Sun.’s Devo - David’s Advisors -

Read: 2 Samuel 17:1-29; John 19:23-42; Psalm 119:129-152; Proverbs 16:12-13 Ahithophel, David’s advisor who betrayed him to follow Absalom, wanted to take 12,000 men and go after David and his men. He planned to kill David and then all the people following him would have no choice but to come back and be loyal to Absalom. It was really good advice. *** But, Absalom wanted to hear what Hushai had to say who had been David’s best advisor. Hushai said that Ahithophel’s advise was not good at this time. He explained that David and his men were mighty men of war and they would be so mad they would be unstoppable. Once they started killing Absalom’s men, they would flee and it would be over for Absalom. *** God caused everyone to agree with Hushai’s advice. Ahithophel was so humiliated that Absalom didn’t do what he had suggested that he went home and killed himself. *** Hushai sent word to Zadok the priest to send his two young sons, Jonathan and Ahimaaz to tell David to hurry and cross over the Jordan. Hushai had bought them some time to get as far away as he could. *** A young man spotted Jonathan and Ahimaaz and told Absalom’s men. They came to the house where they had seen them, but the woman of the house had hidden them in her well and covered it with a cloth covered with seed. She sent Absalom’s men on a wild goose chase. When they couldn’t find the two men, they returned to Jerusalem. Jonathan and Ahamaaz got the message to David. *** David and his men crossed the Jordan and came to Mahanaim where Shobi, Machir and Barzillai, all from different nations came with provisions for David and his men. *** Mahnaim was where Jacob was met by the angels of God in Gen. 32:2. This was also the town that Saul’s son, Ishbosheth had reigned and was murdered by his own two body guards. *** In John, the soldiers couldn’t tear Jesus’ robe to divide it between them because it had no seams. So, they cast lost for it just like the prophets had prophesied. *** All the women who had followed Jesus were around the cross. When Jesus noticed his mother, he gave her to John to take care of. John took Mary into his own home to care for her. This was the last thing he needed to do to complete his work on earth. He said, “It is finished,” and gave up his spirit. *** Since the Sabbath would begin that day at sunset, the Jews asked Pilate to hurry their deaths by breaking their legs so they couldn’t push up to breathe. When they came to Jesus, he was already dead, so they didn’t have to break his legs. Isaiah had prophesied that none of his bones would be broken. He also said that they would look upon the one they had pierced. *** Joseph of Arimathea, who was a wealthy follower of Jesus, went to Pilate to ask for Jesus’ body. Pilate gave him permission and he took Jesus’ body and placed him in his own new tomb. Nicodemus brought 75 pounds of myrrh and aloes. They took his body and bound it in linen with the spices and laid him in the tomb. *** Lord, after reading of all the plans of Absalom that were brought down and all the plans of Satan that were dispelled at the cross, we see how you are in total control over what goes on on earth. We invite you to lead us in the days we are living in. Lead our nations back to you. Disspel the plans of the enemy and let your plans stand.

Sat.’s Devo - God’s Kings

Read: 2 Samuel 15:23-16:23; John 18:25-19:22; Psalm 119:113-128; Proverbs 16:10-11 The people of Israel cried as they watched David and his people leaving Jerusalem. Abiathar and the priests came with the ark of the covenant. Once outside the city, David sent the priests back with the ark to the city. He asked them to be spies for him. *** David went up the Mount of Olives weeping as he went. I wonder if Jesus thought of this when he went to the Mount of Olives to pray for the people he would be leaving. David was rejected from Jerusalem, just like Jesus would be many years later. *** David learned that Ahithophel, one of his advisors had conspired with Absalom. Hushai was David’s most trusted advisor. Hushai was old and would slow David down, so he told him he would be more help if he would go back and pretend to serve Absalom. He sent him back to the city to be another spy for him. He was to give his information to Abiathar’s sons who would get the information to him. Hushai made it back just as Absalom was entering the city. *** Ziba also came to meet David and his men. He brought donkeys for them to ride, 200 loaves of bread, raisins, fruit and a skin of wine. When David asked about Mephibosheth, he told him that he said, “Today the house of Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father.” David then gave all that belonged to Mephibosheth to Ziba. We never learn if Ziba was telling the truth or not. *** At Bahurim, a man named Shimei came cursing David and his men and throwing stones at them. Abishai wanted to kill the man but David wouldn’t allow him to. He would let God punish him if he was in the wrong. *** Absalom met with the people of Israel. Ahithophel was with him. When he saw Hushai, he questioned his loyalty, but Hushai told him he would serve him like he did his father. Absalom believed him and asked him for advice. Ahithophel told Absalom to go in to his father’s concubines for all Israel to see so they would know just what he thought of his father. (This would reveal his heart to the people and they could judge him.) He did, and this fulfilled God’s word over David that one in his own house would have his wives. *** In John, we see the hypocrisy of the Jewish leaders. They wouldn’t enter the governor’s headquarters because it would defile them and they wouldn’t be allowed to eat the Passover. But they had no problem defiling themselves by conspiring to murder God’s innocent Passover lamb. *** When Pilate asked the Jewish leaders what crime Jesus had committed, they didn’t give him a direct answer. They said that if he wasn’t doing something wrong they wouldn’t have brought him to be judged. That is not an answer and Pilate knew they were trying to play him. He refused to be used and turned Jesus over to them to judge him themselves. But, they explained that they could’t do that because their laws didn’t allow crucifixion and they wanted Jesus crucified. *** Pilate took Jesus into a room and asked Jesus what he had done. Jesus didn’t answer him. Jesus told him that his kingdom was not of this world or his servants would have fought to keep him from being turned over to the Jews. Pilate then asked him if he was a king. Jesus told him that he, Pilate would call him a king, but he was brought into the world to be a witness of the truth. Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” *** Pilate returned to the people and told them that he didn’t find anything Jesus guilty of anything. He wanted to know if they wanted him to release Jesus or Barabbas who was a known resurrectionist and a robber. They chose Barabbas. *** Pilate then had Jesus flogged and his soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and placed it on his head. They mocked him as the king of the Jews. Pilate brought Jesus out and told them again that he found no guilt in him. The chief priests yelled that they wanted Jesus crucified. Pilate told them to crucify him themselves, because he found him innocent. The Jews said that their law said he had to die because he had claimed he was the Son of God. This frightened Pilate even more. *** Pilate went back to Jesus and asked him where he came from, but Jesus wouldn’t answer him. Pilate got mad and told him that he had the authority to release or crucify him. Jesus told him that he didn’t have the authority to do anything God didn’t let him do. The ones who delivered him over to die had the greater sin. *** Pilate was really afraid now, and looked for any way he could get out of killing Jesus just in case what he said was the truth. The Jews pulled the ‘Caesar card’ and got what they wanted. Pilate finally ordered Jesus to be crucified. *** Jesus bore his own cross and they led him to the Place of a Skull which is Golgotha. He was crucified between two other men. Pilate had a sign written which said ‘Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.’ He had it written in Aramaic, Latin, and in Greek. They would all bear witness to the sin of the Jews for crucifying Jesus. When the priests wanted to change the sign to read, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews,’ Pilate refused to change it. *** The lives of David and Jesus were so similar. They were both kings, betrayed by their own family. They bore the shame of other’s sins and guilt. They both took it with humility and courage. And, they were both rewarded afterward with their rightful place of honor. *** Lord, thank you for the humiliation, pain, suffering and shame that you bore in our place. Thank you that we have peace with God because of what you did for us on the cross. May we never forget your great love for us and freely live our lives for you.

Fri.’s Devo- Betrayals

Read: 2 Samuel 14:1-15:22; John 18:1-24; Psalm 119:97-112; Proverbs 16:8-9 Joab knew that David longed to see Absalom, but his pride wouldn’t let him send for him, so Joab devised a plan. He sent a woman from Tekoa to tell David a similar story so he could look at his relationship with Absalom in a new light. It did the trick. David agreed to let Joab bring Absalom back to Jerusalem, but he didn’t want to see him. *** Absalom came back to Jerusalem but was banned from the king’s presence. This went on for two years, till finally, Absalom had had enough and burned down Joab’s barley field to get some attention. He made the statement that if he was quilty, then let him be put to death. He spoke his own destiny. Absalom was very guilty and he was eventually met with death. *** Absalom got his wish and was brought before the king. Now that he had the approval of the king, he began his political campaign. Absalom was very handsome. He got himself a chariot and horses and 50 men to run before him to show how important he was. He met face to face with the people and would listen to their grievances. He would claim that if he was the judge, he would hear the people’s concerns and do something about them, personally. He slowly stole the hearts of the men of Israel. *** After four years of his campaign, Absalom thought it was time to make his claim to the kingdom. He asked David if he could go to Hebron (where kings are crowned) and fulfill a vow he had made to the Lord. How could David refuse. *** Absalom send messages throughout the tribes of Israel telling them to say that he was king when they heard the trumpet blast. Absalom invited 200 guest to go with him who knew nothing about what he was about to do. *** When Absalom got to Hebron, he did offer his sacrifices then he sent for Ahithophel, David’s counselor, who joined Absalom in his conspiracy. *** David found out what Absalom was doing and knew he had to escape and leave Jerusalem. He left ten concubines to keep the house. The king took the rest of his household and left Jerusalem. Over a thousand men went with David. *** Ittai, a Philistine and native of Gath, had apparently commanded David's band during his wanderings. He came with David with his whole family. David tried to get him to go back since he wasn’t even a native of Israel, but he refused to leave David. *** In John, Jesus took his disciples to the same garden he had gone many times before. Judas knew of this place also. He brought a band of armed solders and officers from the chief priest and Pharisees to arrest Jesus. *** Jesus knew this would happen and approached them asking who they were looking for. They said his name. Jesus said, “I am he” causing many of them to fall to the ground. Jesus asked that they let his disciples go free. Peter, full of passion, took his sword and struck the high priest’s servant’s ear and cut it off. His name was Malchus. Jesus healed it and told Peter to put away his sword. This was God’s will. *** They arrested Jesus and bound him. They led him first to Annas’ house, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. Caiaphas was the one who said that one man should die for all the people. *** Peter followed with probably, John. John was led into the courtyard of the high priest, since he knew him. He got Peter in too. Peter was approached by the servant girl in regard to being Jesus’ follower and denied it. *** The high priest questioned Jesus about his teaching and his disciples. Jesus defended himself, saying he had openly taught in the synagogues and the temple. He was there, so he had heard what he taught. Jesus got slapped for answering the high priest that way. Jesus told him that if he was lying then he needed to prove it but if he was telling the truth, so why did he slap him. *** Annas sent Jesus to Caiaphas’ house. *** Lord, thank you for forgiving us for our sins. May we be bold in the face of opposition like you were. May we stand with you for truth.

