Quiet Walk

[Judy Harder]

June 20

2 Kings 6

When the Syrians threaten Elisha, they are struck blind.

INSIGHT

We often have no idea what is going on around us in the spiritual realm. Spiritual battles explode before our very eyes, but we neither see them nor hear them (Daniel 10:13). Guardian angels minister to our needs (Hebrews 1:14). We entertain angels "unwittingly" (Hebrews 13:2). How real and alive is the spiritual realm; yet without the Scriptures, we would know little about it. The Syrian army is camped around Dothan, but Elisha is not concerned because an army of the angels of the Lord encircles the horizon. We walk by faith and not by sight.

PRAYER

Thank the Lord that He can turn our failures into successes, and offer Him your praise in this psalm:

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. . . .
The Lord lives!
Blessed be my Rock!
Let the God of my salvation be exalted
(Psalm 18:1-3, 46).

Pause for personal 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:

"I am the living bread which came down from heaven.
If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever;
and the bread that I shall give is My flesh,
which I shall give for the life of the world"
(John 6:51).

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

-- Greater wisdom in decision making
-- The needs of personal friends
-- Whatever else is on your heart

Finally, offer this closing prayer:

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).
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[Judy Harder]

June 21

2 Kings 7

Israel is delivered from Aram.

INSIGHT

While we must be careful about "spiritualizing" what we read in the Old Testament and making it say something it doesn't, there is at least an excellent illustration in the defeat of the Aramean army relating to the message of the Gospel today. The lepers are lost and starving and come upon abundance adequate for their own welfare as well as the welfare of all others. They realize it is wrong to keep it to themselves, and they go out to tell others. The same is true of the Gospel of Christ. Those of us who have had our needs met by Him cannot be satisfied keeping it to ourselves -- we must tell others.

PRAYER

Thank the Lord for the miracle of the "new birth," and praise Him for His grace:

Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous;
And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
(Psalm 32:11).

Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous!
For praise from the upright is beautiful.
Praise the Lord with the harp;
Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings
(Psalm 33:1-2).

Pause for personal praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession as you seek to keep your life free from sin and its effects:

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 who protects you:

"God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:24).

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

-- Spiritual victory over temptation
-- Opportunities to serve the Lord
-- Your activities for the day

Finally, offer this closing prayer to the Lord:

To Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen (Ephesians 3:21).
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[Judy Harder]

June 22

2 Kings 8

The king restores the Shunammite widow's land.

INSIGHT

Nothing happens in our lives or in the world apart from divine appointment or permission. Behind every event and incident, there is divine providence. The Shunammite widow, who has done so much for Elisha, is remembered and cared for years afterward. The Lord has a wonderful memory for those who feed Him when He is hungry and minister to Him when He is in need (see Matthew 25:37). The conversation between Gehazi, Elisha's servant, and the king might seem an accident, but it is providential. When we abide in the will of God, life is sown with divine coincidences.

PRAYER

For the Lord's sovereignty and goodness to us, offer this praise:

He is the Rock, His work is perfect;
For all His ways are justice,
A God of truth and without injustice;
Righteous and upright is He
(Deuteronomy 32:4).

Pause for personal praise and thanksgiving.

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

I said, "Lord, be merciful to me;
Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You. . . ."
But 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).

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:

Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the Lord,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength
(Isaiah 40:28-29).

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

-- A stronger desire to be like Christ
-- Local churches across the nation
-- 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]

June 23

2 Kings 18

Hezekiah institutes a reign of righteousness.

INSIGHT

It is wonderful that such a wicked man as Ahaz had such a righteous son as Hezekiah. It is difficult to stand against moral disintegration--especially when it is all around you and generally accepted. It is also likely the fall of the Northern Kingdom is a great incentive to root out idolatry. God richly rewards Hezekiah for his moral courage and leadership, demonstrating the validity of 2 Chronicles 16:9: "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him."

PRAYER

Praise the Lord that He richly blesses those who seek to follow Him with all their heart:

Your testimonies are wonderful;
Therefore my soul keeps them.
The entrance of Your words gives light;
It gives understanding to the simple.
I opened my mouth and panted,
For I longed for Your commandments.
Look upon me and be merciful to me,
As Your custom is toward those who love Your name.
Direct my steps by Your word,
And let no iniquity have dominion over me.
(Psalm 119:129-133)

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.

Now 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:

-- A heart more tender to the things of the Lord
-- The work of a specific ministry that has had an impact on your life
-- Your activities for the day

Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:

The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.
(Psalm 121:
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[Judy Harder]

June 24

2 Kings 19

When Sennacherib attacks Jerusalem, Hezekiah calls upon the Lord.

INSIGHT

In spite of all the trouble that comes upon Israel and Judah, God wants to bless them. It is only as He is blessing them that His desire for the world is advanced. All that is needed is obedience. Hezekiah demonstrates just how quickly everything can turn around. He is looking into the jaws of an Assyrian military machine one minute, and the Assyrians are routed the next. God is not reluctant to bless us. But we must be sure we are eligible by being faithful to Him.

PRAYER

Praise the Lord; for He controls the universe and does all things for our good:

The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars,
Yes, the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes them also skip like a calf,
Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.
The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire.
The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
The Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.
The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth,
And strips the forests bare;
And in His temple everyone says, "Glory!"
The Lord sat enthroned at the Flood,
And the Lord sits as King forever.
The Lord will give strength to His people;
The Lord will bless His people with peace.
(Psalm 29:5-11)

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).

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

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:

"God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world,  but that the world through Him might be saved (John 3:17).

