Celebrating the Goodness of God

# 274 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 20:4-8a, “So Jonathan said to David, "Whatever you yourself desire, I will do it for you." 5 And David said to Jonathan, "Indeed tomorrow is the New Moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king to eat. But let me go, that I may hide in the field until the third day at evening. 6 "If your father misses me at all, then say, 'David earnestly asked permission of me that he might run over to Bethlehem, his city, for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.' 7 "If he says thus: 'It is well,' your servant will be safe. But if he is very angry, then be sure that evil is determined by him. 8 "Therefore you shall deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the LORD with you. (1 Sam 20:4-8a) David has a plan to find out what Saul's intentions are toward him. He knows what they are, but he wants his bosom buddy Jonathan to know too. His plan is simple, there is a full moon tomorrow (the beginning of the month) and this was a time that God has commanded families to gather and celebrate with a meal. Nu 10:10 "Also in the day of your gladness, in your appointed feasts, and at the beginning of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they shall be a memorial for you before your God: I am the LORD your God." What a wonderful practice! Getting together with your extended family to celebrate the goodness of God! It's certainly not commanded anymore, but it sounds to me like a good idea. For the most part, we Americans have gotten too busy and we have put such family gatherings on the back burner. One of the things I appreciate about the immigrants who come to our land is how they seem to appreciate these kinds of gatherings much more than we do. Our park systems are very often booked on Saturdays and Sundays with extended family gatherings where music, food, and good times abound. Wouldn't it be great if we would recapture that spirit in our Americanized families? And wouldn't it be great to gather with family to not only celebrate each other, but to make it a point to spend time thanking and praising God who has brought us this far? Reminding each other of the goodness of God is always a good idea. God, You are so good, help us to learn to celebrate that goodness!

Yea Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death

# 273 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 20:1-3, “Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and went and said to Jonathan, "What have I done? What is my iniquity, and what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?" 2 So Jonathan said to him, "By no means! You shall not die! Indeed, my father will do nothing either great or small without first telling me. And why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so!" 3 Then David took an oath again, and said, "Your father certainly knows that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said, 'Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved.' But truly, as the LORD lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death." )1 Sam 20:1-3) While Saul has been taken over by the Spirit of God, David has an opportunity to escape and he heads back to the palace for counsel from his best friend Jonathan. Good advice for all of us. When the heat is on, go to a trusted brother or sister, someone who will tell you the truth, not just what you want to hear. Jonathan can't bring himself to completely mistrust his father. He was there when his father swore that he would not hurt David. (1 Sam 19:6) But David's personal experience with Saul's mood swings tells David differently. Then David utters a truth that we would all do well to learn: “there is but a step between me and death." There is not a single person that knows when their time on earth is over. Oh the devil, (personified here by Saul) ever seeks to slay us, but the final say is in the hands of the Lord. Ps 139:16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them. Yes, there is but a step between each one of us and death, but one of the wonderful promises concerning this dilemma is found in the 23rd Psalm. Ps 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. In David's time the shepherds were very familiar with the wadi's. These are dry riverbeds that could turn into instant death traps when flood waters raged. Death was a step away in the wadi or valley, and that's the way it is for all of us. But in this Psalm we find that we need not fear, for God is with us calming our fears, giving us reassurance of our final destination through faith in Jesus. Father help us all to number our days, and rest in the assurances of Your promises to us through Jesus Christ.