Thurs.’s Devo - Absalom’s Revenge

Read: 2 Samuel 13:1-39; John 17:1-26; Psalm 119:81-96 Proverbs 16:6-7 David’s son, Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. David’s first born son, Amnon thought he was in love with Tamar, but thought he could never have her. He pined away over Tamar. Amnon’s best friend, Jonadab was his cousin the son of David’s brother Shimeah. Jonadab was crafty and devised a plan for Amnon to have some time alone with Tamar. *** With David’s permission, Tamar went to take care of Amnon in his pretended sickness. But, when Amnon and Tamar were alone, Amnon raped Tamar then despised her and threw her out. She went home disgraced and violated. *** When Absalom heard what had happened to his sister he was enraged. So was David, though he did nothing about it. Absalom was not so forgiving. He promised Tamar he would get revenge for what Amnon did to her. *** Two years later, Absalom carried out his plan. He invited David and all the kings sons to his sheep shearing party. David couldn’t come, but all his sons went. Absalom had told his servants to kill Amnon as soon as he was good and drunk. When they did all the other sons fled, thinking they were next. *** Word got back to David that Absalom had killed all his sons. But, Jonadab assured David that it was only Amnon who was killed in revenge for what he did to Tamar. *** Absalom fled to the house of his mother’s father who was the king of Geshur. He stayed there for three years while David mourned for the death of Amnon. After mouning, David longed to go to Absalom. *** In John, Jesus has just had his last supper with his disciples. He then prayed aloud for them. He told his Father that he had completed the mission he was sent to earth to do. He had manifested who God was to the world. He spoke the words that God told him to speak and many believed that he came from heaven to them. He prayed that as he leaves earth, that God would guard his followers from the evil one and not let one of them, except Judas, get lost or be deceived. He also prayed for those who would come after them and believe, like us. He prayed that we would be one like him and God were. He leaves us his glory and his desire that we would come to know and love the Father and the Son. *** Lord, thank you that you have put your love in us and have given us eternal life through the cross. May we not honor any man above you.

Wed.’s Devo - David is Disciplined -

Read: 2 Samuel 12:1-31; John 16:1-33; Psalm 119:65-80; Proverbs 16:4-5 Nathan went to David and gave him the scenario of two men. One was very rich, while they other had one lamb which he greatly loved and was part of his family. The rich man had a visitor and needed to prepare a meal for him. Instead of taking from his own abundant supply, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest. *** When David heard the story he was so angry. He wanted the rich man to restore four lambs to the poor man, then he deserved to die. *** Nathan then told David that he was the rich man. He had stolen Uriah’s wife, while he had a palace full of women. He had used the Ammonites to kill him, so now, the sword would not leave David’s house. His wives would be taken by someone from his own family. God would not kill David, but his son would not live. *** Everything that Nathan said came to pass. The son that he and Bathsheba had became sick and finally died. Year later, Absalom would lie with his wives, and David was constantly at war. *** Nothing David did stopped what the Lord had said. He fasted and prayed, but his son still died. David and Bathsheba did have another son, Solomon, who would become David’s heir to the kingdom. *** Meanwhile, Joab was fighting against Rabbah of the Ammonites and was about to take the city. He told David to come and finish the battle so he could get the glory and not Joab. David helped Joab finish the battle and they took the crown of its king and placed it on David’s head. It weighed 75 pounds! David brought back the people as captives and made them do manual labor. *** In John, Jesus warned them of what was coming so they wouldn’t be discouraged and lose their faith when it happened. They would be thrown out of the synagogue because of their faith in him. But, they were to know that the leaders of the synagogue didn’t know God or Jesus. *** Jesus knew that they were sad when he explained he was leaving them, but he told them that it was for their advantage that he go. He would send them the Helper who would always be with them. He would convict the world of their sin, reveal true righteousness and judge the ruler of this world. He would lead them into all truth because he is the Spirit of truth. He will glorify Jesus and reveal Jesus to them. *** Jesus told them that when he leaves, they will lament and mourn - but only for a short time. The world will rejoice because he is gone. But they will see him again, and rejoice. He told them to ask anything in his name and they will receive it. Then he will speak plainly to them and answer their questions. He was leaving and going back to his Father, God. *** The disciples said they finally understood what he was saying, but Jesus told them that in the near future, they would leave him all alone. He wanted them to know that when they looked back on that time in guilt, they were to know that he was never alone. His Father was with him. He told them this so they would be at peace because this world is full of tribulations. We can take heart - Jesus overcame the world! *** Lord, help us remember this when we think we have failed you. You are always at peace and understand our weaknesses. You love us and have already forgiven us. We are so grateful for our Helper, Holy Spirit who is our friend, comforter, teacher and the Spirit of truth. May we walk in your truth.

Tues.’s Devo - Stay Attached to the Vine

Read: 2 Samuel 9:1-11:27; John 15:1-27; Psalm 119:49-64;Provers 16:1-3 David wanted to honor anyone left in Jonathan’s house because of his love for Jonathan and the covenant they had made with each other. He learned from Ziba, who had been a servant of Saul, that Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth was still alive. He had been crippled since he was a small child. David called in Mephibosheth and told him that he was giving him all the land that had belonged to Saul, his grandfather, and that Ziba would be his servant and help him manage the land. But, Mephibosheth would live in Jerusalem and always eat at his table as one of his sons. Mephibosheth was humbled and grateful. Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants so this was a blessing for him also. *** Nahash who had been king of the Ammonites died and David wanted to send his condolences to his son Hanun. David sent some men to console Hanun. The princes of Hanun convinced him that the only reason David sent men to him was to scout out their land so they could attack it later. *** Hanun believed his men and took David’s servants and had their beard shaved off and cut their garments at their hips and sent them home disgraced. David came to meet his men and let them stay in Jericho until their beards grew back. *** David was angry at the Ammonites. They knew it, so they hired the Syrians to fight with them against Israel. They divided their army in half and the Ammonite army came to the gate of the city while the Syrians waited in the field on the other side of the city. *** David’s army commander, Joab saw this and sent some of the best of his army to go with him to fight the Syrians. Joab put Abishai, his brother, in charge of the rest of the army who would fight the Ammonites. They would help each other if they needed help. *** The Syrians fled before Joab and his army and when the Ammonites saw them flee, they also fled. The Syrians called for their reserves who had been waiting beyond the Euphrates. David led his army to meet them. The Syrians fled before David and lost 700 chariots and 40,000 horsemen. Their army commander Shobach was killed. When Syria realized they couldn’t win, they made peace with Israel and became their subjects. They were afraid to ever fight for the Ammonites again. *** It was the spring of the year and David usually went out to war as their king, but this year he decided to stay in Jerusalem. He was walking on his roof and noticed a beautiful woman bathing. He inquired about her and found out she was married to Uriah, one of David’s mighty warriors who was off fighting for him. *** It didn’t matter to David that she was married, or that her husband was off risking his life for Israel; David sent for Bathsheba and slept with her. He soon learned Bathsheba was pregnant with his baby. He tried everything he could think of to have Uriah, her husband come home from the battle field and sleep with his wife, so he would think that the child was his. But, God was not going to let David hide his sin. *** David finally had Uriah killed, but it was done in a way that no one would know it was his doing. God knew, and he was not happy. *** Bathsheba mourned her husband’s death. Then David sent for Bathsheba and she became one of his wives. *** In John, Jesus told his disciples an allegory. God was like the owner of a vineyard. Jesus was the true vine that all the good grapes grew from. We, as his followers are the fruit of his vine. Apart from the vine, we can do nothing because he is our source of life. As long as we stay attached to the vine, we will be fruitful and healthy. If we don’t stay attached, we will be thrown away and thrown into the fire to be destroyed. It is believing in his words that keep us attached to him. It is the Fathers’s will that we bear fruit and abide in his love. We prove that we love him by obeying his commandments. Then, he can call us his friend instead of his master. It is his joy that we also love others in the family of God. *** We can expect the world to hate us, because they hated him also. They persecuted him, so we should expect them to do the same to us. They do this because they hate Jesus which means, they also hate God. *** The Helper was sent and he bore witness to the truth about Jesus. This witness is now our story, also. *** Lord, may we be your witnesses that you are the only way to truth and life. May we exemplify this truth to others today.

Mon.’s Devo - Building God’s House

Read: 2 Samuel 7:1-8:18; John 14:15-31; Psalm 119:33-48; Proverbs 15:33 David built his house, and when he began to live in it he thought about how he had this beautiful house of cedar, and God lived out in a tent. He told Nathan that he wanted to build God a house. Nathan told him to do it because it was obvious God was with David. But that night, the Lord came to Nathan and told him that he had always moved with his people in a tent and why would he want to settle down in a house made of cedar. He had never told any one to build him a house before. It was he who had built houses for his children. *** God continued. He had taken David from the sheepfold and made him ruler over all Israel. He had made his name great and given the people land to live in. He would give them peace from their enemies. God will make David a house. But, his offspring after him would be the one to build God a house. This man would be a son to God and God would discipline him as a son. God would always love him and David’s house and his kingdom would be established forever. *** Nathan told all this to David and his response was to go and sit before the Lord and pray. He worshiped God for choosing him. He realized that what God said was not just for then but for a great while to come, and it was the instruction for mankind. *** Israel was the one nation on earth who God came down to redeem to be his people. He make himself known through them. He took them out of the bondage of Egypt and its gods. He established that the children of Israel were his people. David was blessed that his family was chosen to reign over God’s people. He prayed that God would bless his house forever. *** After this, David went out and defeated the Philistines, the Moabites, the Rehobites, the Syrians, the Ammonites, the Edomites and the Amalekites. God was with him and gave him victory wherever he went. David brought the spoils and tribute and stored them in his treasuries for the Lord. They would be used to built God’s house. *** I look at David’s reign as what we have been going through in the world. We are fighting the Lord’s battles and defeating evil forces who have been ruling over us. We are entering into Solomon’s reign where we will built God’s temple here on earth (figuratively or physically, I don’t know). It will be a time of great peace and prosperity. Right now, God is giving us victory wherever we go. *** In John, Jesus tells his disciples of the Helper he has asked God to send us. He is the Spirit of truth that the world would not be able to receive. It won’t be able to see him or know him. We will know him because he will live in us. *** Jesus was not leaving them or us without a father. He promised to come back. He promised not to die but to live in us. We who follow God’s commandments will be loved by him and Jesus will manifest himself to us. Jesus and God will come make their home in us. This was what God was saying through Jesus. *** The Holy Spirit will come and be our Helper. He will teach us all the things Jesus said and teach us what they meant. Jesus leaves us with the gift of peace. *** Jesus told them he was going away, but he would come to them. He was going back to God and doesn’t have much longer to talk to them. The ruler of the world was coming but he has no claim on Jesus. Jesus submitted to God and demonstrated that love for his Father. *** Lord, may we live our lives demonstrating that we love you and will do whatever you ask us to do.

