Pray And Act

0:00Welcome, and thank you for joining us for today's encouragement from our daily bread on the 7th of April, 2026. The Bible reading today is Nehemiah chapter 6 verses 1 to 16. When word came to San Ballet, Tobiah, Gesham the Arab, and the rest of our enemies, that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it, though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates. San Ballet and Gesham sent me this message. Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono. But they were scheming to harm me, so I sent messages to them with this reply. I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down.

1:03Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you? Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer. Then, the fifth time, San Ballet sent his assistant to me with the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter in which was written. It is reported among the nations, and Gesham says it is true, that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports, you are about to become their king, and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem. There is a king in Judah. Now this report will get back to the king, so come, let us meet together. I sent him this reply.

2:04Something like what you are saying is happening. You are just making it up out of your head. They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed. But I prayed, now strengthen my hands. One day I went to the house of Shamaya, son of Delaya, the son of Maheta Bell, who was shot in at his home. He said, let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you, by night they are coming to kill you. But I said, should a man like me run away, or should someone like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go. I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me, because

3:08Tobaya and San Ballet had hired him. He had been hired to intimidate me, so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me. Remember Tobaya and San Ballet, my God, because of what they have done. They are also the prophet Noah Daya, and how she and the rest of the prophets have been trying to intimidate me. So the wall was completed on the 25th of Aylul, in 52 days. When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid, and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God. Today's article titled, Prey and Act, was written by Amy Bouché Pai.

4:15William Quarrier, founder in the late 19th century of the Orphan Homes of Scotland, was a man not only of faith, but of action. For instance, in setting up those homes, he trusted God for the necessary money instead of making financial appeals. But when driving a visiting preacher to a nearby railway station, Quarrier revealed another side of his character. Seeing the train approaching, the clergyman asked anxiously, don't you think we should pray? Quarrier responded, no, not yet, and cracked the reins. Wait till we see what the horse can do. Quarrier's trust and practical response reminds me of the faith and action of Nehemiah, who asked God to help him rebuild the walls around Jerusalem.

5:17Although God's people lived in his holy city again, they had left it open to attack. Nehemiah looked to God for help, not only in rebuilding this necessary structure, but against those scheming against him. Although the enemies were all trying to frighten us, Nehemiah reported, but I prayed, now strengthen my hands. And God did. Nehemiah reflected, when all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God. Like Quarrier and Nehemiah, we can be people of faith and action. And delights in helping us to trust and to act.

6:24Let's pray. Loving God, you empower me to pray and to exercise my gifts and wisdom. Give me the discernment to know when to do both. Amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is Lucy and today's encouragement was provided by our Daily Bread Ministries. Our Daily Bread Ministries is here to help you read the Bible and discover real, authentic, life-changing hope in the one it's all about. We've been trusted by millions of people around the world every day for over 85 years. Every day, we offer moments with God in His Word so you can find real strength, joy and hope in Him, no matter what season of life you are going through.

7:25Visit us at odbm.org to discover more.