When the Government Gets A Little Uppity

# 272 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 19:22-24, “Then he also went to Ramah, and came to the great well that is at Sechu. So he asked, and said, "Where are Samuel and David?" And someone said, "Indeed they are at Naioth in Ramah." 23 So he went there to Naioth in Ramah. Then the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on and prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 24 And he also stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, "Is Saul also among the prophets?" (1 Sam 19:22-24) All of Saul's messengers had been put under the influence of the Holy Spirit and were not able to apprehend David, so Saul takes it upon himself to do the job. However on the way to Naioth the Spirit of God completely takes over Saul. Suddenly the man who was going to kill David is caught up in an ecstatic bubbling over of the wonderful works of God. Not only that but he is obliged by the Spirit to remove his clothes. Now, before you start a new religion of dancing around naked before the Lord, understand that this likely meant that Saul only removed those outer garments that would identify him as king. Here, the King of kings was asserting Himself over Saul and letting him know who was the real King. David was going to be the next king and the King of kings was going to protect him until it was time for him to assume the office. God is Sovereign, and is able to do as He pleases. Even the most hard-hearted can be putty in His hands to serve His purposes. I am reminded of a certain King named Nebuchadnezzar who God drove from men and caused to eat grass: Da 4:33 That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws. Yes, The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. (Prov 21:1) Take heart from this truth and don't get so bent out of shape when the government gets a little uppity. God sees, He knows, petition Him and let Him take care of it.

Speaking in Tongues

# 271 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 19:18-21, “So David fled and escaped, and went to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth. 19 Now it was told Saul, saying, "Take note, David is at Naioth in Ramah!" 20 Then Saul sent messengers to take David. And when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as leader over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. 21 And when Saul was told, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. Then Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also. Saul hears that David is with Samuel at Naioth. Naioth was the location of Samuel's school of prophets. Evidently this was a very charismatic group. Since they made a very visible display of the presence of the Spirit of God. The word “prophesied here means to “cause to bubble up, to pour forth words abundantly, under the influence of divine power. This is something that God does, it's not something that man conjures up, although the devil and man may try to imitate it. The true test of any prophetic ecstasy is always, “does it conform to the Word of God?” When the disciples were overwhelmed with the Spirit of God on that Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem, what did they speak? They spoke of the “wonderful works of God.” The disciples in Jerusalem and the messengers of Saul, had no say in the matter. God simply overwhelmed them with His Spirit and they spoke “as the Holy Spirit gave them utterance.” God made them willing vessels, who then yielded their unruly tongues completely to Him. These prophetic ecstasies were given as signs to Saul. His messengers sent to apprehend David were turned into God's messengers, and the message should have been clear to Saul. Keep your hands off David. These same prophetic ecstasies ought to be signs to us as well. Signs that remind us to yield our unruly tongues to God. If we would spend more time speaking of the wonderful works of God, we wouldn't have time to speak evil of others. Father, help me to be more willing to submit my speech to You, in Jesus Name, Amen

Euthanasia and Abortion

# 270 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 19:13-17, “And Michal took an image and laid it in the bed, put a cover of goats' hair for his head, and covered it with clothes. 14 So when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, "He is sick." 15 Then Saul sent the messengers back to see David, saying, "Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him." 16 And when the messengers had come in, there was the image in the bed, with a cover of goats' hair for his head. 17 Then Saul said to Michal, "Why have you deceived me like this, and sent my enemy away, so that he has escaped?" And Michal answered Saul, "He said to me, 'Let me go! Why should I kill you?'" (1 Sam 19:13-17) Michal was afraid of her father and so she lies to him for her own protection. But she loved David and took these extra measures to give her husband a little extra time to make his getaway. The old “dummy in the bed trick” worked and bought David some valuable time. But let us not miss just how depraved Saul really is. He doesn't order his men to go back and kill David. Rather he orders them to bring the sick and defenseless David to him bed and all so that he may personally slay him. Who would do such a thing? Who would take a defenseless person in the sanctuary of a bed and kill them? My friend, the day is coming, indeed in many places is already here when such killings will be commonplace in the land. Euthanasia will be the rule rather than the exception as health care costs rise and life will be measured by one's ability to contribute to society. If you can't contribute and it becomes too costly to provide health measures.....well, goodbye. The stage was set for euthanasia by the acceptance of still another deadly practice, namely legalized abortion. In abortion the baby snug in the bed of its mother's womb is eliminated, because like Saul the devil has beguiled us and caused us to believe the lie that we are in charge of life rather than God. Beloved, if you have fallen for this delusion, please remember that there is no sin that Jesus didn't pay for. No sin that God will not forgive. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Father for give us for our national sin of abortion and free those who are struggling with guilt.

