You Are Being Watched

# 331 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 23:22,23 "Please go and find out for sure, and see the place where his hideout is, and who has seen him there. For I am told he is very crafty. 23 "See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hides; and come back to me with certainty, and I will go with you. And it shall be, if he is in the land, that I will search for him throughout all the clans of Judah." (1 Sam 23:22,23) The Ziphites have come to Saul and told him that David is hiding in the hills of their country and they offer to turn him in. Please note the extreme interest Saul is taking in asking the Ziphites to observe David. “Go and find out for sure,” “See the place where his hideout is,” talk to eyewitnesses who have actually seen him there, “Take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hides,” “come back to me with certainty!” In other words I want a full and accurate report of what David is up to. Remember that Saul serves as a type of the devil and the Ziphites as demons, and this portion of Scripture gives us a good picture of one of their tactics tactics that they use against you and I. They meticulously observes us. Remember too, that he and his demons are all fallen angels, and one of the things that all angels are capable of doing is observing. The Bible tells us that there is great rejoicing in heaven amongst the angels when they observe one sinner coming to repentance. (Lk 15:10) and in 1 Pet. 1:12, we are told that angels have a desire to observe the workings of salvation on human beings. Angels, good and bad observe. You and I are being watched constantly by demons who, like the Ziphites, report back to their king. The devil knows all to well the weaknesses of my flesh, he has been observing them for over 67 years. He uses these weaknesses to tempt me in every fashion to sin and rebel against God. He sees my wayward glances. He sees when I turn to other things to handle my pain rather than God, and he is more than willing to put them in front of me, in hopes of turning me away from God. He indeed goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, but praise Jesus! I am able to overcome him and his devices because He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world! Father, help me to overcome temptation today.

Who's Right? Who's Wrong?

# 330 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 23:19-21 “Then the Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, "Is David not hiding with us in strongholds in the woods, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? 20 "Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of your soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king's hand." 21 And Saul said, "Blessed are you of the LORD, for you have compassion on me. ( 1 Sam 23:19-21) The Ziphites have turned on David. On one hand you have to admire their biblically based loyalty to the king, note their respectful address to Saul, “O king” but on the other hand you have to be concerned about their ignorance concerning David's innocence and his role as God's chosen successor to Saul. Note too, Saul's delusion that God is with him as he pronounces a blessing on the Ziphites for turning on David. Our country is in the midst of great moral debates at this time. It's not the first time we have had such a dilemma. The civil war was among other things, a debate about biblical morality. Both sides thought they had the Word of God on their side. Today two of the main moral issues seem to be centered on the matter of abortion and sexual lifestyle. Again both sides believe they have the Bible on their side. If the Ziphites were around today, (and they are in a figurative sense) they would not only give proper honor to the king, (the government) which is a good thing, but they would also turn a blind eye to the government policies that actively pursue the legalization of abortion and seek to provide an environment where deviant sexual lifestyles are allowed to flourish. It's one thing to respect the government, still another to not hold them accountable to immoral legislation. The proper response is to respect the government but at the same time point people to the truth. So who's right? Who has the truth on their side? The answer to that question is found in Isa 8:20, “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Sort it out through prayerful searching of the Scriptures, asking the Holy Spirit to shed light on these subjects, then lovingly and respectfully act on the courage of those convictions, trusting God for the results. Remembering that as bad as it may seem, the wrong shall never prevail. Father, guide us through the moral dilemmas we face in this life.

An Agent of Encouragement

# 329 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 23:14-18, “And David stayed in strongholds in the wilderness, and remained in the mountains in the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand. 15 So David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. And David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in a forest. 16 Then Jonathan, Saul's son, arose and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God. 17 And he said to him, "Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Even my father Saul knows that." 18 So the two of them made a covenant before the LORD. And David stayed in the woods, and Jonathan went to his own house. ( 1 Sam 23:14-18) David flees to the cover of the forested mountains of Ziph and God kept him safe there. How is it that Saul couldn't find him, but Jonathan could? The answer is fairly simple, God wanted Jonathan to find Him. He put it on Jonathan's heart to seek David. All Jonathan had to do was take a step of faith into the woods, confident that God would make the connection and he did. This connection had purpose. God wanted to give David some encouragement through Jonathan, and he did. Jonathan reminded David of God's promises to him, concerning ascending to the throne, and yes, people who appear to be as strong as David need encouragement from time to time. And that encouragement comes from reminding them of the promises of God as found in Holy Scripture. Ps 119:28 says, “My soul melts from heaviness; Strengthen me according to Your word.” God's Word is a source of strength and who knows if God doesn't want to use you as an agent of strength as you bring a word to someone in need of encouragement today. Jonathan stepped out in faith with a word of encouragement for his friend David. Is there a brother or sister who needs encouragement from you today? Is there a promise of God's that they need to be reminded of? Step out in faith with Jonathan and bring it to them. Father, if there be anyone in need of consolation today, keep my eyes and ears open and give me the Word they need to hear.

