Quiet Walk

[Judy Harder]

August 29

Haggai 1

Haggai explains that God's people suffer because they neglect to finish the temple.

INSIGHT

As the children of Israel return from the Babylonian captivity, their first order of business is to rebuild the temple. Haggai, a prophet of God who is ministering at the time, encourages the people to work hard at restoring the temple. With great enthusiasm, they quickly lay the foundation. But discouragement sets in and work on the temple is soon forgotten as they begin to build their own houses. Finally, after 15 years, Haggai tells them that the afflictions they are suffering are because of their neglect of the temple. They must finish the temple first and then resume building their houses. First things first. God demands proper priorities.

PRAYER

Offer the Lord this psalm of praise as you express your gratitude for His justice:
O Lord God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You? (2 Chronicles 20:6).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me to hear joy and gladness, 
That the bones which You have broken may rejoice.
Hide Your face from my sins,
And blot out all my iniquities (Psalm 51:7-9).

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

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
"Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:14).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
-- Your development of an eternal perspective
-- Your spiritual goals
-- Whatever else is on your heart

Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17).

[Judy Harder]

August 30

Zechariah 14

The day is coming when God will be the righteous King over all the earth.

INSIGHT

Haggai and Zechariah minister to the same people at the same time. Their goal is the same: to motivate the people to rebuild the temple. But their very different personalities show through the pages of Scripture. Haggai utters rebuke; Zechariah breathes encouragement. Haggai makes them feel that they ought to rebuild the temple. Zechariah makes them want to rebuild the temple. He reinforces God's love and care for Israel and the certainty of the ultimate defeat of the enemies as they continue to obey God.

PRAYER

Praise the Lord that His Word can be trusted:
Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth!
Sing out the honor of His name;
Make His praise glorious.
Say to God,
"How awesome are Your works!
Through the greatness of Your power
Your enemies shall submit themselves to You.
All the earth shall worship You
And sing praises to You;
They shall sing praises to Your name"
Selah (Psalm 66:1-4).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
The God of my salvation,
And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips,
And my mouth shall show forth Your praise (Psalm 51:14-15).

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

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
"He who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life" (John 5:24).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
-- Greater personal discipline
-- Persecuted Christians worldwide
-- Your activities for the day

Now, offer this closing prayer to God:
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]

September 1

Acts 1

After the Ascension, the apostles meet in an upper room to choose a replacement for Judas.

INSIGHT

God is moving. For thousands of years He has worked in the world through the nation of Israel and the Law of Moses. Now He will work through the church and the gospel of Christ. God instructs the apostles to wait in Jerusalem until they receive power from on high. Then when they are baptized with the power of the Holy Spirit, they are to be the Lord's witnesses in their city, the surrounding country, and the entire world.

PRAYER

Offer God this psalm of praise as you think about His power and the significance of serving Him:
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)

Having offered Him your praise, pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
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, and pray this affirmation 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)

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

Compassion for others
The Lord's work in national and world affairs
Your activities for the day
Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
"Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
To receive power and riches and wisdom,
And strength and honor and glory and
blessing!" (Revelation 5:12) 

[Judy Harder]

September 2

Acts 2

The Holy Spirit comes upon the believing Jews gathered at the temple.

INSIGHT

Who would have expected the coming of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament to be like this? Rushing wind. Fire. Many languages spoken and all being understood. Those with unbelieving hearts always find a "natural" explanation, but those who believe drop to their knees and cry out to God! "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" (2:37). Revelation always demands a response. Unbelievers always look for a way to get out from under the authority of Scripture. But the believing heart will cry out, "O God, what shall I do?" Search your mind. Is there some response you should make to God right now?

PRAYER

As you continue to meditate on God's Word, offer praises to the Lord as you respond to His revelation:
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)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving, and as you seek to keep your life free from sin, pray this confession to the Lord:
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well. . . .
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.
(Psalm 139:14, 23-24)

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

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:

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

Patience in difficult circumstances
Wisdom for your church leaders
Whatever else is on your heart
Finally, offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever. (1 Chronicles 16:34) 

[Judy Harder]

September 3

Acts 7

Stephen is arrested for preaching the Gospel.

INSIGHT

The New Testament was written in times that, in many ways, seem barbaric to us. That respectable people would clamor for a crucifixion or incite a mob to riot or pick up stones and kill another man is difficult for us to imagine. Yet culture was different then. Today we do not kill a person to get rid of an unwanted message. Instead, we use other tactics. We can kill the message by making it look foolish or by discrediting the messenger. We even attack God Himself, declaring that He is dead or that He has no relevance to our era. But unless we accept the message of salvation that Stephen preached, we are as guilty before God as the ones who threw the stones.

PRAYER

Thank the Lord and praise Him for offering us abundant life in Christ:
All Your works shall praise You, O Lord,
And Your saints shall bless You.
They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom,
And talk of Your power,
To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts,
And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.
(Psalm 145:10-13)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving. Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
"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, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. (1 John 3:16)

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

Greater love for your fellow Christians
The work of missionaries in Indonesia
Your activities for the day
Offer this closing 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]

September 4

Acts 8

The stoning of Stephen initiates a wave of persecution, led by Saul.

