Quiet Walk

[Judy Harder]

July 20

Esther 8

Mordecai is honored and promoted.

INSIGHT

The law of the Medes and Persians cannot be revoked. Once written, no one, not even the king, can rescind it. The law to annihilate the Jews is carved in stone. Since the original plan cannot be revoked, a clever counter-plan is conceived to neutralize it. Permission is given to the Jews to arm themselves and to assemble and defend themselves. In addition, Mordecai is raised to power, replacing the position previously occupied by Haman. God's sovereign protection of His people in exile is in its final stages. The integrity of Esther and Mordecai is rewarded. Righteousness triumphs.

PRAYER

Praise the Lord for His watchfulness over the circumstances of our lives:

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.

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

The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked;
Who can know it? . . .
Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed;
Save me, and I shall be saved,
For You are my praise.
(Jeremiah 17:9, 14)

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

Now 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:

-- Greater passion for moral excellence
-- Your activities for the day
-- Whatever else is on your heart

Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:

May the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23).
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[Judy Harder]

July 21

Esther 9

With the king's permission, the Jews are allowed to protect themselves.

INSIGHT

National salvation is culminated for the Jews. When the fateful day arrives, the Jews throughout the empire stand on the defense. In the provinces, 75,000 of their assailants fall--500 of them in the capital of Susa alone. Among these are the 10 sons of Haman. A divine purpose runs through all human governments and events; and as God exalted Mordecai to honor and glory, so will He work for those who love Him. And so, ultimately, will He put all enemies under His feet.

PRAYER

God is far more powerful than any earthly leader. Thank Him that His power is tempered with righteousness and compassion:

The Lord is King forever and ever;
The nations have perished out of His land.
Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble;
You will prepare their heart;
You will cause Your ear to hear,
To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
That the man of the earth may oppress no more.
(Psalm 10:16-18)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

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

May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,
And the tongue that speaks proud things,
Who have said,
"With our tongue we will prevail;
Our lips are our own;
Who is lord over us?"
(Psalm 12:3-4)

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

The words of the Lord are pure words,
Like silver tried in a furnace of earth,
Purified seven times.
You shall keep them, O Lord,
You shall preserve them from this generation forever.
(Psalm 12:6-7)

Our heavenly Father loves to communicate with His children. As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

-- Wisdom for your church leaders
-- Your activities for the day
-- Whatever else is on your heart

Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:

The Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen! (2 Timothy 4:18).
``

[Judy Harder]

July 22

Job 1

After meeting with God, Satan receives permission to test Job.

INSIGHT

If God is all good and all powerful, then why do the righteous suffer? Throughout the book of Job, questions of the ages arise. Job is a righteous man, and while he does not curse God, he does wonder why these things have happened. These same questions form today in the minds of people who observe or experience suffering. It is not wicked to ask these questions. All people struggle with these questions sooner or later. But we learn from Job that we can struggle without sinning.

PRAYER

God is trustworthy and kind. Because we know that He loves us with an everlasting love, we can praise Him:

I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God;
Incline Your ear to me, and hear my speech.
Show Your marvelous lovingkindness by Your right hand,
O You who save those who trust in You
From those who rise up against them.
Keep me as the apple of Your eye;
Hide me under the shadow of Your wings,
From the wicked who oppress me,
From my deadly enemies who surround me.
(Psalm 17:6-9)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

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

The pangs of death surrounded me,
And the floods of ungodliness made me afraid.
The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me;
The snares of death confronted me.
In my distress I called upon the Lord,
And cried out to my God;
He heard my voice from His temple,
And my cry came before Him, even to His ears.
(Psalm 18:4-6)

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:

He sent from above, He took me;
He drew me out of many waters.
He delivered me from my strong enemy,
From those who hated me,
For they were too strong for me.
They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
But the Lord was my support.
(Psalm 18:16-18)

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

-- Health and strength
-- Guidance for local political leaders
-- Your pastor and his family

Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:

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

[Judy Harder]

July 23

Job 42

God blesses Job, restoring his good fortunes.

INSIGHT

Throughout life, there are things we do not understand. As we mature, we begin to understand. Likewise, we do not understand why the righteous must suffer. But someday, in heaven, we will understand. It will make sense. In the midst of Job's struggle, he makes some incisive observations that help us cope until we receive full understanding: "When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold" (23:10). "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him" (13:15).

PRAYER

Though we do not always understand the Lord, we can always trust Him and give Him our praise:

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:

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 2:13)

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

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:

God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:.

As you make your requests to the Lord include:

-- Greater love for your family
-- Missions in South America
-- Your activities for the day
-- Whatever else is on your heart
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[Judy Harder]

July 24

Psalm 1

The righteous prosper as they delight in the Lord, while the wicked perish.

INSIGHT

In Jerusalem, each gate is named for the destination of the road leading away from it. There is the Joppa Gate, leading to Joppa; there is the Damascus Gate, leading to Damascus. Some of these gates are very close together, but their destinations are very far apart. Life is like that. The psalmist says there are basically two gates in life: the "wicked gate" and the "righteous gate." Your destination in life depends upon which gate you choose. The "righteous gate" begins at the Word of God and leads to trees, water, and fruit. The "wicked gate" starts with man's counsel and leads to wind and chaff.

PRAYER

Thank and praise the Lord that He always leads us in paths of righteousness for His name's sake:
Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us,
But to Your name give glory,
Because of Your mercy,
Because of Your truth. . . .
The Lord has been mindful of us;
He will bless us;
He will bless the house of Israel;
He will bless the house of Aaron. . . .
But we will bless the Lord
From this time forth and forevermore.
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 115:1, 12, 18).