Bring Hither the Bible

# 328 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 23:6-13, “Now it happened, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, that he went down with an ephod in his hand. 7 And Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah. So Saul said, "God has delivered him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars." 8 Then Saul called all the people together for war, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men. 9 When David knew that Saul plotted evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod here." 10 Then David said, "O LORD God of Israel, Your servant has certainly heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah to destroy the city for my sake. 11 "Will the men of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard? O LORD God of Israel, I pray, tell Your servant." And the LORD said, "He will come down." 12 Then David said, "Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?" And the LORD said, "They will deliver you." 13 So David and his men, about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah and went wherever they could go. Then it was told Saul that David had escaped from Keilah; so he halted the expedition. (1 Sam 23:6-13) Abiathar had fled from Saul and his men before they slaughtered the city of Nod and more importantly he took the ephod with him. The ephod contained the Urim and Thummim these two stones were given by the Lord to the Israelites to determine the will of God or direction in various situations. Saul did not have them David did. Saul was guided by whim and his own imagination, David was guided by God. For the most part these stones were used like lots and would give answers to “yes” and “no” questions. Using this method, David determines that the threat is very real and he needs to leave the city now! We no longer need the Urim and the Thummim. God has given us another place to turn to in order to find answers for our dilemmas. It's called the Bible, and when rightly read will provide all the answers we need. When we are faced with choices about how to live as Christians, we would do well to look to the ayes and nays of Scripture. As Matthew Henry's stated in his commentary on this passage, “Bring hither the Bible.” Father, thank You for Your Word, may we turn to it, rather than our whims and imagination as we seek guidance for living in Your kingdom.

Persistent Prayers

# 327 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 23:1-5, “Then they told David, saying, "Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are robbing the threshing floors." 2 Therefore David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go and attack these Philistines?" And the LORD said to David, "Go and attack the Philistines, and save Keilah." 3 But David's men said to him, "Look, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?" 4 Then David inquired of the LORD once again. And the LORD answered him and said, "Arise, go down to Keilah. For I will deliver the Philistines into your hand." 5 And David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines, struck them with a mighty blow, and took away their livestock. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. ( 1 Sam 23:1-5) Keilah was a city that the Lord had given to Judah in the days of Joshua. Word comes to David that the Philistines were attacking it and robbing them of their harvest. But, why should he care? He has enough trouble with Saul hot on his heels. Why stir up still another enemy against him? Yet, since this situation was brought to his attention, he thought it wise to ask God if he should get involved and seek to rescue the citizens of Keilah. This is good advice for us as well. When “out of the ordinary” circumstances are brought to us from out of the blue. Why not take time to bring it to the Lord in prayer. Perhaps He wants you involved in some way or fashion. David got an immediate response from God. “Go and save!” But this wasn't good enough for his men. They needed further reassurance and so David inquired of the Lord again. Again he gets a positive response and a sure promise of victory. “ Go! I will deliver.” Still another lesson for us here. God is not afraid of your doubts. He is aware of your fears. He didn't roll His eyes at David for coming back a second time. He knows our frailties as humans and is more than willing to hear our persistent prayers. Father thank You for understanding, thank You for being patient.

Every Believer Needs To Hear This

# 326 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 22:19 Also Nob, the city of the priests, he struck with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and nursing infants, oxen and donkeys and sheep-with the edge of the sword. 20 Now one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David. 21 And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the LORD'S priests. 22 So David said to Abiathar, "I knew that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have caused the death of all the persons of your father's house. 23 "Stay with me; do not fear. For he who seeks my life seeks your life, but with me you shall be safe." The destruction of an entire city including women, infants, and animals. It was the Old Testament practice of “putting to the ban” which we have discussed in earlier Du-votionals. (See Du-votionals # 200-203) Saul attempts to play God here as he decides that any sign of loyalty to David is worthy of this punishment. An escapee runs to David with the news, and after David expresses his lament over his inadvertent role in the slaughter, he says something that every believer needs to cling to. He says , “"Stay with me; do not fear. For he who seeks my life seeks your life, but with me you shall be safe." What a picture of the epic battle between God and Satan. Satan sought to devour the Son of God, as we read in Re 12:4b, “And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born.” Having failed in his effort to devour the Christ, the devil has now turned his attention to the followers of Jesus, and if it were up to him, he would annihilate every, man, woman, child, and God-created creature on earth. But just as David assured Abiathar, Jesus assures us: “With ME you shall be safe.” Be like Abiathar beloved. Fear not. Stay with Jesus. The devil will roar and create fearful situations for you too. He wants you to bolt...don't do it. Stay with Jesus and you will be safe. Joh 10:29 says, "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. Father thank You for Your protection from the evil one.

