened his flock (1 Samuel 17:37). As he faced the fearsome giant, David wisely recalled how faithful God had always been.

• Strong convictions about the Lord and what He could do. David knew he had full access to his Father’s storehouses of power, courage, and wisdom.

• Practical habits that bolstered his faith. David had spent hours alone in the wilderness, listening to God’s voice. So he knew how to discern what the Lord was telling him to do.

I encourage you to try following David’s example. Keep a record of the Lord’s work in your life, and meditate on who He is. Then you, too, can be confident that God is sufficient, no matter how large the problem you’re facing.

Psalm 55:16-22

Have you ever suddenly awoken in the middle of the night with a heavy burden on your heart? Sometimes this kind of weight is from the Lord and will be lifted when He has accomplished His purpose—for example, an impulse to pray or a strong motivation to do God’s will. Other burdens are caused by sin and weigh us down until we confess them.

But regular, daily burdens are not for us to carry. We tend to think of worries as our lot in life—like responsibilities we’re to handle without “bothering” God. But really our lot is to walk obediently with God and trust Him to do the heavy lifting in our life. Scripture says we are to cast every burden on Him (1 Peter 5:7). We must identify the concern, surrender it into His care, and have faith He will sustain us as He has promised.

Relinquishing our grasp on burdens does not mean we stop thinking about them. We still prayerfully bring them to God, listen for His guidance, and bless His name for bearing worries on our behalf (Psalm 68:19). But our concerns won’t destroy us if they’re set on God’s shoulders. Are you carrying a heavy load? God wants to hold it—and you—in His hand.

What’s the biggest mistake you’ve ever made? Many people may not recognize their greatest error until after death, when their expectation of life in heaven is replaced by the horrible reality that they are denied entrance for rejecting Christ.

Nicodemus was a man who had built his life on knowing and doing the right things. As a Sanhedrin member—one of the highest ranks for a Pharisee—he appeared incredibly righteous from man’s perspective. Surely he was destined for heaven. What a shock it must have been when Jesus said the only way to see the kingdom of God was to be born again. Nicodemus hadn’t done anything to be born physically, and now he was being told there was nothing he could do to be born again, either. And no matter how many good deeds he had done, they could never get him into the kingdom of God.

The false belief that we can earn our way to heaven is still prevalent today. Churches are filled with people who think they are saved by participating in religious activities and living a moral life. But if we believe this lie, we will be greatly disappointed after death. The only way to be saved from eternal disaster is to be born again by believing in Jesus. 

There is a great deal of misinformation regarding the meaning of the term “born again.” Such ignorance and confusion could have disastrous ramifications if those who think they are born again really aren’t.

In a conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus used this term to explain how one enters the kingdom of heaven. Nicodemus thought the Lord was referring to a subsequent physical birth and couldn’t fathom how this was possible, but Jesus was speaking in spiritual terms.

The original Greek phrase literally means “born from above,” signifying that this new birth originates with God, not with man. It also involves being born of water and the Spirit. To enter the kingdom of heaven, we must be cleansed from our sins and regenerated by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5).

When you are born again through faith in Jesus Christ, there is a radical change within you. Your spirit, which was once dead to God, is made alive by the Holy Spirit, who now indwells you. He enables you to understand His spiritual truths and live in obedience to His Word. What begins as an invisible renewal will soon become increasingly visible in a righteous lifestyle. 

Yesterday we learned what “born again” means, but do we know how it comes about? Is it something we choose or something God does to us? And are Jesus’ words in John 3:7— “You must be born again”—a command or a factual statement?

Actually, the new birth requires both the work of God and the response of man. The Father is the one who took the initiative by sending His Son to bear divine wrath for our sins. In that way, God could forgive us while remaining just. Then His Spirit opens our hearts to understand this: The perfect Son of God died in our place so we wouldn’t perish but instead would have eternal life.

Our role in this relationship is to respond in faith, believing in who Jesus is and what He did on our behalf. This isn’t just intellectual acknowledgment but complete abandonment of ourselves to Him. We see our sin as a great offense against God, recognize that Jesus is our only hope, and rely fully on Him for our forgiveness and salvation. He is now our Lord and Master, and our desire is to no longer live for ourselves but for Christ alone.

The Bible is God’s Word, so does He still want to speak to us personally? The answer is yes, and there are several reasons why.

First, His guidance is a necessity for our lives. In Scripture, we see the Lord giving specific directions to His servants, and we often forget that we, too, need His instructions.

Second, we rely on the Lord’s power just as much as the Israelites. We all have “Red Sea” experiences, when we don’t know where to turn. But just as the Lord parted the waters for Israel, He will act in our lives, too.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, He wants us to have an intimate relationship with Him. The heavenly Father loves us just as much as He loved His children in biblical times. And He desires fellowship and honest conversation with today’s believers, just as He did with Abraham, Moses, and the prophets. So our priority should be to know Him and, once we do, to continually know Him better and better.

Our connection with God cannot be a one-way street. There must be a continual flow of back-and-forth communication—and that means we don’t do all the talking. We will get to know our Father more intimately when we learn to listen.

We all jump to conclusions and make assumptions—even the disciples missed important truth in this way. Jesus told them repeatedly that He was going to be crucified and raised to life after three days. Their ears heard His words, but their minds and hearts didn’t.

The disciples knew Jesus was the Messiah, but their assumptions about how and when His kingdom would come kept them from hearing how the Lord actually said it would happen. They were looking for a Savior who would overthrow Rome and then rule with the disciples by His side. However, Jesus’ words of death and resurrection were the exact opposite of that. They hadn’t understood the promise of the resurrection, so when Jesus died, their dreams died too, which left them feeling hopeless (Luke 23:46; Luke 23:48).

We might wonder, How could they be so dense? But before we judge them too harshly, let’s remember that we, too, often have ideas about how the Lord should work in our life and in the world.

God’s ways won’t always match ours, because He works from an eternal perspective and we don’t. So we must remember that His ways are best. Let’s drop our expectations and trust Him.

I’ve had the privilege of flying in several single-engine airplanes, but never once have I asked the pilot about his qualifications or the trustworthiness of the plane. I simply expected him and his aircraft to carry me safely to my destination. We usually don’t have trouble relying on planes or automobiles without question, yet we sometimes fail to trust the Lord.

Our faith in God is like spiritual glasses through which we view the world around us. Our physical eyesight may not detect His almighty hand working in the events and situations of life, but faith looks beyond the externals to the truth and promises of Scripture.

Our foundation of assurance is built upon God’s Word and our experiences of His trustworthiness. We have no cause for worry or uncertainty because the Lord of the universe is sovereign over every event under heaven, and that includes the details of our lives. Philippians 4:6-7 tells us not to be anxious; instead, we’re to bring our concerns and requests to God with thanksgiving, trusting Him to work it all out according to His will. Then His peace will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.