Quiet Walk

[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)
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[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).
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[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).
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[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 ).
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[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)
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[Judy Harder]

July 15

Esther 3

Haman deceives the king into signing an edict that would kill all the Jews.

INSIGHT

Man's inhumanity to man over the ages has been astounding. Some of the acts of violence and degradation have defied comprehension. In this vein, Haman hatches a savage and inhumane plot against the Jews to have them annihilated--men, women, and children. King Ahasuerus also has a monstrous mind, willing to sanction such savagery without question. When sin progresses to such extremes, we see just how repulsive it is.

PRAYER

God continually watches over His children. Thank Him for His protection:

I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart;
I will tell of all Your marvelous works.
I will be glad and rejoice in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.
(Psalm 9:1-2)

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

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.
(Psalm 19:7-11)

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

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:

"As for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive" (Genesis 50:20).

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

-- The political leaders of your country
-- Graciousness in speech
-- The needs of family members

Offer this closing 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).
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[Judy Harder]

July 16

Esther 4

Esther learns of the plot to kill the Jews and plans to intercede.

INSIGHT

"I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!" (4:16). Those are not the words of someone being melodramatic; they are the words of a realist who accurately assesses the situation. By law, no one can go into the presence of the king unless invited; to do so means execution. If the king chooses to extend grace to the person, he offers his scepter, whereupon the subject is to kneel and touch the top of the scepter. Esther has no idea what Ahasuerus will do. He deposed Vashti with a clap of his hands; he signed the edict to kill the Jews without asking a question. Though she has no other choice, Esther's decision still takes great courage.

PRAYER

Our courage comes from confidence in God who loves us, and for this, we give Him our praise:

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 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, 35)

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

Justice is far from us,
Nor does righteousness overtake us;
We look for light, but there is darkness!
For brightness, but we walk in blackness!
(Isaiah 59:9)

O Lord, be merciful to me, and raise me up,
That I may repay them.
(Psalm 41:10)

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him (Colossians 1:15-16).

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

-- Greater love for non-Christians
-- The work of missions in Africa
-- Those who are persecuted for their faith

Now close with this 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]

July 17

Esther 5

Esther plans a banquet to set the stage for the revelation of the death plot.

INSIGHT

"Pride goes before destruction" (Proverbs 16:18). One of the supreme examples of this truth in all of the Bible is Haman. His ego is on a feeding frenzy. He has power, wealth, position, family, friends, and honor. Yet all of this fails to satisfy his ego. Mordecai's unwillingness to bow down to him sticks like a bone in Haman's throat. Haman's wife reveals her character by suggesting a flamboyant display of vengeance: "Let a gallows be made, fifty cubits high [75 feet], and in the morning suggest to the king that Mordecai be hanged on it," she counsels (v. 14). The same shadow is darkening both hearts. When pride is taken to this extreme, we see how exceedingly ugly it is. Beware of pride!

PRAYER

Our pride is mellowed when we see how Jesus humbled Himself for us. Praise Him for His love:

O Lord, how manifold are Your works!
In wisdom You have made them all.
The earth is full of Your possessions-- . . .
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, 33-34)

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

O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself;
It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.
O Lord, correct me, but with justice;
Not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing.
(Jeremiah 10:23-24)

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

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:

I will remember the works of the Lord;
Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.
I will also meditate on all Your work,
And talk of Your deeds.
(Psalm 77:11-12).

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

-- Faithfulness with your talents
--State and local leaders,
-- Your activities for the day,
-- Whatever else is on your heart.

Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:

To Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen (Ephesians 3:20-21).
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[Judy Harder]

July 18

Esther 6

Haman must honor Mordecai with acts which Haman himself suggested.

INSIGHT

Very few things in the Bible are actually funny. However, taken in isolation, chapter 6 of Esther is probably the funniest event in the Bible. The king asks Haman what he thinks is a good way to honor someone. Haman thinks to himself, "Whom would the king delight to honor more than me?" (6:6). Then he tells the king what he, Haman, would like to have done for himself. The king then responds by telling Haman to do that for Mordecai. The irony is overwhelming--the humor irrepressible. The wrath of man is made to praise God.

PRAYER

God is a God of power and glory, yet He loves to call us His own. Praise Him for His love for us:

O God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.
Awake, lute and harp!
I will awaken the dawn.
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 108:1-5)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

As you seek to keep your life free from sin, pray this prayer:

"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 pray this affirmation to the Lord:

He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?
(Micah 6:.

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

-- Greater wisdom in decision making
-- The needs of friends
-- Your activities for the day

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).
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[Judy Harder]

July 19

Esther 7

Haman's plot is revealed, and he is hanged.

INSIGHT

The final irony falls. Haman hangs on the gallows which he had constructed for Mordecai. Pride has come full circle; sin has self-destructed. Satan is called the deceiver and the destroyer; he deceives in order to destroy. He gets us to commit ourselves to a course of action which we think will achieve our aims, and, in the end, it destroys us. If you are on any course of action which you feel will achieve your aims--but the course of action is wrong--give it up. Unchecked, you will eventually be destroyed by it.

PRAYER

Offer your praise to the Lord that though He does not always spare us from pain, He is always with us through the pain:

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)

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin and in fellowship with Him:

Assyria shall not save us,
We will not ride on horses,
Nor will we say anymore to the work of our hands,
"You are our gods."
For in You the fatherless finds mercy.
(Hosea 14:3).

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

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
(Proverbs 9:10)

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

-- Spiritual victory over temptation
-- Opportunities to serve the Lord
-- Your activities for the day,
-- Whatever else is on your heart

Finally, offer this closing 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).
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