God Means What He Says

# 325 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 22:18, “And the king said to Doeg, "You turn and kill the priests!" So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck the priests, and killed on that day eighty-five men who wore a linen ephod. ( 1 Sam 22:18) Saul's men had refused his order to kill the priests and so he orders Doeg the Edomite to do the job. This killing of the priests of the house of Eli, was in the cards a long time ago. If you recall, God had passed judgment on the house of Eli because he and his sons had profaned the priesthood. We read about it in 1Sa 3:12,13, "In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13 "For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them. This ought to be a very sobering passage for all of us. God's judgment is to be taken seriously. He means what He says! He told Eli that this would occur to his offspring and when God's timing was right, he used Saul to carry it out. One may cry “foul” at this point and protest that Ahimelech and the other priests did nothing wrong, in fact, they were just trying to protect David. “That's not fair God!” But be careful, In Ro 9:14,15 we read, “What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! 15 For He says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion." Remember, our lives here on earth are but a vapor. None of us have any clue as to when God will call us home. Rather than questioning God's ways in the here and now, we should be more concerned about His final say regarding the hereafter. Though Ahimelech and the others were taken out of this world on short notice, if they had faith in the coming Messiah, (and I suspect they did) they had nothing to fear. How about you? Are you trusting Jesus? God means what He says concerning His Son. He is the way the truth and the life and no one can come to the Father except through Him! (Jn 14:6) Father, we all deserve Your judgment, spare us through faith in Thy beloved Son Jesus!

Obey God Rather Than Men

# 324 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 22:16,17, “And the king said, "You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father's house!" 17 Then the king said to the guards who stood about him, "Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled and did not tell it to me." But the servants of the king would not lift their hands to strike the priests of the LORD. (1 Sam 22:16,17) I know I have been speaking a lot about respecting those who are in authority. I think it is important because I hear far too much Obama bashing in Christian circles. He is our president. He holds that office strictly by the will of God. To disrespect him is to disrespect the One who put him there. But there is another side to the coin of respecting authority. Whenever that authority abuses the privilege given to him by God and issues orders contrary to the Word of God, well, as Peter and the other apostles said when the ruling council forbade them from preaching the gospel: "We ought to obey God rather than men. (Acts 5:29b) Still another example of this civil disobedience is found in Ex 1:17, when Pharaoh had ordered the slaying of the Hebrew male children, “But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive.” In our reading today, these “guards” of Saul in my mind are incredibly brave men. They knew what Saul was capable of. They even knew the murderous mood he was in, and yet they refused to obey him, opting to remember God's command to not kill. They, like Peter and John, obeyed God, rather than men. This civil disobedience isn't easy and sometimes I wonder when it is going to come to this in America. When will the government forbid us from preaching the gospel? When will we be forbidden to proselytize? When will we be ordered to abort our children or put older people to death because they are deemed as a hindrance to society? God, I pray that You will protect us from such tyranny, but if it arrives, give us the strength to obey You rather than men.

