Quiet Walk

[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 17

Daniel 4

Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzar's second dream.

INSIGHT

What a towering figure is Nebuchadnezzar! Sovereign over the greatest nation on earth at the time, wealthy beyond description, subject to fits of rage, and yet somehow vulnerable and teachable. Nebuchadnezzar rages in fury at the three Jews who refuse to worship his image--yet proclaims their God the only God when He saves them from the furnace. Then, warned by Daniel that unless he repents he will be stripped of his kingdom, Nebuchadnezzar lapses into convenient forgetfulness and self-adulation. True to Daniel's word, the king becomes an animal and roams the forest. Yet, when his senses are restored, the king again worships God and proclaims His praise to the ends of the earth.

PRAYER

We praise the Lord for ruling in love:
"Stand up and bless the Lord your God
Forever and ever!
"Blessed be Your glorious name. . .
You alone are the Lord;
You have made heaven,
The heaven of heavens, with all their host,
The earth and everything on it,
The seas and all that is in them,
And You preserve them all.
The host of heaven worships You
(Nehemiah 9:5-6).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession:
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit (Psalm 32:1-2).

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

Now pray this affirmation to God:
Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust,
And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies (Psalm 40:4).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
-- A passion for moral excellence
-- The ministry of Christian education institutions
-- Your activities for the day

Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
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]

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 22

Amos 9

Israel's sin must be judged, but God offers hope of restoration.

INSIGHT

God reveals a warning of judgment on Israel through visions to Amos. One vision is a plumb line which God says He will hold up against the "wall" of Jerusalem, and it will be demonstrated that the wall is leaning and will fall (Amos 7:7-9). Another vision is of summer fruit in a basket which, left unattended, will rot and be good only for throwing out (chapter . Famine, military conquest, and pestilence are among the consequences of judgment. Israel does not repent and judgment comes, but Amos holds out the promise of eventual restoration.

PRAYER

Thank the Lord and give Him your praise for saving you by faith and clothing you in Christ's righteousness:
Give to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
Give to the Lord glory and strength.
Give to the Lord the glory due His name;
Bring an offering, and come before Him.
Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!
(1 Chronicles 16:28-29).

I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness,
And will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High (Psalm 7:17).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I have not hidden.
I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,"
And You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
Selah (Psalm 32:5).

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

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
-- Greater wisdom in decision making
-- The needs of friends
-- Whatever else is on your heart

Offer this closing prayer to God:
May the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus (Romans 15:5).

[Judy Harder]

August 23

Obadiah

Edom is judged because she has acted with violence toward Israel.

INSIGHT

Esau and Jacob were brothers. Esau was the father of the nation Edom, and Jacob was the father of the nation Israel. Therefore, in a sense, the nations Edom and Israel are brothers. A day comes when Assyria wages war against Jerusalem. But instead of joining Israel, their brother, in the fight against Assyria, Edom joins Assyria and fights against their brothers in Jerusalem. Because of this breach of loyalty, God pronounces judgment on Edom through the prophet Obadiah. God offers no hope for possible restoration or deliverance for Edom. Her fate is sealed. Edom is destroyed as a nation.

PRAYER

Praise God for His justice and righteousness. Thank Him for the love that He pours out on His people:
He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday (Psalm 37:6).

By You I have been upheld from my birth;
You are He who took me out of my mother's womb.
My praise shall be continually of You (Psalm 71:6).

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears,
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as have a contrite spirit (Psalm 34:17-18).

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

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
"Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand" (Isaiah 41:10).

The Lord encourages us to come to Him with our concerns and desires. As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
-- Spiritual victory over temptation
-- Opportunities to serve the Lord
-- Whatever else is on your heart

Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen (2 Corinthians 13:14).

[Judy Harder]

August 24

Jonah 1

Jonah suffers the consequences of refusing to obey God's call.

INSIGHT

Jonah is mentioned in 2 Kings 14:25 and is very likely a strong patriot of the nation Israel. As a result, he finds it an odious task to preach repentance to Nineveh, the capital city of Assyria, the country which is one day to conquer Israel. Rather than go on this errand of mercy, Jonah chooses to hurry to the seaport at Joppa for the fastest transit in the opposite direction. This is a commission that will not be denied, however, and God causes him to be swallowed by a great fish in which Jonah wisely repents and subsequently carries the warning message to Nineveh. The people of Nineveh repent--as Jonah feared--and the nation is preserved as an instrument of judgment for Israel almost 100 years later.

PRAYER

God's ways are above our ways, and we praise Him for His wisdom:
We have thought, O God, on Your lovingkindness,
In the midst of Your temple.
According to Your name, O God,
So is Your praise to the ends of the earth;
Your right hand is full of righteousness (Psalm 48:9-10).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me (Psalm 51:1-3).

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

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
Cast your burden on the Lord,
And He shall sustain you;
He shall never permit the righteous to be moved (Psalm 55:22).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
-- A stronger desire to be like Christ
-- Churches across the nation
-- Your activities for the day

Finally, offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
To the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen (1 Timothy 1:17)

[Judy Harder]

August 25

Micah 7

Micah laments the degradation of his fellow men, but hopes in the Lord.

INSIGHT

Micah sets his narrative in an imaginary courtroom where he pours out scathing rebuke on the injustice he sees in the fellow men around him. The evidence is brought forth and the children of Israel are found guilty. Sins swarm from Micah's pen, filling the first third of his book. The second portion of this book addresses sin. Jerusalem will be destroyed, and the people will be banished to captivity in Babylon. Typical of the prophets of God, the third part of the book tells of hope. A divine Deliverer will appear, and once again justice and righteousness will reign.

PRAYER

Thank the Lord that He heals our emotional pain, and praise Him because He restores our hope and joy:
The Lord looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men.
From the place of His dwelling He looks
On all the inhabitants of the earth;
He fashions their hearts individually;
He considers all their works. . .
Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope in His mercy,
To deliver their soul from death,
And to keep them alive in famine
(Psalm 33:13-15, 18-19).

Now express any additional thoughts of praise, adoration, or thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I have not hidden.
I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,"
And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah (Psalm 32:5).

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

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
Many sorrows shall be to the wicked;
But he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him.
Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous;
And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!  (Psalm 32:10-11).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
-- Sensitivity to the needs of others
-- Strength for missionaries in Brazil
-- Whatever else is on your heart

Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him (1 John 3:1).