A Prayer For Spiritual Warfare

# 269 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 19:11,12, “Saul also sent messengers to David's house to watch him and to kill him in the morning. And Michal, David's wife, told him, saying, "If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed." 12 So Michal let David down through a window. And he went and fled and escaped.” (1 Sam 19:11,12) Saul, consumed with envy now sends messengers, (the Hebrew word means deputies) to David's house to watch him so we won't escape and to kill him come morning light. Michal, (Saul's daughter and David's wife gets wind of the plot and warns David to flee. She let's David down through a window and he escapes, but not before praying a prayer that has been preserved for us in the 59th Psalm. The messengers sent by Saul and his attempts at murdering David are meant to be a picture for you and I of spiritual warfare. The devil and his demons are out to get us. It is their mission to destroy our souls and take us to hell with them. We would do well to pray this Psalm as David did when the enemy surrounds us growling like a dog and belching out lies against us. Pray it with me now. And remember, we are not wrestling against flesh and blood. Ps 59:1>> Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; Defend me from those who rise up against me. 2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, And save me from bloodthirsty men. 3 For look, they lie in wait for my life; The mighty gather against me, Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O LORD. 4 They run and prepare themselves through no fault of mine. Awake to help me, and behold! 5 You therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, Awake to punish all the nations; Do not be merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah 6 At evening they return, They growl like a dog, And go all around the city. 7 Indeed, they belch with their mouth; Swords are in their lips; For they say, "Who hears?" 8 But You, O LORD, shall laugh at them; You shall have all the nations in derision. 9 I will wait for You, O You his Strength; For God is my defense; In Jesus name, Amen

It All Starts With Pride and Arrogance

# 268 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 19:7 Then Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all these things. So Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as in times past. 8 And there was war again; and David went out and fought with the Philistines, and struck them with a mighty blow, and they fled from him. 9 Now the distressing spirit from the LORD came upon Saul as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing music with his hand. 10 Then Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away from Saul's presence; and he drove the spear into the wall. So David fled and escaped that night. (1 Sam 19:7-10) Jonathan had no reason to doubt the sincerity of his father's promise to not kill David and so he tells him that the coast is clear. Nonetheless, he accompanies David on his return to Saul, perhaps as a way to show his father that he and David were good friends. David resumes his old duty of armor bearer for the king and things seem to be going well. But then war breaks out with the Philistines again and David is sent out to the battle and once again returns victorious. Bad news for David because this awakes the old spirit of jealousy and envy in Saul. This distressing spirit that came from the Lord was God's judgment against Saul for his pride and arrogance. If you think about Saul's reaction to David's successes, it makes perfect sense. When a man is prideful, the spirit of envy and jealousy are not far away. Just consider the power of these two emotions. If left uncontrolled they will veto all other sane and reasonable actions. They consume the one that they control, and they often can think of nothing else but freeing themselves from the presence of the one who is causing their envy and jealousy. The news reports are rife with victims of jealousy and envy. Not all escape the spear as David did. And it starts with pride and arrogance. When you feel yourself struggling with envy or jealousy, the best thing to do is get a good dose of humility. I know of only one place to find true humility and that is at the foot of the cross

Speak Well of Others

# 267 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 19:4-6 “Thus Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father, and said to him, "Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his works have been very good toward you. 5 "For he took his life in his hands and killed the Philistine, and the LORD brought about a great deliverance for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?" 6 So Saul heeded the voice of Jonathan, and Saul swore, "As the LORD lives, he shall not be killed." Saul has ordered his servants and Jonathan to kill David on sight. Jonathan rightly defies the king's order because it is against the Law of God. “Thou shalt not kill.” It is as Peter stated in Ac 5:29, "We ought to obey God rather than men.” As I read this, I cannot help but turn to the Lutheran catechism and Martin Luther's explanation of the commandments. He says concerning the commandment “Thou shalt not kill. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do our neighbor no bodily harm nor cause him any suffering, but help and befriend him in every need. Then later he addresses the commandment “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not deceitfully lie about, betray, backbite, nor slander our neighbor but defend him, speak well of him, and put the most charitable construction on all that he does. This is exactly what Jonathon did for David. And in so doing he softened Saul's heart of hatred against David. Maybe you can do the same today. Maybe you can stand in the gap today when you run into incidents of gossip or verbal bullying. Defend your neighbor! Speak well of him, and look for positive loving things you can say about him. This is pleasing to God. Father, give us the courage of Jonathan and help us to build others up, rather than to tear them down.