A Man of Integrity

# 323 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 22:11-15, “So the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests who were in Nob. And they all came to the king. 12 And Saul said, "Hear now, son of Ahitub!" And he answered, "Here I am, my lord." 13 Then Saul said to him, "Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread and a sword, and have inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as it is this day?" 14 So Ahimelech answered the king and said, "And who among all your servants is as faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, who goes at your bidding, and is honorable in your house? 15 "Did I then begin to inquire of God for him? Far be it from me! Let not the king impute anything to his servant, or to any in the house of my father. For your servant knew nothing of all this, little or much." (1 Sam 22:11-15) Doeg the Edomite has just ratted on Ahimelech. So Saul calls Ahimelech and the other priests at Nob to come to him. First of all, please note Ahimelech's method of addressing Saul, “Here I am my lord.” Once again we see the proper respect given to a God-appointed authority. Ahimelech likely knew he was in deep trouble with the erratic Saul, but it did not change his respect for the office. Saul begins by charging Ahimelech with conspiring against him by praying for David, giving him food and a weapon. Again note Ahimelech's response. He sticks with the truth and stands up for David. He points out that David is Saul's son -in -law, and that David has been one of Saul's most faithful servants, doing whatever the king had bid him to do. He also points out that this was not the first time he had inquired of the Lord on David's behalf. He obviously had done this many times before in conjunction with David's service to the king. Ahimelech than asks Saul to not impute any conspiracy to him and his fellow priests, for they truly knew nothing of this rift between David and Saul. Indeed they thought they were helping the king! Let us learn from the integrity of Ahimelech, no matter the situation, he continued to respect authority, defend the innocent, speak the truth, and then let the chips fall where they may, knowing that you have done what is right and good. Father, help us all to be people of integrity in any situation we may face today.

New Convert? Brace Yourself!

# 322 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 22:8-10 "All of you have conspired against me, and there is no one who reveals to me that my son has made a covenant with the son of Jesse; and there is not one of you who is sorry for me or reveals to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as it is this day." 9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who was set over the servants of Saul, and said, "I saw the son of Jesse going to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. 10 "And he inquired of the LORD for him, gave him provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine." (1 Sam 22:8-10) At the risk of reading more into this than I should, I can't help but liken this conversation between Saul and his troops with that of a type of conversation between the devil and his demons whenever a soul is converted to Christ. “You demons have been sleeping at the switch! You let another one get away! Another one has been stirred up to a covenant relationship with God through Jesus! Then a chief demon, (Doeg the Edomite) speaks up and says, “Satan, I do have something on Ahimelech the priest. I saw him help David, give him provisions. Maybe you can use this information to strike back at David (Jesus) And as we shall see, that's exactly what Saul did. My point in all this is we are involved in spiritual warfare. The devil does not like to lose any souls to Christ, and he will look for ways to strike back. This is especially valuable information for new converts. Brace yourself and be prepared to lean on Jesus like never before! You need to know that the devil is not happy with your conversion and he will counter attack. Re 12:12b says, “Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time." I remember vividly the counter attacks in my own life after I came back to Christ. They took on many different forms, including doubt, depression, and some pretty tough physical circumstances. By the grace of God I endured and I know that God will help you to endure as well. Endurance is the key because the victory is Christ's! Father help your children to endure.

Did God Really Say?

# 321 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 22:6-7, “When Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had been discovered-now Saul was staying in Gibeah under a tamarisk tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants standing about him- 7 then Saul said to his servants who stood about him, "Hear now, you Benjamites! Will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds? (1 Sam 22:6-7) I can't read this without thinking of spiritual warfare and some of the tactics that the devil uses against us. David and his men, representing Jesus and His followers, and Saul and his men, representing the devil and any and all who are not followers of Jesus. There is an old saying that “the devil owns the fence,” there is no sitting on the fence in the matter of salvation. Jesus has said, Mt 12:30 "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. Friend, you are either enlisted with David or Saul. There is no middle ground. The Holy Spirit makes a point to show us that Saul has a spear in his hand, he is, like the devil, ever ready to do battle. Saul's first battle is with his own men, He doesn't want any of them to switch sides and follow David, just as the devil doesn't want any souls to convert and follow Jesus. His first tactic is to imply that David is making promises to his troops that he couldn't possibly keep! “Will the son of David give you fields and vineyards and make you captains of thousands and hundreds?” It's like the old trick of the devil to cast doubt. It's the “did God really say” trick, that he uses so often to keep people from bolting to Jesus. But take heart my friend! Jesus CAN deliver on what He says, and although we may not be made owners of huge vineyards or captain over many men in this life, there is promise of great reward in heaven for those who finish the race in Christ. In the parable of the talents we read, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' I have no idea what it will be like in heaven, but eternal joy sounds pretty good to me. Father help us to overcome the doubting tactics of the devil.

