Read Nehemiah 10:1-27

Once the Jewish people had turned back to God, they made a binding agreement with God that they would follow God and His laws. The leaders of the Jewish people “affixed their seals to it” essentially personally guaranteeing that they would lead the people in following God.

A binding agreement like this is a little out of date in our culture, but the leaders at that time were guided by a principle that still holds true today. Not only are we responsible for our own actions, we are also responsible for how our actions impact others. God’s plan is to use His people to change the world the way he wants it. He uses people to do great things for him.

When we step back from what He wants us to do because of fear, comfort, or convenience, we are not only impacting ourselves, we are robbing the people God wants us to impact of some of the things He wants to do in their lives. It doesn’t matter who you are, God wants to use you to change someone else’s world. When we don’t do that, we’re missing out on God using us AND those people are missing out on what God wants to do in their lives.

Action Step:
If there’s something that you know you’re supposed to be doing but haven’t, think through why you haven’t. Is it fear, comfort, convenience, or something else? What can you do about it?

Today’s Prayer:
Pray for C3 for everything going on over the next several weeks leading up to Easter. Pray God helps people make decisions to follow or commit to Him.

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Go to www.AroundC3.com/52days for more information about C3′s Change Your World in 52 Days Series and challenge.

Read Nehemiah 9:19-38

As the people were confessing their sins to God, they also looked back at all the ways that God had been faithful to them over the years. In our busy lives, it is easy to forget or even simply overlook all the things that God has done for us.

One of the most important things we can realize in life is that God is going to be faithful to us. Even when we don’t understand what’s going on or why we are going through something, God has a plan and a purpose. He is working in every aspect of our lives.

Sometimes it takes looking back on our lives and seeing all the ways that God has been faithful for us to have the courage (or desire) to do the things that God wants us to do today.

Action Step:
How has God been faithful to you? Make a list of the ways over the last year or two of the ways God has been there for you. Think about health, family, friends, circumstances, church, etc. List out big and small things. Take a moment to thank God for all that He has done for you.

Today’s Prayer:
Pray for the people you want to invite to C3 at Easter. Pray that God will help give you courage to ask and open them up to come to church with you.

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Go to www.AroundC3.com/52days for more information about C3′s Change Your World in 52 Days Series and challenge.

Read Nehemiah 9:1-18

After the rebuilding of the wall and hearing Ezra read from God’s word and turning back to God, the Jewish people did something that is tough. They turned to God and confessed the sins that their people had been committing for generations.

Many of us have been stuck in the same place, doing the same things, living the same life…committing the same sins…for years and years. In fact, many of us learned most of those things from our parents and even their parents. We find ourselves in a cycle of sin, comfort, apathy, or any number of other things that keep us from being where God wants us to be and do what God wants us to do.

The good news is that God is willing to help you break free from whatever that has been holding you back, but you have to deal with your past. You have to confess it to God, ask him to forgive you and help you move forward, and even get help if you need it. Just know that whatever the situation, God is ready and willing to help you take your next step toward the life he wants you to have.

Action Step:
Think of anything that has been holding you back that you need to confess to God. Confess it and ask God to help you move forward from whatever it is.

Today’s Prayer:
Pray for other C3’ers and the people other C3’ers are inviting to church this Easter that God will help each of us to get past our past and take the steps forward to where God wants us to be.

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Go to www.AroundC3.com/52days for more information about C3′s Change Your World in 52 Days Series and challenge.

It’s catch up day for your daily reading. You should have read through Nehemiah 8:13-18.

Pray for C3 this weekend as we have week 5 of Change Your World in 52 Days. Also remember to bring in plastic Easter eggs to donate to Eggapalooza, food items for local food pantries, and food and supplies for the tornado victims from a few weeks ago.

Read Nehemiah 8:13-18

As Ezra continued to read God’s Word to the people after the rebuilding of the wall, an odd thing started to happen. The people realized that the way God had told them to live in His Word wasn’t the way they were actually living. When they heard the things that God had told them to do, they began changing things around them. Some of the things they hadn’t been doing hadn’t been done for hundreds of years.

One of the awesome things about God is that it doesn’t matter how long you haven’t been doing things the right way, He will let you start turning it around today. When God shows us things in our lives that need changed, it is easy to become discouraged by how far we have fallen short. But, God tells us to turn back to Him. No matter how far away you’ve gotten or how long you’ve been doing things the wrong way, God not only allows you to turn back, He wants you to and will help you every step of the way.

