A prayer for guidance when life is challenging by Charles Stanley.

The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life. Whom shall I dread?

Psalm 27.

Nia Maya was a man who lived on his knees.

Whenever he needed guidance, strength, provision, or protection,

his first response was prayer.

Because of Nehemiah's humble dependence, His first response was prayer.

Because of Nehemiah's humble dependence, God was able to use him greatly to achieve his purposes.

This principle is still true for believers today.

Guy can use us in the most awesome fashion,

if we'll seek him and make ourselves available.

He has a calling for each of us and doesn't want us wasting opportunities he provides.

To follow Nehemiah's example of dependent prayer, we must first recognize God as the sovereign ruler of the

universe. Although he's our loving father and loyal friend, we must never forget

that he is also our high and exalted Creator whose

holiness is beyond our comprehension. Never think of the Lord as the man

upstairs or come into his presence in a frivolous manner.

Because Nehemai respected the awesome holiness of God, He approached him with confession, admitting not only his sin, but

his fathers and Israel's as well. We cannot hide, deny, or cherish sin, and expect the Lord to hear and answer our prayers.

Purity of heart and the power of God are linked.

We need the sensitivity to instantly recognize when we've strayed and the willingness to deal with sin immediately.

The reason Nehemiah stood so tall and strong was not due to his natural abilities but because he

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