Category Archives: Christian

Saul lacked only one thing (1 Samuel 31), Apr 25, 2015

Today’s Podcast

Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – 1 Samuel 31
Set – 1 Samuel 31; Matthew 12
Go! – 1 Samuel 30-31; 1 Chronicles 10; Matthew 12

1 Samuel 31
¹Meanwhile the Philistine and Israelite armies had clashed. The men of Israel ran away, but many of them were killed on the heights of Gilboa. ² The Philistines even followed Saul and his sons and closed in on them; there they killed his sons, Jonathan (the beloved friend of David), Abinadab, and Malchi-shua.

³ The battle closed in around Saul, and he was shot with arrows and badly wounded.

Saul (to his armor-bearer): ⁴ Please take out your sword and thrust it through me. Don’t let these uncircumcised dogs come and put their swords and spears into me for their sport.

But his armor-bearer was afraid and would not do it. Saul drew his own sword and fell upon it. ⁵ When the armor-bearer saw this, he also drew his sword and fell upon it and died. ⁶ So Saul, his three sons, his armor-bearer, and all his men died together on the same day.

⁷ When the people of Israel who were on the other side of the valley, and even those beyond the Jordan River, learned that the Israelite army had been defeated and heard that Saul and his sons were dead, they left their cities and fled. Then the Philistines came and lived in them.

⁸ The next day, as the Philistine army was looting the bodies of the fallen Israelites, they found Saul and his three sons dead on the heights of Gilboa. ⁹ They cut off Saul’s head, stripped his body of his weapons, and sent messengers with the good news to the temples and to the people throughout Philistia. ¹⁰ They put Saul’s armor in the temple of Astarte and nailed his body to the wall at Beth-shan.

¹¹ But when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard about this indignity done to Saul by the Philistines, ¹² the brave men among them rose up and traveled through the night. When they arrived, they took down the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall at Beth-shan. They returned to Jabesh and burned them there. ¹³ Then they took their bones and buried them in Jabesh beneath the tamarisk tree, like the one where Saul had held court in Gibeah, and for seven days they fasted and mourned.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Saul did a lot of things wrong and caused Me to reject him as king over Israel. But he also did a lot of things right. He remembered the rules I gave Moses about kings and what they should and should not do as leaders over My people. Saul didn’t want to be king, but I chose him over all the other Israelites to be the first king. I chose him for a reason.

If you look back through Saul’s reign, you’ll find he never taxed the people he served. All the other kings did. He never conscripted soldier to fill his army, he only asked for volunteers to fight with him to defeat the Philistines who invaded the country. All others except David conscripted young men to fill the ranks of a standing army. Saul came from a poor family and took care of the poor in many circumstances and with the way he targeted rewards for various activities.

Saul exercised his leadership well throughout his reign in almost every area only failing in the most important one. He failed to obey My commands. When I told him to destroy all evidence of the Ammonite inhabitants, leaving nothing behind to attract his soldiers or the rest of the Israelite people to any of their belongings or idols, he failed to do so. The idols and possessions his soldiers brought back with them began a downhill process from them in which they switched their loyalties to pagan gods instead of Me.

Had Saul kept his eyes focused on Me and kept the commands I gave him. There is little doubt he would have been regarded as one of Israel’s greatest kings. As the first king, he established many precedents in how the kingdom would run. How kings would operate on a daily basis. How they should be viewed by the populace and by other nations. Saul did many things right.

The intervention by the men of Jabesh-Gilead at his death provide an indication of how good a king Saul was. Those men risked their lives and the lives of their wives and children to retrieve the bodies of Saul and his sons after the Philistines hung their bodies on the wall of the city fortress of Beth-shan. They risked their lives, brought back their bodies and gave them heroes burials to honor them after the battle despite their defeat at the hands of the Philistines.

I rejected Saul because of his unfaithfulness to Me, but his faithfulness to his tasks as king should not go unnoticed. He served well, he lacked one thing to live well. He just needed to honor and obey Me.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

People are fickle (Matthew 11:1-19), Apr 24, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Matthew 11:1-19
Set – Psalms 109; Matthew 11
Go! – 1 Samuel 28-29; Psalms 109; Matthew 11

Matthew 11:1-19
¹ With that, Jesus finished instructing His disciples, and He went on to preach and teach in the towns of Galilee. ² John, meanwhile, was still in prison. But stories about the Anointed One’s teachings and healing reached him.

