Where Are You Being Fed Spiritually?

# 407 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Sa 31:11-13, “Now when the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 all the valiant men arose and traveled all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth Shan; and they came to Jabesh and burned them there. 13 Then they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days. (1 Sam 31:11-13) The inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead never forgot the kindness that Saul showed them when they were threatened by the Ammonites. It was the Ammonites that had given them the ultimatum to surrender to them so they could put out their right eyes and make them be their slaves. When Saul heard of it, he mustered all of Israel to rise up against the Ammonites and then soundly defeated them. It was one of the few shining moments in Saul's reign, and the men of Jabesh never forgot it. Just think about this for a moment. How different would the lives of the men of Jabesh Gilead have been if Saul wouldn't have come to their aid? I think this was on their mind as they risked life and limb just to give Saul a decent burial. Now, just think about how different your life would be without Jesus. The Gentiles that Paul ministered to, considered this very question as they sacrificially gave to the saints of the mother church in Jerusalem who were experiencing severe famine and persecution. They knew, that in part, they owed their spiritual well being to the missionary zeal of that church! We read about it in, Ro 15:27, “It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things.” The question begs to be asked of us, “Where are we being fed spiritually? First and foremost our individual congregations are used by God to provide spiritual food and we ought to take care of them. But there are other places that have provided and continue to provide spiritual food that have a positive impact on our spiritual walk. Perhaps it is a TV ministry, or a radio ministry, or a publication. I encourage you to find ways to channel some of your financial resources to help these other ministries to meet their needs. Have they made a spiritual difference to you? Then make a financial difference for them. Father, help me to never forget those who feed me spiritually, give me a spirit of thankful generosity

Not All Are In A "Better Place"

# 407 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Sa 31:6-10, “So Saul, his three sons, his armorbearer, and all his men died together that same day. 7 And when the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley, and those who were on the other side of the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them. 8 So it happened the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9 And they cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and sent word throughout the land of the Philistines, to proclaim it in the temple of their idols and among the people. 10 Then they put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan. ( 1 Sam 31:6-10) War is never pretty is it? Saul is dead. David's beloved friend Jonathan is dead, along with two of Saul's other sons. His armor bearer, and his entire unit of men, all wiped out by the enemy. Saul's body and armor desecrated and put on grim public display. Note there is only mention of their bodies here and not of their souls. In Matthew Henry's commentary on these verse, he brings forth a very sobering thought. He says, “The Scripture makes no mention what became of the souls of Saul and his sons, after they were dead; but of their bodies only: secret things belong not to us. It is of little consequence by what means we die, or what is done with our dead bodies. If our souls are saved, our bodies will be raised incorruptible and glorious; but not to fear His wrath, who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell, is the extreme folly of wickedness. How useless is the respect of fellow-creatures to those who are suffering the wrath of God! While pompous funerals, grand monuments, and the praises of men, honour the memory of the deceased, the soul may be suffering in the regions of darkness and despair! Let us seek that honour which cometh from God only.” Mr. Henry reminds us to fear God's wrath! Not all who die are in a “better place.” Only those hearts and souls that belong to Jesus are in a better place. It is not our place to make that determination. God knows. But it IS our place to warn others and to point them to the only means of escape.....Jesus Christ. Father, guard us from the folly and wickedness of disregarding the reality of Your wrath. Help us to finish and help others to finish the race in the safety of the arms of Jesus.