Sun.’s Devo - David’s Kingdom is Established

Read: 2 Samuel 4:1-6:23; John 13:31-14:14; Psalm 119:17-32; Proverbs 15:31-32 Baanah and Rechab were the captains of Saul’s raiding bands. When they heard that Abner had been killed at Hebron, so they went to Ish-bosheth’s house and killed him in his bed. They cut off his head and took it to David expecting a reward. Instead, they got the same reward as the man who gave David the news that Saul had been killed. David commanded his men to kill them and cut off their hands and feet and hang them beside the pool at Hebron. Their hands and feet had done a terrible sin. *** All the tribes of Israel came to Hebron to make David their king. David was 30 years old and reigned for 40 years over all Israel. *** David took his army to Jerusalem to fight the Jebusites who had said that even the blind and the lame could win over David. He took the city and named it the city of David. *** When Hiram the king of Tyre sent cedar trees, carpenters, and masons to build David a house, David knew that the Lord had established him king over Israel. He would finally have a permanent house in Israel. Even other nations were recognizing him and honoring him. *** David began to build his family with more concubines and wives. But, when the Philstines learned that David had become king of Israel, they were not as welcoming. They came to kill him. *** David asked the Lord if he should go out against the Philistines and if He would give them success. The Lord told him to go and he would win. David went to Baal-perazim and defeated the Philistines. Davids’ men carried the Philistine idols away with them. *** The Philisines then went to the Valley of Rephaim. God told David to do a rear attack. God would chase them right into their hands. David’s army struck them down and chased them from Geba to Gezer. *** David then gathered all the chosen men of Israel which were 30,000 at Baale-Judah to bring up the ark of God. They brought it on a new cart out of the house of Abinadab. *** David danced before the Lord to the music of all kinds of instruments. Abinadab’s house was on a hill and when the ark came to the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled. Uzzah put out his hand to the steady the ark. God was so angry, he killed him. *** David was angry and afraid of the Lord because he killed Uzzah. He wondered how he would ever get to bring the ark up to him. He left the ark at the house of Obed-edom, the Gittite. It stayed there for 3 months. During that short time, God blessed the house of Obed-edom. *** When David learned that God had so blessed Obed-edom, he felt confident to bring the ark to the city of David. This time, he brought the ark on the shoulders of priests and sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal every 6 steps. He rejoiced and danced before the ark with all his might. *** David had prepared a tent to house the ark and when the ark arrived there, David offered burnt offerings and peace offering before the Lord. He then blessed the people in the name of the Lord and gave them all bread, meat and some raisins. The people went home. *** When David arrived at his house, Michal, his wife who was Saul’s daughter came to meet him. She mocked how he had danced without his kingly garments before the people. She called him vulgar and shameless. David rebuked her and told her that he had done this before the Lord who had chosen him to be king over her father. He would become more dishonorable to her than this. From that day, Michal was not able to have children. *** In John, Jesus told his disciples that God was now going to be glorified in him. They had just left the place where they had their last supper together. He told them he was leaving them and they couldn’t come where he was going. He then gave them a new commandment. Instead of loving others as they love themselves, they were to love others as he had loved them. He had demonstrated to them and would demonstrate what that meant. It would mean laying down your lives for someone else which was much more powerful than loving others the same as you love yourself. *** Of course, Peter wanted to know where Jesus was going that they couldn’t come. Peter offered to lay down his life for Jesus, but Jesus let Peter know that he was not ready to do that. Before the rooster crowed he would have denied knowing him three times. *** Jesus told his disciples not to worry, but believe in God and in himself. He is going to prepare a place for them to come. He told them they knew where he was going. Thomas assured him, they did not know where he was going, so how would they know how to find him. Jesus told him that he was the way, the truth, and the life. God was in Jesus and because they had seen him, they had seen God. *** Phillip still didn’t get it and asked Jesus to show them God. Jesus said, ‘have I been with you for all this time and you still haven’t understood?’ It is God in him who says what he says and does all he does. Whoever believes in him will also do the works he does and greater works because he is going to his Father. He told them that whatever they ask in his name, he will do it so that God would be glorified. *** Jesus, we believe that you are who you say you are and that you answer all our prayers accordingly to your promises. Lord God, may you be glorified in our lives.

Sat.’s Devo - David’s Rocky Start

Read: 2 Samuel 2:12-3:39; John 13:1-30; Psalm 119:1-16; Proverbs 15:29-30 Abner who was the army officer of Ishbosheth came head to head with Joab, David’s army officer at the pool of Gibeon. Abner suggested they have a contest. Twelve of his best men would fight 12 of Joab’s men. They agreed and they each killed the other. Then the real battle began. 
 *** Joab had two brothers named Abishai and Asahel. Asahel was a very fast runner, so he pursued Abner on foot. Abner was much older and didn’t want to kill Asahel, but when Asahel wouldn’t stop pursuing him, he struck him in the stomach with the butt of his spear. The spear went all the way through his body. *** Joab and Abishai saw that Abner had killed their younger brother and chased after Abner till they came to the land of Benjamin. All the people of Benjamin came out in support of Joab. Abner called out to Joab to stop the killing and called a truce. Joab agreed. When Joab got back to his troops they found they had lost 19 men, but Abner had lost 360 men. *** The house of Saul continued to war with the house of David. David became stronger while Saul became weaker. *** During this time, David had six sons by six different wives. Their order was Amnon, Chilean, Absalom, Adonijah, Stephatiah, and Ithream. *** Abner was becoming powerful in Israel and went in to Ishbosheth’s concubine which showed great disrespect to the king. When Ishbosheth confronted Abner, he was very offended. He told Ishbosheth he had made him who he was today and he would unmake him just as easily. He was defecting to David’s side and would give him Israel. Ishbosheth was very afraid of Abner from that day on. *** Abner went to David and offered to make a covenant with him to give him Israel. David said he would make a covenant with him if Abner would give him back his wife, Michal who Saul had given to Paltiel. Abner went and got Michal and brought her to David. Abner also met with the elders of Israel to tell them that it was time to make David their king. They agreed. *** Abner met with David again at Hebron and told him he would go throughout Israel and bring them there so they could make a covenant and make David their king. David let him go in peace. *** Meanwhile, Joab had just returned from a raid and was bringing all the spoils to David. He heard that Abner had met with David and had left in peace. He pursued Abner and killed him as revenge for killing his brother. *** When David found out what Joab did, he cursed his house with illness, leprosy, death and poverty. *** David made Joab and all who were with them tear their clothes and put on sackcloth and mourn for Abner. He refused to eat till the sun went down. The people of Israel loved David and approved of all he did. *** In John, Jesus was at his last supper with his disciples. Judas had already made up his mind to betray Jesus. Jesus knew he was going back to God and this was the last moments he would have with his disciples. He washed their feet. When Peter didn’t understand, Jesus told him he would understand later. *** Then Jesus asked them if they understood what he had just done. He told them that he had done this as an example for them to do to others. They were to remain humble and serving God, their creator and master. He told them that one of them was not clean and that he would lift his heel against him. He finally told them that one of them would betray him. They were all questioning who it was. Jesus dipped his bread and said that the one he gave it to was him. He gave it to Judas. He then sent Judas out to do what he had determined to do. The disciples didn’t understand what was happening and thought Jesus was sending him on a mission to buy something. Jesus was in truth sending him to sell him. *** Lord, how precious those last moments with your disciples must have been for you. Thank you that one day we will be able to see you face to face. May we enjoy your fellowship daily even now.

Fri.’s Devo - David Becomes King of Judah

Read: 2 Samuel 1:1-2:11; John 12:20-50; Psalm 118:19-29; Proverbs 15:27-28 Three days after David had been home from his victory over the Amalekites, a man from Saul’s camp came to see him, He bowed down to him and told him he had escaped from the battle with Israel. David wanted to hear all about it. The man told him that Israel had fled in the heat of battle and Saul and all his sons had been killed. David asked him how he knew for sure that Saul and his sons were dead. The man told him that he had happened upon Saul while he was leaning on his own sword. Saul asked him to kill him because he was dying too slowly. So the man killed him and took his crown and bracelet to bring to David. *** David was overcome with grief and tore his clothes. He mourned, wept and fasted till that evening. He found out the man who told him was an Amalekite. He rebuked him for not being afraid to kill God’s anointed and had him killed. He then quoted a prophecy from the Book of Jashar about the death of Saul and the defeat of Israel. *** David asked the Lord what he should do next and the Lord told him to move his family to Hebron. The men of Judah came and anointed him as the king over the house of Judah. *** David learned what the men of Jabesh-gilead had done to Saul and his sons bodies and blessed them and promised to reward them. *** Meanwhile, Abner made Ishbosheth king over Israel. Ishbosheth was 40 years old and only reigned 2 years. David was king in Hebron over Judah 7 years and 6 months. *** In John, it was the time of the Passover so all the Jewish men had come to Jerusalem to celebrate. Some Greeks also came to the feast and were hoping to see Jesus. Jesus told his disciples that it was time for the Son of Man to be glorified. *** Jesus said that unless a grain of wheat dies, it will not bear fruit. He was that seed. For a person to find their lives, they would have to lose it. Whoever wants to follow him will have to lose their life to find eternal life. *** Jesus was troubled in his soul but knew he was brought to the world for this very purpose. He praised that God’s name would be glorified. When he said this, God spoke from heaven and said, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd only heard God’s words as thunder. Others thought an angel had said the words. Jesus told them that the voice they heard was not for his sake, but for theirs. Judgement had come to the earth and the ruler of this wold would be cast out. When he was lifted up from the earth on the cross many would come to him. When they didn’t know who the Son of Man was, he told them he was the light. If they believed in his light, they would also walk in light. *** Jesus left and hid himself. Many, though they had seen the miracles he did, did not believe in him. It was just as Isaiah had said, God had blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts or they would have believed. But, some did believe, but were afraid to admit it for fear of being kicked out of the synagogue. *** Jesus told him that he didn’t come to the world to condemn or judge it but to save it. He had spoken only what his Father had told him to say and his commandment brings eternal life to all who believe. *** Lord, thank you that you have given us eyes to see and a heart to understand who you are. May we always walk in your light and may our light show others the way to you.

