Quiet Walk

[Judy Harder]

December 28

Revelation 19

John describes Jesus' return to the earth as the conquering King.

INSIGHT

Apocalypse: "The revelation of a violent struggle in which evil will be destroyed" (Webster's Dictionary). The second coming of Christ will be the apocalypse fulfilled. While the symbolism of the language in Revelation makes it difficult to ascertain exactly how events will unfold, it is clear that when Jesus returns again, it will be to confront evil and destroy it. The heavens will split and Jesus will descend upon the armies of the earth which have gathered in opposition to His return. In contrast to His past role as Savior of man, He will now come as King of creation. Whereas once He made Himself subject to men, now all men will become subject to Him. History will end and eternity will begin.

PRAYER

We praise Him that we can look forward to His appearing:
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! . . .
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 150:1-3, 6).

Pause for a time of confession 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, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
(Romans 8:18)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
sensitivity to sin,
the ministries of your church,
your activities for the day.

Finally, offer this 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)

[Judy Harder]

December 29

Revelation 20

After leading a final rebellion, Satan is confined forever.

INSIGHT

Satan is not taken seriously by our society. Yet from Genesis to Revelation, Satan is revealed as God's enemy, a force to be seriously reckoned with. As part of the culmination of the end times, he is confronted, conquered, and confined. Today, Satan deceives in order to destroy. But in the end he will be defeated and his reign of terror on earth will end. "The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone" (v. 10). In the end, Satan is a defeated foe!

PRAYER

Praise God that we can share in His victory:
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. . . .
Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion!
Declare His deeds among the people (Psalm 9:1-2, 11).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Now pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
How long, O you sons of men,
Will you turn my glory to shame?
How long will you love worthlessness
And seek falsehood? Selah
But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly;
The Lord will hear when I call to Him (Psalm 4:2-3).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
In the Lord I put my trust . . .
The Lord is in His holy temple,
The Lord's throne is in heaven;
His eyes behold,
His eyelids test the sons of men. . . .
For the Lord is righteous,
He loves righteousness;
His countenance beholds the upright (Psalm 11:1, 4, 7).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
thoughtfulness and encouraging words,
vision for reaching the unsaved,
whatever else is on your heart.

Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly."
Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen
(Revelation 22:20-21).

[Judy Harder]

December 30

Revelation 21

When the old heaven and earth are transformed, we will fellowship intimately with God.

INSIGHT

In the new heaven and new earth, the distance between God and man will be removed. In the Old Testament, the glory of God was displayed as a brilliant light, but men were not able to look on it. In the New Testament, men were able to approach Jesus; but His glory was not seen, being veiled by His human form. In the new heaven and new earth, the glory of God will not be veiled, and we shall be able to behold it. The distance will be removed, and we will fellowship with God forevermore.

PRAYER

Praise God that He never ceases to care for His children:
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).

Now express any additional thoughts of praise, adoration, or thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
The ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the Lord knows the way of therighteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish (Psalm 1:5-6).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."
(John 6:35)
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,
purity of leadership at your church,
your activities for the day.

Close with 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]

December 31

Revelation 22

Jesus reaffirms His second coming and encourages us to be ready.

INSIGHT

Looking forward to the Messiah, Isaiah writes: "Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance" (55:1-2). Then John, looking back to the Messiah, picks up the same theme: "The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!' And let him who hears say, 'Come!' And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely" (v. 17).

PRAYER

Praise the Lord for His salvation which He offers to us freely in Christ:
My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. . . .
For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
And holy is His name.
And His mercy is on those who fear Him
From generation to generation (Luke 1:46-47, 49-50).

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, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
"My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord.
"For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
that others might see Christ in you,
the fulfillment of the Great Commission,
your activities for the day,
whatever else is on your heart.

Finally, offer this 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)

[Judy Harder]

January 1, 2010 

Genesis 1

The first chapter of Genesis reveals God as Creator of the universe.

INSIGHT

In the beginning, God! That is the way it is throughout the Bible. "You shall have no other gods before Me" (Exodus 20:3).

"Every knee [1] bow . . . every tongue [1] confess that Jesus Christ is Lord" (Philippians 2:10-11).

God wants to be first and foremost in your life. He is the Author of the first creation, and He is the Author of the new creation in your heart.
In the first creation, the wind and the waves obey the Lord -- they have no choice. In the new creation, there is a choice: to obey or not to obey -- the pleasures of sin for a moment or the favor of fellowship for a lifetime.

Have you chosen to put God first in your life? Not to decide is to decide.

PRAYER

Continue your time with the Lord by praising God through these psalms:
Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us,
But to Your name give glory,
Because of Your mercy,
Because of Your truth (Psalm 115:1).
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
(Psalm 92:1-2).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord to keep your life in fellowship with Him:
Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your
tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions
(Psalm 51:1).

· As you confess your sins, voice your affirmation of God's Word:

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 (Colossians 1:15-16).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· faithfulness with your time,
· the president, national leaders,
and national affairs,
· your prayer list.

· Offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy,
That we may rejoice and be glad all our
days! (Psalm 90:14).

[Judy Harder]

Genesis 2

Adam and Eve rebel against their Creator.

INSIGHT

You may have heard the old saying, "For want of a nail, the shoe is lost; for want of a shoe, the horse is lost; for want of a horse, the king is lost; and for want of a king, the kingdom is lost." It is a clever way of saying that little things matter. Little things lead to larger things--often with disastrous consequences.

We see the first example of this in Genesis 3:6. First, Eve "saw" the forbidden fruit. No transgression yet. Then she "desired." Still no transgression--but a step closer. Finally, she "took and ate." Transgression.

