Devotionary

Just when David thought it couldn’t get any worse, it did. He was about to lose everything, including his wife, best friend, and job, not to mention his dignity. He was going to become a man on the run, with a bounty on his head and that nagging feeling that someone was always out to get him. Nowhere would be safe. And, as we will see, Saul was not someone who would give up easily. David could run, but Saul would continue to pursue him – stubbornly and relentlessly. But all of this was part of God’s divine plan for David’s life. God wasn’t caught off guard. He didn’t have to come up with a plan B. This had been his plan all along. Because God had some invaluable lessons He wanted to teach David that could only be learned in the fires of adversity. David was about to be thrown into God’s furnace of purification. And the heat was about to get intense. God wasn’t punishing David, He was perfecting him. He was turning the shepherd of sheep into the shepherd of Israel. He was transforming a man of faith into a man

By now, the stubbornness of Saul should be quite evident. Like a dog with a rag, he refuses to let go of his anger and resentment against David. Cooler heads have tried to prevail, but he remains determined to take the life of David and prolong his own reign. But his efforts will proof fruitless and futile. Whether he realizes it or not, he is foolishly attempting to fight the will of God Almighty. His efforts to kill David have failed time and time again, because God has a plan for David’s life. It doesn’t matter how many times Saul tries to stab David with a spear or how many bounties he places on his head, the will of God cannot and will not be thwarted. And Saul’s growing frustration will spill over in rage against his own son, whom he will try to kill with a spear. This is the portrait of a man possessed, both figuratively and literally. No longer controlled by the Spirit of God, Saul is obviously under demonic possession, and operating out of uncontrollable rage. And one of the saddest realities of this

David is forced to flee for his life. And you would think that this brings any chance of him becoming the next king of Israel to an abrupt and ignominious end. But, in reality, this is just the beginning of David’s life story. And it is all part of God’s divine plan for his life. When David runs, he does so, filled with confusion and self-incrimination. He can’t figure out what he has done to make Saul so angry with him. He even begs Jonathan to help him determine how to make things right with his father. Jonathan is convinced that David is overreacting. He can’t bring himself to believe that his father is serious about his threats to kill David. So, David concocts a plan to expose Saul’s real agenda and to convince Jonathan that the threat on his life is real. But the most amazing part of this story is the way David handles himself throughout the entire ordeal. He’s confused, but shows no signs of anger or resentment. He doesn’t lash out at Saul or call on God to strike him down. If anything, he seems to be

Saul was relentless. He was obsessed with the idea of killing David. In his tormented mind, he truly believed that if he filled David, he could continue to rule and reign as the king of Israel – in spite of God’s pledge to remove and replace him with a man after God’s own heart. And in 1 Samuel 19:11-24, Saul will have his sinister plans to kill David thwarted by his own daughter, Michal. She will get wind of her father’s plot and assist her husband in escaping. And this story, full of deception, intrigue, lies and nail-biting, last-second escapes, is about far more than David’s too-close-for-comfort getaway. It’s about a cosmic struggle taking place in the invisible realms. In other words, it’s about spiritual warfare – a battle between God and Satan. While Saul and David are the primary protagonists in the story, they are not the primary focus. What we have here is a earthly glimpse into the epic struggle taking place between righteousness and wickedness. Yes, Saul is out to kill David, but there is far mor

Saul had it out for David. His animosity, driven by his jealousy and fear of David, kept revealing itself in ever-more intense efforts to take David’s life. He had tried to kill David with a spear – twice. Now he was going to issue an order that all of his servants do whatever they had to do to see that David was eliminated. Saul even ordered his own son, Jonathan, to take the life of his best friend, David. All of this reveals Saul’s growing desperation and despondency. He had been rejected by God because of his disobedience. And he knew his days on the throne were numbered. Saul was seeking every opportunity to kill David, all in a futile effort to prolong his reign. And even when Jonathan convinced his father to rescind his order to kill David, it was little more than a delay. The calm before the storm. And 1 Samuel 19:1-10 ends with Saul trying, for a third time, to nail David to the wall with a spear. He missed, but David didn’t take any chances and fled for his life. It was about time for David to give