So John sent his followers ³ to question Jesus.

John’s Followers: Are You the One we have been expecting as Savior for so long? Are You the One Scripture promised would come? Or should we expect someone else?

Jesus: ⁴ Go back and tell John the things you have heard and the things you have seen. ⁵ Tell him you have seen the blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers cured, the deaf hear, the dead raised, and the good news preached to the poor. ⁶ Blessed are those who understand what is afoot and stay on My narrow path.

⁷ John’s disciples left, and Jesus began to speak to a crowd about John.

Jesus: What did you go into the desert to see? Did you expect to see a reed blowing around in the wind? ⁸ No? Were you expecting to see a man dressed in the finest silks? No, of course not—you find silk in the sitting rooms of palaces and mansions, not in the middle of the wilderness. ⁹ So what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes. Yes, a prophet and more than a prophet. ¹⁰ When you saw John, you saw the one whom the prophet Malachi envisioned when he said,

I will send My messenger ahead of You,
and he will prepare the way for You.
¹¹ This is the truth: no one who has ever been born to a woman is greater than John the Baptist. And yet the most insignificant person in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ^12-13 All of the prophets of old, all of the law—that was all prophecy leading up to the coming of John. Now, that sort of prepares us for this very point, right here and now. When John the Baptist came, the kingdom of heaven began to break in upon us, and those in power are trying to clamp down on it—why do you think John is in jail? ¹⁴ If only you could see it—John is the Elijah, the prophet we were promised would come and prepare the way. ¹⁵ He who has ears for the truth, let him hear.

¹⁶ What is this generation like? You are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out, ¹⁷ “When we played the flute, you did not dance; and when we sang a dirge, you did not mourn.” ¹⁸ What I mean is this: When John came, he dressed in the clothes of a prophet, and he did not eat and drink like others but lived on honey and wild locusts. And people wondered if he was crazy, if he had been possessed by a demon. ¹⁹ Then the Son of Man appeared—He didn’t fast, as John had, but ate with sinners and drank wine. And the people said, “This man is a glutton! He’s a drunk! And He hangs around with tax collectors and sinners, to boot.” Well, Wisdom will be vindicated by her actions—not by your opinions.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

I took the opportunity of John’s doubts and sending his disciples to question Me to point out how fickle people can be. I had no doubt John would understand the message I sent him and he would know I was the Messiah as he expected. Although he hoped I would rescue the Israelites from the political bondage of Rome and create a new independent nation again, that was not My mission. He wanted a military leader, as did most of the country. He wanted a new order of righteousness, as did most of the country. I didn’t come to do those things.

I came to establish My kingdom, but it would reside in the hearts of men and women who followed Me. Those who dared die to self and let Me reign in their lives regardless of the politics or religions around them. I wanted them to commit themselves to Me and nothing else. That was the price of entrance into My kingdom and that price hasn’t changed.

John shared the message. I shared the message. My disciples shared the message. Prophets in the past and even today share the message. But those then and today do the same thing the crowd around Me when John’s disciples asked about Me do. They show the fickle nature of people everywhere.

John was a prophet and wore clothes made of rough camel hair and ate honey and locust. He had just enough to survive and lived as all those in the wilderness. He looked the part of a desert nomad, rough, wild, able to live under the most rugged circumstances and enjoy it. The people who came to him complained his message was too strong. No one could live like him. He demanded too much.

I came and lived among the people in the cities. I spoke with prostitutes, tax collectors, the business people of the towns, even the Roman soldiers. The same people said I was a glutton and partied with the wrong people. They called Me a sinner because of the people I hung around with even though I kept all the law I gave to Moses on Mount Sinai hundreds of years earlier.

Why do people look for ways to find fault with the messenger? Because the truth of the message forces them to look inside themselves and they don’t like what they see. Truth will set them free from the bondage they feel, but they must first face that truth and it is often very ugly. It’s not easy to face the truth, but until you do, you can not find real repentance and so real forgiveness.

