Quiet Walk

[Judy Harder]

December 5

James 5

The rich of this world are warned against an uncompassionate use of their wealth.

INSIGHT

James does not condemn wealth; rather he condemns the uncompassionate use of wealth. It is not wrong to have money, but it is very wrong to have money and not use it to further the Gospel and the welfare of the needy of the world. Those in need are often utterly dependent on those with wealth. In support of James' teaching, Paul writes in 1 Timothy 6:17-18: "Command those who are rich . . . that they be rich in good works." Neither Paul nor James tells the rich to give up their riches; rather both encourage the rich to use their wealth compassionately and generously.

PRAYER

Praise the Lord for the harmony that He can bring to our relationships:
O Lord, how manifold are Your works!
In wisdom You have made them all.
The earth is full of Your possessions . . .
May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
May the Lord rejoice in His works.
He looks on the earth, and it trembles;
He touches the hills, and they smoke.
I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
May my meditation be sweet to Him;
I will be glad in the Lord (Psalm 104:24, 31-34).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
So Samuel said:
"Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams"(1 Samuel 15:22).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
(Revelation 3:21)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
good stewardship with your resources,
needs of your extended family,
whatever else is on your heart.

Finally, offer this closing 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]

December 6

1 Peter 1

Because of our great hope for the future, we should be steadfast in the face of present trials.

INSIGHT

One mark of maturity is the ability to put off present gratification for the sake of a future reward. A child of six is not willing to give up buying a piece of candy to save that money for college tuition; yet an older child might be willing to forego present purchases for the sake of future education. Though in the Christian life the stakes are much higher, the principle is the same. Peter urges us to consider our future inheritance and endure present trials in expectation of our eternal reward.

PRAYER

We can praise the Lord because He has promised to see us through the trials of life:
Oh, give thanks to the Lord!
Call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples!
Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;
Talk of all His wondrous works!
Glory in His holy name;
Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord.
Seek the Lord and His strength;
Seek His face evermore!
Remember His marvelous works which He has done,
His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth (Psalm 105:1-5).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving. Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
"I have sinned greatly in what I have done; but now, I pray, O Lord, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly."
(2 Samuel 24:10)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
"You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32).

The Lord encourages us to come to Him with our concerns and desires. As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
the Lord's leading in your life,
opportunities for evangelism,
your activities for the day.

Finally, 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]

December 7

1 Peter 2

Spiritual sacrifice and personal holiness should be the Christian response to trials.

INSIGHT

A pilgrim is a wanderer. A sojourner is one who lives somewhere temporarily. Peter calls us pilgrims and sojourners in this world. We are no longer at home here; we are no longer a part of this world. Whatever we do should be evaluated in light of our true citizenship in heaven. As such, we live by the rules and values of heaven, not earth. Peter writes: "Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul"(v. 11). When we violate the principles of heaven, it is not only God and His honor that suffer - we suffer.

PRAYER

The Lord has transferred us from the kingdom of darkness and made us citizens of the kingdom of light for which we praise Him:
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
O Lord my God, You are very great:
You are clothed with honor and majesty,
Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment,
Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain. . . .
May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
May the Lord rejoice in His works. . . .
May sinners be consumed from the earth,
And the wicked be no more.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 104:1-2, 31, 35).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Of the Rock who begot you, you are unmindful,
And have forgotten the God who fathered you (Deuteronomy 32:18).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
"All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out."
(John 6:37)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
greater commitment to the Lord,
the work of specific Christian ministries,
whatever else is on your heart.

Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
"You are worthy . . .
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth" (Revelation 5:9-10).

[Judy Harder]

December 8

1 Peter 3

Husbands and wives should be sensitive to the responsibilities and needs of each other.

INSIGHT

In a Christian marriage, the wife should submit to her husband and live an exemplary life which validates her faith. The husband should love his wife unconditionally, be sensitive to her, and seek to understand her. When both spouses assume a proper role before God and each other, a harmonious and satisfying relationship will result. If not, conflict or alienation can result.