Robin Hood, David, and Jesus

# 320 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 22:3-5, “Then David went from there to Mizpah of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, "Please let my father and mother come here with you, till I know what God will do for me." 4 So he brought them before the king of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the time that David was in the stronghold. 5 Now the prophet Gad said to David, "Do not stay in the stronghold; depart, and go to the land of Judah." So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth. (1 Sam 22:3-5) David is waiting for the Lord's plans for him to unfurl. He has asked the king of Moab to watch over his parents until God's plans for him have worked themselves out. After an unspecified amount of time in the stronghold ( I assume the cave of Adullum) God speaks to David through the prophet Gad and tells him to leave the stronghold and head for Judah. David obeys and takes his band of men to the forest of Hareth. Have you ever considered how much the story of David parallels the classic tale of Robin Hood? Robin Hood and his men lived in the safety of Sherwood Forest, David and his men are now abiding in the safety of the forest of Hareth. Robin Hood's prowess with the bow was legendary as was David's ability with the sling. Robin Hood had his band of miscreants called the “merry men.” David had his band of men who were discontented, broke, and in distress, they were called the “mighty men.” And of course that old Sheriff of Nottingham (Saul) ever after him to remove this thorn in the side. Robin Hood often getting the upper hand over the sheriff in most embarrassing ways, just as David had the upper hand over Saul in the cave at En-Gedi, cutting off a piece of Saul's robe while he went to the bathroom. (1 Sam 24:4) Jesus too, roamed the countryside with his band of unlikely followers who would one day turn the world upside down with the gospel message of deliverance to a different kind of poor....the poor in spirit. Jesus too would make an embarrassing spectacle of His ancient foe the devil, we read about it in Col 2:15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” Robin Hood is a myth....David and Jesus are not. And Jesus to this day invites the poor in spirit, the humble to join his band of merry and mighty men. Have you signed on? Surrender your life to Him today! Father, I pray that You Will draw more souls to Jesus today.

Taking Care of Mom and Dad

# 319 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 22:3,4 Then David went from there to Mizpah of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, "Please let my father and mother come here with you, till I know what God will do for me." 4 So he brought them before the king of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the time that David was in the stronghold. (1 Sam 22:3,4) David's parents are with him, but the lifestyle of a band of men on the run would not be fitting for his aging parents. What to do with mom and dad? David decides to take them to the land of his great-grandmother Ruth. There are definitely some familial ties here and there was no love lost between the king of Moab and Saul, so David feels confident that his mother and father will be safe. David has set an example for us that the Holy Spirit has reiterated in Eph 6:2 "Honor your father and mother," which is the first commandment with promise: 3 "that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth." This is what God the Father wants us to do for our parents! Give them an honorable place in our life. Because David honored his parents, he desired that they would be safe and well cared for. God so deeply desires us to do this, that He has attached a blessing to those who give honor to their parents! If that's not enough incentive for us to take proper care of our family members, the Holy Spirit gives us still another reason in 1Ti 5:8, “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” Those are strong words! Failure to provide for one's family is a denial of a fundamental mark of a Christian. Unbelievers have an excuse, we don't. We know the truth of God's Word and knowing it, we must act on it. Jas 4:17 says, “to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” The time arrives for all of us in this matter of family care. Let us learn from David and always seek the best and safest care possible for our loved ones. Father, thank You for the gift of family. Let us treasure it and nurture it all of our days.

Three Classes of People Drawn To Jesus

# 318 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 22:1 David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him. 2 And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him. David had just escaped from the Philistines by feigning mental illness. His family hears about it and seeks to come to his aid. I can't help but think of the time in Jesus' ministry when his family was concerned about his mental stability. Jesus had been drawing huge crowds as He healed people of their diseases and delivered them from demonic possession. In Mr 3:21 we read, “Hearing of this, His relatives came to seize Him by force, for they said, "He is out of his mind." So we see a picture here of Jesus. Jesus and David are drawing people to themselves who are in desperate straits. David is drawing three classes of desperate people: (1) Those in distress, and the idea of this word is people who are being squeezed by circumstances in their lives. Sort of like living in an active trash compactor. (2) Those in debt, (3) The discontented – the bitter ones who have experienced hardship or exploitation. These people clustered to David like grapes and he became their head. What a picture of Jesus! Is life closing in on you? Do you feel like anxious, squeezed in on all sides? Then come to Jesus! Cling to Him like grapes on a vine. Let Him be your head! Let Him help you endure this season of trial! Debt? We all are in debt! Our sins demand a penalty that we cannot pay, but Jesus paid it for us on Calvary. Come to cave of Adullum, come to the empty tomb of Christ and know that the debt for your sin has been paid! And finally are you embittered by people in your life or by your circumstances? Then come to Jesus. When the Israelites came to Marah, they could not drink of the water because it was bitter, but Moses threw a log in the water and it became sweet. Come to the Old Rugged wooden cross and let Jesus remove your bitterness from your water! Father, I pray for those struggling with the pressures of life, those who are wrestling with their debt of sin, and those who are embittered. Lead them to Jesus and deliver them!

