Quiet Walk

[Judy Harder]

February 10

Exodus 20

Moses meets with the Lord on top of Mount Sinai where he receives the Ten Commandments.
INSIGHT

The genius of God's moral system is that everything He asks of us is for our good. Often the Ten Commandments are seen by people as restrictive, keeping them from doing something that would make them happy. Initially, perhaps. But ultimately, nothing could be further from the truth.

Sin is self-destructive; righteousness is self-constructive. It makes no more sense to sin willfully than it does to become a drug addict. In both cases, the person is destroying himself.

Abandon yourself to the moral law of God. It is glorifying to Him, but it is also good for you. Understood in this light, we see the truth in the statement that anything less than the glory of God is anti-human.

PRAYER

· The holy God of Mount Sinai is worthy of our praise:

I will love You, O Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies
(Psalm 18:1-3).

· As you seek to keep your life free from sin, pray this passage of confession to the Lord:

I return to the Lord my God,
For I have stumbled because of my iniquity,
I take words with me and return to the Lord
And say to Him, "Take away all iniquity,
Receive me graciously,
For I will offer the sacrifices of my lips"
(based on Hosea 14:1-2).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· the renewing of your mind,
· the needs of your extended family,
· today's activities.

· Finally, offer this closing prayer to the Lord:

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer
(Psalm 19:14). 

[Judy Harder]

February 11

Exodus 32

The Israelites sin by worshiping an idol-the golden calf.

INSIGHT

Sin does not mind rubbing shoulders with righteousness. Even while Moses is on Mount Sinai communing with God, the children of Israel are fashioning a golden idol to worship in His place. Fueled by shamelessness and a short memory, the Israelites rush headlong into one of the most remarkable displays of indiscretion in the Bible.

Beware! Even when you are rubbing shoulders with righteousness, sin can trip you up. Even when you are basking in the light of Mount Sinai, evil may be lurking in the shadows.

As Peter wrote, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:.

PRAYER

· Offer praise to the Lord for His truth and light:

The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty;
The Lord is clothed,
He has girded Himself with strength.
Surely the world is established, so that it cannot be moved (Psalm 93:1).

· As you seek to keep your life free from sin, pray this passage of confession to the Lord:

Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses,
For they are from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions;
According to Your mercy remember me,
For Your goodness' sake, O Lord
(Psalm 25:6-7).

· As you confess your sins, voice your affirmation of God's Word:

You are my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
You are the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?
(based on Psalm 27:1).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· the leading of the Lord in your life,
· Christians worldwide who are persecuted for their faith,
· the concerns of your heart.

· Offer this prayer of worship to God:

May the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen
(1 Peter 5:10-11). 

[Judy Harder]

February 12

Leviticus 16

The Day of Atonement.

INSIGHT

In spite of God's desire that we be holy, He is fully aware that we will not remain free from sin. But because God loves us and wants to be gracious to us, He provides a way for our sins to be forgiven.

In the Old Testament, the nation is cleansed from sin annually on the Day of Atonement. Since Christ has come, we may be cleansed moment by moment- whenever we ask for His cleansing mercy.

PRAYER

· Offer your praise to the God of redemption through this psalm:

Praise the Lord!
Praise, O servants of the Lord,
Praise the name of the Lord!
Blessed be the name of the Lord
From this time forth and forevermore!
From the rising of the sun to its going down
The Lord's name is to be praised.
The Lord is high above all nations,
And His glory above the heavens.
Who is like the Lord our God?
(Psalm 113:1-5).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord to keep your life free from sin and in fellowship with Him:

Good and upright is the Lord;
Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.
The humble He guides in justice,
And the humble He teaches His way. . .
For Your name's sake, O Lord,
Pardon my iniquity, for it is great
(Psalm 25:8-9, 11).

· As you confess your sins, voice your affirmation of God's Word:

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us (1 John 1:9-10).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· greater love for the lost,
· the work of missions in the continent of Africa,
· your prayer list.

· Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen
(Ephesians 3:20-21). 

[Judy Harder]

Numbers 13

The Lord commands Moses to send spies into the land of Canaan.

INSIGHT

One of the most common mistakes we make during the tough times in life is to place our eyes on circumstances rather than on the promises of God. The Lord promises Israel that He will lead them into the Promised Land and defeat the armies that are living there. He even promises to send in swarms of hornets to drive out the armies, so Israel won't even have to fight. But one look at the giants, and every promise is forgotten. One glimpse of the armies, and "God is not enough."