In the Matter of Suicide

# 405 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Sa 31:3-5, “The battle became fierce against Saul. The archers hit him, and he was severely wounded by the archers. 4 Then Saul said to his armorbearer, "Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised men come and thrust me through and abuse me." But his armorbearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword and fell on it. 5 And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword, and died with him. (1 Sam 31:3-5) One of the rare instances where suicide is mentioned in the Bible. If you know anything about war during this time in history, you know that captives received very harsh treatment. Just recall how the Philistines put out Samson's eyes when he was captured! Then they demanded that he entertain them with feats of strength. They mocked him and made sport of him, just as our King, the Lord Jesus was mocked and maltreated. Saul would rather die than face the abuse of the Philistines and after his armorbearer refused to do the job, he did it himself. Some use this instance in Scripture to incorrectly tie suicide and damnation together. But before you do that, think again. If Saul was condemned to hell, it was only for the same reason anyone is condemned to hell, a lack of true faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. (God knows the heart) I shall ever remember the sight of 9-11, where people were jumping from 100 floors up of the world trade center rather than face the death by fire. Are we to condemn them to hell because of that choice? I think not. You and I do not know the pain, the circumstances that drives someone to take their own lives. Don't condemn, rather seek to be aware of the signs, educate yourself and then try to be there for the afflicted. And if you are contemplating suicide, please remember the pain you will inflict on those left behind. People who genuinely love you and will be scarred by your loss. And though it may be extremely difficult to remember during your time of trial. Remember that God loves you and He will pull you through. Hang onto Him, believing that there are better days ahead, and though you may not see it at this time, He does have a plan for your life. Father, help those today who are struggling with intense pain, emotional or physical. Pull them through the fire, and lead them to the plan you have for their lives..

153,000 People Will Die Today.

# 404 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Sa 31:1-5, “ Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. 2 Then the Philistines followed hard after Saul and his sons. And the Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul's sons. 3 The battle became fierce against Saul. The archers hit him, and he was severely wounded by the archers. 4 Then Saul said to his armorbearer, "Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised men come and thrust me through and abuse me." But his armorbearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword and fell on it. 5 And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword, and died with him. (1 Sam 31:1-5) Judgment Day has arrived for Saul, his sons, his armorbearer, and who knows how many thousands of soldiers. It was just as God had spoken to Saul the day before through the familiar spirit that God took control of and used to pronounce His judgment against Saul. In 1Sa 28:19 we read, "Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines. And tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The LORD will also deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines." “You and your sons will be with Me.” What does that mean? It means as it says in Heb 9:27, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,” Think of all these men who died on that day. Then think of how many people die on average every day here on earth. Hebrews4christians.com estimates that 153,000 people experience what Saul, his armorbearer, his sons, and his soldiers experienced that day. They die. Some die unexpectedly, some die of old age, but unless the Lord comes, death awaits all of us. How many of those 153,000 have the hope of Christ? How many will be judged fit for heaven by God? The only hope for life after death is faith in Jesus Christ in the present life. The ultimate question for you and I and all of mankind is are we ready to meet our Maker at a moments notice? There are no second chances. Do you want to be ready? Than surrender your life to Christ. 1Jo 5:11 says, “ And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.” Father , let us consider the brevity of life, lead us to and keep us in Christ.

More On Generosity

# 403 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Sa 30:26-31, “Now when David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, "Here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of the LORD" - 27 to those who were in Bethel, those who were in Ramoth of the South, those who were in Jattir, 28 those who were in Aroer, those who were in Siphmoth, those who were in Eshtemoa, 29 those who were in Rachal, those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, those who were in the cities of the Kenites, 30 those who were in Hormah, those who were in Chorashan, those who were in Athach, 31 those who were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men were accustomed to rove. (1 Sam 30:26-31) Once again we see David modeling generosity. He and his men had recovered a tremendous amount of spoil from the Amalekites, and rather than keeping it for himself and his men. He remembers the people and places, who gave him sanctuary as he fled from Saul. This not only was a great way to show appreciation, but it also goes a long way in maintaining good will and building loyalty among these people. Generosity is a strong theme in these last couple of verses in chapter 30, and it's a strong theme throughout Scripture: 1Ti 6:18 says, “Let them (Christ followers) do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, 19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come,” (David's generosity to these people was building up a good foundation for the future!) Ga 6:9 tells us, “let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Heb 13:16, says, “But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Ec 11:1 reminds us to, “Cast your bread upon the waters, For you will find it after many days. And Pr 11:25, says, “The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself. There are great promises in Scripture associated with generosity, but let's not give looking for reward, rather let's give sacrificially because God is well pleased! Father, let me ever seek ways to please You.