The Blessings of Surrendering To Jesus

# 317 - As we continue going through the Book of 1 Samuel, we have come to the part where David is fleeing from Saul and winds up in Goliath's hometown, wearing Goliath's sword. He is brought before the king which put him in a very fearful life and death situation. This incident prompted the writing of the 56th Psalm and the 34th Psalm. These are Psalms that can help us when we find ourselves in a tight situation. Today we will continue to look at the 34th Psalm.which was written after his deliverance. Up to this time the Holy Spirit has been asking others like you and me, who may find themselves in tight situations to trust the Lord as David did. He has reminded us that the angel of the Lord (Jesus) encamps around those who fear Him, and now He begins to tell us what it means to fear the Lord! Beginning at v11 we read: “Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. 12 Who is the man who desires life, And loves many days, that he may see good? (Who wants to be extricated from tight situations?) Then listen to the following guidelines for living in the fear of the Lord: 13 Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit. 14 Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.” Here's how this works, Jesus is our Peace, seek Him! He will help you to discern good from evil, He will put a guard on your mouth as you learn to yield to Him! Not ready to yield to Him yet? The Psalm concludes with the benefits of yielding, maybe this will help you change your mind. 15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry. 16 The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. 17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. 18 The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all. 20 He guards all his bones; Not one of them is broken. 21 Evil shall slay the wicked, And those who hate the righteous shall be condemned. 22 The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.” Oh, the blessed benefits of yielding to Jesus. He is able to turn your situation around and help you through it. Trust Him! Father help those who are struggling with the idea of turning their lives over to Jesus. Help them to see that He is indeed the way, the truth, and the life.

Taste and See That the Lord Is Good

# 316 - As we continue going through the Book of 1 Samuel, we have come to the part where David is fleeing from Saul and winds up in Goliath's hometown, wearing Goliath's sword. He is brought before the king which put him in a very fearful life and death situation. This incident prompted the writing of the 56th Psalm and the 34th Psalm. These are Psalms that can help us when we find ourselves in a tight situation. Today we will continue to look at the 34th Psalm.which was written after his deliverance, picking it up at v2. Ps 34:2 My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear of it and be glad. David has found himself in a fearful situation, and beginning at this verse the Holy Spirit invites all who are in similar situations (the humbled) to take heart from his story of deliverance. 3 Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together. 4 I sought the LORD, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears. David sought the Lord and the Lord delivered, and the Holy Spirit invites us to do the same! Look what happens when we do. Faces that once reflected shame and fear now reflect the light and hope of Jesus! “5 They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed. 6 This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them. The angel of the Lord is often used in the OT to prefigure Jesus. Jesus comes to the rescue of those who fear (revere) Him. Then in the next verses the Holy Spirit encourages us to not wait for trouble, but turn to Him now! 8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! 9 Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. 10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing. How did Jesus put it in the Sermon on the Mount? Mt 6:33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Beloved, are you in a tight spot today? Turn to Jesus. Give the situation to Him, but even if you're not in a tight spot, get the right Man on Your side today! Turn your life over to Jesus. Taste of Him and see that He is good! Father, I pray that you will lead others today to taste and see that You are good.

When Your Worship Is Cooling Off

# 315 - As we continue going through the Book of 1 Samuel, we have come to the part where David is fleeing from Saul and winds up in Goliath's hometown, wearing Goliath's sword. He is brought before the king where he feigns insanity. This incident prompted the writing of the 56th Psalm and the 34th Psalm. These are Psalms that can help us when we find ourselves in a tight situation. Today we will look at the 34th Psalm. The thing that strikes me about this Psalm is the sense of thankfulness and confidence in his God that flow from David through the Holy Spirit after he was delivered from a life threatening situation. He found himself in this situation by making a wrong choice, but it doesn't matter. Whenever you or I are delivered from a tight spot, it would be well for us to pull out this Psalm and join the chorus of David and countless others who have experienced God's deliverance. Let these words remind you anew of how you felt after you made it through the tight spot. Ps 34:1 <> I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Did you catch that? “At all times!” Continual praise! What a noble goal for one who has experienced the deliverance of the Lord, but truthfully.....how soon we forget! His praise is NOT continually in our mouths, and that's why it's important to revisit our times of deliverance often. 1Ch 16:12 says, “Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth, One thing you will notice as you read the Old Testament and the Psalms is that God continually reminds the people of their deliverance from Egypt, and all the other tight spots His people found themselves in. These remembrances should evoke praise, as we acknowledge that no one but God could do it. I have a file in my computer called “Thanksgiving Stones.” It's a record of all the times I am aware of that God showed Himself strong on my behalf. It is good to pull them out and read them when I find my worship going cold, and even better when that old enemy of my soul, doubt, creeps into my thinking. Is your worship life cooling off? Be like David and recount God's past actions in your life, and let the praising resume! Father, who but You could bring me to the place where I am today. I praise and worship Your glorious name!