PRAYER

Praise your heavenly Father for assisting you in your human relationships:
Blessed are the undefiled in the way,
Who walk in the law of the Lord!
Blessed are those who keep His testimonies,
Who seek Him with the whole heart!
They also do no iniquity;
They walk in His ways.
You have commanded us
To keep Your precepts diligently.
Oh, that my ways were directed
To keep Your statutes!
Then I would not be ashamed,
When I look into all Your commandments (Psalm 119:1-6).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
"Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;
Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes.
Cease to do evil,
Learn to do good;
Seek justice,
Rebuke the oppressor;
Defend the fatherless,
Plead for the widow" (Isaiah 1:16-17).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.
(Genesis 9:16)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
victims of natural disasters,
missionaries on college campuses,
your activities for the day.

Finally, offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
(Jude 20-21)

[Judy Harder]

December 9

1 Peter 4

In the face of suffering, we should follow Christ's example.

INSIGHT

Life is often very trying whether you are a Christian or not. Difficult circumstances fall on the righteous and unrighteous alike. However, the Christian life often adds to our difficulties. We may be discriminated against because of our faith, or our beliefs may eliminate the "easy" ways out of a problem. But Christ does not ask us to suffer anything for Him that He was not willing to suffer for us. Someday we will be rewarded for our diligence and faith.

PRAYER

Praise the Lord that He is completely in control of your life:
Your testimonies are wonderful;
Therefore my soul keeps them.
The entrance of Your words gives light;
It gives understanding to the simple. . . .
Redeem me from the oppression of man,
That I may keep Your precepts.
Make Your face shine upon Your servant,
And teach me Your statutes.
Rivers of water run down from my eyes,
Because men do not keep Your law (Psalm 119:129-130, 134-136).

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
(Hebrews 12:1-2)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
Who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. "And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled." But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.
(1 Peter 3:13-16)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
wisdom and discernment,
Christian radio ministries.

Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
By Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
(Hebrews 13:15)

[Judy Harder]

December 10

1 Peter 5

Elders should shepherd the church and, in turn, the church should respect their leaders.

INSIGHT

True leaders are servants. Their task is to make those under them successful. As everyone is successful, the larger goal toward which they are all contributing is achieved. This is an example of a fundamental principle which is taught throughout Scripture: The work of God is done by the people of God through mutual submission. As we submit to the needs and roles of others rather than looking out for our own efforts, His work is accomplished. Elders are to shepherd those in the church by living the kind of life that is a positive example to others. They should live in submission to the needs and characteristics of those under them and humble themselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt them in due time.

PRAYER

Rejoice that Jesus Christ was submissive to the will of the Father and died for us:
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? . . .
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel
From everlasting to everlasting!
And let all the people say, Amen!
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 106:1-2, 48).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
O my God: I am too ashamed and humiliated to lift up my face to You, my God; for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has grown up to the heavens.
(Ezra 9:6)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."
(John 8:12)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
greater love for the lost,
missionaries in Africa,

Finally, offer this 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]

December 11

2 Peter 1

God has given us the capacity to grow in Christian character and to develop spiritual fruit.

INSIGHT

We are children of God, subjects of the King of creation. God calls us to act accordingly, but often we do not. Our actions tend to result from our self-image which is flawed and enamored with the values and attitudes of this world. Peter writes that we have become: partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world . . . " He then adds: ". . . for this very reason," pursue holiness (vv. 4-5). Those who do not pursue holiness are shortsighted and have forgotten that they have been purged of their old sin natures.

PRAYER

We have become partakers of the divine nature through Christ, so praise Him who made it possible:
O God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and give praise, even with my glory. . . .
I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples,
And I will sing praises to You among the nations.
For Your mercy is great above the heavens,
And Your truth reaches to the clouds.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,
And Your glory above all the earth (Psalm 108:1, 3-5).

Pause for 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, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
Likewise you also, 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:
faithfulness with your talents,
state and local leaders,
your activities for the day.

Finally, offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever (Psalm 23:6).

[Judy Harder]

December 12

2 Peter 2

Beware of false teachers whose lives deny their faith and who will be judged by God.

