Quiet Walk

[Judy Harder]

July 5

Ezra 6

The original decree is found, and permission is given to complete the temple restoration.

INSIGHT

It is often darkest before the dawn. Just as it looks as if the work on the temple is going to be stopped, the Lord turns the situation around. Not only is permission given to complete the temple, but those who had tried to stop the work are required to finance the remainder of the restoration! Worrying does little to further the work of God; He is quite capable of accomplishing His work. Our work is trust, obedience, and faithfulness to our responsibilities.

PRAYER

Praise the Lord for His watchfulness over your circumstances, and thank Him for being in total control of your life:

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).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving, and 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 any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind.

Now 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).

God desires to hear the petitions of His people.

As you make you requests known to the Lord, include:
contentment in the circumstances of your life,
greater love for the lost,
the work of missions in Africa,
whatever else is on your heart.

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 6:24-25).

[Judy Harder]

July 6

Nehemiah 1

Nehemiah weeps as he learns of Jerusalem's deterioration.

INSIGHT

One of the essential characteristics of leadership is that the leader feels the full weight of the plight of certain people and assumes responsibility for their condition. Many people knew of Jerusalem's condition, but few felt the impact and had the vision for response. Nehemiah did and God used him in a mighty way. What in life "hits" you? What situations cause you to feel the impact of the plight of others, and for what situations do you have a vision for response? It might be as large as a nation or as small as a church nursery. But if you feel it and have a vision for it, chances are God would like to use you there.

PRAYER

Being used by the Lord is a joyful experience. Praise Him as you consider how He might use you:

Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth,
Or ever You had formed the earth and the world,
Even from everlasting to everlasting,
You are God. . . .
Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy,
That we may rejoice and be glad all our days!
(Psalm 90:1-2, 14)

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

"Come now, and let us reason together,"
Says the Lord,
"Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool."
(Isaiah 1:18)

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

If you cry out for discernment,
And lift up your voice for understanding,
If you seek her as silver,
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
Then you will understand the fear of the Lord,
And find the knowledge of God.
(Proverbs 2:3-5)

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:

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

[Judy Harder]

July 7

Nehemiah 2

Nehemiah requests the king's help in rebuilding Jerusalem.

INSIGHT

Nehemiah comes before the king unable to conceal his agitation over the situation in Jerusalem. When we are faced with situations that need change, preparation is vital. We may not be able to do anything about it at the moment, but we can ask ourselves this question: "If it lay within our power to do anything we wanted to do, what would we do?" If we can answer that, then we will recognize opportunity when it knocks, and we can capitalize on it as Nehemiah does.

PRAYER

Praise God that He is concerned about the details of your life and is ready to fulfill your every need:

The Lord knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.
(Psalm 1:6)

The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.
(Psalm 121:7-8)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

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

Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil (Ecclesiastes 5:1).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to mind.

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:1-2).

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

-- Boldness in sharing Christ with others
-- The innocent victims in war-torn lands
-- Your activities for the day
-- Whatever else is on your heart

Finally, offer this closing prayer to the Lord:

Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man's all.
For God will bring every work into judgment,
Including every secret thing,
Whether good or evil.
(Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)

[Judy Harder]

July 8

Nehemiah 4

The work on the city wall is ridiculed by those opposing it.

INSIGHT

It is difficult to do any work when we are strongly opposed. We begin to doubt the validity of the task or our ability to perform it. When we are assailed for doing God's work, we must evaluate the source of opposition. We cannot assume opposition means that God is against us. While it is of little value to blame the devil for everything that goes wrong, the Bible makes it clear that spiritual opposition is a reality in the work of God. If we suspect spiritual opposition, we must oppose the enemy, remain at the task at hand, and redouble our prayers!

PRAYER

Praise God that He has given us instruction for life in the Bible and through the Holy Spirit:

"My heart rejoices in the Lord;
My horn is exalted in the Lord.
I smile at my enemies,
Because I rejoice in Your salvation."
(1 Samuel 2:1)

Pause for additional praise and thanksgiving.