Thurs.’s Devo - God’s Perfect Timing

Read: 1 Samuel 29:1-31:13; John 11:54-12:19; Psalm 118:1-18; Proverbs 15:24-26 The Philistine armies met at Aphek to plan their attack on Israel. When Achish showed up with David and his men with him, the other commanders wanted to know why he had brought David. Achish defended David as a loyal ally, but the other officers remembered him as a fierce competitor. They refused to let David and his men fight with them. They feared he would side with Saul and turn against them in the midst of the battle. *** Achish had to call David in and tell him that the other officers refused to let them fight, so he and his men would need to go home, peacefully. David and his men left early the next morning to go back to Ziklag. When they got there, they found that Amalekites had raided their city and burned it with fire. They had taken all their women and children with them. David’s men were so upset with David, they talked of stoning him. *** David was in distress also, but he strengthened himself in the Lord. He told Abiathar the priest to bring the ephod and ask the Lord if they should pursue the Amalekites and if they would be successful. The Lord told him to go and he would be successful. *** David’s 600 men left to rescue their families, but when they came to the brook Besor, 200 of his men were too exhausted to keep going. They stayed there and the other 400 continued. *** They found an Egyptian who had been left there by his Amalekite master because he had become sick. He hadn’t eaten in three days. David fed and him and found out he had been with the ones who raided their city. David promised not to kill him if he would take them to where the Amalekites were. He agreed. *** He took them to where the Amalekites were camped. They were eating and drinking and celebrating over their great spoil. David and his men attacked and fought them all day. He and his men recovered everything the Amalekites had stolen and took their spoil. *** They came back to where the 200 were that had been too exhausted to go on. Some of his worthless men didn’t want to share their spoil with these men, but David made it a statute that those who go to battle share their spoil with those stay with the baggage. David also sent presents from the spoil to all the places his men had stayed to thank them. *** Meanwhile, back at the battle between the Philistines and Israel. Saul and his three sons were killed in the battle. Israel fled. The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the ones who had died, they found the bodies of Saul and his sons. They cut off their heads and stripped them of their armor. They put Saul’s armor in the temple of Ashtaroth and fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan. When the people of Jabesh-gilead heard what they had done, they came by night and stole Saul’s body and the body of his sons and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh and fasted for seven days. *** In John, it was not safe for Jesus to walk openly among the Jews so he went to a town near the wilderness called Ephraim and stayed there with is disciples. *** It was the time of the Passover and the Jews had many looking for him so they could arrest him. 
 *** Six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Bethany to visit Martha, Mary and Lazareth. After dinner, Mary took a pound of expensive ointment and anointed Jesus feet and wiped it with her hair. When Judas saw this, he asked why her perfume wasn’t sold and the money given to the poor instead of wasting it on Jesus’ feet. Judas wasn’t worried about the poor, he was a thief and was in charge of the money bag, so he saw this as a lost opportunity *** Jesus told Judas to leave her alone because she would use the rest for his burial. He added that they would always have the poor to help, but they would not always had him. *** A large crowd heard that Jesus was at Lazareth’s house and they came not only to see Jesus, but to see the man that he had risen from the dead. The chief priest realized that they wold need to put Lazareth to death also. *** Many learned that Jesus was coming to the feast and took their palm branches and laid them at his feet crying out 
Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel.” This is the song they would sing every year while walking to Jerusalem, only this time they sang it to him. *** Jesus rode in on a donkey. His disciples understood later, that the prophets had said this about him. The Pharisees saw that the whole nation was going after Jesus and he had to be stopped. *** Lord, your timing is perfect. It was perfect that David and his men were not allowed to go to battle against Israel. Many would have blamed David for Saul’s death, but not they couldn’t because he wasn’t there. Thank you that you see the end from the beginning and you save us from many troubles. Your timing in Jesus’ life was also perfect. Every act was orchestrated to teach us about you and your ways. May we always praise you and worship you.

Wed.’s Devo - God’s Sovereignty -

Read: 1 Samuel 26:1-28:25; John 11:1-53; Psal 117:1-2; Proverbs 15:22-23 The Ziphites came to Saul and told him where David was camping. Saul took 3,000 men to find him. When David saw Saul and his men he knew that Saul still wanted to kill him. He waited till night time and took Abishai with him to Saul’s camp. God had caused the men in Saul’s camp to go into a deep sleep. David and Abishai stole Saul’s sword and water jar. They put some distance between them and Saul before they woke them up. *** David yelled to Abner, Saul’s bodyguard and leader of his army and asked why he didn’t protect the king. David showed him his sword and water jar and told him he could have killed him but didn’t want to kill God’s anointed. He stated that as he had mercy on Saul and didn’t kill him, he prayed the Lord would return the favor and deliver him out of all his tribulation. (His tribulation had to do with Saul.) *** Saul prophesied that David would do many things and have success. They parted. *** It was obvious to David that he would never be able to live in Israel as long as Saul was alive, so he moved his 600 men to the land of the Philistines. He went to Achish, the same king he had acted like a mad man in front of and lived there with his household. Saul didn’t want to pursue David in the land of the Philistines. *** After living with Achish for a while, he asked him if he might have a city for him and his men to live in. Achish gave him the city of Ziklag. David lived there for a year and four months. *** David would take his men out to raid the Geshurites, the Girizites, and the Amalekites (Israel’s enemies). He made sure he killed everyone in the city so there would be no witness to tell Achish what he had done. When Achish asked him where he had been that day, he would tell him he had raided a city in Israel. So, Achish believed that David hated his land and his people. *** The Philistines came up to fight Saul and Achish told David that he and his men would be expected to fight with him. He wanted David to be his bodyguard for life. *** Saul was afraid to go out to war without asking the Lord if they would be successful. He didn’t have Samuel to ask and God wasn’t responding through the priest or the prophets, so he asked if anyone knew of a sorcerer to ask. He had had them banned from Israel, but one of his servants knew of a medium who lived in Endor. *** Saul discussed himself so she wouldn’t know he was the king and be afraid since mediums had been banned from Israel. He went to her and asked her to bring up a spirit from the dead. He assured her he wouldn’t kill her. *** She brought up Samuel for him. Immediately, she knew he was Saul. Saul promised again not to kill her. He asked Samuel if they would be successful the next day in battle against the Philistines. He explained that the Lord had turned away from him and he had no one else to turn to. Samuel told him the Lord had become his enemy and has torn the kingdom out of his hands and given it to David. He didn’t obey the voice of the Lord to kill all the Amelekites that day, so this is his consequence. He would die along with his sons, and the army of Israel would not succeed against the Philistines. *** Saul fainted on the ground in fear. The woman gave him some food and his men urged him to eat it. She fixed him his last supper - a lamb and unleavened bread. It must have been the season of Passover. The death angel would come for him the next day. *** In John, Lazareth, Mary and Martha’s brother became deathly ill. They sent word to Jesus to come and heal him. Jesus said that his illness would not lead to death, but the Son of God would be glorified in it. *** God had him wait till Lazareth had died before he sent him to where Lazareth was in Judea. His disciples discouraged him against going back to the town where they were trying to kill him. He told them that he must walk in the day (God’s light). Those that stumble are those who walk in darkness. He added that Lazareth had fallen asleep, but he was going to wake him up. He meant that he had died. *** When they got to Bethany, they found that Lazareth had been in his tomb dead for four days. Martha met him and told him that if he had been there, Lazareth would’t have died. Jesus said he would rise again because He was the resurrection and the life and anyone who believes in him will never die. He asked her if she believed in him. She proclaimed he was the Christ, the son of God. *** Martha went and got Mary who quickly came to Jesus. She fell at his feet and told him if he had been there, Lazareth would’t have died. Jesus asked where the tomb was that he had been laid. They took him there where Jesus wept. *** Jesus asked them to take the stone away and when Martha questioned this, he told her that if she believed she would see the glory of God. Then he prayed aloud to God. He then spoke to Lazareth and told him to come out. Lazareth came out with his death clothes on. Jesus told the people to take the linen strips off of him and set him free. *** Many believed in Jesus this day, but some of them went and told the Pharisees what he had done. The Pharisees gathered the council to talk about what their response would be to this. They knew that if they continued to let him do these signs, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and unseat them as the leaders of the Jews. *** Caiaphas, the high priest said, “Do you not understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, instead of the whole nation?” Little did he understand that he was prophesying exactly what Jesus would do. He would not only die for the nation but the whole world. From that day on they made plans to kill Jesus. *** God is sovereign, and it was his will that David become the king. No matter what Saul did, he could not kill David. The same was happening in Jesus’ day. They could not kill Jesus, no mater what they planned until God said it was time for Jesus to give up his life. God is the one in control, not man. *** Lord, it is easy to see that we are living in the same scenario. Those who are opposing what you are doing on the earth today are doing all they can do to kill our President who you have anointed. Obviously, his time has not come to leave the earth because God has protected him and kept him alive. May we be on the side of good and not evil in the days we are living. We trust in your plan.