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man;
but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond
what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape,
that you may be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
O Lord, You are the portion of my
inheritance and my cup;
You maintain my lot.
The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;
Yes, I have a good inheritance (Psalm 16:5-6).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
-- Faithfulness with your finances
-- Revival among Christians in America
-- Safety for vacationing families

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 25

Psalm 19

The works of God are declared in the heavens, and the words of God lead to righteousness.

INSIGHT

A creator is known by his creation; an artist is known by his art; a musician by his music; and a sculptor by his sculpture. God can be known by the universe that He has created. Psalm 19:1 says: "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork." Romans 1:20 says: "since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen." Judging from nature, God exists and has power, intelligence, and a flair for beauty!

PRAYER

The Lord is greater than our deep longings, and we praise Him that He satisfies our hearts:
Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord;
Praise Him, O you servants of the Lord! . . .
Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;
Sing praises to His name, for it is pleasant. . . .
I know that the Lord is great,
And our Lord is above all gods.
Whatever the Lord pleases He does,
In heaven and in earth,
In the seas and in all deep places. . .
Blessed be the Lord out of Zion,
Who dwells in Jerusalem!
Praise the Lord!  (Psalm 135:1, 3, 5-6, 21).

As you seek to keep your life free from sin, pray this confession to the Lord:
No chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it (Hebrews 12:11).

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

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust" (Psalm 91:1-2).

As you make your requests known to the Lord include:
-- An eternal perspective
-- Your spiritual goals
-- Local prison ministries

Finally, offer this 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]

July 26

Psalm 23

The Lord is pictured as David's shepherd, leading him in righteousness.

INSIGHT

Perhaps the most outstanding characteristic of sheep is that they cannot take care of themselves. The demands of life exceed their intelligence and their abilities. They must have a shepherd. Man is the same. While there is a vast and gratifying difference between men and sheep, the demands of life for men exceed their intelligence and abilities. We also need a shepherd, the Lord. He is the Great Shepherd. He will lead us. The question is: Will we follow?

PRAYER

Thank the Lord that He hears and answers our prayers, and praise Him that His answers are good:
I will extol You, my God, O King;
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
And His greatness is unsearchable. . .
I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,
And on Your wondrous works (Psalm 145:1-3, 5).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

As you seek to keep your life free from sin, pray this confession to the Lord:
My little children, these things I write to you, that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world (1 John 2:1-2).

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

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
"God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
-- Greater personal discipline
-- Your activities for the day
-- Whatever else is on your heart

Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
Every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: "Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!" (Revelation 5:13).
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[Judy Harder]

July 27

Psalm 37

The righteous will receive eternal life, while the wicked ultimately will be destroyed.

INSIGHT

Serving the Lord does not always pay temporal dividends. The righteous still experience misfortune, financial reversals, physical illnesses, natural disasters, and persecution. At the same time, the unrighteous often prosper, enjoying wealth, fame, honor, and health. David realizes God's justice wins in the end. So do not be discouraged in doing right, even when the unrighteous prosper. Do not be tempted to copy them. "Depart from evil and do good" (v. 27). "Wait on the Lord, and keep His way" (v. 34). "Mark the blameless man" (v. 37). "The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord" (v. 39).

PRAYER

Praise the Lord that while serving Him might cost us in "time," it will reward us in "eternity:"

Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens.
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters,
As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,
So our eyes look to the Lord our God,
Until He has mercy on us (Psalm 123:1-2).

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

You have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:
"My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
For whom the Lord loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives" (Hebrews 12:5-6).

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

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:

By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:8-9).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
-- A stronger desire to be like Christ
-- Local churches across the nation
-- Your activities for the day
-- Whatever else is on your heart

Finally, offer this 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]

July 28

Psalm 63

Spiritual thirst is satisfied only by spiritual intimacy with God.

INSIGHT

There is a God-shaped vacuum in every human heart. Man was made for God, and his soul will be restless until it finds its rest in Him. Our longings for love, relationships, belonging, security, meaning, purpose, and identity are ultimately met only in the Lord Jesus Christ. We find temporary fulfillment in the pursuit of people, possessions, and circumstances; but eventually, these will pass away or we will change and they will no longer satisfy. We have been made for God, and we will find our deepest longings met only in Him. Make David's prayer your own prayer for spiritual fulfillment.

PRAYER

It is amazing to think that the Creator of the universe desires a relationship with us. Praise God for His love:
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 (Psalm 19:7-8).

As you seek to keep your life free from sin, pray this confession to God:
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:
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 19:9-11).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
-- Peace in the midst of difficult circumstances
-- The various ministries of your church
-- Spiritual growth for family members

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]

July 29

Psalm 90

God is eternal in time past and future--while man is temporal and weak.

INSIGHT

In this psalm, Moses declares the eternality of God in verses 1-2. Then he contrasts the frailty of man in verse 3. God's displeasure with sin next occupies his attention: "We have been consumed by Your anger . . . You have set our iniquities before You" (vv. 7-8). Based on these three realities, Moses calls upon God in a series of petitions: "Teach us to number our days . . . Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy . . . Make us glad . . . and establish the work of our hands" (Psalm 90:12, 14-15, 17). You can make these petitions your own.

PRAYER

Although we are inclined to do evil, God has chosen to forgive us. For this we praise Him:
Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it!
Shout, you lower parts of the earth;
Break forth into singing, you mountains,
O forest, and every tree in it!
For the Lord has redeemed Jacob,
And glorified Himself in Israel (Isaiah 44:23).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

As you seek to keep your life free from sin, pray this confession to the Lord:
We must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. . . How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him? (Hebrews 2:1, 3).

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren (Hebrews 2:9-11).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
-- Patience with others
-- Missions in Great Britain
-- Local hospital and prison chaplains

Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
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).
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