Quiet Walk

[Judy Harder]

December 18

1 John 5

Faith is the fundamental principle in overcoming the world and giving us eternal life.

INSIGHT

John writes: "Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" (v. 5). Faith is the victory that overcomes the world. John wants us to have assurance of our salvation. So he writes further: "And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life" (vv. 11-13). If you believe in Jesus as Your personal Savior, you have the Son of God and you have eternal life.

PRAYER

Thank the Lord that He has given you eternal life in Jesus Christ:
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.
One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,
And on Your wondrous works. (Psalm 145:1-5).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Now pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me,
For I am desolate and afflicted.
The troubles of my heart have enlarged;
Bring me out of my distresses!
Look on my affliction and my pain,
And forgive all my sins. (Psalm 25:16-18).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
"If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love."
(John 15:10)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
faithfulness with your treasures,
revival in America,
your activities for the day.

Finally, offer this closing 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]

December 19

2 John

False teachers do not confess Jesus Christ as God incarnate.

INSIGHT

The Bible teaches that Christians are to be tolerant, understanding, and compassionate. We are to go out of our way to be kind and loving to others; we are to love our neighbors as ourselves. However, how should we act toward false teachers who subvert our faith? The Bible teaches that while we should not be unkind, we should have no fellowship with them. John writes: "If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine (salvation in Christ), do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds" (vv. 10-11).

PRAYER

Offer the Lord your praise that in His power and glory He still loves us:
Praise the Lord!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
For it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful. . . .
Great is our Lord, and mighty in power;
His understanding is infinite. . . .
The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him,
In those who hope in His mercy. . . .
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 147:1, 5, 11, 20).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving and seek to keep your life free from sin:
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit. (Psalm 32:1-2).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness.
(Romans 3:23-25)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
gaining an eternal perspective,
your spiritual goals,
whatever else is on your heart.

Finally, offer this closing 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]

December 20

3 John

John praises and encourages Gaius for his "witness of . . . love before the church" (v. 6).

INSIGHT

Affirmation is a powerful force for good in the Christian life. We all long to be affirmed for who we are and what we are doing. We all like to hear: "Good job." In essence, that is what John writes in his third epistle. He affirms Gaius in several areas: for his knowledge of truth, for his application of that knowledge, for offering hospitality to fellow Christians and to strangers, and for helping to support traveling missionaries. Good job, Gaius.

PRAYER

The Lord has not left us without instruction but leads us to truth, and so we praise Him:
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:
I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I have not hidden.
I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,"
And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. . . .
You are my hiding place;
You shall preserve me from trouble;
You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah (Psalm 32:5, 7).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
You did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."
(Romans 8:15)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
personal discipline,
Christians who are persecuted for their faith,
your activities for the day.

Finally, 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]

December 21

Jude

Jude is challenged to earnestly contend for the faith against false teachers.

INSIGHT

False teachers were a major problem in the early church, and many of the epistles deal with them. Jude offers scathing rebukes and warnings to false teachers, but in addition he offers insights on how we can protect ourselves from them. In verses 20-21, Jude uses four phrases which are instructive: "building yourselves up" (studying and doing things to encourage your spiritual growth); "praying in the Holy Spirit" (cultivating a healthy prayer life); "keeping yourselves in the love of God" (monitoring your lifestyle and guarding against sin); and "looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life" (cultivating an eternal perspective).

PRAYER

Thank the Lord that He is truth and praise Him that He leads the willing heart to know truth:
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.

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, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
(Hebrews 11:1)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
greater desire to be like Christ,
local churches across the nation,
whatever else is on your heart.

Finally, offer this 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]

December 22

Revelation 1

Jesus is seen in a vision as a glorious, powerful, heavenly being.

INSIGHT

When Jesus came to earth, He came in poverty, humility, and obscurity. He willingly allowed men to victimize Him and to seemingly triumph over Him. But this is not a complete picture of who Jesus really is. In coming to earth, Jesus Christ left a state of glory and power, clothed Himself in humanity, and veiled His divine appearance. The book of Revelation gives us a broader picture of who He is by telling us a little about His divine appearance and nature(vv. 14-15). Although we cannot know how Jesus looked while on earth, this description of Him certainly discloses many of His divine traits (vv. 17-18).

PRAYER

Praise the Holy Son of God for His righteousness, strength, and purity:
"Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God Almighty,
Who was and is and is to come!" . . .
"You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they exist and were
created" (Revelation 4:8, 11).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving, and pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
(1 John 2:15-17)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
(2 Peter 1:3-4)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
kind speech,
unsaved friends and family,
your activities for the day.

Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ: Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.
(Jude 1-2)

[Judy Harder]

December 23

Revelation 2

Jesus sends prophetic messages to four churches.

INSIGHT

Jesus commends the church of Ephesus for the good work that they have done. Nevertheless, He commands them to repent and return to their "first love" (v. 4). Unless they seek forgiveness, they will experience the chastening of God. In the face of impending persecution, Jesus offers words of encouragement and hope to the church in Smyrna (v. 10). Addressing the church in Pergamos, our Lord warns the people not to tolerate evil. The same message is sent to the church in Thyatira. Unless they repent, Jesus warns that He will judge them quickly and severely.