Tues.’s Devo - God’s Perfect Timing

Read: 1 Samuel 24:1-25:44; John 10:22-42; Psalm 116:1-19; Proverbs 15:20-21 Once Saul was finished with his dealings with the Philistines, he heard that David was in the wilderness of Engedi. Saul and three thousand men went to pursue David and his men. Saul went into a cave to relieve himself. Little did he know, David and his men were deep inside that same cave. David’s men thought this was David’s golden opportunity to kill Saul. It was like the Lord had given him into David’s hands. It was a test. *** David passed the test. Instead of killing Saul, he cut off a piece of his robe to use it as evidence that he could have killed him, but didn’t. When Saul had finished and was leaving the area, David came out and revealed to Saul what he had done. David asked Saul why he was chasing him to kill him when David meant no harm to him. *** Saul repented of trying to kill David and even told him that he knew that David would one day be the king. He asked David to please not kill his offspring and destroy his name when that happened. David swore he wouldn’t. Saul then left and went home and David stayed in his stronghold. *** Samuel died and all Israel met in Ramah to mourn and bury him. David went to the wilderness of Paran. There was a very rich but worthless man who lived there named Nabal. He had a wise and beautiful wife named Abigail. *** David and his men had protected Nabal’s shepherds while they were out in the fields and were like a wall around them. David sent his messengers to Nabal to ask if they could come and join them in their festival because they were hungry. *** The messenger explained how valuable David had been to them and how he and his men deserved to enjoy their harvest. Nabal foolishly refused to let David and his men come. *** When David heard this, he told his men to strap on their weapons because they were going down to kill the men of Nabal and take their harvest. 
 *** The messengers came to Abigail and told her what had happened and how Nabal had opened them up for an attack. She quickly had her servants prepare wine, bread and fruit to take to David. She rode out and met David. She repented for what Nabal said and gave them the food. She asked for mercy from David, and begged him to spare their lives. *** David blessed Abigail for her actions and told her that he would not attack them but let them live in peace. *** Abigail returned home to find her husband drunk from his feast. She waited till the next day to tell him what she had done. When she told him, he had a stroke and died ten days later. *** David heard about Nabal’s death and sent for Abigail to come and be his wife. She came with five young women who attended her. David also married Ahinoam of Jezreel. Saul had given Michal, David’s wife and his daughter to Palti as his wife. *** Timing is everything in the Lord’s kingdom. It was not time for David to usurp Saul’s kingship. He would have to wait until God gave him the kingdom. On the other hand, Abigail had to act quickly or she would have lost everything to David’s men. Instead, she gained everything. ***In John, Jesus explained how his children can walk in his timing and his will. They hear his voice and follow him. God will give them eternal life and no one will be able to snatch them out of his hand. He told them that he and his Father were the same. *** Then the Jews picked up stones to stone him. Jesus reminded them of all the good works he had shown them and asked then which of them were they stoning him for. They answered that they weren’t stoning him for his works, but his words of blasphemy because he make himself to be God. *** Jesus quoted Psalm 82:6 that says to the divine council, “I said, ‘You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince.’”He explained this was written to the ones the Word of the Lord came to, so how much more should he be able to say he is one with the Father since he was consecrated by God and sent to the earth. Jesus was doing the works of his Father. If they couldn’t believe he was from God, at least they should acknowledge that his works are from God. Then maybe they could believe that God is in him and he is in God. *** They tried to arrest Jesus, but it was not his time so he escaped. He went across the Jordan where John had began his ministry. Many there realized that he was everything John had said he was. *** Lord, may our lives reflect who we believe you are. We are your children and you live in us just like you lived in Jesus. May our works magnify you. May we respect and honor your timing and learn to wait on you.

Mon.’s Devo - Spiritual Warfare Personified

Read: 1 Samuel 22:1-23:29; John 10:1-21; Psalm 115:1-18; Proverbs 15:18-19 David left the city of Gath where he had pretended to be a madman and about 400 men began to follow him. They were men who were disgruntled about the government, owed taxes they couldn’t pay, and were in trouble with the law. *** David took his men and his family to Mizpeh which was ruled by the Moabites. He asked the king to let his father and mother stay there to be safe. The prophet of Gad told him to go into the land of Judah, so David obeyed. *** Saul found out where David was from Doeg who confessed he had seen David in Nob. He witnessed that Ahimelech prayed for David, gave him provisions and Goliath’s sword. Ahimelech and all his house was brought before Saul and questioned. Ahimelech claimed he was innocent in acting against the king since he believed David was working for the king. Saul choose not to believe him. He commanded his servant to kill Ahimelech, but his servant would not kill the priest. Doeg was not afraid to kill God’s priest and not only killed Ahimelech and his family, but all the priests in the priestly town. He killed 85 people that day. *** Meanwhile, one of Ahimelech’s sons, Abiathar, escaped and found David. He told him what had happened back in Nob. Abiathar brought with him the ephod. David told him to stay with him and he would keep him safe. *** David learned that the Philistines were trying to capture the city of Keilah and were robbing their harvest. He had Abiathar inquire of the Lord if they should go and help the people of Keilah. God said they should go. David’s men didn’t want to go, so David asked the Lord again and he gave the same answer. So, they went and delivered the people of Keilah from the Philistines. *** Saul learned that David was in Keilah and came after him. David asked the Lord if the people of Keilah would surrender him over to Saul and the Lord said they would. In spite of the fact that David had saved their lives and their livelihood, they would not return the favor to David. Now, David and his men had to flee to the wilderness of Ziph. *** Jonathan found David there and told him not to fear, because Saul would never find him. David would be the next king and he, Jonathan, would be his second in command. He told David that Saul knows this, also. David and Jonathan made another covenant with each other and then they parted. *** The people of Ziph went to Saul and offered to give David over to him. Saul blessed them for the information and told them to go and spy on David and find out all his hiding places and come back and tell him. *** Saul and David both had spies that informed them of each other’s movements. They both ended up on the same mountain. Saul was closing in on David when he got a report to return home because the Philistines were attacking Israel. God saved David in the nick of time and Saul returned home. *** In John, Jesus used a story to explain the spiritual realm. He described the spiritual realm as a sheepfold. The gatekeeper was the Holy Spirit who opens the door when he hears the shepherd’s voice, who was Jesus. All who belong to Jesus follow him in. They know his voice and will only listen to it. They will be saved. Those who get into the spiritual realm another way are thieves and robbers. They are the sorcerers and false prophets. *** The thief is the devil and his only mission is to steal, kill, and destroy. Jesus mission was to give life. He would lay down his life for us to enter into salvation. Satan would abandon his followers to save himself. *** All who listen to Jesus and believe in him will be saved by him. He loves us, just like God loves him. Jesus willingly laid down his life to die on the cross. They didn’t take his life, he gave it up freely for us. *** Many who heard the words of Jesus thought he had a demon and, but others knew a demon couldn’t open the eyes of the blind. *** We see what Jesus was telling us in the lives of Saul and David. Saul was a picture of Satan trying to kill David. David was a picture of Jesus who refused to fight for his own life, but was not afraid of Satan. *** Lord, thank you for laying down your life for sinners like us. Thank you that through your sacrifice, we are saved and can walk in freedom from the power of sin.

Sun.’s Devo - The Blind Will See -

Read: 1 Samuel 20:1-21:15; John 9:1-41; Psalm 113:1-114:8; Proverbs 15:15-17 Saul was bent on killing David so he had fled to Ramah. He met with Jonathan and asked him why his father wanted to kill him so badly. Jonathan couldn’t believe his father wanted to kill David so they came up with a plan to find out. *** David would stay hidden and Jonathan would return home for the new moon. If Saul missed David and was angry that he was not there, then they would know he wanted to kill him. If he was okay with his excuse to spend time with his family, then David would know it was safe to come home. *** David and Jonathan also devised a plan to warn David if Saul was indeed mad with him. They would meet again on the third day. *** Jonathan went home and ate with his father. Saul didn’t say anything about David’s absence on the first day, but he did ask about him on the second day. When Jonathan defended David’s absence, Saul lost his temper and cursed Jonathan for taking up for David. He told Jonathan that as long as David was alive, his kingdom would not be established. It would go to David. Saul wanted Jonathan to turn David over to him so he could kill him. Jonathan asked what David had done that deserved dying. Saul was so mad he picked up his sword and threw it at Jonathan. Jonathan then knew he was determined to kill David. *** The next morning, Jonathan went to meet David and gave him the sign that his father wanted to kill him. They had a very emotional meeting. They promised to keep the covenant they had made to take care of each other’s offspring forever, then they parted. *** David went to Nob to Ahimelech, the priest and asked for food and a sword. He told the priest he was on a secret mission for Saul. Ahimelech gave him the old holy bread and Goliath’s sword. How fitting that he should partake in God’s bread meant only for priests and take the sword of the giant he had defeated. *** Unfortunately, Saul’s herdsman, Doeg was present and saw this exchange. David left and went to Achish the king of Gath, in the land of the Philistines. Achish’s servants recognized David and took him to the king. David acted like he was insane which saved his life. The king wanted nothing to do with another madman. *** In John, Jesus and his disciples passed a man who had been blind since birth. The disciples asked him if he had sinned or his parents, to make him blind. Jesus surprised them by saying that neither had sinned but he was made blind so that his life could be an example of God’s power. Then Jesus spit on the ground and made mud with his spit. He anointed the man’s eyes with the mud and told him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam. The man came back able to see. *** The man who used to be blind went and told his neighbors what had happened. They brought him to the Pharisees. It was the Sabbath and the man explained what had happened. The Pharisees claimed that Jesus was not from God because he didn’t keep the Sabbath. But, the people asked how man who was not from God do such miracles? They asked the man who could now see what he thought about Jesus. He said Jesus was a prophet. *** The Jews wanted to investigate the man and went to his parents to find out if his story was true. They agreed that their son was born blind and now could see, but they didn’t know who had healed him. They told the Pharisees that he was an adult, they should ask him. They were afraid of being kicked out of the sanctuary for confessing that Jesus was the Christ. *** So, the Pharisees went back to the man who had been healed and told him to give glory to God, because they knew that Jesus was a sinner. He told them that he didn’t know anything other than he was blind and now he sees. They had an argument and finally threw the man out of the sanctuary. *** Jesus heard about this and went and found him. He asked him if he believed in the Son of Man. He answered that he didn’t know who he was. When Jesus told him, he was the Son of Man, the man confessed he believed. Jesus said that he came into the world to help the blind to see and so that those who see, may become blind. The Pharisees asked if they were the ones who were blind. Jesus answered that if they were blind, they would not be guilty, but because they say they can see, they remained guilty. *** Lord, may our spiritual eyes be opened to what you want to do. May we not be blinded by our own opinions and perceptions and miss how you are working on the earth and who you are using to bring about your purposes.