INSIGHT

As the Jewish believers flee Jerusalem, Philip comes upon an Ethiopian dignitary who is struggling to understand the Scriptures. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asks. "How can I, unless someone guides me?" is the reply (vv. 30-31). We are God's method to reach the world for Christ. The Lord could have resorted to skywriting, sending personal visions to all people, or sending angels. Instead, He chose men and women to reach other men and women. Our responsibility is simple: to manifest the character of Christ and proclaim His name wherever we go. The work is God´s, and He will use you if you will let Him.

PRAYER

Because the Lord led someone to give His message of salvation to you, praise Him with this psalm:
Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
While I live I will praise the Lord;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. . . .
Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help,
Whose hope is in the Lord his God . . .
The Lord shall reign forever
Your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 146:1-2, 5, 10).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
There is not a just man on earth who does good
And does not sin. (Ecclesiastes 7:20)

Thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel:
"In returning and rest you shall be saved;
In quietness and confidence shall be your
strength." (Isaiah 30:15)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
"This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." (John 15:12)

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

Greater faithfulness with your time and resources
The president and national leaders
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]

September 5

Acts 9

On his way to Damascus, Saul has a divine revelation of Jesus and is converted.

INSIGHT

From God's perspective, the relationship between Christ and the church is a very close and dear one. Jesus is the Son of God; the church is His bride. To harm the church is to harm Christ. Though Paul never laid a hand on Him, Jesus spoke from heaven, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" (v. 4). Just as Paul did, we must strive to gain God's perspective on who we are. We are His bride, His chosen one, the delight of His life. When we see ourselves as He sees us, we can be more successful at living as we should.

PRAYER

Offer your praise to the Lord because He turns even the difficult things into good:
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!
Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 150:1-6)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Now pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Surely He has borne our grief
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
But 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 53:4-5)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You. (Isaiah 26:3)

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
Close with the following prayer:
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]

September 6

Acts 13

Saul adopts a Christian name, Paul, and travels to Galatia with the message of the Gospel.

INSIGHT

Chapter 13 records a remarkable fulfillment of prophecy that is easily missed. In chapter 1, Jesus commissions the disciples to be witnesses for Him and proclaims that they will take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Now the Holy Spirit sets Paul and Barnabas apart to begin traveling to the ends of the earth, taking the message with them. You and I can extend that prophetic fulfillment, too, as we accept the Great Commission as our personal commission and help to take the message of salvation to the ends of the world.

PRAYER

Offer the following psalm of praise to the Lord for allowing you to hear the message of salvation:
Let my mouth be filled with Your praise
And with Your glory all the day. . .
I will hope continually,
And will praise You yet more and more.
My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness
And Your salvation all the day,
For I do not know their limits.
I will go in the strength of the Lord God;
I will make mention of Your righteousness,
of Yours only. (Psalm 71:8, 14-16)

Now 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. Then pray this affirmation to the Lord:
The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.
(John 4:23-24)

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

The leading of the Lord in your life
Opportunities for personal evangelism
Whatever else is on your heart
Finally, close with this prayer 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) 

[Judy Harder]

September 9

Acts 17

As Paul continues his journey, he establishes churches.

INSIGHT

It is often necessary to establish common ground with others in order to win an audience for the Gospel. Paul uses a point of common ground when he begins talking to the people of Athens about the idol bearing the inscription: "TO THE UNKNOWN GOD"(17:23). Catching their interest, Paul develops his argument to present to them the living Christ (vv. 30-31). This skillful message is used by the Holy Spirit to bring men and women to Jesus Christ.

PRAYER

Praise God that He has revealed Himself to you:
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.
May sinners be consumed from the earth,
And the wicked be no more.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 104:31-35).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Now pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin and in fellowship with Him:
When we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us
(Romans 5:6-8).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
Power belongs to God.
Also to You, O Lord, belongs mercy;
For You render to each one according to his
work (Psalm 62:11-12).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
courage to follow God's leading,
salvation of your neighbors,
your activities for the day.

Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. . . . Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ(Acts 2:32-33, 36).

[Judy Harder]

September 10

Acts 18

Paul embarks on his third journey that takes him first to Ephesus.

INSIGHT

Apollos combines the eloquence of the Greek with the religious instinct of the Jew. Most likely a student from the great university at Alexandria, Apollos is a convert to the Gospel, deeply conversant with the Old Testament. Gifted with marvelous eloquence, he is a strong ally of the Christian forces of his age. But he needs to understand the death, resurrection, and ascended power of Christ. Aquila and Priscilla teach Apollos these things. How wonderful is that holy wisdom that the Spirit of God gives to humble believers so that they can become teachers of men who are intellectually their superiors! When teaching children or new believers, encourage them and have hope that some may become "mighty in the Scriptures" (v. 24).

PRAYER

Offer your praise to the Lord for the ministry that He provides in your life through other believers:
Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You. You show lovingkindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them - the Great, the Mighty God, whose name is the Lord of hosts. You are great in counsel and mighty in work, for your eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, to give everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings. (Jeremiah 32:17-19)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving. Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Our transgressions are multiplied before You,
And our sins testify against us;
For our transgressions are with us,
And as for our iniquities, we know them.
(Isaiah 59:12)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live." (John 11:25)

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
Finally, offer this 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)