Speak Up!

# 267 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 19:1-4, “Now Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David; 2 but Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted greatly in David. (19:2) So Jonathan told David, saying, "My father Saul seeks to kill you. Therefore please be on your guard until morning, and stay in a secret place and hide. 3 "And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak with my father about you. Then what I observe, I will tell you." 4 Thus Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father, and said to him, "Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his works have been very good toward you. 1 Sam 19:1-4) Saul's plan to have David killed in battle with the Philistines has backfired and now he doesn't even bother to hide it anymore. He tells his servants and his son to kill David. But wait, there is something that Saul hadn't counted on.....Jonathan's friendship with David! The Bible says he delighted greatly in David. The Hebrew word here means to feel a strong positive attraction for someone. These guys were just great friends! And when a friend is in danger, you do something about it. So Jonathan warns David of his father's plans and instructs David to lay low for awhile until he has a chance to talk with his father. Jonathan then speaks well of David to his father. It's interesting that he addresses his dad as king, rather than his father. He is basically saying that David has been a model citizen and servant of the king. He has done nothing to deserve the death penalty from the state. Let us learn here from Jonathan. “ Pr 31:8,9 says, “Open your mouth for the speechless, In the cause of all who are appointed to die. 9 Open your mouth, judge righteously, And plead the cause of the poor and needy.” Jonathan has responded to the threat against David in accordance with Scripture! We could all learn from that especially in the matter of the unborn. Since the Roe v Wade decision of 1973 over 55 million unborn children have been appointed to die. Will we open our mouths on their behalf? Will we join with Jonathan and plead for the lives of the innocent? We we be that friend that sticks closer than a brother? Or will we remain silent and ignore the charge given to us defend the defenseless? Father forgive us for ignoring the plight of the unborn. Help us to speak up on their behalf.

Envy

# 265 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 18:26-30, “So when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to become the king's son-in-law. Now the days had not expired; 27 therefore David arose and went, he and his men, and killed two hundred men of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full count to the king, that he might become the king's son-in-law. Then Saul gave him Michal his daughter as a wife. 28 Thus Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him; 29 and Saul was still more afraid of David. So Saul became David's enemy continually. 30 Then the princes of the Philistines went out to war. And so it was, whenever they went out, that David behaved more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name became highly esteemed. (1 Sam 18:26-30) We have said this before, David was a man of war and this new demand of Saul's for his daughter's hand in marriage pleased him. David didn't know so much about wealth, but he knew war. This was right up his alley and as a sign of his pleasure in being given the kings daughter in marriage, David comes back in the allotted amount of time that Saul had given him to finish the task with 200 foreskins rather than the asking price of 100. Saul had hoped David would be killed in the battle, but instead he comes back with even more than the king had asked for. It was clear that God was on David's side and this caused great fear in Saul. Since David was to be married to Michal, he sees David as an even bigger threat to his throne. Don't miss the word “continually” here. Saul was obsessed with David as a threat and an enemy. He could see him through no other lens. It consumed him. So much more of the Book of Samuel is caught up with Saul's attempts to do him in. It dominated everything he did. Any jealousy in your life? Be careful. The Bible says, Pr 14:30 A sound heart is life to the body, But envy is rottenness to the bones. The sound heart is a placid heart, it doesn't get riled up by jealousy, and the word rottenness here means eaten by worms. Which one sounds like the better deal? Father, guard my heart against envy.