Saul had a love-hate relationship with David. At least, it started out that way. But it wasn’t long before any love for David was replaced by a jealousy-fueled, fear induced hatred. He saw David as a threat and was determined to rid himself of this winner of the peoples’ choice award. And it’s amazing the lengths Saul went to in his efforts to eliminate any possibility of David becoming the next king of Israel. He had tried to kill him. He tried relocating him. And, as we will see in 1 Samuel 18:17-30, Saul will try to take advantage of David’s unwavering allegiance, by deceiving him and exposing him to life-threatening situations. And yet, Saul would see all his efforts fail because God had plans for David. He was the Lord’s anointed. But that doesn’t mean all was going to go well for David or that his life would be trouble-free. A big part of what God was doing was preparing David for the day when he would assume the throne of Israel. These next months and years of his life were going to be difficult, but n

How do you learn to be a king? Well, you can always do it by watching another king. And then there’s on-the-job training, where you learn as you go. Both have their pros and cons, but it seems that God was going to allow David to take the first route, allowing him to watch King Saul from an up-close-and-personal vantage point right in the palace. But most of the lessons David would learn from Saul would be of the negative variety. Saul would provide David with more than enough examples of how NOT to reign. And it wasn’t long before David found himself on the receiving end of Saul’s uncontrollable anger, a byproduct of the king’s growing jealousy. All of this was part of God’s divine strategy to provide David with a graduate-level education on kingship. David had been anointed the next king of Israel, but he was not yet on the throne, because he was not yet ready. There were many life lessons David would have to learn before he was ready to wear the crown and assume the responsibility of leading the people of

Chapter 18 of 1 Samuel opens up with a description of the new and deepening friendship between David and Jonathan, the son of King Saul. This relationship will play a significant part in the unfolding story of David’s life. David, the unlikely hero who had defeated the Philistine champion, Goliath, suddenly found himself a full-time employee of the king and a friend to the king’s son. But it wouldn’t take long before David discovered his best friend’s father didn’t share his son’s affection for him. At least, not all the time. Saul would begin to exhibit wild mood swings and a meteoric relationship with his young shepherd turned warrior. David’s seeming penchant for success and growing popularity among the people would end up making Saul jealous. And it didn’t help that Saul could hear songs being sung in the streets of the city boasting of David’s accomplishments. David had made a friend and a foe in the king’s palace, and it was just a matter of time before Saul and his son found themselves in conflict over

David had done the impossible. He had surprised any and all, especially the giant, Goliath, by scoring a not-to-be-expected victory over the Philistine champion. And King Saul had to have been beside himself with joy over the unlikely outcome of the confrontation between Goliath and the scrawny shepherd boy. But again, before we turn this story into an autobiographical record of the feats of David, we need to step back and take a look at the bigger story found in Scripture. What we have pictured here is a spiritual battle, between the evil forces of this world and God Almighty. And in the middle are the people of God, quaking in their boots and ill-equipped to do anything about the loud-mouthed, muscle-bound giant hurling curses at them. In many ways, the people of Israel, as portrayed in this story, were suffering from lousy leadership. They had chosen to turn their backs on God, rejecting Him as their true King, and choosing instead to have a king like all the other nations. Which is why God had given them

Everyone loves the story of David and Goliath, because almost everyone has a heart for the underdog. That’s why all the Rocky movies have been so popular for so long. It’s why we love to see the out-gunned and out-manned armies of the Alliance get the upper hand over the Imperial forces in every Star Wars movie. We like seeing the little guy win. We prefer to watch the neighborhood bully get his clock cleaned by the little kid with the thick glasses and a mean right hook. But we need to be careful that we don’t turn the story of David and Goliath into some kind of moralistic story about victories over the bullies of life. Yes, David was way out of his league when he stepped onto the field of battle with Goliath, but the whole point of this story is that the battle was not up to David in the first place. It was about the enemies of God getting what they deserved from God. The battle was the Lord’s and it had been all along. God had been willing to bring victory – if anyone would simply believe that He could. A

