Quiet Walk

[Judy Harder]

August 12

Lamentations 3

God sends a message of hope and restoration to Israel.

INSIGHT

Through the prophets, God has been warning Judah for many years to turn from idolatry to serve Him only. Finally, her sin has compounded to the point that judgment is no longer avoidable if God is to be true to His Word. But although destruction overtakes Judah, there is hope on the horizon. Jeremiah writes: "Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness" (vv. 22-23).

PRAYER

God blesses His children beyond measure. Count your blessings as you praise Him:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:3-6).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. . . . All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify (1 Corinthians 10:12, 23).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind.

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13).

The Lord encourages us to come to Him with our concerns and desires. As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
-- A humble and submissive attitude
-- The work of prison ministries
-- Whatever else is on your heart

Offer this closing prayer to God:
It is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit (1 Peter 3:17-18).

[Judy Harder]

August 13

Ezekiel 37

Ezekiel has a vision of a huge valley filled with dry bones.

INSIGHT

The apostle John writes: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . In Him was life, and the life was the light of men" (John 1:1, 4). God is life—and not just life for today—but forever. Timothy writes that God alone possesses immortality (1 Timothy 6:16). God is life, and He is the giver of life. He can make dead things live. In Ezekiel's vision, a huge valley is filled with dead men's bones. Then God begins to move. The bones form skeletons upon which form flesh and clothes. Then God breathes into that valley of bodies the breath of life, and the bodies come alive. That is a picture of what God will do with Israel: give her life again. That is what He will do with anyone who believes in Him and asks Him for life. Have you asked God for eternal life?

PRAYER

The Lord gives us His immortality, so we praise Him:
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).

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Sing praise to the Lord, You saints of His,
And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.
For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for life;
Weeping may endure for a night,
But joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:4-5).

Confess your sins.

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
Reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:11).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
-- Greater love for the lost
-- The work of missions in Africa
-- Whatever else is on your heart

Offer this closing prayer to God:
"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]

August 14

Daniel 1

Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, chooses Israelite captives to be trained to serve him.

INSIGHT

Moral courage. It is the resolve to do what is right—even if no one knows. Regardless of the consequences. Even when you are weary. Even when there are extenuating circumstances and when everyone would understand if you "caved in." Daniel is a man of moral courage. The food he is offered probably violates the dietary restrictions in the Law of Moses. Note the words: "Daniel purposed in his heart" (1:. Then God brings Daniel into favor. He gives him skill; He gives him a healthy glow. When faced with moral challenges, we must do our part—be obedient from the heart. And then trust God to do His part.

PRAYER

Because God honors our commitment to moral excellence, praise Him with the words of this psalm:
O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water (Psalm 63:1).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord:
And Achan answered Joshua and said,
"Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel,
and this is what I have done . . ." (Joshua 7:20).

Show me Your ways, O Lord;
Teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day (Psalm 25:4-5).

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
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, include:
-- Greater faithfulness with your talents
-- Your state and local leaders
-- Your activities for the day

Finally, offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
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]

August 15

Daniel 2

Nebuchadnezzar requires the wise men to tell him his dream and its interpretation.

INSIGHT

One of our responsibilities as children of God is to give God credit for who He is and what He does. It is a careless Christian who stands under the showers of God's blessings without recognizing them. It is an irresponsible Christian who recognizes God's blessings and does not give God the credit. Daniel recognizes God's work and tells the king that it is God who "reveals deep and secret things" (v. 22). And through this, God is glorified. We must always be alert to the blessings of God in our lives, express our gratitude to Him, and give Him public credit.

PRAYER

Thank the Lord that He has warned us of the consequences of our sin, and praise Him that in Christ we can escape them:
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. . .
The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed,
A refuge in times of trouble.
And those who know Your name will put their trust in You;
For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You (Psalm 9:1-2, 9-10).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Who can understand his errors?
Cleanse me from secret faults.
Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins;
Let them not have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
And I shall be innocent of great transgression (Psalm 19:12-13).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind.