Now pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:

Brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus. . . God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit. (1Thessalonians 4:1-2, 7-8)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to mind.

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:

"No one is holy like the Lord,
For there is none besides You,
Nor is there any rock like our God. . . .
He will guard the feet of His saints,
But the wicked shall be silent in darkness.
For by strength no man shall prevail."
(1 Samuel 2:2, 9)

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

-- Diligence in our work in spite of obstacles
-- Wisdom in making decisions
-- Your activities for the day

Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:

By the God of your father who will help you,
And by the Almighty who will bless you
With blessings of heaven above,
Blessings of the deep that lies beneath,
Blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
The blessings of your father
Have excelled the blessings of my ancestors,
Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills.
(Genesis 49:25-26)

[Judy Harder]

July 9

Nehemiah 5

Nehemiah stops the internal mistreatment among the Jews by force of example.

INSIGHT

The prospects for some of the returned exiles are bleak. There are deficient rains and poor harvests. As a result, the farmers mortgage their lands to their wealthier brethren and, in extreme cases, sell their children into slavery to pay the king's taxes. The rich Jews, rather than helping out, are capitalizing on the situation to line their own pockets. This is inexcusable! Few things bring on more reproach to the cause of the Lord than the worldliness and hard-heartedness of those who claim to follow Him. Unselfish dedication to the common welfare of others in Christ is our spiritual obligation.

PRAYER

Because the Lord loves each of us equally and accepts our welfare as His obligation, we praise Him:

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)

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).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

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

He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
(Isaiah 53:5)

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

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:

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, include:

-- Greater love for fellow Christians
-- Missions in Europe and Asia
-- Your activities for the day

Finally, offer this 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]

July 10

Nehemiah 6

The work on the wall is completed.

INSIGHT

Nehemiah resists the efforts of the adversaries to discourage him or distract him from working on the wall. He is convinced that he is doing the right thing, and he steadfastly resists the interference. The Old Testament often has a literal illustration of a spiritual truth that is explained in the New Testament. In Ephesians 6:11, we read that we are to "put on the whole armor of God": the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit. Once these are in place, we "resist"—"stand firm!"

PRAYER

Praise God for victory in spiritual warfare as we use His armor:

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord!
Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
For the Lord is the great God,
And the great King above all gods. . . .
O come, let us worship and bow down;
Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
For He is our God,
And we are the people of His pasture,
And the sheep of His hand.
(Psalm 95:1-3, 6-7)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

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

All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
(Isaiah 53:6)

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 faithfulness with your time
-- The president and world affairs
-- Your activities for the day
-- Whatever else is on your heart

Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:

The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.
(Psalm 121:7-8)

[Judy Harder]

July 11

Nehemiah 8

The people gather at the square to hear Ezra, who reads the Law publicly.

INSIGHT

No one appreciates a glass of water like a man who is truly thirsty. It takes deprivation to appreciate the significance of our blessings. That is why the Christian life is not always easy—with blessings flowing unabated. We get dull and stale to it—just as we do when we have too much food and too little exercise. We are indeed blessed to have the Word of God in such abundance. The returning Jews have never heard the Word, and they are truly thirsty. They stand — from dawn till dusk — and drink it in. To appreciate the Word in your life, imagine not having it at all.

PRAYER

Give the Lord your praise, because He knows us and loves us and will never leave or forsake us:

You who love the Lord, hate evil!
He preserves the souls of His saints;
He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.
Light is sown for the righteous,
And gladness for the upright in heart.
Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous,
And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.
(Psalm 97:10-12)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

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

Seek the Lord while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the Lord,
And He will have mercy on him;
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.
(Isaiah 55:6-7)

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

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him."
(1 Corinthians 2:9)

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

-- The renewing of your mind
-- The needs of your extended family
-- Your activities for the day
-- Whatever else is on your heart

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]

July 12

Nehemiah 9

Upon hearing the Law, the people publicly confess their transgressions.