Godliness With Contentment

# 264 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 18:22-25, “And Saul commanded his servants, "Communicate with David secretly, and say, 'Look, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore, become the king's son-in-law.'" 23 So Saul's servants spoke those words in the hearing of David. And David said, "Does it seem to you a light thing to be a king's son-in-law, seeing I am a poor and lightly esteemed man?" 24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying, "In this manner David spoke." 25 Then Saul said, "Thus you shall say to David: 'The king does not desire any dowry but one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to take vengeance on the king's enemies.'" But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. (1 Sam 18:22-25) Well, you won't find that on your typical bridal registry! Clearly Saul is still trying to get rid of David. He establishes a dowry that will require the killing of 100 Philistines. His plan is to put David at risk on the battlefront so he can be rid of him once and for all. David is all too happy to oblige the king because quite frankly he couldn't afford anything else. He had already been embarrassed by getting jilted at the altar by Saul's oldest daughter, who was likely given to another man who could put up some serious cash for a dowry. Now another daughter has been offered to him and he says, “Look quit playing with me and mocking my poverty. You tell the king that I can't afford his daughter!” This opened the door to Saul's counter offer. Let's talk about being poor. David seemed a little ashamed of his lack of wealth and you and I often fall into that trap as well. Even though, for the most part, we are amazingly well off materially in America we often find ourselves lamenting our lack of wealth. Listen to what the Holy Spirit says speaking through the Apostle Paul in 1Ti 6:9 “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.” Desiring to be wealthy is a snare. A deadly trap. Rather let us learn to pray the prayer of Pr 30:8, “Give me neither poverty nor riches-Feed me with the food allotted to me” Father help us to learn that godliness with contentment is great gain!

Jilted

# 263 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 18:19-21, But it happened at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife. 20 Now Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21 So Saul said, "I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him." Therefore Saul said to David a second time, "You shall be my son-in-law today." (1 Sam 18:19-21) Oh the embarrassment of being jilted at the altar. I bet you could make a movie about it. One website lists 17 movie titles where the theme of the movie is altar jilting. In this case the king decides at the last minute to give his daughter to Adriel. We aren't told why. Maybe Adriel could pay a higher price for the bride than the shepherd boy, or maybe Saul was just trying to make David look ridiculous in the eyes of the people. I can just hear the explanation that Saul offered to David for this travesty. “I know I promised my daughter to whoever slew Goliath, but Adriel gave me an offer I just couldn't refuse. Sorry David” In Saul's perverted way of thinking, he is off the hook. Then someone tells him that his other daughter Michal is in love with David. What great news for Saul! He's off the hook with his original promise and now gets to demand a new dowry! As we shall see, it is this new dowry that Saul hopes will be the end of David. David may have gotten stiffed here, but God never forgot it. If we would fast forward to 2 Samuel 21:8, we would read that the five sons born to Adriel and Merab were unceremoniously killed. Have you gotten stiffed by someone? I know you are angry. You may even wish them harm. But don't let them cause you to dwell in hatred and unforgiveness. Rather know and believe that God is totally aware of your situation. He loves you and will see to it that justice is served. If not now, certainly in the end. Lu 18:7 "And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? Father, I pray for those who have been unjustly treated. Deliver them from unforgiveness. Give them the confidence to know that You are aware of the situation and will deal with it accordingly.

Reeking With Humility

# 261 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 18:18 “So David said to Saul, "Who am I, and what is my life or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?" “Who am I and what is my life?” These are words that the Lord loves to hear from the hearts of men. They open the floodgates of grace! When spoken from the heart they are a picture of true humility. It's not the only time that David uttered these words. In 2Sa 7:18, after Nathan had reaffirmed God's steadfast love toward David, in spite of all that had transpired in David's life, he went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord GOD? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far?” And again in Ps 8:4, he penned these words, “What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?” And again in Ps 144:3 LORD, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him? And in Job 7:17 "What is man, that You should exalt him, That You should set Your heart on him, These passages reek with humility, and this humility served David and Job well, and rightly so since it is humility that unleashes God's grace in our lives. James 4:6 says, “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." Maybe we should spend a little less time with our wish lists that we bring before God, and a little more time expressing our gratitude to God for the blessings he has given us. Blessings that we clearly do not deserve. “Who am I Lord and what is my life, that you should be mindful of me? Let's allow those words to soak in the next time we spend some time at the feet of Jesus Sinner that I am dear Lord, how is it that there is still a place in Your mind for me? Blessed be You O Lord.