Do you find yourself falling into the trap of those in the crowd I spoke to that day John’s disciples questioned Me? It’s time to face the truth and find forgiveness. The message won’t change because I don’t change. My forgiveness doesn’t change either. Just come to Me in repentance and I will forgive. You’ll be glad you did. But it all starts with facing the real you, facing the truth.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

You have your mission (Matthew 10:5-42), Apr 23, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Matthew 10:5-42
Set – Psalms 141; Matthew 10
Go! – 1 Samuel 27; Psalms 141; 1 Chronicles 9; Matthew 10

Matthew 10:5-42
⁵Jesus sent out these twelve with clear instructions.

Jesus: Don’t go to the outsiders or to the towns inhabited by Samaritans, a people whose Jewish ancestors married Gentiles. ⁶ Go instead to find and heal the lost sheep of Israel. ⁷ As you go, preach this message: “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” ⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, and cleanse those who have leprosy. Drive out demons from the possessed. You received these gifts freely, so you should give them to others freely. ⁹ Do not take money with you: don’t take gold, silver, or even small, worthless change. ¹⁰ Do not pack a bag with clothes. Do not take sandals or a walking stick. Be fed and sheltered by those who show you hospitality. ¹¹ When you enter a town or village, look for someone who is trustworthy and stay at his house as long as you are visiting that town. ¹² When you enter this home, greet the household kindly. ¹³ And if the home is indeed trustworthy, let your blessing of peace rest upon it; if not, keep your blessing to yourself. ¹⁴ If someone is inhospitable to you or refuses to listen to your testimony, leave that house or town and shake the dust from your feet. ¹⁵ This is the truth: Sodom and Gomorrah, those ancient pits of inhospitality, will fare better on judgment day than towns who ignore you tomorrow or next week.

¹⁶ Listen: I am sending you out to be sheep among wolves. You must be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves. ¹⁷ You must be careful. You must be discerning. You must be on your guard. There will be men who try to hand you over to their town councils and have you flogged in their synagogues. ¹⁸ Because of Me, naysayers and doubters will try to make an example out of you by trying you before rulers and kings. ¹⁹ When this happens—when you are arrested, dragged to court—don’t worry about what to say or how to say it. The words you should speak will be given to you. For at that moment, ²⁰ it will not be you speaking; it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

²¹ Your task will be fraught with betrayal: brother will betray brother, even to the point of death; fathers will betray their children, and children will rebel against their fathers, even to the point of death. ^22-23 When you are persecuted in one town, flee to the next town. This is the truth: you will not be able to witness to every town in Israel before the Son of Man comes. Everyone will hate you because of Me. But remember: the one who stays on the narrow path until the end will be saved.

²⁴ A student is no greater than his teacher, and a servant is never greater than his master. ²⁵ It is sufficient if the student is like his teacher and the servant like his master. If people call the head of a house “Beelzebul,” which means “devil,” just imagine what they’re calling the members of his household.

²⁶ Do not be afraid of those who may taunt or persecute you. Everything they do—even if they think they are hiding behind closed doors—will come to light. All their secrets will eventually be made known. ²⁷ And you should proclaim in the bright light of day everything that I have whispered to you in the dark. Whatever whispers you hear—shout them from the rooftops of houses.

²⁸ Don’t fear those who aim to kill just the body but are unable to touch the soul. The One to fear is He who can destroy you, soul and body, in the fires of hell. ²⁹ Look, if you sold a few sparrows, how much money would you get? A copper coin apiece, perhaps? And yet your Father in heaven knows when those small sparrows fall to the ground. ^30-31 You, beloved, are worth so much more than a whole flock of sparrows. God knows everything about you, even the number of hairs on your head. So do not fear.

³² Whoever knows Me here on earth, I will know him in heaven. And whoever proclaims faith in Me here on earth, I will proclaim faith in him before My Father in heaven. ³³ But whoever disowns Me here, I will disown before My Father in heaven.

³⁴ Do not imagine that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. ³⁵ I have come to turn men against their fathers, daughters against their mothers, and daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law. ³⁶ You will find you have enemies even in your own household. ³⁷ If you love your father or mother more than you love Me, then you are not worthy of Me. If you love your son or daughter more than you love Me, then you are not worthy of Me. ³⁸ If you refuse to take up your cross and follow Me on the narrow road, then you are not worthy of Me. ³⁹ To find your life, you must lose your life—and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

Jesus: ⁴⁰ Anyone who welcomes you welcomes Me, and anyone who welcomes Me welcomes the One who sent Me. ⁴¹ Anyone who welcomes a prophet and surrenders to his prophecy will receive a prophet’s reward, and anyone who welcomes a righteous person and conforms to the righteousness that surrounds him and proceeds from him will receive a righteous man’s reward. ⁴² And anyone who has given so much as a cup of cold water to one of the little ones, because he is My disciple, I tell you, that person will be well rewarded.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

There’s a lot packed into those thirty-eight verses of instructions. Jesus knew what His disciples would face as they went out into the world to share My message, though. He knew the kind of people they would run into and the encouragement they needed now at the beginning of their journey. Jesus knew they would have successes along the way and many would come to know Him because of the message they shared, the many they healed, the miracles performed.