Hilariously Generous

# 402 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Sa 30:22-25, “Then all the wicked and worthless men of those who went with David answered and said, "Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except for every man's wife and children, that they may lead them away and depart." 23 But David said, "My brethren, you shall not do so with what the LORD has given us, who has preserved us and delivered into our hand the troop that came against us. 24 "For who will heed you in this matter? But as his part is who goes down to the battle, so shall his part be who stays by the supplies; they shall share alike." 25 So it was, from that day forward; he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day. (1 Sam 30:22-25) The “sons of belial” desired to keep the spoil for themselves and set those who stayed with the supplies packing. But David gives us an example for all time. Simply put, we are not to hoard what the Lord has given to us. God has delivered us from our enemy, (the devil) through Christ. He preserves us through the power of the Holy Spirit, and He provides us and blesses us with an abundance of material goods. We are not to hang onto our blessings with a clenched fist. Open up your hands and let the blessings of the Lord flow to others. Let me share a couple of verses that underscore the will of God as it concerns generosity: 2Co 9:7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. De 16:17 "Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you. Pr 11:24 There is one who scatters, yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty. 25 The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself. Pr 21:26b, “ the righteous gives and does not spare.” Pr 22:9 He who has a generous eye will be blessed, For he gives of his bread to the poor. The Scriptures are rife with admonitions to be hilariously generous, “Lord open up our hearts that we may learn to open up our wallets. It's all Yours anyway!

Marked By Stinginess

# 401 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Sa 30:20-22, “Then David took all the flocks and herds they had driven before those other livestock, and said, "This is David's spoil." 21 Now David came to the two hundred men who had been so weary that they could not follow David, whom they also had made to stay at the Brook Besor. So they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him. And when David came near the people, he greeted them. 22 Then all the wicked and worthless men of those who went with David answered and said, "Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except for every man's wife and children, that they may lead them away and depart." (1 Sam 30:20-22) David and his men not only recaptured all that was lost, but they gained the spoil that the Amalekites had taken from their other raids. The spoil was declared to be David's to distribute it as he pleased. As they return to the Brook Besor, the 200 weary men who couldn't continue in the chase of the Amalekites come out to greet David. But there is dissension, as a group of men among them, called “men of Belial” in the King James, want to send the 200 stragglers away with only their wives and children. We have talked about the “children of Belial before, but let's refresh our memory. Children of belial (the devil) are marked by stinginess. They are not willing to share their money or goods with anyone. This is not to be a characteristic of those who follow Christ. Children of God are to be different from the children of the devil. 1Ti 6:18 says, “Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share,” God has opened up His hand and poured out blessing on you. Will you respond with a clenched fist, seeking to hang on to the blessing for yourself, or will you open your hand of generosity to others? Father, our attitude toward “things” tells us much about whose children we are. Help us to be ready to give and willing to share.

His Relentless Grace

# 400 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Sa 30:17-19, “Then David attacked them from twilight until the evening of the next day. Not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled. 18 So David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away, and David rescued his two wives. 19 And nothing of theirs was lacking, either small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything which they had taken from them; David recovered all. (1 Sam 30:17-19) David recouped everything. Nothing was lost. What a beautiful picture of Jesus' proclamation concerning His followers on His last night on earth. As He was being arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane He said, “in Jn 18:8,9, “if you seek Me, let these go their way," 9 that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, "Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none." This is a blessed comforting recurring theme in Scripture. Jesus does not lose the souls that the Father places in His hand through the gift of faith. Joh 10:28 says, "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.” Understand this about the Lord's hand. It is open and not a clenched fist. In other words, we have the free will to leave the protection of His hand. (The prodigal son for example) It's true, Jesus Himself loses no one, but sadly many choose to leave on their own. But even when one leaves the protection of the fold, the Bible tells us that He leaves the 99 and seeks out this one errant sheep in an effort to return it to the safety of His hand.Jesus is relentless in His pursuit of souls, because it is the Father's will that none should perish. 2Pe 3:9 says, “ The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” Therefore I encourage you who have prodigals in your life. Take hope from the heart of the Father. He is on it! He is ever seeking, ever calling the prodigal to repentance, and if you are a prodigal, if you have left the hand of Jesus and abandoned the faith. Know this, He doesn't care where you've been or what you've done, He is eagerly watching and yearning for your return. Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, thank You for Your relentless grace.

