Quiet Walk

[Judy Harder]

May 26
1 Samuel 16

David is anointed to be king.

INSIGHT

David is indeed an outstanding individual. As a teenager, he is known to be "skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the Lord is with him" (v. 18). In each of these things, David is not just lucky. David works hard at all the things for which he is known, including the fact that "the Lord is with him."

Each of us has been given talents and abilities. Like David, if we are to achieve our God-given potential, we must be slaves to the things that advance those abilities.

PRAYER

· Offer your praise to the Lord that we are the objects of His tender mercies and powerful leading:

You have dealt well with Your servant,
O Lord, according to Your word.
Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
For I believe Your commandments.
Before I was afflicted I went astray,
But now I keep Your word.
You are good, and do good;
Teach me Your statutes
(Psalm 119:65-68).

· Pause for personal praise and thanksgiving. Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:

Unto You I lift up my eyes,
O You who dwell in the heavens.
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters,
As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,
So our eyes look to the Lord our God,
Until He has mercy on us
(Psalm 123:1-3).

· Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

· greater trust in God's sovereignty,
· the spiritual condition of our national leaders,
· your activities for the day.

· Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:

Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy,
That we may rejoice and be glad all our days!
(Psalm 90:14).

[Judy Harder]

May 27
1 Samuel 17

Goliath the Philistine challenges Israel's army.

INSIGHT

When God goes to war, there are no accidents. Just as He uses Gideon and an army of only 300 to rout the Midianite army that was "without number," so He uses a boy with a slingshot to rout the Philistine army. In 2 Chronicles 18:33, "a certain man drew a bow at random," but it "struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor." There are no accidents when God goes to war.

We can take comfort in this fact in relationship to the spiritual warfare in which we all find ourselves. The obstacles may seem insurmountable. But if we are on God's side, no foe is too great.

PRAYER

· Offer to the Lord this psalm of praise as you rejoice in the power He uses in controlling the events of history:

We have heard with our ears, O God,
Our fathers have told us,
The deeds You did in their days,
In days of old:
You drove out the nations with Your hand,
But them You planted;
You afflicted the peoples, and cast them out.
For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword,
Nor did their own arm save them;
But it was Your right hand,
Your arm, and the light of Your countenance,
Because You favored them
(Psalm 44:1-4).

· Pause for personal praise and thanksgiving. Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:

O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger,
Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure.
Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak;
O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled.
My soul also is greatly troubled;
But You, O Lord-how long?
(Psalm 6:1-3).

· Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. Now pause to pray this affirmation to the Lord:

Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
You will revive me;
You will stretch out Your hand
Against the wrath of my enemies,
And Your right hand will save me
(Psalm 138:7).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:

· greater courage in the midst of trials,
· your pastor,
· whatever else is on your heart.

· Finally, offer this closing prayer to the Lord:

Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever;
Do not forsake the works of Your hands
(Psalm 138:.

[Judy Harder]

May 28

2 Samuel 5

After many years of delay, David assumes Israel's throne.

INSIGHT

Earlier, Samuel had anointed David-then a young, inexperienced boy-to be king over Israel. Fourteen years elapsed between Samuel's anointing and the time when David actually assumes the rule over all of Israel.

Instead of luxuriating in the royal palace during these years, David runs from cave to cave, trying to escape from Saul who is bent on killing him. But it is these difficult experiences that build into David the strength of character, the convictions, the sensitivity to right and wrong, and the vision to be a great king.

Even for us today, the road to transformation always goes through the tunnel of trials.

PRAYER

· Because the Lord uses the difficult times to create Christlikeness in our lives, we can praise Him for all things:

The Lord is righteous in all His ways,
Gracious in all His works.
The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.
He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He also will hear their cry and save them.
My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord,
And all flesh shall bless His holy name
Forever and ever
(Psalm 145:17-19, 21).

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

No chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it (Hebrews 12:11).

· Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. Now pause to pray this affirmation to the Lord:

Unless the Lord builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the Lord guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain
(Psalm 127:1).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:

· greater love for others,
· the work of missions in the Middle East, the islands, and Australia,
· your activities for the day.

· Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:

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]

May 29

2 Samuel 7

David prepares for building a temple, but God tells him that David's son will build it.