There's No Such Thing As A Secret Thought

# 261 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 18:16,17, “But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them. 17 Then Saul said to David, "Here is my older daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight the LORD'S battles." For Saul thought, "Let my hand not be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him." David was immensely popular with the people. Not only had he gained fame with his victory over Goliath, but “he went out and came in” before the people. Well what does that mean? It means that he went out on military campaigns and came back from military campaigns as the victor. Every movie you've ever seen with conquering generals and their armies returning to the cheering throngs is summed up in this statement, “They went out and came in,”and it was eating Saul alive! He was consumed with the idea of getting rid of David. And at the same time concerned about keeping up a good outward appearance. Here, he delivers on his promise to give his daughter in marriage to the one who slew Goliath, and makes a big show about asking David to be valiant and fight the Lord's battles. In reality he could care less about the Lord's battles, he just wanted the Philistines to take David out. “For Saul thought” is a key phrase here. The Holy Spirit who moved men to write these Scriptures, takes us beyond outward appearances. He sees the heart. He knows the hypocrite that Saul is and includes it in Scripture so that we might guard against such hypocrisy in our own lives. I'm amazed at how easily I forget that my secret thoughts aren't so secret. Jesus knows my every thought, He knows my heart. In Mt 9:4, we read, “But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts? And in Mt 12:25 But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation,” and in Lu 6:8 “But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, "Arise and stand here." Father, guard me from the sin of hypocrisy. Keep my heart open and pure, cleanse me from all my sins, even my sinful thoughts, in Jesus Name, Amen.

The Great Escape

# 260 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 18:11 And Saul cast the spear, for he said, "I will pin David to the wall!" But David escaped his presence twice. 12 Now Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, but had departed from Saul. 13 Therefore Saul removed him from his presence, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. 14 And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the LORD was with him. 15 Therefore, when Saul saw that he behaved very wisely, he was afraid of him. ( 1 Sam 18:11-15) Saul tried to pin David to the wall with a spear twice, but David twice escaped. I can't help but think about the two specific times that the devil tried to pin Jesus to the wall. The first time being the temptations in the wilderness after the baptism of Jesus and the second being in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus escaped the first attempt by utilizing the Word of God. He countered all of the devil's attempts with “it is written.” and in the Garden He countered with submitting to His father's will with “not My will but Thine be done.” Both escapes are tied to the proper use of the Word of God and submission to it. Wow! Could we learn from that! So Saul sends David away and David “behaved wisely.” We've talked about this wise behavior before. To behave wisely is to carefully consider all circumstances and possible consequences of our actions. What better way to do this than to view our circumstances and reaction to them through the filter of the Word of God. When Saul observed the wise behavior of David, he was afraid of him. It was this fear that drove him to try and do David in. When you and I behave wisely in accordance with the Word of God, the enemy (the devil) fears us as well, and like Saul, he will seek to do us in. Behave wisely anyway For though the enemy makes a lot of noise and is continually looking for openings, you are safe as long as you remain in the hand of God. Joh 10:28 "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.” Father, thank You for the protection You give us through persevering faith and Your Word.