David and Goliath. Those two names are so familiar to us that we almost always associate them with some moral story about facing the giants in life. And when we do, we forget the context of the original event and the true message that God is trying to convey through the lives of these two men. As we so often do, we take the stories found in the Old Testament and make them all about the individual involved. We stress the faith of Abraham and then try to emulate it. We study the leadership skills of Moses and attempt to apply them in our business. We read about David facing a literal giant in his life and we try to turn it into a lesson on fearlessness and faithfulness against all odds. And it’s not that we’re wrong for doing so. It’s just that we tend to miss the point of the passage. The story of David and Goliath is not really about either man. They aren’t the stars of this drama, God is. Yes, this is a story about insurmountable odds, formidable foes, and unlikely victories. But it’s also about the power of

David has showed up at the front lines of battle, where the army of Israel is facing the Philistines and their larger-than-life champion, Goliath. And David is appalled at what he finds. Not a single man is willing to stand up to the taunts of the Philistine warrior, and take his challenge to hand-to-hand combat. Everyone is in fear and afraid to risk a confrontation with what appears to be an unbeatable foe. But in 1 Samuel 17:19-30, David will express his dismay at the lack of action on the part of Saul and his troops, including his older brother, Eliab. He will accuse David of showing up unannounced and without the permission of their father. In essence, he accuses David of shirking his shepherding duties at home. But, in reality, David had been sent by his father and, as the rest of the story unfolds, he was on a mission for God. This young, seemingly insignificant shepherd was going to do what no one else was willing to do: Stand up to the enemies of God in the power of God. And he would do so not for pr

David had the anointing of the Holy Spirit and had been designated by God to be the next king of Israel. But, there was only one problem. Saul was still the official king. While God had removed His Spirit from Saul, He had not yet chosen to remove Saul from the throne. And God, in His inimitable way, chose to place David in the employment of the man he would eventually replace. But David was already setting himself apart as a man of valor. And in 1 Samuel 17:1-18, we have the opening of one of the most famous stories regarding David, his confrontation with Goliath, the Philistine champion. David, when not serenading the emotionally disturbed king by playing his lyre, was busy shepherding his father’s flocks. But God had something significant for David to do. He was about to confront one of the most ominous and intimidating enemies that Israel had ever seen. When the king was too afraid to stand up to the giant, Goliath, David would reveal his faith in God and his willingness to trust in the power of God. This

David, the youngest of all Jesse’s sons, was a lowly shepherd, designated with the responsibility to care for the flocks and herds belonging to the family. In fact, when the prophet had shown up at Jesse’s home, David had not even been included in the gathering of all the sons. Instead, he hadh been left to tend the sheep. But when God had refused to accept any of the sons of Jesse as the next king of Israel, the prophet demanded that David be brought before him. And the rest, they say, is history. David would be anointed by Samuel, in the presence of his father and brothers. But it is not clear whether anyone but the prophet knew the significance of all that was taking place. One of the remarkable aspects of this story, found in 1 Samuel 16:11-23, is that David, upon his anointing with oil, was filled with the Holy Spirit. He had been divinely ordained by God to be the next king of Israel and had received the power of God in the form of the Spirit of God. But oddly enough, David didn’t ascend to the throne.

Today we begin a new series on the life of David. Over the next few months we are going to be looking into the books of 1st and 2nd Samuel and 1st Kings as we unpack the life of this incredible character from the Old Testament. We’ll open up in this episode with God sending His prophet, Samuel, to the house of Jesse in order to select a successor for the disobedient King Saul. We are first introduced to David in 1 Samuel 16:1-11. And interestingly enough, he’s almost a no-show in this passage, having been left in the fields by his father, relegated to tending sheep while Jesse and his older sons entertain the prophet of God. This passage presents an interesting contrast, revealing a marked difference between God’s viewpoint and that of men. Samuel has been commanded by God to anoint the next king of Israel, whom God Himself had already chosen. But Samuel was in the dark as to who this new king might be. So, he went with his instincts and looked for the man who looked the part. He judged by outward appearances