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

-- Greater faith in God's goodness
-- Those who've never heard the Gospel
-- Whatever else is on your heart

Offer this prayer to the Lord:

Jesus, You are the door. If anyone enters by You, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture (based on John 10:9).

[Judy Harder]

June 25

2 Kings 20

In answer to Hezekiah's prayer, the Lord extends his life.

INSIGHT

Hezekiah's contribution to our lives is probably very great. We read of his zeal for the house of Jehovah and for the worship of Jehovah and of his strict adherence to the Davidic traditions (2 Chronicles 29:3-19; 20-27; 30). His delight is in the Word of Jehovah. In 2 Chronicles 31:21, we read of the "work" which Hezekiah began "in the law and in the commandment." Apparently he formed a guild of men for this devout literary work. These "men of Hezekiah" evidently included Isaiah (2 Kings 19:2) and also had a hand in shaping the book of Proverbs (Proverbs 25:1). What a contribution this ancient one has made to our lives today!

PRAYER

The Lord's dominion is forever, and we can praise Him that He never changes:

Sing to Him a new song;
Play skillfully with a shout of joy.
For the word of the Lord is right,
And all His work is done in truth.
He loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
(Psalm 33:3-5)

Pause for personal 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 hear joy and gladness,
That the bones 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:

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal" (Matthew 6:19-20).

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

-- Greater love for others
-- The work of missions in 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]

June 26

2 Kings 25

God judges Judah by allowing Nebuchadnezzar to capture Jerusalem.

INSIGHT

Judah has a total of 20 kings after Solomon. Only eight of them give moral and spiritual leadership. And as the king goes, so goes the nation. As a result, God has to bring judgment on Israel. The ghastly succession of horrors promised for disobedience in Deuteronomy 28--and reiterated to Solomon in 1 Kings 9--begins to unfold. "I will cast (Israel) out of My sight. Israel will be a proverb and a byword among all peoples" (1 Kings 9:7). Nebuchadnezzar besieges and captures Jerusalem, transports her main people to Babylonia, robs her treasury, and violates worship in the temple. Sin has a terrible price.

PRAYER

Offer your praise to the Lord that we can be spared from His judgment on sin:

O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.
So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power and Your glory. 
(Psalm 63:1-2)

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

Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases.
(Psalm 103:1-3)

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

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart,  and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30).

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

-- Greater faithfulness in sharing Christ
-- The Lord's work in national and world affairs
-- Whatever else is on your heart

Finally, offer this closing prayer to the Lord:

Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen (2 Peter 3:18).
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[Judy Harder]

June 27

1 Chronicles 17

God promises David that He will propagate David's lineage forever.

INSIGHT

David is described as a man after God's own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). It is difficult for us to accept that statement when David is guilty of lying, adultery, murder, and other indiscretions. However, to be a man after God's own heart means that David wants the same things God wants. His noble desires and intentions are overruled several times by his passions; but when David's senses are restored and he repents of his sin, again his heart beats after God's desires. We may not be as bad as David in his bad moments, but are we as good as David in his good moments? Do our hearts beat after God?

PRAYER

Offer your praise to the Lord that He is eager to bless our righteous acts:

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)

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:

Behold, God is my salvation,
I will trust and not be afraid;
"For Yahweh, the Lord, is my strength and my song;
He also has become my salvation"
(Isaiah 12:2)

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

-- An increased eternal perspective
-- Your spiritual goals
-- Your activities for the day

Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:

Grace, mercy, and peace [be to you] from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior (Titus 1:4).
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[Judy Harder]

June 28

1 Chronicles 29

Just before his death, David blesses Israel and gives his blessing to Solomon.

INSIGHT

How we spend our money is a powerful reflection of our value system. If we have strong spiritual values, we give our money generously to spiritual things. If we have primarily temporal values, we resist--and perhaps even resent--giving to spiritual things. After completing the temple, the Israelites rejoiced, "for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the LORD" (v. 9). Where are your values?

PRAYER

Bless the Lord. Praise Him for His blessings in our lives:

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness,
The power and the glory,
The victory and the majesty;
For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours;
Yours is the kingdom, O Lord,
And You are exalted as head over all.
Both riches and honor come from You,
And You reign over all.
In Your hand is power and might;
In Your hand it is to make great
And to give strength to all.
Now therefore, our God,
We thank You
And praise Your glorious name.
(1 Chronicles 29:11-13)

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:

Those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
(Isaiah 40:31)

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

-- Greater personal discipline
-- Persecuted Christians worldwide
-- Whatever else is on your heart

Finally, offer this closing prayer:

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).
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[Judy Harder]

June 29

2 Chronicles 34

Josiah leads Judah into righteousness.

INSIGHT

It is almost impossible to imagine the Law could have gotten lost in Jerusalem. How could that have happened? The whole nation is to worship the Lord; the dominant building in Jerusalem is the temple. Israel's entire history revolves around the giving and preservation of the Law. How can this happen? Neglect has a poor memory. How quickly we can drift from the Lord in just a short time of spiritual staleness. Consider our nation. The moral fiber we had 20 years ago is nonexistent today. People are people. Israel drifted the same way--but for a longer time. This ought to serve as a warning to us; the same can happen to us as individuals.

PRAYER

The Lord will guard and care for the heart that follows Him and is filled with praise:

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me!
For my soul trusts in You;
And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge,
Until these calamities have passed by. . .
I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing to You among the nations.
For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens,
And Your truth unto the clouds.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
Let Your glory be above all the earth.
(Psalm 57:1, 9-11)

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:

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, include:

-- Others to see Christ in you
-- The Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into His harvest
-- Your activities for the day

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).
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