INSIGHT

Paul says in the New Testament that it was not until he heard the Law that he was conscious of sin. How true! It is not until you know the truth that the truth can set you free (John 8:32). The returning Jews experience this truth in a dramatic way. Upon hearing the Law, Israel repents of her sins and rededicates herself to serving the Lord. This repentance clears her conscience, results in rich worship, and makes her eligible for the blessings of the Lord. It sets her free! Repentance will do the same for you.

PRAYER

Because the Lord preserves us through spiritual battles, offer your praises as you read this psalm:

It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning,
And Your faithfulness every night . . .
You, Lord, have made me glad through Your work;
I will triumph in the works of Your hands.
(Psalm 92:1-2, 4)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

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

O Lord, God of my salvation,
I have cried out day and night before You.
Let my prayer come before You;
Incline Your ear to my cry.
For my soul is full of troubles,
And my life draws near to the grave.
(Psalm 88:1-3)

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

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:

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

I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions,
And like a cloud, your sins.
Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.
(Isaiah 44:22)

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

-- Greater insight into God's Word
-- The homeless in your country and around the world

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]

July 13

Esther 1

Because Vashti refuses to dance for King Ahasuerus, she is removed as queen.

INSIGHT

In Ezra and Nehemiah, we learn how God watches over the Jews who return from captivity. Esther tells us how those who remain in exile—scattered through the East—are marvelously preserved. Though the name of God does not appear in the book, His hand is clearly manifest throughout. The significance of the "narrow escapes" cannot be dismissed as coincidental. Ahasuerus demands that his queen appear before the party. She refuses. The stage is now set for God's miraculous plan of deliverance for His people.

PRAYER

Take comfort in the sovereignty of God, and praise Him for His faithfulness:

All the gods of the peoples are idols,
But the Lord made the heavens.
Honor and majesty are before Him;
Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.
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 into His courts. . .
Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
Let the sea roar, and all its fullness.
(Psalm 96:5-8, 11)

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

"For a mere moment I have forsaken you,
But with great mercies I will gather you.
With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment;
But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,"
Says the Lord, your Redeemer.
(Isaiah 54:7-8)

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

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand" (John 10:27-28).

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

-- Greater commitment to the Lord
-- Specific Christian ministries
-- Your activities for the day

Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:

May the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 15:5-6 ).

[Judy Harder]

July 14

Esther 2

Esther wins the king's favor and is chosen to become queen.

INSIGHT

Abraham, Moses, David, and Esther are all living lives of obscurity when God chooses them. He uses them for great things because they are faithful to Him in the little things. While not all of us are destined to do incredible things in the eyes of man, greatness in the eyes of God is simply being faithful to Him the best way we know how. God has not forgotten about us; His eye is on us. And He will use us—even if only in seemingly "small" ways.

PRAYER

Thank God that we do not need to be born into a wealthy family or attain a place of prestige to be used by Him. Praise God that He uses ordinary people to do His extraordinary work:

As for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy;
In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple.
Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies;
Make Your way straight before my face.
(Psalm 5:7-8)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

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

Give ear to my words, O Lord,
Consider my meditation.
Give heed to the voice of my cry,
My King and my God,
For to You I will pray.
My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord;
In the morning I will direct it to You,
And I will look up.
(Psalm 5:1-3)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to mind.

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:

You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness,
Nor shall evil dwell with You.
The boastful shall not stand in Your sight;
You hate all workers of iniquity.
(Psalm 5:4-5)

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

-- Contentment in the place God has led you to
-- Patience in serving others

Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:

Let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;
Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them;
Let those also who love Your name
Be joyful in You.
For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous;
With favor You will surround him as with a shield.
(Psalm 5:11-12)