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.