Dr. Charles Stanley 24 September 2023 In Touch Daily Devotional

Dr. Charles Stanley 24 September 2023 In Touch Daily Devotional

You are welcome to Today’s In Touch Daily Devotional written by Dr Charles Stanley and published by In Touch Ministry. Charles F. Stanley is the founder of In Touch Ministries and a New York Times best-selling author. He demonstrates a keen awareness of people’s needs and provides Christ-centered biblically-based principles for everyday life.

Today’s Topic: The God to Whom We Pray
Remembering the character of God builds our confidence as we approach Him with our petitions.

Scripture: Nehemiah 1:1-11

1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,

2 That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.

3 And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.

4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,

5 And said, I beseech thee, O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:

6 Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father’s house have sinned.

7 We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses.

8 Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:

9 But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there.

10 Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.

11 O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer.

In Touch Daily Devotional – Dr. Charles Stanley 24 September 2023

Talking to God doesn’t always come naturally, but we have examples in Scripture to help us. In today’s passage, Nehemiah strengthens His prayers by recalling God’s character. Bringing divine attributes to mind increases his faith and confidence in the Lord.

Nehemiah begins by saying, “Please, lord God of heaven” (1:5). lord, when it appears in all capital letters, denotes the word Jehovah. It means “God who is eternal in His being.” Why is this detail important? Acknowledgment of God’s eternal being is a reminder that God is faithful. Nehemiah prays with confidence because he knows the Lord keeps His promises.

The next Hebrew word, Elohim, is translated “He who is absolutely sovereign.” This name refers to the Creator and recognizes His omnipotence. Once again, Nehemiah acknowledges an important attribute of God—this time, His power. Nehemiah knows that the God who spoke the world into being is certainly able to answer his request.

We may not use these divine names very often, but we’d all benefit from following Nehemiah’s example of praising God’s character. What attribute of the Father do you need to be reminded of today? Take a moment to thank Him for this trait. Then approach God boldly and lay your request at His feet.

Bible in One Year: Micah 1-4