Quiet Walk

[Judy Harder]

June 15

1 Kings 19

Elijah flees from Jezebel, and the Lord ministers to him after saving him.

INSIGHT

On the heels of the stupendous victory over the prophets of Baal, Elijah falls into despair. He fears for his own life in the face of Jezebel's threat and flees to a lonely mountain for safety—to lick his wounds and mourn his fate. How shameful that this great prophet would call down fire from heaven one day and flee for his life the next. We all have feet of clay. Notice though that God does not berate him. Rather, He ministers to him quietly, restoring his spirit and strength. Then God calls Elijah back into His service again. God cares when we are hurt and discouraged and gently calls us to Himself for new strength.


PRAYER

Offer to the Lord your praise for His lovingkindness on your behalf:

Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips shall praise You.
Thus I will bless You while I live;
I will lift up my hands in Your name
(Psalm 63:3-4).

Pause for personal praise and thanksgiving.

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

Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I have done (Joshua 7:20).

Show me Your ways, O Lord;
Teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day
(Psalm 25:4-5).

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

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:

The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).

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

-- Greater passion for moral excellence
-- The ministry of Christian educational institutions
-- Your activities for the day

Finally, offer this closing prayer to the Lord:

To Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began . . . to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen (Romans 16:25-27).

[Judy Harder]

June 16

2 Kings 1

The Lord sends Elijah to inform Ahaziah that he will die.

INSIGHT

Ahab and Jezebel have become famous for their irreverence and disregard for the Law of the Lord. Yet Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, goes beyond them in his blatant disregard for the Lord. After an accident, he inquires of Baal-Zebub, the pagan god of Ekron, whether or not he will recover. Elijah informs the messengers that Ahaziah will die. No longer afraid, Elijah has been strengthened from his previous failure. We must always look at failure as an opportunity to grow.


PRAYER

God often uses our hard times to refine us into the people He wants us to be. Give Him your praise for His care:

You have dealt well with Your servant,
O Lord, according to Your word.
Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
For I believe Your commandments.
Before I was afflicted I went astray,
But now I keep Your word.
You are good, and do good;
Teach me Your statutes
(Psalm 119:65-68).

Pause for personal praise and thanksgiving.

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

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
(Psalm 25:6-7).

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

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:

This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief (1 Timothy 1:15).

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

-- Greater trust in God's leading in your life
-- The ministry of your local church
-- Whatever else is on your heart

Finally, offer this closing prayer to the Lord:

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).

[Judy Harder]

June 17

2 Kings 2

The Lord takes Elijah to heaven in a whirlwind.

INSIGHT

Miracles don't permeate the entire Bible. They tend to be concentrated during the times of Moses, the prophets, and Jesus. They occur other times as well, but these are the times of greatest concentration; and Elijah and Elisha represent one of the strongest periods. In our lives today, God seems rather inactive in comparison. Yet that is not because He is unable to act-but rather because He has chosen not to act in the same way. The power is still there, and we can rest in the confidence that He still has all things under control.


PRAYER

Offer your praise to the Lord who possesses power to do all things He desires:

O Lord, how great are Your works!
Your thoughts are very deep.
A senseless man does not know,
Nor does a fool understand this.
When the wicked spring up like grass,
And when all the workers of iniquity flourish,
It is that they may be destroyed forever
(Psalm 92:5-7).

Pause for personal praise and thanksgiving.

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

O Lord, I have heard your speech and was afraid;
O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years!
In the midst of the years make it known;
In wrath remember mercy
(Habakkuk 3:2).

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

Now pause to pray this affirmation to the Lord who loves you:

You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9).

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

-- Contentment in God's providence
-- Opportunities for watching God work
-- Your activities for the day

Finally, offer this closing prayer to the Lord:

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 1:16).

[Judy Harder]

June 18

2 Kings 4

Elisha saves a Shunammite widow from economic disaster and revives her son from death.

INSIGHT

Elisha's ministry is not startling; it is redemptive and constructive. Elijah was a prophet of fire and judgment; Elisha was a prophet of mercy and compassion. Elijah was a man on the move; Elisha enjoyed a tranquil life at home. Elijah's miracles were destructive; Elisha's were constructive. It must have been tempting for Elisha to want to be like Elijah. But he resists it; that is not what the Lord has for Elisha. He is his own man before the Lord. It is often tempting for us to want to be like someone else, to be dissatisfied with who we are and what we can do. Yet God made us to be what He wanted us to be. We must be content with who we are. It is so liberating. Accept yourself. God does.


