Key Verse: 1 Samuel 26:23
May the Lord repay every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the Lord delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed.

We may be dismayed as a result of today’s reading. Man’s inhumanity to man is evident...

Key Verse: 1 Samuel 25:32-33
Then David said to Abigail: “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! And blessed is your advice and blessed are you, because you have kept me this day from coming to bloodshed and from avenging myself with my own hand.”

To understand this...

Key Verses: 1 Samuel 23:14b, 23:26, 24:12
Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand…Then Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. So David made haste to get away from Saul, for Saul and his men were encircling David...

Key Verse: 1 Samuel 22:2
And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him.

David’s men, a collection of those who had suffered at the hands of Saul and his...

Key Verse: 1 Samuel 20:3b & 20:17
But truly, as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death…And Jonathan again caused David to vow, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

When death stares us in the face, we tend to focus our minds ...

Key Verse: 1 Samuel 19:4
Thus Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father, and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his works have been very good toward you.”

Solomon, David’s son, had no doubt heard from hi...

Key Verse: 1 Samuel 18:14
And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him.

The Lord promises wisdom to all who ask Him for it. James 1:5 gives us this guarantee. Here is a New Testament reading for today (James 1:1-12). David not only behaved wisely himself, but he taught his...

Key Verse: 1 Samuel 17:45
Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.”

David knew for sure that the God of Israel was much bigger than...

Key Verse: 1 Samuel 16:7b
For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

The key verse points out several truths. (1) The Lord sees us! (2) Other people see us! (3) The Lord sees our hearts! (4) People see our outward appearance! ...

Key Verse: 1 Samuel 15:22
So Samuel said:

“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams…”

Saul’s lame excuses for disobedience brought a sharp “Be Quiet” from the ...

Key Verse: 1 Samuel 14:6b
For nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few.

As King Saul’s son, Jonathan had probably learned from observing the interaction between his father and the prophet Samuel. Our children often learn more from being in our presence, and in the presence of our...

Key Verses: 1 Samuel 13:13-14
And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought f...

Key Verse: 1 Samuel 12:23-24
Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way. Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.

...

Key Verse: 1 Samuel 8:5
…and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”

Throughout history there seems to be a pattern that repeats itself over and over. We don’t learn well from history. There were the sons of E...

Key Verse: 1 Samuel 6:20
And the men of Beth Shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? And to whom shall it go up from us?”

In today’s reading we learn of the different ways of handling the Ark of the Covenant. First, the Philistines of Ashdod offended God, and then the Isra...

Key Verse: 1 Samuel 3:10
Now the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant hears.”

The first verse of our reading is a sad commentary on the spiritual life of Israel. “Rare” and “no widespread revelation” says it all. But...

Key Verse: 1 Samuel 2:35
Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind. I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before My anointed forever.

There is only one “forever” Priest, and that is Jesus! A priest represents us befo...

Key Verse: 1 Samuel 1:10
And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish.

Today we begin 1st and 2nd Samuel. These books tell us of the life and times of Samuel — Judge, Prophet, and Priest. It was Samuel who appointed the first two Kings of Israel, Saul and David.
...

Key Verse: Ruth 4:13
So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife; and when he went in to her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son.

Ruth had little reason to expect anything good from life. As a young widow she travelled with her mother-in-law, also a widow, to a land completely for...

Key Verse: Ruth 1:16
But Ruth said:

“Entreat me not to leave you,
Or to turn back from following after you;
For wherever you go, I will go;
And wherever you lodge, I will lodge;
Your people shall be my people,
And your God, my God.”

In the midst of the time of the Judges comes this beautiful...

Key Verse: 2 Corinthians 12:9
And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”

The smaller we are in our own eyes, the bigger we see Christ to be. There’s more room for Jesus who lives in the believer when the believer does not have a large opi...

Key Verse: 2 Corinthians 11:14b, 15
For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

Here is a strong, clear warning. Throughout t...

Key Verse: 2 Corinthians 10:3-4
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds…

A companion reading for consideration today would be Ephesians 6:10-17. Notice particularly Ephe...

Key Verse: 2 Corinthians 8:9
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.

Today’s reading is all about giving. Jesus instructed a young person who had abundance to sell what he had ...