Guard the Hedges

# 259 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 18:9-11, “So Saul eyed David from that day forward. 10 And it happened on the next day that the distressing spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house. So David played music with his hand, as at other times; but there was a spear in Saul's hand. 11 And Saul cast the spear, for he said, "I will pin David to the wall!" But David escaped his presence twice.” The envy of Saul, opened the gate for the distressing spirit that God allowed to torment Saul. Understand something about the enemy of your soul. He is constantly poking, prodding, looking for an opening. Something by which he might get a foothold, which he then desires to turn into a stronghold, that he might conquer and enslave you. No wonder the Holy Spirit reminds us to put on the full armor of God. Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” One of the wiles of the devil is envy. Guard against it. In the 80th Psalm, the psalmist complains against God by saying, “Why have You broken down her hedges, so that all who pass by the way pluck her fruit.” He was speaking of the general spiritual condition of Israel. But the reality of that statement is the people themselves allowed the hedges to deteriorate. They refused to keep the commandments of the Lord. The biblical idea of “keeping” is to put a hedge around something to protect it, because it is valuable When the people chose to not treasure God's Word, the hedge was broken down and they became easy prey for their enemies. This is God's doing only so far as He tells us in His Word that when we cease to value His covenant, His Word, we forfeit any claim to His protection. Thankfully, in His mercy and forbearance, He only allows that breach to go so far, as He leads us to repentance. The enemy will be probing, prodding today, looking for openings, seeking whom he may devour. Our surest defense is to daily repent of our sins and keep the hedge up. Let us purpose in our hearts to treasure His Word today and every day. Father, let us never weary of keeping up our defenses, by submitting to You and Your Word.

Envy: A Gateway To Demonic Activity

# 258 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 18:9-11, “So Saul eyed David from that day forward. 10 And it happened on the next day that the distressing spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house. So David played music with his hand, as at other times; but there was a spear in Saul's hand. 11 And Saul cast the spear, for he said, "I will pin David to the wall!" But David escaped his presence twice.” The word “eyed” in the Hebrew means to watch with jealousy. Saul was envious of David and we need to learn a very important lesson here. Look what happened on the following day that envy occupied the thoughts of Saul. A distressing spirit came upon him. Envy is a gateway for demonic oppression and activity in our lives. Demons are murderous torturing agents of the devil and flirting with them is never a good idea. That's why it is so important to nip it in the bud. Jas 3:16 says, “For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.” Saul wanted the acclaim and favor of the people, but when he saw that David was getting more of it than he, envy reared it's ugly head, and he sought to run David through with a spear. Unchecked envy can indeed take us to that point. Scary thought isn't it? Envy can show up on worship teams in church. It can show up amongst pastors when the church down the block is drawing more people for Sunday worship. It can show up in covetous concerns about others financial well-being, social status, or whenever we find ourselves wishing we had what others have. Oh, we don't seek to run a literal spear through people when envy shows up, we usually settle for choice words that will seek to put us in a better light than them. We assassinate with words, rather than spears. Don't be so dull, that you can't recognize envy when it rise up in your flesh. At the first twinge, get on your knees and confess it as sin, receive God's forgiveness, and then seek to spend your time cultivating the gifts of goodness that God has given you, rather than tearing down the gifts he has given to others. Father, teach me to be content with lot, always thankful for all the good gifts you have given me through Jesus.

Envy: It's A Killer

# 257 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 18:6-9, “Now it had happened as they were coming home, when David was returning from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women had come out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments. 7 So the women sang as they danced, and said: "Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands." 8 Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, "They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?" 9 So Saul eyed David from that day forward. (1 Sam 18:6-9) “So Saul eyed David from that day forward.”Envy. It's a killer. It's a common topic in Scripture, let's listen to what the Holy Spirit says about envy: Job 5:2 For wrath kills a foolish man, And envy slays a simple one.” Pr 14:30 A sound heart is life to the body, But envy is rottenness to the bones.” Doesn't sound very healthy does it? It was envy that moved the religious rulers to crucify Jesus. Mt 27:18 For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.” Likewise it was envy over large crowds that moves the Jews to action against Paul, Ac 13:45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul. It is almost always connected to unhealthy strife: Ro 13:13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 1Co 3:3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? It is far removed from love: 1Co 13:4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; ” And it confuses our thinking: Jas 3:16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. The cure? Remember these words from Heb 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Jesus is our cure for envy. He is our portion. Ps 73:26 My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. When envy starts to rise up in you, remember your portion and cling to Jesus. Father guard my heart from the deadly sin of envy.

What Does It Mean To Walk Circumspectly?