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
"Now, Lord, what do I wait for?
My hope is in You" (Psalm 39:7).

God encourages us to come to Him with our concerns. As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
-- Opportunities to glorify Him
-- The renewing of your mind
-- The needs of your extended family

Offer this closing prayer 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]

August 16

Daniel 3

God supernaturally protects Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace.

INSIGHT

What courage it took to defy the king! Nebuchadnezzar sets up a golden image and orders everyone to bow down to it. When the Jews are brought to him in violation of the order, they say, "God may protect us from the fire, but even if He doesn't, let it be known that we are not going to serve your gods!" Surely God gives His grace in times such as these. For those of us who are living in easier times, our total dedication to the Lord must be seen in our selfless commitment to serving Him.

PRAYER

Praise the Lord that—though all of us sin—God's compassions are new every morning:
Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said:
"O Lord God of Israel,
the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God,
You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth.
You have made heaven and earth" (2 Kings 19:15).

"Lord God of Israel, there is no God in heaven above or on earth below like You,
who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants
who walk before You with all their hearts" (1 Kings 8:23).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
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).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind.

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
They said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household" (Acts 16:31).

The Lord encourages us to come to Him with our concerns and desires. As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
-- The leading of the Lord in your life
-- Opportunities for evangelism
-- Whatever else is on your heart

Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
Bless the Lord, all you His hosts,
You ministers of His, who do His pleasure.
Bless the Lord, all His works,
In all places of His dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul! (Psalm 103:21-22).

[Judy Harder]

August 18

Daniel 5

Handwriting appears on the wall, prophesying the king's death.

INSIGHT

It is a terrible thing to go into the presence of God in our own merit. All have sinned and fall short of His glory. Belshazzar discovers this truth. While he revels—desecrating the holy implements from the temple—the hand of God writes on the wall: "You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting" (v. 27). In the providence and grace of God, we can come before Him in the merit of Christ Jesus—holy and undefiled.

PRAYER

Jesus Christ took our place on the cross. His great sacrifice requires our praise:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:3-6).

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
"Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.
Amen" (Matthew 6:11-13).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind.

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints!
For the Lord preserves the faithful,
And fully repays the proud person.
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart,
All you who hope in the Lord (Psalm 31:23-24).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
-- Greater gratitude for Christ's sacrifice
-- Your neighbors' spiritual well being
-- Whatever else is on your heart

Offer this closing prayer to God:
Oh, how great is Your goodness,
Which You have laid up for those who fear You,
Which You have prepared for those who trust in You
In the presence of the sons of men! (Psalm 31:19).

[Judy Harder]

August 19

Daniel 6

God miraculously delivers Daniel from the lions' den.

INSIGHT

Daniel is a man of prayer. He loves God deeply and God in turn shows Daniel mercy. We are told several interesting things about Daniel's prayer life. Verse 13 says that he prays "three times a day." His prayers included giving thanks (v. 10) and "supplication" (v. 11)—that is, Daniel asks God for things for himself and others. If our prayers reflect the commitment and balance of Daniel, our relationship with the Lord will grow.

PRAYER

The Lord has given us the ability to communicate, and we praise Him for listening to our cries:
Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
Or who may stand in His holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor sworn deceitfully.
He shall receive blessing from the Lord,
And righteousness from the God of his salvation (Psalm 24:3-5).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Show me Your ways, O Lord;
Teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day. . . .
For Your name's sake, O Lord,
Pardon my iniquity, for it is great
(Psalm 25:4-5, 11).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind.

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
As for me, I will walk in my integrity;
Redeem me and be merciful to me.
My foot stands in an even place;
In the congregations I will bless the Lord (Psalm 26:11-12).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
-- A joyful spirit
-- Safety and protection for loved ones
-- Your activities for the day

Offer this closing prayer to God:
One thing I have desired of the Lord,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord,
And to inquire in His temple.
For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock
(Psalm 27:4-5).