The "look" seemed harmless. It was a small thing, but it led to "eating." Are there things in your life that you are "looking" at? They seem harmless now, but they lead to larger things. Spare yourself--give them up now. "For want of a nail . . . the kingdom is lost."

PRAYER

• Praise God with the following psalm for His redemption in Christ:

Just and true are Your ways,
O King of the saints!
Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify
Your name?
For You alone are holy (Revelation 15:3-4).

• Now pray this confession to the Lord to keep your life in fellowship with Him:
Has the Lord as great delight in burnt
offerings and sacrifices,
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams
(1 Samuel 15:22).

• As you confess your sins, voice your
affirmation of God's Word:

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, pray for:
• greater love for fellow Christians,
• the work of missions in Europe and Asia,
• the concerns of your heart.

• Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after we have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle us. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen (based on 1 Peter 5:10-11).

[Judy Harder]

Sunday, January 3, 2010   

Genesis 4

The first murder: Cain kills his brother Abel, and is condemned to wander the earth.

INSIGHT

"Am I my brother's keeper?" Cain asks. God's answer is unequivocal: Yes. God intended for His people to be social beings -- to love, care for, and protect each other.

The mark of any society is how well it cares for those who cannot care for themselves. Elevated societies do well with this; debased societies do not.The mark of a selfish society is that it cares well for those it likes and does not care well for those it does not like. This kind of thinking leads to brutality.

The Christian is called to have the mind of Christ in this matter. We are to do good to all people, regardless of race, gender, or social position. Indeed, we are our brother's keeper.

PRAYER

· Thank the Lord and praise Him that He wants to demonstrate His compassion through His children:

Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!
Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, bless His name;
Proclaim the good news of His salvation
from day to day.
Declare His glory among the nations,
His wonders among all peoples
(Psalm 96:1-3).

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

I have sinned greatly in what I have done; but now, I pray, O Lord, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly (2 Samuel 24:10).

· Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. As you agree with God's will, voice your affirmation of His Word by reflecting on the words of Jesus:

"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die" (John 11:25-26).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· greater wisdom for daily living,
· the needs of your immediate family,
· the needs of the unfortunate in your
community,
· your prayer list.

· Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

Blessed be the Lord forevermore!
Amen and Amen (Psalm 89:52).

[Judy Harder]

Genesis 6

Man rebels and faces God's judgment.

INSIGHT

Faith is believing what God has said, not merely hoping for something. It is not like wishing upon a star when, if you believe hard enough, your wish will come true. Faith is trusting God's Word.

God told Noah to build an ark and save himself from the coming deluge. Noah had never seen an ark, but he believed God and was obedient to what he knew (Genesis 6:22). He believed the Word of God and acted on it. That's faith.

PRAYER

· Praise our Lord Jesus Christ for His promise to us in His Word that He will give us His faith to endure:

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).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord to keep your life in fellowship with Him:
O my God, I am too ashamed and humiliated to lift up my face to You, my God; for my iniquities have risen higher than my head, and my guilt has grown up to the heavens (based on Ezra 9:6).

· Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind as you voice your affirmation of God's Word:

He has delivered us from the power of
darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the
forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:13-14).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· greater insight into the Scriptures,
· the hungry around the world,
· the concerns of your heart.

· Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and
the love of God, and the communion of
the Holy Spirit be with us all. Amen
(based on 2 Corinthians 13:14).
.

[Judy Harder]

Genesis 7

God causes the great Flood.

INSIGHT

God protects His righteous ones -- always. The child of God need never fear any imagined "random blows of fate," for they will never fall. Yes, we receive blows -- but they are never random, and blind fate cannot wield them.

The Lord said to Noah, "Come into the ark . . . because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation" (Genesis 7:1). Then He delivered Noah and his family from a deluge that obliterated life on this earth.

That is how far God will go to save His people from harm. When we feel the blows of adversity, we can take comfort in this: God goes to the ends of the earth to protect us from the things which would destroy us.

PRAYER

· As you consider the protection which is yours from the hand of a loving God, offer Him this psalm of praise:

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 145:8-9).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord to keep your life free from sin and in
fellowship with Him:
Though my sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool
(based on Isaiah 1:18).

· Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. As you agree with God's will, voice your affirmation of His Word:

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God (Romans 5:1-2).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· greater love for others,
· the work of missions in the Middle East, Australia, and the islands,
· your prayer list.

· Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord, rejoicing in God's protection throughout your life:

Now to Him who is able to establish us according to His gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ . . . to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen (based on Romans 16:25, 27).

[Judy Harder]

Genesis 8

The flood waters recede.

INSIGHT

Because the physical world reflects spiritual truth, the resurrection is pictured throughout nature. Man falls asleep at night but awakens in the morning. The earth "dies" each fall, sleeps throughout the winter, but awakens in the spring.

The earth died with the Great Flood, but Noah and his family emerged from the ark to enter a resurrected earth. Death is a fact of nature, but God abundantly pictures to us His promise: He will give us new life after death (John 3:16).

Noah's response and ours? Worship.

PRAYER

· Lift up your heart to heaven as you praise the God who rules the earth.

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 29:10-11).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord to keep your life in fellowship with Him:

Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies
and Your lovingkindnesses,
For they are from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor
my transgressions;
According to Your mercy remember me,
For Your goodness' sake, O Lord
(based on Psalm 25:6-7).

· Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. As you agree with God's will, voice your affirmation of His Word:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Peter 1:3-5).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· a greater sense of the majesty of God in the world,
· an opportunity to share your faith today,
· today's activities.

· Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork
(Psalm 19:1).