# 256 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 18:5 So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul's servants. (1 Sam 18:5) David behaved wisely. The Hebrew word used here means circumspectly. Now there's a word we just don't use in our everyday conversations. To act circumspectly is to be careful to consider all circumstances and possible consequences. What a great attribute to have. Oh that David would have acted wisely with Bathsheeba, but then that's another matter that we will get to later on in the story. For now, let each of us, strive to live circumspectly. How do we do that? It starts with patience. Don't act rashly, rather weigh your options in accordance with the Word of God before you act! Ex 23:13 says, “And in all that I have said to you, be circumspect.” In other words consider the Word of God before going off on a foolish course. We are given the same admonition in Eph 5:15-21, “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.” Walk circumspectly. Consider all circumstances and possible consequences before you act. Get a handle on the will of the Lord! Understand the way that He desires you to live in accordance with His commands and promises before you act. You won't find such wisdom in the bottom of a six pack, but you will find it as you gather together with other believers, encouraging each other with the Words of God. And as we submit to each other, we automatically begin to consider the consequences of our actions on them. This is a great step in the process of beginning to act wisely. Father help us to slow down. Help us to be people who measure our words and actions according to Your Word.

What A Friend You Have In Jesus

# 254 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 18:2-4, “Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father's house anymore. 3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 4 And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt. (1 Sam 18:2-4) Saul takes on David in a permanent role in his kingdom. No longer allowed to return to his house, he becomes a member of the household of Saul. Saul's son, Jonathan becomes David's best friend. He shares everything he has and loves him as his own soul. I have been blessed to have such a man in my life, I pray that God would bless you too. I have a friend with whom I am able to bare my soul, my deepest convictions, my deepest concerns, my deepest fears. I, like Jonathan am able to disarm myself with him, become vulnerable, and he is a friend from which I have nothing to hide. Pr 18:24 says, “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” The point of this proverb is it's great to have friends, but even greater to have a friend who is like a brother. This latter kind of friend will be there for you in times of adversity as stated in Pr 17:17, “A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.” I like the way Matthew Henry puts it in his commentary on this verse, “ In our troubles we expect comfort and relief from our relations, but sometimes there is a friend, that is nothing akin to us, the bonds of whose esteem and love prove stronger than those of nature, and therefore he sticks closer than a brother, and, when it comes to the trial, will do more for us than a brother will. Christ is a friend to all believers that sticks closer than a brother; to him therefore let them show themselves friendly. Yes, it is good to have an earthly brother in the Lord, but even if such a friendship is missing in your life remember, as the song says, “What A Friend You Have In Jesus.”

Homosexuality and Other Sins

# 254 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 18:1 Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. Some have taken this passage and used it to try and prove that David and Jonathan were involved in a homosexual relationship. I don't believe that to be true, but for the sake of argument, let's say it was true. Would that put any stamp of approval on their behavior? Of course not. The Bible also tells us that David was an adulterer and a murderer, does that put any stamp of approval on adultery and murder? Of course not. These sins and all other sins must be confessed and repented of. Sin is sin and it is never condoned in Scripture. One of the main rules of interpreting Scripture is simply this: Scripture interprets Scripture. In other words, ALL of the words of the Bible are used for interpretation, not verses taken in isolation. The Bible consistently and plainly forbids any sexual activity outside the bounds of marriage, and marriage is defined as the union of a male and a female. Ge 2:24 says, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. There are other passages that deal with homosexuality in a very direct manner: Le 18:22 says, “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination. Le 20:13a 'If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination.” Ro 1:27a Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and, 1Co 6:9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, It's important to remember that there are also many other passages singling out inappropriate HETEROSEXUAL behavior in the Scriptures as well. And not only sexual behavior, but things like lying, stealing, cursing, coveting, gossiping, etc. All of these inappropriate behaviors are called sin, and the Bible also has the remedy for our sin. Confess it. Receive God's forgiveness through faith in Jesus, then, “go, and in the power of the Holy Spirit, seek to sin no more.” Father, I daily need to come to You and ask forgiveness for my sins. Help me to turn from them and live for You, in Jesus Name, Amen.