Urgent Expectation

# 399 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Sa 30:16, “And when he had brought him down, there they were, spread out over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing, because of all the great spoil which they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. (1 Sam 30:16) The Amalekites didn't have a care in the world. They had grabbed all the gusto in the world, and as far as they knew David was off with the Philistines. Eat, drink, and be merry, for we are safe and secure! But are we? Is that the picture the Bible paints? 1Th 5:2, “For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.” Lu 17:27-30, "They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 "Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; 29 "but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 "Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed. Lu 21:34-36, "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 "For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 "Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man." 2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God,” Father, give me that sense of urgent expectation for the return of Jesus and let me reflect it in holy conduct and godliness.

Conversion To Christ Changes Everything!

# 398 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Sa 30:14,15, “We made an invasion of the southern area of the Cherethites, in the territory which belongs to Judah, and of the southern area of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire." 15 And David said to him, "Can you take me down to this troop?" So he said, "Swear to me by God that you will neither kill me nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will take you down to this troop." (1 Sam 30:14,15) The Egyptian slave, left to die by his master proves to be very useful to David and his men. He knows where the Amalekites have camped and promises to lead David to them if David would promise to spare his life and not return him to his master. Evidently traitors and slaves were not treated very well in biblical times, and this Egyptian feared for his life at the hands of David and the Amalekites. Well, he need not fear David because God's people had a different view of slaves. De 23:15, 16 says, "You shall not give back to his master the slave who has escaped from his master to you. 16 "He may dwell with you in your midst, in the place which he chooses within one of your gates, where it seems best to him; you shall not oppress him.” Reading this portion of Deuteronomy, one can't help but think of the runaway slave named Onesimus, that we find in the New Testament Book called Philemon. In this book we read of Onesemus becoming converted to Christianity under the preaching of Paul while he was in Rome. Technically, Onesimus was home free! The Word of God protected him from being sent back to his master, but the Holy Spirit uses the incident to teach us about the relationships between fellow Christians. Paul urges Philemon to receive Onesemus as a brother in the Lord. And even though Onesimus remains a slave, everything about his relationship with Philemon changes. This incident with Philemon and Onesimus is the personification of the truth found in Ga 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Conversion to Christ changes everything. The ground at the cross is level. May the Lord help us grasp this truth and love and serve each other with pure hearts, no matter what our station in life may be.

Be Marked By Mercy

# 397 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 30:11-13, “Then they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David; and they gave him bread and he ate, and they let him drink water. 12 And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. So when he had eaten, his strength came back to him; for he had eaten no bread nor drunk water for three days and three nights. 13 Then David said to him, "To whom do you belong, and where are you from?" And he said, "I am a young man from Egypt, servant of an Amalekite; and my master left me behind, because three days ago I fell sick. (1 Sam 30:11-13) In pursuit of the Amalekites, David and his men find an Egyptian in the field. Greatly weakened by some sort of illness, his master had left him in the field without food and water to die. This is the lot of the servants of the Amalekites, who serve as a type of the devil and his minions. The devil scores zero on the compassion meter, and once he has his hooks in you, and has no further use for you, he will leave you high and dry. Ps 37:21 says, “The wicked borrows and does not repay, But the righteous shows mercy and gives. In other words the devil will get what he wants from you and then cast you aside, but this is not the behavior of the righteous one. He shows mercy and gives! In Ps 37:25,26 we read, “I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lends; And his descendants are blessed.” Ps 103:8 tells us, “ The LORD is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.” And Jesus follows that up with this admonition in Lu 6:36 "Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.” The righteous are marked by mercy and a willingness to lend a helping hand. Ga 6:10 says, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” God has been merciful to us and we are to extend mercy to others, it starts with that person next to you in the pew, and extends to that Egyptian, that Samaritan, or that “unbeliever in the next cubicle or across the street.” Father, You are compassionate, teach me, your child to be compassionate too.