INSIGHT

False teachers are viewed gravely in the Scriptures. Perhaps the most scathing rebukes and most unthinkable punishments are articulated against these "wolves in sheep's clothing." Why are they dealt with so harshly? Because while refusing salvation themselves, they also keep others from it. It is like a drowning man who not only refuses to accept a lifesaver, but also insists on drowning someone else with him. We must take great care to accurately teach the truth and shun those who do not.

PRAYER

We can walk in fellowship with the Lord and praise Him regardless of how we feel:
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. . . .
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? . . .
He grants the barren woman a home,
Like a joyful mother of children.
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 113:1-3, 5-6, 9).

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 (Psalm 25:4-5).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
Having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 6:22-23)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
wisdom in decision making,
the needs of your friends,
whatever else is on your heart.

Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
This is the day the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24).

[Judy Harder]

December 13

2 Peter 3

Some people will scoff at the Day of the Lord, but we ought to purify ourselves for it.

INSIGHT

Most people agree that the world cannot last forever. Eventually the hydrogen in the sun will burn out, and the sun will grow cold, destroying the earth in the process. So how will the earth end? The Bible tells us that the day will come when the heavens and the earth will be destroyed by fire. It may not happen soon, but it will happen. Since all of us must face "the end" sometime, Peter writes that as we look forward to these things, we should accept salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ.

PRAYER

Though we are not always consistent in our Christian walk, we can praise the Lord that He is always faithful to us:
Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us,
But to Your name give glory,
Because of Your mercy,
Because of Your truth. . . .
You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield. . . .
But we will bless the Lord
From this time forth and forevermore.
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 115:1, 11, 18).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
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 goodnessÕ sake, O Lord (Psalm 25:6-7).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him."
(John 14:23)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
spiritual victory over sin,
opportunities to serve the Lord in your home, office, or neighborhood,
your activities for the day.

Finally, offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
Teach us to number our days,
That we may gain a heart of wisdom. . . .
Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy,
That we may rejoice and be glad all our days! (Psalm 90:12, 14).



December 14

1 John 1

If we walk in the light, we have fellowship with God.

INSIGHT

The truth about our sin is a difficult thing to keep balanced in our minds. On the one hand, we know we should not sin; it is wrong. We should never take sinning lightly. On the other hand, we all sin; it is unavoidable. John writes: "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves" (v. . Therefore, God had to make provision for us to be in fellowship with Him. If we confess our sins, He will forgive us. When we sin, we can accept God's forgiveness and restoration to fellowship. We need not berate ourselves endlessly or do a form of penance. Only the blood of Christ can pay for our sins. And only confession can bring restoration to fellowship with God.

PRAYER

The Lord forgives and restores us to fellowship, and in fellowship we can praise Him:
Praise the Lord!
I will praise the Lord with my whole heart,
In the assembly of the upright and in the congregation. . . .
His work is honorable and glorious,
And His righteousness endures forever. . . .
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
A good understanding have all those who do His commandments.
His praise endures forever (Psalm 111:1, 3, 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, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
To me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
passion for moral excellence,
Christian educational institutions,
whatever else is on your heart.

Finally, 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).

[Judy Harder]

December 15

1 John 2

If we keep His commandments and love our brothers, we walk in fellowship.

INSIGHT

It is sometimes difficult to know if we are in fellowship with the Lord. We erroneously tend to rely on our feelings to gauge our relationship with Him. If we "feel" spiritual one day, we think we are in fellowship with Him. If on another day we do not "feel" spiritual, we assume we are not in fellowship. John helps us with this dilemma; he describes fellowship for us. If we are keeping the LordÕs commandments and loving others, we are in fellowship whether we "feel" in fellowship or not. Do not let your feelings deceive you and encourage you to sin.

PRAYER

Because the Creator of the universe longs for our fellowship, we worship Him:
When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him?
For You have made him a little lower than the angels,
And You have crowned him with glory and honor (Psalm 8:3-5).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.
(3 John 11)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
In Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation . . . For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
(Ephesians 2:13-14, 18)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
sensitivity to sin,
spiritual growth of your friends,
whatever else is on your heart.

Finally, offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
Who is wise?
Let him understand these things.
Who is prudent?
Let him know them.
For the ways of the Lord are right;
The righteous walk in them,
But transgressors stumble in them (Hosea 14:9).