God's Covenantal Promises Covering Like A Blanket

# 314 - As we continue going through the Book of 1 Samuel, we have come to the part where David is fleeing from Saul and winds up in Goliath's hometown, wearing Goliath's sword. He is brought before the king where he feigns insanity. This incident prompted the writing of the 56th Psalm and the 34th Psalm. These are Psalms that can help us when we find ourselves in a tight situation. Today we will continue looking at the 56th picking it up at the first verse 8: “You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book?” David had wandered into the enemies camp, something we often do ourselves as we make wrong choices. But God is aware of our wanderings. He even marks the pain they bring into our lives, and bottles all our repentant tears. Confident in God's acceptance of his repentance, David can say in v9, “When I cry out to You, Then my enemies will turn back; This I know, because God is for me. And then he points us to the reason for his confidence, namely the unfailing truth of God's Word! 10 In God (I will praise His word), In the LORD (I will praise His word), It is in this Word that David finds his reason for confidence and his reason for entrusting his situation to God, “v11, “In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. 12 Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee. This is a strong confidence boosting statement. God's vows are upon David, covering him like a down filled comforter on a Wisconsin winter night.. The Lord's covenantal promises of everlasting love and mercy blanket those who turn to Him. And David finally deduces that faith in God has delivered his soul from eternal death, it is therefore no big deal to God to deliver him from the situations he finds himself while living in the here and now. “For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?” Beloved. Have you made some wrong choices and find yourself in a tight spot? God sees. He knows your pain and sorrow. He forgives. He restores. Turn back to Him trusting in His steadfast love for you as promised in His unfailing Word! Father, though I slip, I am sorry for my sins. Remember Your unfailing love and forgiveness for me through Jesus Christ

A Minute By Minute Battle

# 313 - As we continue going through the Book of 1 Samuel, we have come to the part where David is fleeing from Saul and winds up in Goliath's hometown, wearing Goliath's sword. He is brought before King Achish where he feigns insanity. This incident prompted the writing of the 56th Psalm and the 34th Psalm. These are Psalms that can help us when we find ourselves in a tight situation. Today we will continue looking at the 56th picking it up at the first verse: “Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up; Fighting all day he oppresses me. 2 My enemies would hound me all day, For there are many who fight against me, O Most High. First off David asks for mercy. He needs it because his enemies, (the Philistines) which serve as a type of the devil and his demons hound and fight against him all day. (You may not know it, but we, like David are harassed and hounded in similar fashion. We too need God's mercy for the daily battle! Often, we find ourselves in fearful situations because of this spiritual warfare. Listen to David's advice in v3,4: “ Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. 4 In God (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me? “ In our daily spiritual battles it is helpful to have an eternal perspective. Indeed, what can flesh do to me? Jesus reminded us of this in Mt 10:28 "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Then David reminds us that the devil and his demons are constantly observing us, they mark our steps and they know our weaknesses. He says, “5 All day they twist my words; All their thoughts are against me for evil. 6 They gather together, They hide, they mark my steps, When they lie in wait for my life. David experienced this life or death situation with Achish for our own benefit. The Holy Spirit wants us to realize that we are in a minute buy minute eternal life and death struggle, and our only hope is faith (trust) in the mercy of God to pull us through. Are you in a tight spot today? Are you in the grip of fear? Do as David did. Praise God for His unshakeable Word and put your trust in it. Father grant me mercy and faith for the battles I will face today.