PRAYER

Praise Jesus Christ for constantly watching over you, guiding you, and encouraging you:
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears,
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as have a contrite spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
He guards all his bones;
Not one of them is broken.
Evil shall slay the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.
The Lord redeems the soul of His servants,
And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned. (Psalm 34:17-22).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving 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. . . .
Cleanse me from my sin. . . .
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. (Psalm 51:1-2, 7).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to 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. (1 Chronicles 16:11-12).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
a willing attitude,
the ministries of your church,
whatever else is on your heart.

Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
"Know this day, and consider it in your heart, that the Lord Himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other."
(Deuteronomy 4:39)

[Judy Harder]

December 24

Revelation 3

Jesus gives prophetic messages to three additional churches.

INSIGHT

To the church in Sardis, Jesus offers a strong rebuke. He calls them "dead" and warns them to recall their initial response to the Gospel and repent. However, He also commends those few who have not defiled themselves. The Lord also commends the church in Philadelphia for having kept His command to persevere. Because of that, He will keep them from the hour of trial that will come upon the whole world. Perhaps the most frightening message goes to the church at Laodicea. Because their works are "neither cold nor hot" but lukewarm, Jesus says He will spew them out of His mouth. Their wealth has made them complacent and Jesus urges them to repent.

PRAYER

Thank the Lord that He cares enough not to let us drift and praise Him for His correction:
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).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Now pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
I will meditate on Your precepts.
Let those who fear You turn to me,
Those who know Your testimonies.
Let my heart be blameless regarding Your statutes,
That I may not be ashamed (Psalm 119:78-80).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and 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:
love for others,
missionaries in New Zealand, Australia, and the Pacific islands,
your activities for the day.

Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
To Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ . . . to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.
(Romans 16:25, 27)

[Judy Harder]

December 25

Revelation 4

John describes an astounding vision of the throne of God in heaven.

INSIGHT

At Christmas our thoughts are on Jesus' birth, focusing on His humanity. By radical contrast, this Christmas Day we see the throne room of heaven and the surroundings which magnify His deity. In the center is a throne - behind which an emerald-colored rainbow arises. Dignitaries dressed in white robes and gold crowns are seated around the throne. The floor of the massive room is like crystal. Unusual looking creatures constantly give verbal praise to God and the dignitaries form a celestial choir, worshiping and praising God. This is the normal abode of God's Son. Yet we usually think of Jesus as a child in Bethlehem, a teacher on a hillside, or the One who bore our sins alone on a cross. Revelation balances that picture with a glimpse of Jesus' majesty and grandeur.

PRAYER

Praise the Lord that He was willing to become what we are - that we may inherit eternal salvation:
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).

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
"Lord, be merciful to me;
Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You." . . .
O Lord, be merciful to me, and raise me up . . .
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel
From everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen (Psalm 41:4, 10, 13).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
"Now, Lord, what do I wait for?
My hope is in You" (Psalm 39:7).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
faithfulness in sharing Christ,
the Lord's work in world and national affairs,
your activities for the day.

Close with this prayer to the Lord:
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)

[Judy Harder]

December 26

Revelation 4

John describes an astounding vision of the throne of God in heaven.

INSIGHT

At Christmas our thoughts are on Jesus' birth, focusing on His humanity. By radical contrast, this Christmas Day we see the throne room of heaven and the surroundings which magnify His deity. In the center is a throne - behind which an emerald-colored rainbow arises. Dignitaries dressed in white robes and gold crowns are seated around the throne. The floor of the massive room is like crystal. Unusual looking creatures constantly give verbal praise to God and the dignitaries form a celestial choir, worshiping and praising God. This is the normal abode of God's Son. Yet we usually think of Jesus as a child in Bethlehem, a teacher on a hillside, or the One who bore our sins alone on a cross. Revelation balances that picture with a glimpse of Jesus' majesty and grandeur.

PRAYER

Praise the Lord that He was willing to become what we are - that we may inherit eternal salvation:
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).

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
"Lord, be merciful to me;
Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You." . . .
O Lord, be merciful to me, and raise me up . . .
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel
From everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen (Psalm 41:4, 10, 13).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
"Now, Lord, what do I wait for?
My hope is in You" (Psalm 39:7).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
faithfulness in sharing Christ,
the Lord's work in world and national affairs,
your activities for the day.

Close with this prayer to the Lord:
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)
.

[Judy Harder]

December 27

Revelation 15

John begins a description of the earth's judgment that continues in the following chapters.

INSIGHT

One of the sobering realities of Scripture is the prophecy of judgment on mankind at the end of time. While theologians debate timetables and exact meanings, they generally agree on one thing: Judgment is a central feature of the end times. While the depiction of judgment in Revelation is shrouded in symbolism and mystery, it is clear that it is paralyzingly unpleasant. Accounts of judgment are accompanied by warnings to men to take heed and prepare themselves to meet the Lord.

PRAYER

We have such a glorious home and future with the Lord that we can praise Him now and throughout eternity:
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 . . . the Great, the Mighty God, whose name is the Lord of hosts. You are great in counsel and mighty in work.
(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:
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, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
Yes, 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.
For the Lord gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;
He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a shield to those who walk uprightly (Proverbs 2:3-7).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
that the Lord deliver you from evil,
that the Lord send out laborers into His harvest,
whatever else is on your heart.

Finally, offer this 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)