Sat.’s Devo - The Clash of Kingdoms

Read: 1 Samuel 18:5-19:24; John 8:31-59; Psalm 112:1-10; Proverbs 15:12-14 David became so successful in his battles with the Philistines that Saul set him over all his men of war. David was very popular with his troops and the people. *** One day after coming in from a battle Saul hear the women singing about Saul killing his thousands, and David his ten thousands. He was very jealous that the women were giving David more honor than him. His jealousy led to a mental breakdown where he tried to kill David while he was playing his lyre for him. David evaded his attempts twice. *** This only made Saul more afraid of David because he knew that the Lord was with him. David had success in everything he did and all Israel loved him. *** Saul promised to give David his daughter, Merab to him in marriage, but gave her to another man instead. Then, Saul learned that his other daughter, Michal loved David. He told David he could marry her if he brought him 100 foreskins from the Philistines. He hoped that David would die in the hands of the Philistines but instead, David brought him 200. David and Michal were married. *** Jonathan went to his father to defend David. He reminded Saul of all David had done for Israel and for him. Saul promised not to kill David. *** War broke out again against the Philistines and David went out and fought valiantly. The Philistines fled. When David returned, Saul tried to kill him again as he played his lyre. David escaped. He went home, but his wife told him to escape because her father wanted to kill him. David ran to Ramah where Samuel was. *** Saul sent men to get David out of his bed only to find that Michal had replaced him with a stature and a wig. *** Saul learned that David was in Ramah and sent soldiers to take David but the Spirit of God fell on them and all they could do was prophecy. This happened with three different groups of soldiers till finally, Saul went himself. He stripped off his clothes and prophesied all day and night. *** In John, Jesus told the Jews that if they would abide him his words, they would be his disciples and his truth would set them free. They claimed to be offspring of Abraham and said they had never been enslaved to anyone. (Obviously, they didn’t remember too much about their own history.) They didn’t think they needed to be free. *** Jesus explained that they were slaves to sin and a slave doesn’t remain in the house forever, only the son. So, if the Son sets his slave free, he is totally free. He told them that he knew they were offspring of Abraham, yet they wanted to kill him because his words were not welcome with them. His father was God and their father was the devil. *** They claimed that Abraham was their father. Jesus told them that if they were Abraham’s children then they would do what Abraham did, but they were doing what Satan did. They claimed that God was their Father, but Jesus told them that if God was their father then they would love him because he came from God. *** Jesus told them again that their father was the devil and they loved his deeds. He was a murderer from the beginning and only speaks lies. *** They accused Jesus of being a demon-filled Samaritan. Jesus told him he didn’t have a demon but honored the Lord and anyone who keeps his word would not see death. Now they really thought he was full of demons. When Jesus told them that he lived before Abraham, they picked up stones to stone him. Jesus hid himself and left the Temple. *** Lord, thank you that you alone have the words of eternal life. Thank you that we have been given eyes to see and a heart to accept your words of truth.

Fri.’s Devo - God is the Victor!

Read: 1 Samuel 17:1-18:4; John 8:21-30; Psalm 111:1-10; Proverbs 15:11 The Philistines were camped in Socoh which was in Judah, about 14 miles southwest of Jerusalem. It was situated on a mountain and Saul and his men were on another mountain with the valley of Elah between them. The Philistines sent out a champion to represent their whole army. He challenged Israel to send out their champion to fight him. Whoever won, their nation would rule over the other nation. They sent out Goliath who was 9 feet tall and covered in metal armor and equipped with a spear, a sword and a javelin. The only people on Israel’s side that had a spear was Saul and Jonathan. Neither of them volunteered to go. *** David had been sent to the battlefield by his dad to bring food to his three brothers and find out how the fighting was going. He got there just in time to hear Goliath come out, as in times before, and threaten the army of Israel. David learned that whoever killed this Philistine would be given great riches and the king’s daughter in marriage. Also, his family would be exempt from paying taxes. *** David kept asking about Goliath and who this uncircumcised Philistine was that should defy the armies of the living God. He stirred up so much attention that Saul heard about him and had him brought to him. *** David told Saul that they should not be afraid of Goliath because he would go out and defeat him. Saul asked David who he thought he could take down Goliath. David explained that he had had to fight both lions and bears in defending his sheep, and this would be just like that. *** Saul had to admire David’s confidence and finally agreed to let him go. He first wanted to dress David in his own armor. When it only served to weigh David down, David insisted on going with what he had. He took his staff and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his pouch. With his sling in his hand he went out to meet Goliath. *** When Goliath realized what Israel had sent out to fight him he was so disappointed. He tried to intimidate David by cursing him and his gods. He told David that he was going to give his flesh over to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field. *** David told Goliath that Goliath may have a sword, a spear and a javelin, but he had the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel who Goliath had defied. This was a battle between Goliath and his God, and his God would win. Then he proceeded to tell Goliath what he was going to do to him. He was going to strike him down, then cut off his head. He would give the armies of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts. Then all the earth would know that there is a God in Israel. *** David ran to meet Goliath and drew a stone from his bag and put it in his sling. He slung it and hit Goliath between his eyes. Goliath fell face down. David ran and took Goliath’s own sword and killed him and cut off his head, just as he had described to Goliath he would do. *** When the Philistines saw that their champion was killed, they fled. The men of Israel and Judah gave a shout and pursued them as far as Gath and Ekron. David took the head of Goliath and brought it back to Jerusalem along with Goliath’s armor. *** David was brought before Saul and was introduced to Jonathan who loved David immediately. Jonathan made a covenant with David and loved him as his own soul. He gave David his robe, his armor and even his sword, bow and belt. This was a prophetic act giving David his place as the next king. *** The biggest takeaway I get from this historic story is that like David told Goliath exactly what he expected to happen, we need to tell the devil just what is going to happen in our lives. We can declare our destiny when we know what God’s destiny is for our lives. David knew that the Philistines were not to rule over them. We know that Satan is not to rule over our lives, also. *** In John, Jesus did the same thing to his enemies. He told them that he was leaving and they would not be able to find him but they would die in their sin. They thought that Jesus was thinking of killing himself and go to hell but he told them that they were the ones from hell and he was from heaven. Unless they believed that he is, they will die in their sins. *** They didn’t understand what he was saying, so he told them that when they lift him up, they will know that he came from his Father and spoke for him, and did his will. Many did believe in him. *** Lord, may we declare our victory over sin and death. May we speak truth over our lives, our family and our nation. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Thurs.’s Devo - David is Anointed by Samuel -

Read: 1 Samuel 15:1-16:23; John 7:53-8:20; Psalm 110:1-7; Proverbs 15:8-10 God sent Samuel to tell Saul to annihilate the Amalekites because they had opposed Israel when they came out of Egypt. He was to kill everyone, along with their animals. *** Saul mustered 210,000 men to war against the Amelekites. Saul first sent a message to all the Kenites to get out of the city so they would not be killed. The Kenites had made a covenant with Israel of peace with Israel years before. *** Saul and his army attacked the Amelekites and saved their king, Agag and the best of the animals. Samuel heard of the outcome and came to confront Saul. Saul met Samuel boasting that he had done all the Lord told him to do. Samuel told him he had not. He had allowed the king to live, and took the best of the animals for himself. Saul defended his actions and said the animals were to sacrifice to the Lord. Samuel answered with his profound and much repeated answer: “To obey is better than sacrifice.” *** Saul was sorry he had done this and begged Samuel to return with him to worship the Lord. Samuel told him that he would not return with him and because he had rejected the Word of the Lord, so God had rejected him as king and was raising up his own man to be king. This man was better than Saul and would follow the Lord. *** Saul was sick with remorse and begged Samuel to return with him to worship the Lord. He wanted the people to see that him and Samuel were still tight. Samuel had Agag brought to him and hacked him into pieces before the Lord. Samuel left and went home to Ramah and Samuel did not see Saul again until the day he was dying. God regretted making Saul king over Israel. *** Samuel grieved over Saul until God told him to go to Bethlehem and anoint the new king. He had to do it secretly or Saul would have killed him. He went to the house of Jesse and invited him and his sons to a sacrifice. *** Saul went through all of Jessie’s sons from the oldest to the youngest and none of them were the Lord’s choice. He asked if Jesse had anymore sons and they brought in David, his youngest from watching the sheep. God said he was the one he had chosen. Samuel poured a whole flask of oil over his head and anointed him in the presence of his brothers. He then left but the Spirit of God fell on David from that time on. *** Meanwhile, a bad spirit fell upon Saul and the only way he could find peace was to listen to music. They found that David could play the lyre and brought him to Saul to play for him. David found so much favor in Saul’s eyes that he hired him to stay with him. *** When the Lord has a mission for us, he knows how to put us in the place we need to be. David was anointed king and yet he waited for God to put him in that position. It took years for God to get him there, but David let the Lord do it. *** In John, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives to pray and spend the night. The next day, he went to the Temple to teach. The scribes and Pharisees brought them a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery and asked him what they should do to her. The law of Moses said to stone her. They were trying to trap Jesus. *** Jesus began writing in the dust with his finger. He finally stood and told them that the one who was without sin should cast the first stone. Then he bend down and continued to write. The oldest men left first, then the rest until the only ones standing were the woman and Jesus. Jesus asked her where her accusers were and who was condemning her. She answered, “No one,” so he told her to go and sin no more. *** Jesus taught that he was the light of the world and whoever followed him would not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. The Pharisees argued that his testimony about himself was the only testimony. It would not stand in a court of law. Jesus said his testimony was true because he knew where he was from and where he was going but they didn’t. They judged according to the flesh. He didn’t judge anyone, but if he did, his judgement was not alone, it was also the judgment of God’s. He and God were two witnesses. *** Then asked him where his Father was and he told them that they didn’t know him or his Father. If they knew him, they would know his Father. *** Many teach that all who worship God will be saved, but God makes it very clear that there is one way to him and it is through his son, Jesus. *** Lord, may we worship you in Spirit and in truth. Thank you that you don’t look on the outward appearance but on our hearts. May our hearts be pure and acceptable in your sight.

