Nehemiah 12-13, Isaiah 40:1-17, Colossians 4

What God said to me – Have you ever noticed that when I gave spiritual gifts and callings that I called some to be apostles and preachers and evangelists and teachers, but not “pray-ers”.  That is because praying is not a spiritual gift – it is what every believer should be doing.  You may not be able to preach or teach, but you can pray.  You don’t have to possess a seminary degree to pray.  You don’t even have to be articulate to pray.  You just have to be My child.  As you spend time with Me and devote yourself to My word and to prayer, I’ll lay on your heart people and things to pray for and about.  When you don’t know what to pray or how to pray, My Spirit intercedes for you.  Prayer is a fulfilling adventure where you see Me at work and you get to participate in My plan.  As you pray, stay alert with an attitude of thanksgiving and I’ll open your eyes to see how “I AM” using prayer needs to work in people’s lives and draw them closer to Me.

Nehemiah 10-11, Isaiah 39, Colossians 2:13-23, 3

What God said to me – You worked hard you whole life and saved and invested so you could retire some day and enjoy the fruits of your labor and not worry about how you are going to get by.  Yet in spite of your best-efforts markets can crash, economies can fail, and unforeseen disasters can occur.  That’s life – stuff happens that you didn’t count on.  So, what are you to do?  Start by remembering that you are Mine and you have a future and a hope that are not of this world.  Set your mind on things above and not on earthly things.  Change your thinking from temporal to eternal – make your focus and your activities centered around things that will last.  Stay in My word and spend much time with Me so that your mind is constantly renewed and you don’t lose focus.  Whatever you do, do it for Me – for My approval – for My glory knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance that cannot be taken away.

Nehemiah 8-9, Isaiah 38, Colossians 2

What God said to me – Have you ever thought about what the substitutionary death of My Son on the cross means?  In ancient days a handwritten certificate of debt detailing the specific crimes for which a decree of death was issued was displayed at the execution to validate that death was required in order to pay the debt for the crimes committed.  My sinless Son had no certificate of debt displayed for His own sin because He had none, but your certificate of debt was nailed to the cross signifying that He was paying your debt for you.  Your certificate of debt was cancelled because He paid the price for you, so you are no longer under the curse of death or the penalty of death.  He made you alive together with Him having forgiven you of all of your transgressions.  You received this forgiveness by grace through faith so now walk in Him in the same way.  Let Me use this time to firmly root you in your faith and establish you.  You use this time to worship and to express your overflowing gratitude for My grace and mercy.