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.

Thur.’s Devo - Samuel is Born

Read: 1 Samuel 1:1-2:21; John 5:1-23; Psalm 105:37-45; Proverbs 14:28-29 Elkanah from Ephraim had two wives. One of them was Peninnah and the other was Hannah. Peninnah had many children, but Hannah was barren. Every year Elkanah would take his family to Shiloh to sacrifice to the Lord. As they sat to eat their sacrifice, Peninnah would provoke Hannah to tears about having no children. Elkanah tried in vain to comfort Hannah. *** One year, Hannah cried out to the Lord because of her bareness. She promised the Lord if he gave her a son, she would lend him to the Lord all the days of his life. *** Eli was the priest at that time. He saw Hannah whispering to herself and thought she was drunk. He confronted her about it and she explained that she was pouring her heart out to the Lord because she was very distraught. He prayed that God would grant her her petition. Hannah went home glad. *** She did become pregnant and had a son and named him Samuel. As she had promised, when Samuel was weaned, she brought him to Eli to raise in the service of the Lord. Every year she would bring him a new coat she had made. Eli would always pronounce a blessing on her to grant her more children. God blessed her with three additional sons and two daughters. *** In John, Jesus was in Jerusalem for a feast. There was a pool there called Bethseda that was by the Sheep Gate. Many invalids lay there waiting for the waters to be troubled because they believed that the first into the water, when this happened, would be healed. Jesus walked through this place and saw a man who had been paralyzed for 38 years. Jesus asked him if he wanted to be healed. The sick man explained how he couldn’t get into the water fast enough when it was troubled. Jesus told him to get up, take his bed and walk. The man was instantly healed and took his bed and walked. *** Of course, it was the Sabbath which stirred up the jealousy and religious spirit in the Jews. They wanted to know why he was carrying his bed on the Sabbath and who told him to do it. He didn’t know who had healed him. *** Later, Jesus found him and told him who he was. Jesus told him to sin no more so that nothing worse would happen to him. The man went and told the Jews that Jesus had healed him. When they confronted Jesus about it, he said that his Father was working on the Sabbath, so so would he. They were so mad that Jesus called God his Father. *** Jesus told them that he could only do what he saw his Father doing. His Father raises the dead, so so will he. His Father had given him the job of judging so that people would honor the Son like the honor God. If they don’t honor the Son, then they don’t honor God. I bet this really got them upset. *** I love that Jesus just speaks the truth, even though he knows they don’t understand it then. He knows that one day people would understand all he said. *** Lord, help us to be like that. May we speak the truth even if people think we are crazy and it makes them upset. May we speak what the Sprit tells us to speak and leave the outcome to the Lord.