INSIGHT

With all his heart, David wants to build the temple of God. Yet because David is a man of war, God reserves that privilege for David's son Solomon, whose very name means "peace."

While David cannot actually build the temple, he does draw the plans and begins amassing the materials. And Solomon's job is much easier because of David's work.

In fact, the Lord commends David's deep desire to build the temple even though he is not permitted to do so (see 2 Chronicles 6:8.)

There may be things in your heart that you would like to do for God that you cannot do. Even so, it is good that it is in your heart to want to do them.

PRAYER

· Praise the Lord that He rewards us because of our motives:

"Great and marvelous are Your works,
Lord God Almighty!
Just and true are Your ways,
O King of the saints!
Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify
Your name?
For You alone are holy.
For all nations shall come and worship before You,
For Your judgments have been manifested"
(Revelation 15:3-4).

One cried to another and said:
"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
The whole earth is full of His glory!"
(Isaiah 6:3).

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

My little children, these things I write to you, that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world (1 John 2:1-2).

· Pray this affirmation to the Lord:

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:

· faithfulness in sharing Christ,
· the Lord's work in world affairs,
· whatever else is on your heart.

· Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:

"Amen!
Blessing and glory and wisdom,
Thanksgiving and honor and power and might,
Be to our God forever and ever.
Amen"
(Revelation 7:12).

[Judy Harder]

May 30

2 Samuel 11

David commits adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of one of his loyal commanders.

INSIGHT

There is greater pain in sin than in righteousness. David clearly loves Bathsheba. Certainly, it would have pained him had he turned his heart away from her before having relations with her. But that pain is nothing compared to the pain he brings on himself and others by taking her as his own. Adultery, murder, the death of their child, the loss of respect, and the memory of the guilt were some of the results of his sin.

It is sometimes painful to do the right thing, but it is always more painful to do the wrong thing.

PRAYER

· Praise the Lord because He fulfills our lives by giving us talents and abilities to develop:

Praise the Lord!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty firmament!
Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;
Praise Him with the lute and harp! . . .
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord!
(Psalm 150:1-3, 6).

· Pause for personal praise and thanksgiving. Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:

I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me (Jeremiah 33:.

· Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. Now pause to pray this affirmation to the Lord:

The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
To the soul who seeks Him.
It is good that one should hope and wait quietly
For the salvation of the Lord
(Lamentations 3:25-26).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:

· your development of an eternal perspective,
· your personal spiritual goals,
· your activities for the day.

· Finally, offer this closing prayer to the Lord:

To Titus, a true son in our common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior (Titus 1:4).

[Judy Harder]

Tuesday, May 31, 2011     

2 Samuel 12

The prophet Nathan openly rebukes David and stirs him to repent.

INSIGHT

When Nathan comes to accuse David of adultery and murder, it is well within David's power to shout: "Off with his head!" But David does not issue that order. Instead, his heart breaks. The horror and magnitude of his sin is incalculable, but it is to David's credit that he immediately repents. Rather than resisting repentance because we feel we don't deserve forgiveness, we should do as David did-repent that very instant.

PRAYER

· Give praise and thanks to the Lord for giving us victory over the world:

Inasmuch as there is none like You, O Lord
(You are great, and Your name is great in might),
Who would not fear You, O King of the nations?
For this is Your rightful due,
For among all the wise men of the nations,
And in all their kingdoms,
There is none like You. . . .
The Lord is the true God;
He is the living God and the everlasting King.
At His wrath the earth will tremble,
And the nations will not be able to endure His indignation
(Jeremiah 10:6-7, 10).

· Pray this confession as you seek to keep your life free from sin:

You have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: "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).

· Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. Now pause to 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, pray for:

· greater personal discipline,
· persecuted Christians worldwide,
· your activities for the day.

· Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:

May the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen (Hebrews 13:20-21).

[Judy Harder]

June 1

1 Kings 1

The prophet Nathan and Bathsheba join forces to ensure that Solomon replaces David as king.

INSIGHT

As Adonijah, David's oldest living son, takes steps to become king, only Bathsheba and Nathan know of David's desire that Solomon succeed him.

Circumstances seem grim to Bathsheba. Should Adonijah become king, she and Solomon most probably would lose their lives, being seen as threats to the throne. Yet it is God who establishes kings, and His will is that Solomon reign. Again God demonstrates that He is in control-in spite of the foreboding circumstances.