Will God Give You More Than You Can Handle?

# 396 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 30:9,10, “So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the Brook Besor, where those stayed who were left behind. 10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were so weary that they could not cross the Brook Besor. (1 Sam 30:9,10) The picture I get here is first of all one of hot pursuit. Having received the green light from God and the promise of victory David and his men head off at full speed. About 200 of the troops began to fall behind, after all they have been on the march for three days prior to the chase. Since this is hilly country, I imagine the brook was a little wild at this time of the year and would require a great deal of energy to cross it. In fact the word Besor comes from a root word that means to “boil up.” This was likely a powerful fast moving stream. Well, the first 400 troops arrive at the rapids and have to wait for the stragglers, and the stragglers just didn't have the strength to cross the brook. So it was decided to leave them behind and they could watch the supplies that also had to be left behind. You have heard it said perhaps that God will never give you more than you can handle. Well guess what. These 200 men at the Brook of Behor were given more than they could handle. They simply could not go on! As much as we’d like to think that God will never give us more than we can handle, it’s actually critical that we learn the opposite is true. If God is only giving you what you can handle, you'll never learn to be dependent on God. If God is only giving you what YOU can handle, then you are staying in your comfort zone. If God is only giving what YOU can handle, then you are not growing. When we get to the point where we admit we can't handle it, we arrive at a place where the Apostle Paul camped. We read in 2 Cor 12:9,10, “Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Our strongest spiritual moments come when we are fully dependent upon God. Father, help me to learn to look to You for my strength.

How Can I Get Me One of Them Ephods?

# 395 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Sa 30:7,8 “Then David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, "Please bring the ephod here to me." And Abiathar brought the ephod to David. 8 So David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?" And He answered him, "Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all." (1 Sam 30:7,8) Where can I get me one of those ephods? Shall I pursue this job promotion? Should I continue this relationship? Will I get the new position? Should I purchase this property? This car? Will I be successful in this endeavor? Imagine having the answers to all these questions at your fingertips! Yes, a good working ephod would sure make life a lot easier. But why do I get the feeling that even with an ephod, I would still do what I want to do? Why do I get the feeling that there would be times that I would conveniently forget that it is available? Why do I get the feeling that when I'm afraid of what the ephod would say, I would just press on without it? People want easy answers. We want to know what the will of God is in every situation and we want to know it now! I remember a time when our church was showing a video series entitled “Knowing the Will of God.” The attendance at the first session was amazing....not so much the second week though. You see the teacher of the series took us to the Scriptures, specifically to Prov 3:5,6 which reads, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” It seems most people balked at the idea of submission being the path to revelation, and few people showed up for the next session. What a pity. The Lord delights to show us His will! He did not hide His will from Abraham concerning Sodom: Ge 18:17 And the LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing?” What was Abraham's secret? He submitted to the Lord. Want an ephod? Submit to Jesus. He promises to give you the Holy Spirit who will guide you into all truth. Joh 16:13 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth;” Father thank You for this promise, thank You for an ephod that lives inside us and is willing to speak to us through the truth of Your Word. Give us the willingness to submit to You and Your Word.

