Tues.’s Devo - Trust the Truth

Read: 1 Samuel 18:5-19:24; John 8:31-59; Psalm 112:1-10; Proverbs 15:12-14 Saul made David a commander over his men of war and he was successful in everything he did. One day when he came back from killing the Philistines, he went to meet Saul. They heard the women of the town singing, “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” Saul was already insanely jealous of David and this just added to his sickness. The next day his tormenting spirit came back on him and David played the harp to calm him. He threw a spear at David trying to pin him to the wall. David escaped him twice. Saul could see that the Spirit of God had left him and now rested on David. He sent David away to fight with his men. The more successful David became the more afraid Saul became. *** Saul devised a plan to give his daughter in marriage to David but first he had to prove himself on the battlefield. He wanted the Philistines to kill David so he would be innocent. Instead, God protected David and he had success in every battle. Saul ended up giving the daughter he had promised to David to another man. *** Saul’s other daughter, Michal was in love with David and Saul found out. Here was another chance to kill David. He told David that for his bride price, he wanted 100 Philistines foreskins. David gave him 200. He had to give Michal to David. *** Jonathan had a talk with his father about David and he reminded him of all the things David had done for him. He told him it didn’t make sense for him to kill an innocent man who did so much good for him. Saul repented and David was able to come back to his court and serve like before. *** Saul did not stay repented. One day when David was playing his harp for Saul, he hurled his spear again, trying to kill David. David fled for his life. Michal told him that he had to leave the city or her father would kill him that night. She was right. She put an idol in his bed and told the soldiers that David was sick. Saul told them to bring him in his bed to him. When they went to get him they found the trick Michal had pulled on them. She saved herself by saying that David had made her do it or he would kill her. *** David fled to Ramah where Saul lived and told him everything that Saul had done to him. Samuel told David to stay with him there. When Saul found out where David was hiding out, he sent troops to capture him but every time, they would end up prophesying and when it happened the third time, Saul himself went to Ramah. The Spirit of God hit him also and he prophesied all the way to Naioth where David was. He lay completely exposed prophesying with the people watching. *** In John, Jesus was talking about setting them free if they believed in him. They didn’t know they were in bondage. Jesus explained to them that they were slaves to sin, but a slave was not a permanent member of the family. They were like slaves, they didn’t need to be permanent slaves to sin. And if the son of the house, set a slave free, then he was free. He was the Son of God and he could set them free if they believed in him. *** They told him Abraham was their father, but Jesus said that if Abraham was their father then they would follow his example. They were the sons of their father the devil. They argued that God was their Father. but Jesus said that if God was their Father, then they would accept him. *** Satan was their father who was a murderer from the beginning. He was also Saul’s father whose only goal, like the religious leaders of Jesus’ day, was to murder God’s anointed. *** Jesus’ crowd started getting angry because as Jesus said, they couldn’t hear the truth because the truth was not in them. They accused him of what they were. They accused Jesus of having a demon. Jesus said that God would glorify him when he judged him innocent. *** Jesus accused them of not knowing God and being a liar. When he said that Abraham rejoiced to see his coming, they couldn’t take it. When he said, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I AM!” they picked up stones to kill him. But Jesus stepped into the spirit and disappeared from their sight, proving they did not have eyes to see. *** Lord, help us not to stumble over the truth when we don’t understand. Your thoughts and ways are higher than ours. May we trust in your Words.