Rebuild the Walls, Restore the Gates 2-28-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. By the power of Your grace, I willing choose to surrender and submit my life and this day into Your hands and Your will. ... "I said, 'O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love Him and keep His commandments; let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes be open to hear the prayer of Your servant that I now pray before You day and night for Your servants, the people of Israel, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against You. Both I and my family have sinned' " (Nehemiah 1:5-6). Confession of sin and repentance of heart prepares the way of the Lord to move in the power of restoration and revival. You have created our world based upon Your spiritual principle of obedience to Your will. Sin has its consequences, but so does repentance. "Remember the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples; but if you return to Me and keep My commandments and do them, though your outcasts are under the farthest skies, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place at which I have chosen to establish My name.' These are Your servants and Your people, whom You redeemed by Your great power and Your strong hand" (v. 1:8-10). Confession cleanses our soul. Repentance turns our hearts away from ourselves to You and from our defeated past to our destined future. And when we confess our sins and return our hearts to You, You forgive us and "cleanse us from all unrighteousness," redeeming us and restoring us to intimacy or relationship with You (1 John 1:9). You gather us from where we have scattered ourselves away from Your presence and Your purpose by the self-centeredness of sin. And You bring us back to the place of peace in alignment with Your plans for our lives "by Your great power and Your strong hand." There in the place of peace in our hearts that comes from the return of obedience to Your will by Your grace, You rebuild the walls of our security in You, and restore the gates of righteousness in our souls (Nehemiah 2:17-18). "Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness before God; and we receive from Him whatever we ask, because we obey His commandments and do what pleases Him" (1 John 3:21-22). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, along with Laura Beach of our ministry and David Thomas of my home church, I'll be helping lead a Prayer Summit at Centenary United Methodist Church this weekend as we grow in our understanding and experience of prayer http://centenarylex.com/prayer/PrayerSummit2008.shtml Please keep us in your prayers that we would experience new life, depth, and passion in an awakening of prayer. I pray the same for you and your church. God bless you! Subscribe free by email to Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" http://www.messiah-ministries.org/ 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order our Resources On-Line: http://www.shop.messiah-ministries.org/