Others would hate Jesus’ messengers for the same reason. Because they proclaimed the message I gave them, those twelve would find others hated them as much as they hated Me. They would learn it doesn’t take long to be run out of town, beaten, stoned, arrested or held in prison for their message being given to others.

But their instructions were clear and they carried them out faithfully. Your instructions are clear, too. Jesus gave them to you before He came back to Me. “Go into all the world and make disciples. Teach them My commands and baptize them in My name and His name, and the name of the Holy Spirit.” If you’ll do that, you’ll do some incredible things for the kingdom and I’ll be with your each step of the way.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

His name fit, Nabal was a fool (1 Samuel 25:23-44), Apr 22, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – 1 Samuel 25:23-44
Set – 1 Samuel 24; Matthew 8
Go! – 1 Samuel 25-26; Psalms 63; Matthew 9

1 Samuel 25:23-44
²³ When Abigail saw David, she dropped quickly from her donkey and fell to the ground in front of him, bowing.

Abigail (at David’s feet): ²⁴ My lord, any guilt here falls on me. Please let me, your servant, speak, and may you hear the words I speak. ²⁵ My lord, you must not take seriously the words of this worthless man, Nabal. His actions have proven that his name and his nature are the same: Nabal is a fool. Unfortunately I, your servant, did not see the young men you sent.

²⁶ Now, my lord, as the Eternal One lives and as you live, since the Eternal has kept you from senseless killing and from seizing vengeance yourself, may your enemies and all who seek to harm you, my lord, be like Nabal.

²⁷ Now, please, accept my gift and distribute it among the young men who are with you. ²⁸ Please forgive your servant’s shortcomings. The Eternal will certainly make my lord’s house into a lasting dynasty because you fight on behalf of Him, and no evil will be found in you as long as you live. ²⁹ If anyone dares to rise up against you and seek your life, then you will be protected by the Eternal One, your True God, who will launch the lives of your enemies like stones from a sling.

³⁰ When the Eternal has done for my lord all the good things He has promised and has installed you as ruler over all Israel, ³¹ you will never have to be grieved or conscience-stricken for having shed blood needlessly or for taking vengeance into your own hands. When He has dealt generously with my lord, I pray you will remember me, your servant.

David (to Abigail): ³² Blessed is the Eternal God of Israel, who sent you here today to intercept me. ³³ And blessed is your wisdom—blessed are you—for keeping me from shedding blood needlessly and from taking vengeance into my own hands. ³⁴ For as surely as the Eternal God of Israel lives and sent you to me, if you had not hurried out to meet me, tomorrow there would not have been a single male left alive in Nabal’s household.

³⁵ Then David accepted her gifts.

David: Arise, and return home in peace. I have listened to your words, and I have granted your request.

³⁶ Abigail returned to Nabal, who was holding a kingly feast in his house. Nabal’s heart was light because he was very drunk, so Abigail chose not to tell him anything until the next morning. ³⁷ The next morning, when he was sober, Abigail told him about her meeting with David and he went cold inside. ³⁸ About 10 days later, the Eternal One struck down Nabal, and he died.

³⁹ When David heard this news, he blessed God.

David: Blessed is the Eternal One, who protected my honor from Nabal’s insults and who kept me, His servant, from executing evil. Instead, the Eternal One turned Nabal’s evil back on him.

⁴⁰ Then David sent servants to Carmel asking Abigail to be his wife.

Servants: David has sent us to bring you to him so that you can be his wife.

⁴¹ She stood, and then bowed to the ground before David’s servants.

Abigail: I am your servant, willing to wash the feet of my lord’s servants.

⁴² Then Abigail quickly got up, mounted her donkey, and went with the messengers of David attended by her five handmaidens. Not long after, she married him.