The New Testament is full of promises for us. We must keep our eyes on the promises.

PRAYER

· As you focus on God's promises, praise Him with this psalm:

The Lord is high above all nations,
His glory above the heavens.
Who is like the Lord our God,
Who dwells on high,
Who humbles Himself to behold
The things that are in the heavens and in the earth?
(Psalm 113:4-6).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord:

You will cleanse me from all my iniquity by which I have sinned against You, and You will pardon all my iniquities by which I have sinned and by which I have transgressed against You (based on Jeremiah 33:.

· Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. As you agree with God's will, voice your affirmation of His Word:

I delight to do Your will, O my God;
And Your law is within my heart
(Psalm 40:.

Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path
(Psalm 119:105).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· greater faithfulness with your talents,
· opportunities to serve the Lord,
· the concerns of your heart.

· Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26).

[Judy Harder]

February 14
Numbers 14

The children of Israel reject God's signs.

INSIGHT

By nature, we are sight-walkers, not faith-walkers. We tend to have confidence in that which we can see, that which we have known. We fear that which we can't see and haven't known.

Not only does Israel refuse to go into the land because of the giants-the Israelites want to return to Egypt! Do they not remember that they were slaves there? Do they not remember that they cried out in tears to God for deliverance from Egypt?

You can't go back to your old life. There is nothing there but bondage. Your hope lies in following the Lord by faith. Walk forward.

PRAYER

· Give praise to the God who is powerful enough to defeat the giants in our own lives:

You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they exist and were created (Revelation 4:11).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord to keep your life free from sin and in fellowship with Him:

O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself;
It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.
O Lord, correct me, but with justice;
Not in your anger, lest You bring me to nothing (Jeremiah 10:23-24).

· Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. As you agree with God's will, voice your affirmation of His Word:

You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You
(Psalm 86:5).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· greater ability to walk by faith in your own life,
· courage for Christian leaders to consistently yield to God's will,
· today's activities.

· Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

Blessing and honor and glory and power
Be to Him who sits on the throne,
And to the Lamb, forever and ever!
(Revelation 5:13). 

[Judy Harder]

February 15
Deuteronomy 1

Moses reminds the new generation of their parents' disobedience.

INSIGHT

Those who do not remember history are condemned to repeat it. Moses reviews the history of the wanderings of Israel to the new generation poised on the plains of Moab-ready to enter the Promised Land.

Moses tells them that their fathers did not believe the promises of God. Therefore, they were not obedient to Him. Their fathers condemned themselves to a life of untold hardship. Their fathers made their own destiny; they sealed their own fate.

Learn from their history. Do not repeat it.

PRAYER

· Offer praise to the Lord for His truth and light:

The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty;
The Lord is clothed,
He has girded Himself with strength.
Surely the world is established, so that it cannot be moved.
Your throne is established from of old;
You are from everlasting
(Psalm 93:1-2).

· As you seek to keep your life free from sin, pray this passage of confession to the Lord:

Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies
and Your lovingkindnesses,
For they are from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions;
According to Your mercy remember me,
For Your goodness' sake, O Lord
(Psalm 25:6-7).

· As you confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, voice your affirmation of God's Word:

The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?
(Psalm 27:1).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· the Lord's leading in your life,
· opportunities to share your faith,
· your prayer list.

· Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, after we have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle us. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen (based on 1 Peter 5:10-11). 

[Judy Harder]

February 16
Deuteronomy 2

The Israelites wander in the desert.

INSIGHT

David writes that God withholds no good thing from those who walk uprightly. But we see that it is possible, through rebellion,
to miss something good that God wants to give us.

God wants to give the Israelites the Promised Land. But when they refuse to enter it, they wander through the wilderness until the rebellious generation dies. Then that which God had wanted to give to them, He gives to someone else-the next generation.

When we walk in rebellion, we pay a price. God's blessings often include a test. Do we turn back? Or trust Him?

PRAYER

· We can express trust in Him with a psalm of praise:

For I know that the Lord is great,
And our Lord is above all gods.
Whatever the Lord pleases He does,
In heaven and in earth,
In the seas and in all deep places.
He causes the vapors to ascend from the
ends of the earth;
He makes lightning for the rain
(Psalm 135:5-7).

· As you seek to keep your life free from sin, pray this passage of confession to the Lord:

O God, You know my foolishness;
And my sins are not hidden from You.
Let not those who wait for You, O Lord
God of hosts, be ashamed because of me;
Let not those who seek You be confounded
because of me, O God of Israel
(Psalm 69:5-6).

