St. Jerome's Episcopal Church
Bible Study
St. Jerome's stands as people of God, with Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We are here to represent Christ to all people, act as good stewards to all of God's creation and support each other by sharing our strengths as we continue God's work in the world.
 
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Thursday Great Books Study at 10:30 AM
  Dear Folks:  

We are continuing this Thursday with our study of the Old Testament Book of Nehemiah. Last week we had a great discussion about Nehemiah's prayer as recorded in Chapter 1 and his dedication to the people of Israel and the rebuilding of the Temple in Israel. We saw his humility and his forthrightness in the manner in which he approached King Artaxerxes, the King of Persia where Nehemiah had been taken. Nehemiah's focus was not on himself, but on his people. He hurt for his people and he prayed for them. He could have looked first at himself and asked, "What can I do, God? I'm stuck here serving the king in the palace. There's no way the king would let me go and do anything." Instead, Nehemiah looked to benefit others.

Nehemiah took responsibility. He says, "We have sinned against you, God. It's our fault we're in the mess we're in." Nehemiah took responsibility  for the actions of himself and the people of Israel. Taking responsibility for our actions is the quickest way to healing and reconciliation. We are responsible for what we think, feel, do and say. It's a huge thing to be able to go to God in prayer and take responsibility for how you got where you are today. 
The King was moved by Nehemiah's sincerity and humble spirit and set him free to return to Israel to fulfill God's calling to Nehemiah
Nehemiah found his joy because his first response was to go to God. When he came up from his knees he was joyful because he knew God was going to complete a work. God ordered his steps and took him through a process to allow Nehemiah to be a driving force to rebuild the walls of his city.
Here are five things we can learn from Nehemiah as keys to intentional prayer. Consider these things in your quiet time with God:
1. Take action in prayer with a heart open to God.
2. Look to benefit others.
  3. Take responsibility.
   4. Focus on a promise.
5. Respond with joy.

Please read Chapter 2 for this lesson.


Intentional Living 
National Ministry Headquarters
PO Box 35300  Tucson, AZ 85740


Bless you all and please offer your comments by email to me, cpkellyl@aol.com, especially if you are not able to be present for the discussion this Thursday!
Colin+


  Since I post this study on FaceBook as well as the St Jerome's website, https://www.saintjeromeschama.com/, I invite comments and questions from any of you who are not able to be physically with us, but find this study meaningful and would like to be a part of it. Please feel free to contact me at cpkellyl@aol.com
Bless you all,
Fr Kelly


Fr. Colin Kelly
St. Jerome's Episcopal Church 
331 N. Pine, State Road 29
Chama, NM 87520
cpkellyl@aol.com

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