As we consider the perplexing nature of circumstances in the world, we are tempted to lose heart, perhaps to question whether God is really in control. We should be reminded from this passage that He is. Whatever comes our way, the hand of God is there to see us through. It is something we must believe.

PRAYER

· As you continue your time with the Lord, offer this praise to Him:

I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart;
I will tell of all Your marvelous works. . . .
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, 9-10).

· 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:

"Now, therefore," says the Lord,
"Turn to me with all your heart,
With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning."
So rend your heart, and not your garments;
Return to the Lord your God,
For He is gracious and merciful,
Slow to anger, and of great kindness;
And He relents from doing harm
(Joel 2:12-13).

· The Lord encourages us to come to Him with our concerns and desires. As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

· greater sensitivity to sin,
· the ministry of your local church,
· your activities for the day.

· Offer this closing prayer 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]

June 2

1 Kings 2

David charges Solomon with the urgency of living for the Lord.


INSIGHT

Parts of the Old Testament tax our understanding and our acceptance.

First, we do not understand much about Judaism, the Law, and Old Testament

culture and customs. Second, many of the events are violations of God's desires-though that is not explained to us. And finally, God deals with men differently in the Old Testament than in the New Testament.

While not all things are easily explained, in chapter 2, Solomon takes vengeance only upon all those people who had already committed acts that were punishable by death. This doesn't answer every problem we might have with this difficult chapter, but it is a beginning.

PRAYER

· The Lord will guard and care for those who want to follow Him with their whole heart:

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.
I sought the Lord, and He heard me,
And delivered me from all my fears
(Psalm 34:1-4).

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

The Lord answered Job, and said:
"Shall the one who contends with the
Almighty correct Him?
He who rebukes God, let him answer it."
Then Job answered the Lord and said:
"Behold, I am vile;
What shall I answer You?
I lay my hand over my mouth"
(Job 40:1-4).

· Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:

"Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him" (John 6:27).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:

· a friend to believe in Christ,
· greater understanding and love for God's Word,
· whatever else is on your heart.

· Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:

We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come,

Because You have taken Your great power and reigned (Revelation 11:17).

[Judy Harder]

June 3

1 Kings 1

God grants Solomon wisdom.

INSIGHT

Solomon's heart is manifested by the purity of his prayer. He could have asked for a long life; he could have asked for riches and honor. But instead Solomon asks simply for wisdom. What an honest and unselfish prayer.

Being honest with God is not as easy as we might think. We all tend to live life with masks on-behind which the real "us" hides-to make a better impression on people.

How foolish! God sees behind the mask-as do most people. We can learn from Solomon. God is pleased with honest, transparent prayers.

PRAYER

· Offer your praise to the Lord for His wisdom to all generations of those who love Him:

Thus says the Lord:
"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.
For in these I delight," says the Lord
(Jeremiah 9:23-24).

· 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.
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 19:12-14).

· Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. Now pause to pray this affirmation to the all-wise Lord:

In you, O Christ, are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (based on Colossians 2:3).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:

· greater wisdom in your daily life,
· wisdom for political leaders,
· your activities for the day.

· Finally, offer this 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]

June 4
1 Kings 4

Solomon's fame spreads throughout the world.

INSIGHT

To understand the significance of Solomon's wealth, power, and wisdom, we must go back to Deuteronomy 28, where God outlined the consequences for Israel's obedience and disobedience. During the latter part of David's reign and the early part of Solomon's reign, Israel follows the Lord in righteousness for a longer period of time than any other. The results are a greater blessing than at any other time in Israel's history.

It is a glaring and tragic reality that shortly after Solomon's reign, Israel follows her kings in unrighteousness, and the curses in Deuteronomy begin to come about. The welfare of Israel is always related to her righteousness.

PRAYER

· Offer your praise to the Lord who is holy and in whose holiness we can share:

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! (Romans 11:33).

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 (Ephesians 1:3).

· Pray this confession as you seek to keep your life free from sin:

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 the Lord:

I have trusted in Your mercy;
My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord,
Because He has dealt bountifully with me
(Psalm 13:5-6).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

· greater love for fellow Christians,
· mission work in Europe and Asia,
· whatever else is on your heart.

· Offer this closing prayer to the Lord :

Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart,
All you who hope in the Lord
(Psalm 31:24).