PRAYER

Because the Lord made us and cares for us as we are, we offer Him the praise of our lips:

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him? . . .
O Lord, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth!
(Psalm 8:3-4, 9).

Pause for personal 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.
Selah
(Psalm 32:5).

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

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:

You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You (Isaiah 26:3).

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

-- Greater love for your family
-- The work of missions in North and South America
-- Whatever else is on your heart

Finally, 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).

[Judy Harder]

June 19

2 Kings 5

Naaman is healed of leprosy when he obeys Elisha's directives.

INSIGHT

It is God who has power to move in the realm of the spiritual and miraculous—not man. So whether God asks us to do something difficult or simple, it doesn't matter. He will do the work behind our faith. Naaman learns this the hard way. His heart is open to God, for he goes to Elisha hoping that God will heal his leprosy. But when Elisha tells him to wash in the Jordan seven times, Naaman roars: "Are not . . . the rivers of Damascus better than all the waters of Israel?" (v. 12). He misses the point. The point is not clean water or unclean. The point is: Does he believe God? The Jordan is merely a test of his faith in God. When Naaman realizes that, he washes and is healed.

PRAYER

By faith, we offer our praise to the Lord and thank Him for the power that makes us clean:

Blessed be Your glorious name,
Which is exalted above all blessing and praise!
You alone are the Lord;
You have made heaven,
The heaven of heavens, with all their host,
The earth and everything on it,
The seas and all that is in them,
And You preserve them all.
The host of heaven worships You
(Nehemiah 9:5-6).

Pause for personal praise and thanksgiving.

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

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
(Psalm 34:17-18).

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

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:

For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed,
for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep
what I have committed to Him until that Day.
(2 Timothy 1:12)

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

-- Faithfulness with your finances
-- Revival among Christians in America
-- Your activities for the day

Finally, offer this closing prayer:

To the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen (1 Timothy 1:17).

[Judy Harder]

June 20

2 Kings 6

When the Syrians threaten Elisha, they are struck blind.

INSIGHT

We often have no idea what is going on around us in the spiritual realm. Spiritual battles explode before our very eyes, but we neither see them nor hear them (Daniel 10:13). Guardian angels minister to our needs (Hebrews 1:14). We entertain angels "unwittingly" (Hebrews 13:2). How real and alive is the spiritual realm; yet without the Scriptures, we would know little about it. The Syrian army is camped around Dothan, but Elisha is not concerned because an army of the angels of the Lord encircles the horizon. We walk by faith and not by sight.


PRAYER

Thank the Lord that He can turn our failures into successes, and offer Him your praise in this psalm:

I will love You, O Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies. . . .
The Lord lives!
Blessed be my Rock!
Let the God of my salvation be exalted
(Psalm 18:1-3, 46).

Pause for personal praise and thanksgiving.

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

Good and upright is the Lord;
Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.
The humble He guides in justice,
And the humble He teaches His way. . . .
For Your name's sake, O Lord,
Pardon my iniquity, for it is great
(Psalm 25:8-9, 11).

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

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:

"I am the living bread which came down from heaven.
If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever;
and the bread that I shall give is My flesh,
which I shall give for the life of the world"
(John 6:51).

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

-- Greater wisdom in decision making
-- The needs of personal friends
-- Whatever else is on your heart

Finally, offer this closing 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).

[Judy Harder]

June 21

2 Kings 7

Israel is delivered from Aram.

INSIGHT

While we must be careful about "spiritualizing" what we read in the Old Testament and making it say something it doesn't, there is at least an excellent illustration in the defeat of the Aramean army relating to the message of the Gospel today. The lepers are lost and starving and come upon abundance adequate for their own welfare as well as the welfare of all others. They realize it is wrong to keep it to themselves, and they go out to tell others. The same is true of the Gospel of Christ. Those of us who have had our needs met by Him cannot be satisfied keeping it to ourselves — we must tell others.


PRAYER

Thank the Lord for the miracle of the "new birth," and praise Him for His grace:

Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous;
And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
(Psalm 32:11).

Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous!
For praise from the upright is beautiful.
Praise the Lord with the harp;
Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings
(Psalm 33:1-2).

Pause for personal praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession as you seek to keep your life free from sin and its effects:

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.

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord who protects you:

"God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:24).

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

-- Spiritual victory over temptation
-- Opportunities to serve the Lord
-- Your activities for the day

Finally, offer this closing prayer to the Lord:

To Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen (Ephesians 3:21).

[Judy Harder]

June 22

2 Kings 8

The king restores the Shunammite widow's land.

INSIGHT

Nothing happens in our lives or in the world apart from divine appointment or permission. Behind every event and incident, there is divine providence. The Shunammite widow, who has done so much for Elisha, is remembered and cared for years afterward. The Lord has a wonderful memory for those who feed Him when He is hungry and minister to Him when He is in need (see Matthew 25:37). The conversation between Gehazi, Elisha's servant, and the king might seem an accident, but it is providential. When we abide in the will of God, life is sown with divine coincidences.


PRAYER

For the Lord's sovereignty and goodness to us, offer this praise:

He is the Rock, His work is perfect;
For all His ways are justice,
A God of truth and without injustice;
Righteous and upright is He
(Deuteronomy 32:4).

Pause for personal praise and thanksgiving.

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

I said, "Lord, be merciful to me;
Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You. . . ."
But You, O Lord, be merciful to me, and raise me up,
That I may repay them. . . .
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel
From everlasting to everlasting!
Amen and Amen
(Psalm 41:4, 10, 13).

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:

Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the Lord,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength
(Isaiah 40:28-29).

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

-- A stronger desire to be like Christ
-- Local churches across the nation
-- Whatever else is on your heart

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).

[Judy Harder]

June 23

2 Kings 18

Hezekiah institutes a reign of righteousness.

INSIGHT

It is wonderful that such a wicked man as Ahaz had such a righteous son as Hezekiah. It is difficult to stand against moral disintegration—especially when it is all around you and generally accepted. It is also likely the fall of the Northern Kingdom is a great incentive to root out idolatry. God richly rewards Hezekiah for his moral courage and leadership, demonstrating the validity of 2 Chronicles 16:9: "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him."


PRAYER

Praise the Lord that He richly blesses those who seek to follow Him with all their heart:

Your testimonies are wonderful;
Therefore my soul keeps them.
The entrance of Your words gives light;
It gives understanding to the simple.
I opened my mouth and panted,
For I longed for Your commandments.
Look upon me and be merciful to me,
As Your custom is toward those who love Your name.
Direct my steps by Your word,
And let no iniquity have dominion over me.
(Psalm 119:129-133)

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

"Come now, and let us reason together," says the Lord,
"Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool."
(Isaiah 1:18)

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

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:

Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
You will revive me;
You will stretch out Your hand
Against the wrath of my enemies,
And Your right hand will save me.
(Psalm 138:7)

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

-- A heart more tender to the things of the Lord
-- The work of a specific ministry that has had an impact on your life
-- Your activities for the day

Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:

The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.
(Psalm 121:

[Judy Harder]

June 24

2 Kings 19

When Sennacherib attacks Jerusalem, Hezekiah calls upon the Lord.

INSIGHT

In spite of all the trouble that comes upon Israel and Judah, God wants to bless them. It is only as He is blessing them that His desire for the world is advanced. All that is needed is obedience. Hezekiah demonstrates just how quickly everything can turn around. He is looking into the jaws of an Assyrian military machine one minute, and the Assyrians are routed the next. God is not reluctant to bless us. But we must be sure we are eligible by being faithful to Him.

PRAYER

Praise the Lord; for He controls the universe and does all things for our good:

The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars,
Yes, the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes them also skip like a calf,
Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.
The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire.
The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
The Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.
The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth,
And strips the forests bare;
And in His temple everyone says, "Glory!"
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 29:5-11)

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

"Now, therefore," says the Lord,
"Turn to me with all your heart,
With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning."
So 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 2:12-13).

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

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:

"God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world,  but that the world through Him might be saved (John 3:17).

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

-- Greater faith in God's goodness
-- Those who've never heard the Gospel
-- Whatever else is on your heart

Offer this prayer to the Lord:

Jesus, You are the door. If anyone enters by You, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture (based on John 10:9).