Wed.’s Devo - Israel is Saved

Read: 1 Samuel 13:23-14:52; John 7:30-52; Psalm 109:1-31; Proverbs 15:5-7 The Philistines had a garrison at Michmash and Jonathan took his armor-bearer to the Philistine garrison. He believed that God could save with a few the same as he could save with a whole army. It was the Lord who was going to give them the victory. His armor-bearer was willing to do anything Jonathan told him. *** Jonathan came up with a sign. The garrison was staying up on a rocky crag and if they saw him and his armor-bearer and wanted them to come up, then Jonathan would know that the Lord had given them the victory. *** They showed themselves to the Philistines who told them to come up, so Jonathan and his armor-bearer knew they were going to win. They climbed up the cliff and killed 20 Philistines. God shook the earth and it quaked so loud it threw the rest of the garrison into a great panic. *** Saul’s spies saw this and reported it back to Saul. Saul did a roll call and discovered Jonathan and his armor-bearer were missing. He called for the ark to be brought, but the noise in the Philistine camp became so loud, he called his men to battle. There were Hebrew defectors who changed their allegiance back to fight for Israel. When the people of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing they came out of hiding and fought for Israel and it was saved. *** Saul was so determined to win, he put a curse on anyone in the army who ate anything before Israel was delivered. Jonathan hadn’t heard the rule and he ate some honey and was refreshed. When the battle was over and the men could finally eat. They were so famished they started eating the animals of the Philistines before they were dead. This was reported to Saul and he rebuked the people. He had a huge stone rolled over where they could kill their animals on it. He set up an altar to cook the meat and sacrifice to the Lord. *** Saul inquired of the Lord to know if they should pursue the Philistines, but he got no answer. He then asked the Lord who had sinned that he was not answering. Was it him or Jonathan or was it someone among the people? The Lord said it was him or Jonathan, not the people. Then the priest drew lots to find out it was Jonathan who had sinned. Saul asked Jonathan what he had done and he told him he had eaten the honey. Saul was going to have Jonathan killed, but the people stood up for Jonathan and saved him. *** This is a very good example of the power of our words. Saul’s curse, no matter how foolish or unfair, almost killed Jonathan. Our words are life or death. We need to wield the sword of our mouth very carefully and purposefully. *** In John, the Jews were trying to find the perfect time to arrest Jesus, but God’s hand would not allow them to do it till he said it was time. *** The Pharisees heard the people wondering if Jesus was the Messiah because of the wonderful miracles he did. They had had enough, so the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to arrest him. Jesus told them he wasn’t going to be with them much longer. He was going somewhere they wouldn’t be able to come. They would look for him, but not be able to find him. *** They wondered if he was going to go and teach the Greeks. They didn’t arrest him. *** On the last day of the feast, the priests were doing the water libation where the priests bring water in a pitcher up from the Siloam Springs (the springs of living water) and pour it on the altar. Jesus stood and said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Then out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. *** The people heard this and some thought he was The Prophet who had been prophesied would come and some thought he was the Messiah. Some argued he couldn’t be either because the Messiah was to come from Bethlehem and all they knew about Jesus was that he was from Nazareth and no prophet was said to come out of Nazareth. Some wanted him arrested, but no one wanted to be the one to do it. *** The chief priests who had sent their officers to arrest Jesus asked them why they didn’t do it. They told him that no one spoke like him. Nicodemus declared that they needed to give Jesus a hearing before they judged him. *** Lord, may our words bring life as your words did. May we speak truth and not be afraid of the outcome. You are our defender. You alone have the words of life.

Tues.’ Devo - Saul’s First Big Test -

Read: 1 Samuel 12:1-13:22; John 7:1-29; Psalm 108:1-13; Proverbs 15:4 Samuel gave a condemning speech testifying to his own righteousness, but pointing out the continual sins of their nation. He reminded them of all the Lord had done for them and yet, how they had treated the Lord in return. And, now they had asked for a king, and he had granted their request. *** God warned them that if they will fear him and serve and obey him and not rebel, then all will go well for them, but if they return to wickedness, they will be swept away. Samuel begged them not to get distracted and go after empty things that cannot profit or deliver. *** Samuel told them that God would thunder and rain that day to let them know how upset he was that they asked for a king. Samuel prayed and it did thunder and rain even though it was not the rainy season. The people were afraid of God. *** One year later, Saul became the king. When he had reigned for two years, he built up an army of 3,000 men who were with him in Michmash, and 1,000 who were with his son, Jonathan in Gibeah. Jonathan went out and defeated the Phillistine garrison in Geba. Saul blew the trumpet and declared war on the Philistines. He called for the men to come to Gilgal and fight with them. *** The Philistines came with 30,000 chariots and 6,000 horsemen plus troops on foot that were enumerable. They came and set up their camp at Michmash. The Israelites near there to ran to hide in the caves. Saul led his fearful troops from Gilgal to Michmash. He had been told by Samuel that he would come in seven days and offer sacrifices to the Lord and ask for his help. When Samuel didn’t arrive on time and his troops were going AWOL he decided to offer the sacrifice himself. As soon as he had finished, Samuel arrived. When Samuel heard Saul’s excuse to why he had not waited, he told him he had acted foolishly. He had not done what the Lord said so his kingdom will not stand forever. God has found a man who will have his heart and obey him. Samuel left and went home. Saul took what was left of his army and went to Gibeah. *** Saul had about 600 men who camped with Johnathan at Geba. The Philistines were still at Michmash. The Philistines divided their army into three groups and sent some to Ophrah, another to Beth-horon and another to the Valley of Zeboim. The Philistines had gotten rid of all the blacksmiths in Israel so the only ones who had a sword were Saul and Jonathan. *** The odds were stacked against Israel and only God could deliver them. *** In John, the odds were stacked against Jesus also. He could no longer walk freely in Judea because they were trying to kill him. Jesus stayed in Galilee. The Feast of Tabernacles was nearing and all Jewish men were to go to Jerusalem. Jesus never missed a feast. He sent his disciples ahead of him to Jerusalem. They encouraged him to go openly and make a name for himself. Jesus explained that it was not his time yet. The people wanted to kill him because he exposed their evil works. *** After he sent his disciples ahead of him, Jesus went privately, Everyone was looking for him and giving their opinion about what they thought of him. The feast lasted for 7 days and in the middle of those days, Jesus went into the temple and began teaching. The Jews marveled that he spoke so well, yet they had not educated him. Jesus explained that his teacher was the one who sent him - God. God is truth. *** Jesus explained that they had Moses’ law, yet they didn’t even keep it. Then he asked them why they were wanting to kill him. One of the people answered that he must have a demon because no one was wanting to kill him. *** Jesus was not the one with the demon. He exposed their hypocrisy in circumcising on the Sabbath and yet not wanting him to heal on the Sabbath. *** Those listening saw that the authorities were allowing Jesus to preach and were not arresting him. It made them wonder if they really knew that he was the Christ. Then they reasoned that they knew where Jesus came from and the scriptures said that when the Messiah came, no one would know where he came from. Jesus perceived they were thinking this and answered their question. He had come from God, but since they didn’t know God, they didn’t know where he came from. *** Lord, may we not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver. May we remember that you alone have the words of life.

Mon.’s Devo - Saul Made King

Read: 1 Samuel 10:1-11:15; John 6:43-71; Psalm 107:1-43; Proverbs 15:1-3 Samuel spoke privately to Saul. He poured a flask of oil on his head and kissed him. He told him that he would be the leader over his people and save them from their enemies. He then gave him three signs that would happen to him on his way home. When he got to Rachel’s tomb he would be met by two men who will tell them that they found the two donkeys and his father is worried about him. Then at the oak of Tabor, he will meet three men going up to Bethel. They will be carrying three young goats, three loaves of bread, and a skin of wine. They will give Saul two of their loaves and he was to accept them. Thirdly, he would come to Gibeath-elohim and meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with musical instruments. The Spirit of the Lord will come upon Saul and he would begin prophesying like a prophet. After all that happened he was to meet Samuel at Gilgal. *** All the signs happened just as Samuel had said they would. When all the people met with Samuel at Gilgal, he reminded the people of how the Lord had brought them out of Egypt, but today they have rejected the Lord and asked for a king to rule over them. He told them to stand with their tribe. The tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. Then the clan of Matrite, then Saul’s lot was drawn, but Saul couldn’t be found. He was found hiding and was brought before the people. He stood a head taller than anyone. *** The people shouted, “Long live the king!” and Samuel told the people the rights and duties of the kingship. He wrote them in a book and laid them before the Lord. Everyone then went home. Some were happy about the choice and others despised Saul. *** Nahash the Ammorite came up against Jabesh-gilead to take it. The people tried to make a peace treaty with them. THe Ammorites said they would make a treaty with them if they agreed to let them gouge out the right eye of all the men. The elders of Jabesh asked for 7 days to see if they could ask the other tribes to help them. If they wouldn’t, then they would agree to their treaty. *** When Saul found out about the threat, he was so mad he took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces. He sent the pieces throughout Israel saying that whoever didn’t come with Saul and Samuel to fight the Ammorites, this was what would be done to them. Three hundred and thirty thousand people came from Israel and Judah to fight. *** On the day that Jabesh was to surrender to the Ammorites, Saul divided the army into three groups and they attacked the Ammorite camp and defeated them. Those who survived were scattered. *** The people wanted to put to death the men who had despised Saul, but Saul wouldn’t let them. Samuel led everyone to Gilgal to renew the kingdom. There they made Saul king and sacrificed peace offerings before the Lord. The men of Israel rejoiced. *** In John, everything Jesus talked about that Passover was explaining what the bread stood for. He was the bread of life - the living bread that came down from heaven. The manna that came down from heaven in the wilderness was a picture of him. He is the bread that gives life to the world. The bread is his flesh. *** They couldn’t understand that. Jesus told them that they must eat his flesh and drink his blood to have eternal life and be raised up on the last day. Even the disciples had a hard time understanding what Jesus was telling them. He explained to him that he was talking spiritually. The flesh couldn’t do anything, but his Spirit can give eternal life. To understand what he was saying, a person had to be able to see spiritually. Jesus lost many followers this day. He asked the twelve if they would leave him as well. Peter answered that they had no where else to go. Who else has the worlds of eternal life. Jesus explained that he chose them but even one of them was going to betray him. *** Lord, may we continue to believe, even when we do not comprehend what you are doing. May we faithfully follow you.

