Quiet Walk

[Judy Harder]

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).

[Judy Harder]

Genesis 9

God covenants with Noah never to flood the earth again.

INSIGHT

A person is only as good as his word. If he is true to his word, he can be trusted; if he is not, he cannot. It is as simple as that. God promised that He would never destroy the earth with a flood again. He went even further by saying, "While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease" (based on Genesis 8:22). Then God set a rainbow in the sky as a sign of His promise.

For thousands of years, God has been true to His Word. We sometimes get discouraged during the tough times in life, because we tend to focus on our particular circumstances rather than the promises of God.

We must remember the rainbow. God is true to His Word. He can be trusted.

PRAYER

· Along with the psalmist, praise God for His wonderful trustworthiness:

I have trusted in Your mercy;
My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord,
Because He has dealt bountifully with me
(Psalm 13:5-6).

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

Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice!
Have mercy also upon me, and answer me
(Psalm 27:7).

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

I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· greater trust in God's Word,
· the work of missions in China and
the rest of the Orient,
· the concerns of your heart.

· Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord, in whom you can have complete
confidence:

The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell therein.
For He has founded it upon the seas,
And established it upon the waters
(Psalm 24:1-2).

[Judy Harder]

Genesis 11

God responds to the construction of the Tower of Babel.
INSIGHT
To understand the Lord's response to the people building the tower of Babel,
consider the command God gave Noah and his descendants in Genesis 9:1: "So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: 'Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.' "
In apparent disobedience, the people stayed in one place and began to build a monument to themselves. In response, God confused their languages and scattered the people over the face of the earth.
God deals with disobedience in different ways. Sometimes He lets us go our own way and suffer the natural consequences of our sin. At other times the issue is a major part of His program, and it cannot be ignored.
Disobedience always has a price, and in the end God always has His way. Obedience, then, while not always easy, is always wise. God always acts for the ultimate benefit of His children.
PRAYER
· As you consider the love of the Lord, who disciplines us only for our good, offer Him this psalm of praise:

O Lord, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth
(Psalm 8:1).

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

The chastisement for my peace was upon
You,
And by Your stripes I am healed
(based on Isaiah 53:5).

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

I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life (John 8:12).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· faithfulness with your talents,
· your state and local leaders and
civic affairs,
· today's activities.

· Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever (Psalm 23:6).

[Judy Harder]

Genesis 12

God establishes a unilateral covenant with Abraham.

INSIGHT

The opposite of obedience is unbelief; the essence of obedience is belief. If you truly believe God is totally good and all powerful, if you truly believe He always acts for His children's benefit, you will obey whatever He asks of you. It is when you doubt these truths that obedience to the Lord becomes difficult.

The New Testament tells us: "Abraham believed God" (James 2:23). Therefore, he obeyed when God said, "Get out of your country" (Genesis 12:1).

Are you struggling with obedience in an area of your life? Perhaps there is something in the Scriptures you do not truly believe. Search your life, and in the tradition of the disciples, ask the Lord to increase your faith (Luke 17:5).

PRAYER

· In faith and obedience, offer to the Lord the praise of your lips:

Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel,
Who only does wondrous things!
And blessed be His glorious name forever!
And let the whole earth be filled with His
glory (Psalm 72:18-19).

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

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. As you agree with God's will, voice your affirmation of His Word:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new
(2 Corinthians 5:17).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· greater love for the lost,
· the work of missions in Africa,
· the concerns of your heart.

· Offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

Great is our Lord, and mighty in power;
His understanding is infinite.
The Lord lifts up the humble;
He casts the wicked down to the ground
(Psalm 147:5-6).

The Lord will command His lovingkindness
in the daytime,
And in the night His song shall be with me
(Psalm 42:.

[Judy Harder]

January 10

Genesis 15

God confirms His covenant with Abraham.

INSIGHT

"Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness" (James 2:23). Faith is central to the Christian experience. In fact, without faith, there is no Christian experience.

Why is faith so important? Because we cannot make ourselves righteous -- any more than a cracked window can make itself uncracked.

We have sinned and only God can make us righteous. Faith then is the only thing we can do -- and even our faith is a gracious gift of God!

PRAYER

· Celebrate your relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ by offering Him this psalm of praise:

I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my
mouth.
My soul shall make its boast in the Lord;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together
(Psalm 34:1-3).

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

I turn to You, Lord, with all my heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with  mourning. I rend my heart, and not my garments (based on Joel 2:12-13).

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

There is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time (1 Timothy 2:5-6).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· renewal of your mind,
· needs of your extended family,
· your prayer list.

· Offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

Now 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 us complete in every good work to do His will, working in us what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen (based on Hebrews 13:20-21). 

[Judy Harder]

January 11

Genesis 18

The birth of Isaac is promised.
INSIGHT
Don't you love hospitality? Isn't it a pleasant experience to enter someone's home and feel welcome? Hospitality is the mark of an open and giving heart.
The secret to hospitality is love. If you love your guests and go out of your way to make them feel loved, you will be an exceptional host or hostess.
Hospitality is such an important Christian character trait that elders in the church must be "hospitable" (1 Timothy 3:2).
Abraham was a man given to hospitality. Likewise, hospitality should be a trait in
our own lives.
PRAYER
· In full confidence in the character of God, offer your praise to Him through these psalms:

Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous!
For praise from the upright is beautiful
(Psalm 33:1).

But I will hope continually,
And will praise You yet more and more.
My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness
And Your salvation all the day,
For I do not know their limits
(Psalm 71:14-15).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord:

I return to the Lord, my God,
For He is gracious and merciful,
Slow to anger, and of great kindness;
And He relents from doing harm
(based on Joel 2:13).

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

God was manifested in the flesh,
Justified in the Spirit,
Seen by angels,
Preached among the Gentiles,
Believed on in the world,
Received up in glory (1 Timothy 3:16).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:

· greater commitment to the Lord,
· the work of specific Christian
ministries,
· today's activities.

· Offer this prayer of worship 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]

January 12

Genesis 21

Abraham and Sarah rejoice in the birth of the son of promise.
INSIGHT
Perhaps we do not celebrate enough -- often enough or grandly enough. Perhaps we do not make enough out of the good things God does for us.
Abraham made a great feast on the day Isaac was weaned. Certainly that was a
cultural event.
It would seem odd to celebrate the same event today. Yet there are other things we could celebrate within our
culture, but we don't.
When was the last time you made a big deal out of something important? Perhaps a high school or college graduation. A successful music recital. Climbing a mountain, or running a marathon.
God has created us with emotions that make life a richer experience for us. Perhaps we should celebrate more -- in both quantity and quality.
PRAYER
· Celebrate your personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ by giving Him your praise:

I will go in the strength of the Lord God;
I will make mention of Your righteousness,
of Yours only.
O God, You have taught me from my youth;
And to this day I declare Your wondrous
works (Psalm 71:16-17).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord:

Lord, You are near to those who have a
broken heart,
And save such as have a contrite spirit
(based on Psalm 34:18).

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

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· the Lord's leading in your life,
· opportunities to share your faith,
· the concerns of your heart.

· Offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

Now 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).