Action Step:
If you don’t already, pick a time each day to spend reading God’s Word and praying (even if it is only a couple of minutes). Allow God to show you the areas in your life that you need to turn back towards Him.

Today’s Prayer:
Ask God to help you turn toward Him in those areas of your life that don’t measure up.

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Go to www.AroundC3.com/52days for more information about C3′s Change Your World in 52 Days Series and challenge.

Read Nehemiah 8:1-12

After the city had completed the building project, the religious leader, Ezra, read from God’s word to all the people. Not only that, but the people threw a party. They celebrated what God had accomplished through them. Things were not perfect. In fact, many of the people wept when they heard the law being spoken because they realized that they didn’t measure up. However, the religious leaders urged them to celebrate what had been done and worship God for it.

Whenever we see great things happening around us, we need to remember to celebrate what God has done. Sometimes we get so focused on the work yet to be done, that we forget just how far we have come.

None of us are perfect. None of us are exactly the people we want or need to be. There’s still people far from God, people who need help, and many many other things in the world. There’s still work to be done…there always will be. But, we can’t let that keep us from seeing and celebrating all that God has already done in our lives and in the lives of the people around us.

Action Step:
Think through some of the ways that God has changed you over the last several years. Think about some of the great things you have been a part of in your life and even at C3. Celebrate what has been done.

Today’s Prayer:
Thank God for everything he has done in your life. Celebrate the things that He has done. Think through and thank Him for the things He has done at C3 – especially during the Change Your World in 52 Days Challenge.

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Go to www.AroundC3.com/52days for more information about C3′s Change Your World in 52 Days Series and challenge.

Read Nehemiah 7:61-73

If your like me, when you begin reading through genealogies in the bible, your eyes start to glaze over. For most of us, it’s a big enough struggle to even read the Bible…let alone something seemingly as insignificant as who Gazzam’s daddy was.

But, for the Jewish people, their genealogy was incredibly important. It was vital to them to be able to show that they were in fact descended from Abraham and were actually Jewish people. It was important to them because they wanted to be able to prove that they were a part of God’s people.

The most important thing for us today as followers of Jesus is to live our lives in such a way that shows others that we are followers of Jesus. Luckily, we no longer have to use ancestry.com to prove that we are part of God’s people. The best way for us to show who we are is by being a part of the things that God is doing in the world around us

Action Step:
Get out a piece of paper and a pen or a notes app on your phone or computer. Make a quick list of all the things God is doing around you big and small. Make the list up of everything from things at C3, things in your family, at work, with friends, in the community or world, etc. Also include things where there’s a huge opportunity for God to do great things. Think through how you are already involved in these things and how you can play an even bigger part.

Today’s Prayer:
Pray through the items on your list that 1) God will continue or begin to work in those situations and 2) asking God to show you how you can get involved in those areas where He’s working.

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Go to www.AroundC3.com/52days for more information about C3′s Change Your World in 52 Days Series and challenge.

Read Nehemiah 7:4-60

After the Jewish people had rebuild the wall, it would have been easy for Nehemiah to declare the project done and go home. However, Nehemiah knew that the work wasn’t done. After the wall was rebuilt, he appointed people to be the leaders of Jerusalem, decided that the city gates shouldn’t be open before a certain time during the day for security reasons, and appointed residents to guard the wall near their own homes. Nehemiah knew that there was still work to be done even after the wall was rebuilt, or what they had worked so hard for would end up being destroyed.

It’s easy sometimes to rely on past success, past work, and our relationship with God from the past after we have done some good – or even great – things. However, even after we do some good things or see God do some great things in our lives, the work is not over. If we relax and rest on past accomplishments, 1) what we worked so hard for will probably be destroyed and 2) we will be missing out on what God has in store for us today.

Action Step:
Name one area of your life where you are relaxing and resting on past accomplishments. What’s one way you can begin working in that area again?

Today’s Prayer:
Pray for C3 during this 52 Days Challenge and during Easter that God will do great things in and through our church. Not only that, pray that God will continue to help us do the things we need to do after Change Your World in 52 Days and Easter.

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Go to www.AroundC3.com/52days for more information about C3′s Change Your World in 52 Days Series and challenge.