Sun.’s Devo - They Want a King

Read: 1 Samuel 8:1-9:27; John 6:22-42; Psalm 106:43-48; Proverbs 14:34-35 Samuel made his sons judges over Israel, but they were not like him. They took bribes and distorted justice. The elders came to Samuel and told him that they did not want his sons to rule over them when he died. They wanted Samuel to anoint a king to rule them. *** Samuel was sad to hear this, but the Lord encouraged Samuel. He reminded him that they treated him the same way, and they weren’t rejecting Samuel, they were rejecting the Lord. *** Samuel warned the people of all a king would do to them and how they and their families would be made to serve him, but they still wanted a king like other nations had. *** Kish was a Benjaminite with a son named Saul. Kish sent Saul along with his servant to find his three donkeys that had run away. Saul searched all through the land of Benjamin and then went into the land of Ephraim. They were getting far from home and Saul was afraid his father would begin to worry more about him than the donkeys. His servant realized that they were in the vicinity of Samuel, the prophet. He suggested they go ask him which way to go. He scrounged up some silver to pay the prophet. *** In the meantime, God told Samuel that he would meet a man from Benjamin at a certain time and he was the one who would rule Israel. At that appointed time, Saul met Samuel on the road and asked him where the seer was. Samuel told him he was the seer and invited Saul and his servant to eat with him and be the guest of honor. Saul was taken aback but agreed when he told him his three donkeys had been found. *** At the feast there were only 30 men present. Saul was given the best piece of meat to eat. Then Saul was given a place to sleep. Early the next morning, Samuel woke Saul up to send him on his way. He asked to speak privately to Saul. Cliff-hanger…we will find out what he said tomorrow. *** In John, Jesus had sent his disciples across the sea and then walked to them on the water. The next day, the people were on the other side of the sea looking for Jesus. They knew that he hadn’t been with the disciples in their boat. *** When they found him on the other side of the sea they questioned how he got there. Jesus told them that they followed him because he fed them, not because they were spiritually hungry. They should seek the things of God that lead to eternal life. When they asked him what the works of God were that they should be doing, he told them to believe in the one God sent to earth. Then they asked for a sign to help them believe. Jesus explained that Moses had given the people manna from heaven to eat, but now God was giving the true bread from heaven. They asked him to give them this bread continually. Jesus replied that he was the bread of life. Whoever came to him and put their trust in him would not hunger or thirst again. He will preserve them and raise them up on the last day. *** The people reasoned among themselves that Jesus came from Joseph, not from heaven. *** Lord, help us in our unbelief. May we hunger for the things of God, not of this earth.

Sat.’s Devo - Our Miraculous God

Read: 1 Samuel 5:1-7:17; John 6:1-21; Psalm 106:13-31; Proverbs 14:32-33 The Philistines had captured the ark and brought it to Ashdod into the house of Dagon and set it beside Dagon. That night, there must have been a battle, because the next day, they found that the statute of Dagon was bowing before the ark of the Lord, face down. They set it back up. That next night, the battle continued and they woke to find that Dagon’s hands and head had been severed and were lying on the threshold. The big God in the little box had won. *** Then the Lord began to strike the people of Ashdod. They became infested with tumors. They called a meeting with the other leaders of Ashdod and its territory and decided that the ark could not remain in Ashdod because its God was against Dagon. The lords of the Philistines met and decided to send the ark to Gath. The people of Gath began to get tumors so they sent the ark to Ekron. When the people of Ekron saw it coming to their city, they told them to send it back to the people of Israel before it killed them all. The ark had been in the country of the Philistines 7 months. *** The Philistines called for their priests and diviners to ask how they could send the ark back to Israel. They told them they must send a guilt offering with it. They made five golden tumors and five golden mice, one for every city the tumors had affected: Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron. If sending the ark away brought them healing, they would know that it was the God of the ark that had afflicted them. *** They were instructed to place the ark on a new cart hooked up to two milk cows who had never been yoked to a cart. They were to take their newborn calves away from them. In the cart was the ark and the box of the gold figures for their guilt offering. If the cows obediently and peacefully carried the ark to Israel, they would know that it was the Lord who had done this to them. *** A milk cow would never let his calf be taken from him without a struggle, so the miracle was that these milk cows walked peacefully to Israel. As the five lords of the Philistines watched, the cows took the ark straight to the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh and stopped there beside a great stone. Joshua’s men split up the wood from the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering. *** Joshua stood for God who was there to offer the sacrifice for the sins of the Philistines and the Jews. The cows were Jesus who willingly gave up himself to be the sacrifice. The cart was the cross, the vehicle of salvation, and the stone was the Spirit of the Lord - the testimony. *** Seventy of Joshua’s men were struck down because they looked at the ark of the Lord. They sent a message to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jerim to come and get the ark. They took it to the house of Abinadab and he consecrated his son Eliezar to take charge of the ark. The people turned back to the Lord for the next 20 years. *** Samuel told them that if they were truly turning back to serve the Lord then they must put away their false gods and serve the Lord only. He would deliver then from the Philistines. So the people put away their Baals and the Ashtaroth and served the Lord only. *** Samuel had everyone come to Mizpah and repent as a nation. They fasted and prayed for deliverance. The Philistines heard they were gathered there and came up against them. Samuel offered a burnt offering to the Lord and prayed for help. The Lord thundered so loudly that the Philistines were thrown into confusion and were defeated. The Israelites chased them back to their land. *** Samuel took a stone and set it up and named it Ebenezer which means “stone of help.” During the time that Samuel was their judge, God fought for them against the Philistines. They recovered their land that the Philistines had taken from them. Samuel would make a circuit every year to Bethel, Gilgal and Mizpah, then return to Ramah. He built an altar to the Lord in Ramah. *** In John, it was the time of the Passover and the theme of this Passover was bread. Jesus was at the Sea of Galilee when he saw a great crowd of people coming to them. He asked Philip where they could buy bread to feed them all. He was testing Philip. Philip said they didn’t have enough money to buy bread for that crowd. Peter chimed in and said there was a boy with five barely loaves and two fish, but there was no way it would feed this crowd. *** Jesus told them to have the crowd of about 5,000 men sit down. He took the food he had and blessed it and gave thanks. Then he distributed it to the people. His disciples picked up 12 basket of left-overs and the people saw this miracle and knew Jesus had to be the Prophet that had been prophesied would come to the world. *** Jesus perceived that if he didn’t leave, they would force him to be their king. He withdrew by himself and sent his disciples across the sea to Capernaum. After they had rowed a few miles, they saw Jesus walking toward them on the sea. They were very frightened at the sight. Jesus told them not to be afraid and when he got into the boat, it was immediately on the other side. *** Jesus didn’t just do miracles, he was the miracle. Everything he did was supernatural. He lived in another dimension - in the spirit of God. *** Lord, help us to live supernatural lives and be more aware of the spirit than the natural. May we be witnesses to the world of who you are.

Fri.’s Devo - God’s Judgment on the House of Eli

Read: 1 Samuel 2:22-4:22; John 5:24-47; Psalm 106:1-12; Proverbs 14:30-31 Eli heard all the evil things his sons were doing as priests. He went to them and rebuked them, but he did not remove them from their position as priest. *** A prophet came to Eli and gave him a word that by taking the choicest meat from the sacrifices for himself, he was scorning the Lord. Eli also honored his sons above the Lord by letting them get away with the same thing. Since his family did not honor the Lord, the Lord will not honor them. God will cut off the strength of Eli’s legacy and there would not be an old man in his descendants. They would all die young. One would be left to grieve the death of all his descendants. His two sons would both die on the same day and God will raise someone else to be a faithful priest. Everyone left in Eli’s household will beg for silver and bread from that faithful priest. *** Meanwhile, Samuel continued to grow taller and in God’s favor and man’s. One night he heard Eli calling him but every time he went to see what Eli wanted, he said he had not called him. The third time this happened, Eli perceived that it was the Lord calling Samuel and told him to how to respond. *** When the Lord came the fourth time, Samuel was ready to listen. He told him that He was about to punish Eli’s house for their iniquity and his sons’ blasphemy. No sacrifice would be able to atone for their sins. *** In the morning, Eli made Samuel tell him everything the Lord had said. *** Samuel became known as a prophet. Everything he said came to pass. Israel went to war with the Philistines at Aphek. They were defeated the first day so they decided to bring the ark of the covenant with them to save them. Hophni and Phinehas, Eli’s sons brought the ark and all the camp of Israel gave a shout that shook the earth. The Philistines were filled with fear because they knew what God had done to Egypt. They told their men to fight harder and they did. They defeated Israel, stole the ark and Hophni and Phinehas were both killed. *** A man from the battle ran and told Eli who was sitting on his seat by the road. When he heard the news that his sons were killed and the ark was taken, he fell over backward and broke his neck and died. He had judged Israel for 40 years. *** Phinehas’ wife was pregnant at the time and when she heard the news, she went into labor and died giving birth to a son. In her grief, she name her son, Ichabod because the glory of God had departed from Israel. *** In John, Jesus is still speaking to the Jews who were mad because he had healed the paralytic on the Sabbath. Jesus explained how to receive eternal life. He told them what will happen to all the people who are in Sheol, when he dies. They will hear his voice and Jesus will execute judgment on them. Those who have done good will rise to life, and those who have done evil will be judged. *** God would testify on Jesus’ account. He had sent John to testify about Jesus. John was a light and those who heard him rejoiced, but Jesus testimony is even greater than John’s. The works God gave Jesus to do will bear witness that God sent him. *** Jesus accused them of searching the word to find eternal life, while missing that the scriptures talk about him. He is the way to eternal lie. He knows that they do not have the love of God in them because they could not receive the one who God sent. They do not seek God’s glory, but one another’s glory. Jesus will one day be their judge. Even Moses accuses them because they don’t obey his laws. If they can’t obey Moses’ law, how can they believe Jesus’ words. *** Lord, may we not be like the Jews who could not understand what was happening in their day. May we discern the day we are living in and stay faithful to our faithful God.