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.