Title: The Perfidious Prophet/ Topic: Self-Deception

Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 18; 1 Chronicles 6; Psalm 11; Matthew 3

Scripture: 1 Samuel 18:8-11
8 Saul was very angry; this refrain galled him. "They have credited David with tens of thousands," he thought, "but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?" 9 And from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.
10 The next day an evil [b] spirit from God came forcefully upon Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the harp, as he usually did. Saul had a spear in his hand 11 and he hurled it, saying to himself, "I'll pin David to the wall." But David eluded him twice.

Observation: Saul did not deal properly with his jealousy and anger toward David. He was insecure even though he was the anointed king of Israel. It's interesting to note in this passage that while David was playing the harp, Saul was prophesying! And even as he was in the middle of worshiping God and prophesying, an evil spirit came upon him and he actually tried to kill David. He as a king and a prophet who was self-deceived because he didn't repent of his sin and became a deceptive and treacherous person as a result.

Application: Even people who love God and have received spiritual gifts from him
can become dangerous in the Body of Christ. Any time we have an offense, hurt, bitterness, jealousy or other negative emotion that we don't deal with properly, it can give Satan a foothold into our lives. The biggest danger in that is that we can be blind to what is happening because we can still function in the gifts God has given us, which can deceive us into thinking that we are spiritually okay, or even superior to others. Rom. 11:29 tells us that the gifts and call of God on our lives are irrevocable. He does not take away our gift as a prophet, teacher, pastor, healer, etc. when we sin. Therefore, we have an even greater responsibility to make sure we examine ourselves carefully to make sure we deal properly with any offense to make sure it does not become a stumbling block to us as it did to Saul.

Prayer: Father, it is so easy for me to deceive myself about what my spiritual condition truly is; especially when you still use me to minister in the lives of others. My prayer is for a humble heart and a hearing ear so that I may know from your Holy Spirit the deep truths about my spiritual condition. Search my heart and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Cowardly or Courageous?/ Topic: Facing Spiritual Battles

Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 17; Psalm 9; Matthew 2

Scripture: 1 Samuel 17:22-24, 45-50

22 David left his things with the keeper of supplies, ran to the battle lines and greeted his brothers. 23 As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. 24 When the Israelites saw the man, they all ran from him in great fear.

45 David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give all of you into our hands."
48 As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.
50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.

Observation: The army of Israel was filled with soldiers who knew God, yet none of them had the faith to trust God to bring about victory when a fierce-looking enemy taunted and threatened them. Only David seemed to understand that when facing overwhelming odds, the only strategy that makes any sense is to count on God's strength and not on one's own to obtain victory. David didn't trust in his own ability but in what God could do through him. He had seen God deliver him before from dangerous animals that were much stronger than he was. He made clear that Goliath understood who was going to allow him to triumph. He declared God's supremacy over the situation with his mouth and came against the enemy with unconventional weapons and achieved great victory.

Application: I have a choice whenever the enemy of my soul attacks me. I can cower before him and refuse to engage in the battle like most of the army did, or I can display the courage of David and gain victory over the enemy with the unconventional weapons of spiritual warfare that God tells us to use: prayer, the Word (declaring it), the word of our testimony, and a righteous life (I am righteous because Jesus paid the debt for my sin and now I choose to obey his commands). Too often the Church as a whole, and we as individuals in the Church, take the cowardly route. Oh, that we would all rise up together and see the enemy defeated in our midst!

Prayer: Father, give me the heart of David who was unafraid of the threats and strength of the enemy. Let me be undeterred and unwavering in taking up the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word, to defeat the enemy. May my prayers be those of a righteous man and avail much! Thank you for being greater than the enemy of our souls!
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Desiring the Wrong Things/ Topic: Living by Emotions

Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 8; 1 Samuel 9; 1 Samuel 10; 2 Corinthians 10

Scripture: 1 Samuel 8:1-9
1 When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges for Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. 3 But his sons did not walk in his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.
4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5 They said to him, "You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead [a] us, such as all the other nations have."
6 But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. 7 And the LORD told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. 8 As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. 9 Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do."

Observation: The people were unhappy with the status quo. They wanted to be like the other nations who had kings. They had problems with the current leadership (i.e. Samuel's corrupt sons) but instead of taking the matter to God and letting him fix the situation, they came up with their own solution – a king! The interesting thing is that God directs Samuel to give them what they want and tells him to not take offense at their request because it is not him they are rejecting by making this request, it is God himself.

Application: When we are rebellious in our hearts toward God, he will often let us have what it is that we so strongly desire. But like he did with these Israelites, he warns of the consequences of getting all that we think we want. In the end, all the warnings God gave about the disadvantages of having a king came true and it caused problems for the people, but they got what their stubborn hearts desired. I have often seen, in myself and others, this same phenomenon. God will warn us but will not continually fight with us. He will let us learn the hard way by giving us what we want. This seems to be most often true in the case of romantic involvements. For most people, romance wins over principle every time. God may tell them in his Word not to get involved with an unbeliever or not to have sex before marriage, but those principles get set aside in favor of being with the person they love. Heartache usually occurs shortly after the object of their desire has been attained. This is just one example of how we fall into this trap of wanting to do things our own way and rejecting God's way. If we have problems with how He has arranged things, we need to seek a solution from Him and not take things into our own hands.

Prayer: Father, into your hands I commit my spirit and my well-being. Let me not take things into my own hands. I want to trust you even when I don't understand why things are happening the way they are. Help me to keep my heart staid on you.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.