Whenever You Need It, Cry Out For God's Mercy

# 312 - Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 21:10-15, “Then David arose and fled that day from before Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. 11 And the servants of Achish said to him, "Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of him to one another in dances, saying: 'Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands'?" 12 Now David took these words to heart, and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 13 So he changed his behavior before them, feigned madness in their hands, scratched on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva fall down on his beard. 14 Then Achish said to his servants, "Look, you see the man is insane. Why have you brought him to me? 15 "Have I need of madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?" ( Ps 21:10-15) What in the world was David thinking? He flees to Goliath's hometown, wearing Goliath's sword. That's like tipping over all the motorcycles in a bikers bar parking lot and walking in to the bar and saying. “Look what I did!” Then realizing the danger he is in, he feigns madness in order to get out of the situation. I admit, I have a lot of unanswered questions about this incident, but one thing I do know, this incident prompted the writing of two Psalms that have become near and dear to God's people ever since. Namely the 34th and 56th Psalm. It is in these Psalms that we are more apt to find answers to these questions. Let's start by looking at the 56th Psalm.: Ps 56:1 <> Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up; Fighting all day he oppresses me. We read that David is captured by the Philistines. This tells us that he was likely dragged before the king, where the charges were laid against him. As he stands before the king, fear rightly grips him and he prays: “Be merciful to me O God.” First lesson for all of us? Prayer doesn't have to be long with a lot of fancy words. Just cry out to Him asking for His mercy. Whatever fearful situation we may find ourselves in, even if our own foolishness has brought it upon us, cry out to God, asking for His mercy. Father, there are those hearing this, reading this today who are in fearful circumstances. I plead for Your mercy in their situation.

He's Got the Whole World In His Hands

# 311 - Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 21:7-9, “Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the LORD. And his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chief of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul. 8 And David said to Ahimelech, "Is there not here on hand a spear or a sword? For I have brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste." 9 So the priest said, "The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, there it is, wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you will take that, take it . For there is no other except that one here." And David said, "There is none like it; give it to me." Why is it necessary to insert this information about Doeg into the story? Why is it so important that his presence be noted? It's because Doeg is a key figure in events that lead to God's judgment against the house of Eli. ( See 1 Sam 2:33). What I find interesting here is that Doeg was “detained” before the Lord. The word means enclosed before the Lord. The Lord was in effect saying, “I want you here and you ain't moving.” He was trapped here. He couldn't have been anywhere else at this time if he had tried. God wanted him here. God wanted him to be a witness to this exchange between David and Ahimelech. God knew Doeg was a lying rat fink, and so He needed him here, for this time in history (read that this time in His story) as His promised judgment was about to fall. One thing we can take from this incident, and that is, God is in control. He knows. Everything! History is never out of His control. He doesn't sit up in heaven and wring His hands , hoping that His plans don't go awry. They never do! Armed with that knowledge, we can be assured that He is aware of your situation today! Even though your situation may not make any sense to you, it makes perfect sense to God and He will work it out for eventual good. Ro 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. So hang in there, keep trusting and obeying Him. As the song goes, “He's got the whole world in His hands” and that includes you and I. Thank You Father, that we don't have to figure it out. Help us to just keep trusting You.

Examine Yourself Before Taking Communion

# 310 - Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 21:4-6, “And the priest answered David and said, "There is no common bread on hand; but there is holy bread, if the young men have at least kept themselves from women." 5 Then David answered the priest, and said to him, "Truly, women have been kept from us about three days since I came out. And the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in effect common, even though it was sanctified in the vessel this day." 6 So the priest gave him holy bread; for there was no bread there but the showbread which had been taken from before the LORD, in order to put hot bread in its place on the day when it was taken away. (1 Sam 21:4-6) Please note that the priest only gave the bread to David and his men AFTER David had assured him that he and his men had been sexually pure. Had David answered the priest in the negative, it is likely the priest would have sent him on his way without bread. Sexual immorality matters to God! I believe that this portion of Scripture paints a picture for us of what we call Holy Communion. This bread was consecrated by the priests, just like the bread we eat in communion is consecrated by a spiritual leader with the words, “ on the night that He was betrayed took bread,” and so on. After being blessed, the spiritual leader distributes it to the spiritually hungry participants of Holy Communion. But the Bible warns us that not all should receive it! Sometimes it is more merciful to withhold the bread from an unrepentant sinner than to give it to him or her. 1Co 11:27-31 says, “Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.” Judge yourself. Don't put it on others. Are you living in sin? Repent of it! Have godly sorrow over your sin. Purpose in your heart to turn from it, then come to the table for the spiritual nourishment and strength that God wishes to give you! In the Book of Revelation, Jesus calls upon the church in Pergamum to repent of their sexual immorality. If they do, He promises to give them “hidden manna” and a white stone with a new name written on it.” This promise is for you too brother and sister. You can turn from your sins and be given a fresh start in Jesus. Father, grant us the gift of repentance wherever needed.