Cozy Back Up To Jesus

# 394 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Sa 30:6b-8a,” But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God. 7 Then David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, "Please bring the ephod here to me." And Abiathar brought the ephod to David. 8 So David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?" ( 1 Sam 30:6b-8a) David had messed up. He had left the home camp unguarded. In his absence, all the woman and children had been carried off to captivity. This whole time frame of co-existing with the Philistines was not exactly a highlight reel for David. It never is when we seek to co-exist with what the Philistines represent, namely the world and sin! This laxity on our part can even result in our loved ones being carried away by the world as well. This coexistence had caused David to wander from God. He had ignored the word of the prophet Gad, and although he had the ephod with him, he never consulted it for God's advice or direction. It wasn't until these dire circumstances at Zilkag, that he was forced to return to the Lord and be strengthened. This desire to return to God, brings the immediate benefit of desiring to consult God for all his decisions. The first thing that David did after returning to God was ask for the ephod. I am amazed at his question. I mean isn't it obvious? Of course you should pursue this band of marauders, they have your loved ones! But even in what appears to be obvious, David asks to make sure. You see, drawing near to God produces a sincere desire in our heart to do things God's way rather than our own way. In this incident at Zilkag we see that God's Word has once again become vital to David's decision making process. Perhaps he recalled Nu 27:21, which says, "He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire before the LORD for him by the judgment of the Urim. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in,” Friend, have you been cozying up to the world? Jas 4:4b, “Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Cozy back up to Jesus, as you cling to Him and the cross, you too, like David will desire to do things God's way rather than your way. Father, let us never take your directions for living lightly, give us hearts that earnestly desire to live according to Your will.

To the Cross I Cling

# 393 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 30:5,6, “And David's two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite, had been taken captive. 6 Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God. (1 Sam 30:5,6) David and his men return to camp and find that their wives, sons, and daughters had been taken captive. This was failed leadership on the part of David. While he was feigning loyalty to the Philistines, he left the camp unguarded and easy prey for the marauders. His men were so grieved over their lost loved ones that they spoke of stoning David to death. You and I might feel the same way in similar circumstances. This whole situation causes David to be greatly stressed. The word “stress” here is the idea of getting pressed in on all sides. It's the feeling of being in a trash compactor. Sometimes life is like that. For whatever reason, we find ourselves pressed in on all sides. What to do? Follow David's example and “strengthen yourself in the Lord.” The word used here means to attach oneself to something, it means to cling, to adhere. Sometimes, that's all you can do. I remember some of the intense spiritual battles I faced early on in my Christian walk. Pressed in on all sides I felt like just giving up. I mean, before I came to Christ, I didn't have all of these struggles. By the grace of God, I realized that to turn back would be utter foolishness and so I clung. Sometimes this clinging felt so fragile that it seemed like all I had left for a grip was a thread. But I hung on, and time after time after time, God pulled me through. I am not so foolish to think that my days in the trash compactor are over, but when the switch is thrown and the sides start closing in on me, I know that I need to adhere to Jesus. It is at times like these that I remember the classic hymn, “Rock of Ages.” Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling, Naked, come to Thee for dress, helpless, look to Thee for grace.” Father, help those today who are being squeezed. Give them the strength to cling to Jesus.

Let's talk About Tears

# 392 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Sa 30:4 Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep. (1 Sam 30:4) David and his men return to camp and find that their women and children have been carried off by marauders. It was a very emotional moment for these warriors and they cried until they had no more power left to cry. (Real men DO cry!) They were completely drained, without strength. There was nothing left in the emotional tank. Have you ever been there? So emotionally drained that you can't even cry anymore? You're in good company. Listen to the Psalmist in Ps 42:3, “My tears have been my food day and night, While they continually say to me, "Where is your God?" Here the Psalmist is experiencing an almost continual flow of tears, while those around him sneer at him and say, “Where is your God now?” I don't know what you went through or what you are going through, but I do know this, God has a keen interest in your tears. He knows. He sees. He makes note of each one of them. Ps 56:8b says, “Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book? Can you believe it? God cares so much for you that He notes every single tear drop? In a perfect world there would be no tears and that's the world followers of Christ can look forward to. In this “new”world tears will be gone forever! Re 7:17 says, “for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." And Re 21:4, says, "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." The poets have called our existence on earth the “vale of tears” (the “valley) of tears, and these passages in Revelation, the last Book of the Bible seems to back it up, as there is a twice mentioned promise that one day the cause of all crying will be removed from those who have placed their faith in Jesus. Father, thanks for the reminder, tears happen, even Jesus wept. Help us to finish in the faith, to be with Jesus in that place where there will be no more sorrow.