· As you confess your sins, voice your affirmation of God's Word:

Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
But let him who glories glory in this,
That he understands and knows Me,
That I am the Lord, exercising
lovingkindness, judgment, and
righteousness in the earth
(Jeremiah 9:23-24).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· greater passion for moral integrity,
· the ministry of Christian education institutions,
· the concerns of your heart.

· Offer this prayer of worship to God:

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13). 

[Judy Harder]

February 17
Deuteronomy 3

The transfer of authority from Moses to Joshua is announced.

INSIGHT

The past is a picture of the future. When trying to determine what will be, it is important to know what has been.

Throughout the wilderness journey, God reminds Israel what He has done in the past-to give them courage and hope for the future. As the reins of leadership are passed from Moses to Joshua, the Lord encourages Joshua with a review of history: "Your eyes have seen all that the Lord your God has done to these two [past] kings; so will the Lord do to all the kingdoms through which you pass" (Deuteronomy 3:21).
The Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever. When we face the giants in our lives, we can take heart from the Lord's words to Joshua: "You must not fear them, for the Lord your God Himself fights for you" (Deuteronomy 3:22). Our giants are not flesh and blood. They are spiritual and emotional. But the Lord must still defeat them. Trust!

PRAYER

· Praise the God of the past and the future:

I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart;
I will tell of all Your marvelous works.
I will be glad and rejoice in You;
I will sing praise to Your name,
O Most High
(Psalm 9:1-2).

· As you seek to keep your life free from sin, pray this confession to the Lord:

Therefore, bear fruits worthy of repentance (Matthew 3:.

· As you confess your sins, voice your affirmation of God's Word:

I shall not lay up for myself treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But I shall lay up for myself treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in or steal. For where my treasure is, there my heart will be also (based on Matthew 6:19-21).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· greater wisdom in decision making,
· the needs of your friends,
· today's activities.

· Now offer this prayer of worship:

Save Your people,
And bless Your inheritance;
Shepherd them also,
And bear them up forever (Psalm 28:9). 

[Judy Harder]

February 18
Deuteronomy 4

Moses appeals to the Israelites to live a life of faithful obedience to God.

INSIGHT

Thomas Jefferson once said, "The price of liberty is eternal vigilance." If true politically, how much more so spiritually. "Take heed," Moses says three times in chapter 4. First, take heed and keep your soul diligently. Second, take heed that you not worship idols. Third, take heed that you not forget the covenant the Lord made with you.

These are all dangers for us today. How easily we get careless about the welfare of our souls. How easily we worship modern idols. How easily we forget the promises of the Lord. We, too, must take heed. The price of our spiritual strength is eternal vigilance.

PRAYER

· Offer praise to the Lord for His concern for our well-being:

You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they exist and were created (Revelation 4:11).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord as you reflect upon His forgiveness:

You have blotted out, like a thick cloud, my transgressions,
And like a cloud, my sins.

I return to You, for You have redeemed me
(based on Isaiah 44:22).

· As you confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, voice your affirmation of God's Word:

Behold, God is my salvation,
I will trust and not be afraid;
For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song;
He also has become my salvation
(Isaiah 12:2).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· spiritual victory over the temptations you experience,
· revival among Christians in America and throughout the rest of the world,
· your prayer list.

· Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us,
And establish the work of our hands for us;
Yes, establish the work of our hands
(Psalm 90:17). 

[Judy Harder]

February 19

Deuteronomy 5

Moses reviews the Ten Commandments with the children of Israel.
INSIGHT

David writes that the Law of the Lord is perfect, and in keeping it, there is great reward. Part of that great reward is spelled out in chapter 5. Moses says that if the children of Israel will keep God's commandments, it will go well with them and with their sons forever! In addition, the Lord promises that they will live and that they may prolong their days in the land.

Holiness is not expensive. In fact, all the deepest longings of a child of God are met only in holiness. Could we consistently believe this, our lives would be more holy. Like the Israelites, we think that we are missing something by serving God. We are missing no more than the Israelites missed of Egypt.

PRAYER

· Honor the holiness of God by offering Him this psalm of praise:

Praise the Lord!
Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord?
Who can declare all His praise?
(Psalm 106:1-2).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord to keep your life in fellowship with Him:

My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
For whom the Lord loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives
(Hebrews 12:5-6).

· As you confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, voice your affirmation of God's Word:

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· greater love for your family,
· the work of missions in North and South America,
· the concerns of your heart.

· Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

To Him who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen (based on 1 Timothy 6:15-16).