[Judy Harder]

August 20

Hosea 14

After pronouncing judgment on Israel for sin, Hosea prophesies restoration and blessing.

INSIGHT

Hosea is instructed by the Lord to take a wife whose name is Gomer and who later becomes unfaithful to him. Though Hosea loves her steadfastly, her infidelity compounds and she finally leaves him. Sometime later—as Hosea is walking down the street—he sees his wife being sold as a slave on an auction block. In a profound gesture of unconditional love, Hosea redeems (buys back) his wife and restores her to her former position of honor and comfort as his wife. In doing so, Hosea sounds a warning to Israel and plays out a moving example of the unconditional love of God for His people. If they sin, He will judge them; but after judgment, He will restore them to His grace.


PRAYER

God loves His children unconditionally. Praise Him that He does not leave us to our own abilities in following Him:
He is your praise, and He is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things which your eyes have seen (Deuteronomy 10:21).

Pray this confession to the Lord:
I said, "Lord, be merciful to me;
Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You. . ."
O Lord, be merciful to me, and raise me up,
That I may repay them. . . .
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel
From everlasting to everlasting!
Amen and Amen (Psalm 41:4, 10, 13).

As you confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, pray this affirmation to God:
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
-- Greater love for your family
-- The work of missions in North America
-- Whatever else is on your heart

Now offer this closing prayer to God:
To Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now has been made manifest . . . to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen (Romans 16:25-27).

[Judy Harder]

August 21

Joel 2

Judgment is coming for the sins of the people, but after repentance, they will be restored.

INSIGHT

Joel predicts a locust plague to come upon the land of Judah, which is both primary and secondary as a prophetic warning. The primary meaning is a literal locust plague. But the things Joel says about the locusts gradually transcend what could be true of mere bugs and could only be true of an invading army. In this way, the locust plague becomes symbolic of an invading army swarming over the land of Judah, stripping it of everything that has life. The warning of the plague comes because Judah is failing to serve the Lord. Joel holds out an escape: "Turn to Me with all your heart . . . rend your heart and not your garments" (vv. 12-13). Judah ignores the warning and the judgment eventually falls. Sin always has its consequences.

PRAYER

Give your praise to the Lord that He always warns us of the consequences of sin and gives us a means of escape:
I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul shall make its boast in the Lord;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together. . .
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
(Psalm 34:1-3, .

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight–
That You may be found just when You speak,
And blameless when You judge (Psalm 51:4).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind.

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
-- Greater faithfulness with your finances
-- Revival among Christians in America
-- Your activities for the day

Finally, offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
May the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

[Judy Harder]

August 28

Zephaniah 3

Beyond impending judgment there is joy.

INSIGHT

Blue blood flows through Zephaniah's veins. He is the great-great-grandson of Hezekiah, the thirteenth king of Judah and one of the most righteous of all kings. The flame for revival and religious reform burns as hot in Zephaniah's heart as it did in his forefathers'. Zephaniah's book has been called one of the "hottest" books in the Old Testament. He portrays "the final crash of the universe." The impending Day of the Lord is his all-encompassing message. Twenty-three times in this short book he refers specifically to the day that signifies the final judgment of God on the earth. Following the time of terrible judgment is the time of restoration and peace. Beyond judgment there is joy.

PRAYER

Give thanks to the Lord, and praise Him that all events are in His control and that eventually His children will know only joy:
Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts,
And I will declare Your greatness.
They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness,
And shall sing of Your righteousness.
The Lord is gracious and full of compassion,
Slow to anger and great in mercy.
The Lord is good to all,
And His tender mercies are over all His works (Psalm 145:6-9).

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. . .
As a father pities his children,
So the Lord pities those who fear Him.
For He knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust
(Psalm 103:8, 13-14).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind.

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
"If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
-- Greater faithfulness in sharing Christ
-- The work of the Lord in national and world affairs

In closing, ask God to help you:
Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen (2 Peter 3:18).