Appreciate the Day

# 391 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 30:1-3, “Now it happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag, on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the South and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire, 2 and had taken captive the women and those who were there, from small to great; they did not kill anyone, but carried them away and went their way. 3 So David and his men came to the city, and there it was, burned with fire; and their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive. (1 Sam 30:1-3) Ziklag was the place where David and his men had been given refuge by Achish and it was three days journey from the battle site that was shaping up between the Philistines and the Israelites. Imagine how David and his men felt as they were approaching home. What does the sight of smoke do to their emotions? They quicken their pace and draw nearer and see ruins instead of buildings. Faster and more frantic they draw nearer still and they see no human activity at all. Oh how their hearts must've sank. The only good news is that it appears their women and children were carried off, rather than slain. Remember 9-11? On that day, 2977 people boarded flights, went to work, and never came home. We were all stunned and many husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, children, friends, made it a point to express anew their love to each other, realizing how quickly things can change. It's funny how quickly that sense of urgency disappears, when disasters fade from our memory. Yet every day cars crash, mud slides, cancer strikes, and hearts fail. The point being, we don't know what will befall us or our loved ones on any given day, when we step outside that door. Things can change in an instant! Pr 27:1 says, “you do not know what a day may bring forth.” I wonder how this truth might change our daily interactions with others, especially our loved ones. I wonder how this truth would change our prayer life. I wonder how thankful we might become for each moment with each other, and even more thankful that through faith in Christ, no matter what befalls us in the here and now, we can be together with loved ones on the other side. Thank You Father for the gift of today. May we use it to show our appreciation to You and to the others that You have placed in our lives.

Lies Beget Lies

# 390 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Sa 29:6-11, “Then Achish called David and said to him, "Surely, as the LORD lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army is good in my sight. For to this day I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me. Nevertheless the lords do not favor you. 7 "Therefore return now, and go in peace, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines." 8 So David said to Achish, "But what have I done? And to this day what have you found in your servant as long as I have been with you, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?" 9 Then Achish answered and said to David, "I know that you are as good in my sight as an angel of God; nevertheless the princes of the Philistines have said, 'He shall not go up with us to the battle.' 10 "Now therefore, rise early in the morning with your master's servants who have come with you. And as soon as you are up early in the morning and have light, depart." 11 So David and his men rose early to depart in the morning, to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel. (1 Sam 29:6-11) There is no doubt that David dodged a bullet here big time. His feigned loyalty to Achish had reached a point to where it was going to be tested in a life and death manner. Having been given an “out” by the king, David and his men could well be on there way to safety, but instead David puts up still another false pretense. To paraphrase from Hamlet, “David doth protest too much methinks.” What was this objection of David but yet another lie? David's lies to Achish began with his raids against the Amalekites. When Achish asked David what he was up to, he would lie and tell Achish that he was attacking Israelites. Then in order to cover his lies he would take no prisoners. Such is the way of the liar as they seek to cover their tracks. They don't care who they hurt as they seek to cover their butt. Lies beget lies and can even lead to habitual lying! In Ezekiel 24:12, we read of one of the sins of Jerusalem, “She hath wearied herself with lies Did you catch that? Lying is wearisome, it tires you out, because you have to keep coming up with new ones to cover your tracks. Tired of living a lie? Come to Jesus. Ask for His forgiveness and His help because He “desires truth in the inward parts” (Ps 51:6) and He can get you there. Jesus help me out of this pit I have dug with my lies. Deliver me from my lying tongue.