As Paul sums up his thoughts in Ephesians 6:10-24, he calls on his audience to be strong and in the strength of His might. He isn’t telling them to gut it up, He’s encouraging them to look up, to Jesus. They must recognize that their strength is in Him. Their hope is in Him. And their guarantee of eternity is completely up to Him. Paul reminds them that they are in a battle and it is not against earthly enemies. It is against spiritual forces that operate in the invisible realm, but who are anything but figments of men’s imaginations. They are evil and they are powerful. But we do not have to fear them. We have been provided all the armor we need to do battle with the enemy. But Paul reminds his readers, and us, that we do not fight alone. We are in this together, with Christ, but also alongside every other child of God. We make up a divine army that answers to the Lord of Hosts. We get our marching orders from Him. We fight in His name and according to His strength. And we do so, side by side, with every oth

Submission. To many modern Christians, that might as well be a four-letter word. It carries the same impact and is viewed with the same degree of negativity. And yet, the Bible is replete with calls to submission. In fact, in Ephesians 5:21-6:9, Paul addresses this volatile topic in conjunction with his discussion of Spirit-filled living. He is out to change the way the believers in Ephesus thought about righteousness and its practical applications to all of life, including their relationships with others. Godly living was about far more than keeping a set of rules or maintaining a list of dos and don’ts. It was about life change. And for Paul, it was about a life of submission, first and foremost to God, but also to all those around you. Paul didn’t see submission as a dirty word or some kind of call to subservience and subjugation. It was an expression of love for God and others. Submission involves humility and requires selflessness. It operates under the mindset that all we do is to be done as to the Lord

Living the Christ-like life is all about control. The question has to do with who is in control. Far too often, even the most well-intentioned believers find themselves fighting for control of their lives rather than allowing the Holy Spirit to guide, direct and empower all that they do. And for Paul, living the Christian life was impossible without submission to the Spirit’s control. He alone provides us with the strength and the resources we need to live in keeping with God’s will and in step with Christ’s example. In Ephesians 5:15-20, Paul reminds us that we live in evil days, when there are countless forms of opposition that make our pursuit of righteousness impossible – unless we are relying on the indwelling power of the Spirit. Our will is no match for the flesh, the world and the enemy. We don’t stand a chance unless we choose to be filled with the Spirit. And it is a daily choice. It is a matter of control. Doing God’s will is only possible when we are controlled by God’s Spirit. He alone can help u

Light and dark. Sin and righteousness. These are key themes in Paul’s letter as he addresses the believers in Ephesus. He is calling them to live according to their calling as sons and daughters of God. They are to be holy as God is holy. They are to live righteously, according to the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells within them. In fact, Paul tells them that they are to imitate God. That’s a lofty ideal. But even more than that, they are to love in the same way that Christ did: Sacrificially and selflessly. Their lives are to be dramatically different than those of the lost who live all around them. Darkness and unrighteousness characterized their pagan neighbors who knew nothing about Jesus Christ and were still separated from God because of their sins. But they had been brought near by the grace of God and been made children of God. So, in Ephesians 5:1-14, Paul calls on them to as lights in the midst of a dark world. They were to expose sin by living in the light of God’s Word and in the power of God’s

Self-improvement is a hot topic in our culture. Books and seminars abound on the topic and social media is rife with advertorials lauding the latest diet, exercise program, or business strategy designed to produce a new and improved you. And even within Christian circles, we hear a lot about the topic of self-improvement, from sermons that offer five keys to a better life to books that provide simple steps to increased spirituality. And while Paul was a big fan of spiritual self-improvement, he knew that the self had little to do with it. It was the work of the Spirit of God. So, in Ephesians 4:17-32 he encourages his readers to put off the old self and to put on the new self. He demands that they live differently and distinctively, in keeping with their new status as God’s children. But he also reminds them that the Holy Spirit is the key to their inner transformation and the power that makes possible any changes to their external behavior. He expected them to live dramatically different lives, but not based