Thurs.’s Devo - God Guards the Truth

Read: 1 Samuel 17:1-18:4; John 8:21-30; Psalm 111:1-10; Provers 15:11 David was successful in all Saul asked him to do. He had the favor of all the people. When the army of Israel returned home the women would sing, “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” *** When Saul heard the song he was very upset and was afraid of losing his kingship to David. The next day, his tormenting spirit came back and Saul was a mad man. David came to play his harp but Saul hurled his spear at him. David escaped his spear twice. *** David continued to lead his army of 1,000 men and continued to have success. Saul became more and more afraid of David. *** The day came for Saul to give his daughter to David, like he had promised, but he gave her instead to Adriel. Saul had another daughter named Michal who had fallen in love with David. Saul saw this as an opportunity to get rid of David. He had his men tell David that he could have her for 100 Philistine foreskins as his bride price. David gave him 200. Saul had no recourse but to give him Michal. When Saul how much she loved David, he was even more afraid of David. *** Saul tried to get his servants and Jonathan to assassinate David but Jonathan loved David and told David what his father was planning. Jonathan was able to talk his father out of killing David by reminding him of all the things David had done for him. Saul allowed David to come back and serve in the court like before. *** David continued to have success on the battlefield. *** One day Saul was at home and his tormenting spirit came back. David played the harp for him and he hurled his spear at David. David escaped to his house. Saul sent men to watch his house and kill David when he walked out the next morning. Michal convinced David to escape that night. She put an idol in his bed. When the men came to arrest David the next day, she told them David was in bed sick. *** Saul sent the troops back to get David and bring him to him but they found the idol instead. Michal said that David had threatened to kill her if he didn’t go along with his plan. *** David escaped and went to see Samuel in Ramah. Saul found out and sent troops to Ramah to get David but the spirit of prophecy fell upon them and they prophesied, it happened to the next group of troops, and finally to Saul also when he arrived. *** Jesus was still talking to the crowd. He told them if they remained faithful to his teaching, then they would know the truth and it would set them free. They had no idea that they were slaves. Jesus explained they were slaves to sin. Anyone who sinned was its slave. Slaves are not permanent members of the family, but the son is. And if the son sets you free, then you are totally free. *** Even though they claimed they were children of Abraham, by their actions they were proving they were children of the devil. If they were true children of Abraham, they would believe in him and not try to kill him. Instead they were illegitimate children. *** The proof was in the fact that they did evil and loved doing evil. Satan was a murderer from the beginning of the earth. He has always hated the truth. Jesus told them that anyone who believed in him, belongs to God. *** The Jews that heard this were so upset they called him a Samaritan devil and accused him of being possessed by a demon. *** He told them he didn’t have a demon but he honored his Father and though he had no wish to glorify himself, God did, and would glorify him. Anyone who believed in him would never die. *** They were now so upset with Jesus. How could he think he was greater than Abraham and the prophets, who died. Jesus said that Abraham looked forward to the day when he would come to earth, speaking of himself. The people didn’t understand how Jesus who was only in his thirties could claim to have seen Abraham. *** When Jesus said that before Abraham was born, I AM, they picked up stones to stone him but Jesus was hidden from them and left the Temple. *** Lord, thank you for always speaking the truth no matter what it cost you. May we be that bold and fearless. May we be adamant about the truth and resolved in our hearts. You are the truth and the life.