Presumptious Sinning

# 389 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 29:3-5, “Then the princes of the Philistines said, "What are these Hebrews doing here?" And Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, "Is this not David, the servant of Saul king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or these years? And to this day I have found no fault in him since he defected to me." 4 But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him; so the princes of the Philistines said to him, "Make this fellow return, that he may go back to the place which you have appointed for him, and do not let him go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become our adversary. For with what could he reconcile himself to his master, if not with the heads of these men? 5 "Is this not David, of whom they sang to one another in dances, saying: 'Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands'?" (1 Sam 29:3-5) All the battle ready divisions of the Philistines have passed in review in front of all the generals, and bringing up the rear is David and his men. WHAT?, the generals protest to the king. Hebrews for our rear guard? Isn't this the guy who has a history of kicking our butt? The king defends David citing his perceived loyalty of the past sixteen months to him. But the princes of the Philistines prevail and David and his men are relieved of their rear guard duty. Just try to imagine what was going through the hearts and minds of David and his men at this time. Up to this time they had been able to feign their loyalty to Achish but now they were marching in rank with the Philistines on the eve of battle with their own flesh and blood. Something would have to give here. Would David and his men turn on the Philistines or would they press on against their brothers. We'll never know because God acted in mercy and grace on David's behalf. He pulled the “I own the king's heart card” and delivered David from this mess. Pr 21:1 says, “ The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.” David dodged a bullet! This is not a green light for us to act in such a way that we put ourselves in “messy” conditions. As we read in Ro 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? No we must plead with David, “Ps 19:13 Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me.” Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression. Father, I pray for those even now who are playing with spiritual fire. Deliver us all from presumptuous sinning.

An Example of Law and Grace

This is the fourth most viewed post of the Prime Time Devos and it is an illustration of the difference between Law and Grace 1Sa 8:9-13, "Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them." 10 So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who asked him for a king. 11 And he said, "This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots. 12 "He will appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 "He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. (1 Sam 8:9-13) Up until this time the Israelites were not ruled by a king. God served as their protector and provider. This was unlike any other arrangement in the world. As long as the people served and loved God rather than idols, the people were more blessed and more powerful than any other nation in the world. God would raise up leaders and then use them to bring enemy forces to their knees. Remember what Moses did in Egypt, Joshua in Canaan, Gideon, Deborah, and Samson in the period of the judges. When the people voluntarily followed God they lived in freedom and prosperity. And here's the key.....it was all voluntary service on their part. But now the people want a king like all the other nations. And note well what the king does, “He will take.” All right then people, this is what having a king will look like. Your sons and daughters will no longer have this volunteer option. They will be drafted into the kings service as soldiers in the army, and servants in the kings palace and on his land. They will be made to work in the kings weapons factories. They will serve as cooks, bakers, perfumers, and anything else the king may demand. What a picture of law and grace. One a life of compulsion, the other a life of voluntary service. Which would you rather live under? In Christ, we live and serve in love. 1Jo 4:19 says, “We love Him because He first loved us.”

The Test of the Talebearer

Today's Prime Time Devo is a repeat from an earlier blog. This particular Devo has been the third most popular and it deals with the faithfulness in the area of confidentiality. 1Sa 10:14-16, “ Then Saul's uncle said to him and his servant, "Where did you go?" So he said, "To look for the donkeys. When we saw that they were nowhere to be found, we went to Samuel." 15 And Saul's uncle said, "Tell me, please, what Samuel said to you." 16 So Saul said to his uncle, "He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found." But about the matter of the kingdom, he did not tell him what Samuel had said. " Why the secrecy? Why not spill the beans to Saul's uncle? Why even include this little incident in Scripture. It certainly isn't necessary to the rest of the story. What lessons can we learn from this. First of all, I think it's a major miracle that Saul didn't spill the beans. This is an uncle, a close friend of the family. Wouldn't you want to tell him about this tremendous honor that has just been bestowed upon you? Yet Saul remains silent. This “new heart” that God had given him and the dousing with the Holy Spirit is already producing fruit in Saul's life. In not “spilling the beans” to his uncle Saul is demonstrating faithfulness, and patience. Pr 11:13 says, “A talebearer reveals secrets, But he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter.” and Pr 19:11 says, The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression. Saul had a choice. He could be a talebearer and demonstrate unfaithfulness in keeping confidentiality, or he could exercise discretion and demonstrate that he could be patient. Patience (longsuffering) and faithfulness are two of the qualities listed among the fruit of the Spirit in Ga 5:22. “ But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,” Think about it. Every time you are given information in confidence from another, the Lord is giving you an opportunity to display the fruit of the Spirit in your life. Oh others just like Saul's uncle will try to pry it out of you, but remember this incident and look to God to help you to keep a lid on it.