1 Samuel
The more I am a tool in the hands of God, the better life will go on. John the Baptist tells us He becomes more as John becomes less. Paul taught us to be crucified so we no longer live, but He lives in us. Saul’s family dies in
1 Samuel
God’s gift is open to all people, but you must participate to benefit. This isn’t works-based-salvation. This is reality. If we receive God’s grace, our response is allowing ourselves to be used by God. After the battle, David and his men return home along the
1 Samuel
God’s perspective is the one that matters. He knows how the story will end. We struggle to see His overarching plan because we are in the middle of it. Life gets in the way of us seeing God’s hand clearly at work. God’s perspective is different. God
1 Samuel
Thankfully, our salvation does not depend on our strength, but rather it depends on God’s strength. He conquers sin and death. He gives us victory. He reaches into our life and promises life eternal, which we cannot make on our own. He deserves the glory, because He is the
1 Samuel
God’s grace is unfair. Many hear the word unfair and assume a negative connotation, but that’s not necessary. All who are in God receive forgiveness when we deserve condemnation. We benefit from sanctification instead of judgment. None of us receive what we truly love because God’s grace
1 Samuel
Honesty genuinely is always the best policy. Lies beget more lies. More lies beget stress at having to keep all the lies straight. Honesty, on the other hand, is easy to keep straight because it is our actual experience. Honesty allows us to move forward in life rather than trying
1 Samuel
We are far better off relying upon God than standing upon our own understanding. We have limits, and when we reach the end of our limits we always fail. God is limitless. He never fails because He never reaches the end of what He can do. When Saul hears from
1 Samuel
As long as there is breath in our lungs, repentance is always an option. No action on our behalf takes us too far for God to reach us. No matter how far we walk away, all we need to do is call upon the Lord. He is willing to save
1 Samuel
The true test of character is how we act when left to our own devices. Anyone can make good choices when the camera is on and people are watching. Want to find out who you really are? Consider your choices when you are alone. What do you do, watch, say,
1 Samuel
Shrewd behavior can always be appreciated, but it should not be respected unless it is also righteous behavior. Shrewd behavior displays intelligence. Shrewd behavior implies cunning. Thinking people employ shrewd tactics. The Philistines march out to battle. Achish heard David’s lies. David convinced Achish he made himself a stench
1 Samuel
Standing upon the truth is never accomplished by telling lies. God desires us to be honest and trustworthy. Actions may speak louder than words, but our words still matter. David goes to Achish and asks for a place where he and his people can dwell safely in the land. Achish
1 Samuel
Sometimes, especially when sacrifice is called for, the righteous choice feels very much like a suboptimal one. Life is not perfect. We seldom make a decision without some sort of compromise impacting the decision. Learning how to pick the best solution out of a set of suboptimal choices is a