⁴³ David also married Ahinoam of Jezreel; she and Abigail were both wives of David. ⁴⁴ By this time, Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s former wife, to Palti (the son of Laish) from Gallim.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Nabal was a fool. He lived up to his name. Parents should be careful what they name their children because that happens too many times. You know his story. David’s men camped on his property and so protected his land from thieves and bandits. No one who might do him harm dared come close to his property as long as David’s men were around. They knew David’s reputation and would never risk taking on the warriors under David’s control for the price of a few sheep. So Nabal, for all those months, had free security from David’s mighty men.

David in return asked for a few loaves of bread and a little meat to feed his troops one day. But Nabal, the fool, refused. In fact, Nabal humiliated the men David sent with the request. Not a smart move. Nadal once more proved himself the fool. David set out to kill every man in Nabal’s household and destroy everything he owned.

Fortunately for those in Nabal’s household, he had a much smarter wife than he. She raced to David when she heard about his plans and begged for forgiveness for her husband. She used his name’s meaning as the excuse for his stupidity and saved David from his vengeance and saved the lives of all under Nabal’s roof.

My warning to all from this story is simple. Treat your neighbors well. Understand that they might be doing things for you that you really aren’t aware. Turning them away in their time of need is not conducive to your continued good health. Second, forgiveness and kindness always works better than rude and crass behavior. Third, remember I work behind the scenes with My servants. Take care of them. You don’t know how I might intervene in your life to use you to help them. Be ready to do so, though. It’s always to your advantage also.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Some things are urgent (Matthew 8:5-22), Apr 21, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Matthew 8:5-22
Set – 1 Samuel 24; Matthew 8
Go! – 1 Samuel 24; Psalms 57-58; 1 Chronicles 8; Matthew 8

Matthew 8:5-22
⁵ Eventually Jesus came to the little town of Capernaum. In Capernaum a military officer came to Him and asked Him for help.

Officer: ⁶ Lord, I have a servant who is lying at home in agony, paralyzed.

Jesus: ⁷ I will come to your house, and I will heal him.

Officer: ⁸ Lord, I don’t deserve to have You in my house. And, in truth, I know You don’t need to be with my servant to heal him. Just say the word, and he will be healed. ⁹ That, after all, is how authority works. My troops obey me whether I am next to them or not—similarly, this sickness will obey You.

¹⁰ Jesus was stunned by the depth of the officer’s faith.

Jesus (to His followers): This is the plain truth: I have not met a single person in Israel with as much faith as this officer. ¹¹ It will not be just the children of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob who celebrate at their heavenly banquet at the end of time. No, people will come from the East and the West—and those who recognize Me, regardless of their lineage, will sit with Me at that feast. ¹² But those who have feigned their faith will be cast out into outer darkness where people weep and grind their teeth.

¹³ Then Jesus turned to the Centurion.

Jesus: You may go home. For it is as you say it is; it is as you believe.

And the officer’s servant was healed, right then.

¹⁴ Jesus went to Peter’s house, and there He saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed, sick and burning up with a fever. ¹⁵ Jesus touched her hand, and then she was healed—the fever vanished. She got up from bed and began to wait on Him.

¹⁶ Toward nighttime many people who were possessed by demons were brought to Jesus, and He said one word of command and drove the demons out, healing everyone who was sick. ⁷ These miraculous healings fulfilled what the prophet Isaiah had predicted:

He took our infirmities upon Himself,
and He bore our diseases.
¹⁸ Jesus saw that a crowd had gathered around Him, and He gave orders to go to the other side of the sea. ¹⁹ A scribe came up to Him.

Scribe: Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.

Jesus: ²⁰ Foxes have dens in which to sleep, and the birds have nests. But the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.

Disciple: ²¹ Jesus, before I do the things You’ve asked me to do, I must first bury my father.

Jesus: ²² Follow Me! And let the dead bury their own dead.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

You heard the verses just read. You know the stories of the centurion’s faith and Peter’s mother-in-law. You know about the crowds coming for healing and exorcism and to hear My teaching. But I want you to learn something else from what you just heard. It comes from the interaction with the scribe that came to follow Me. I gave him a task to do, but he wanted to bury his father first.

My answer to the scribe probably sounds hard to many of you. But the message I gave the scribe is the same message that carries through this whole passage. The message is very clear to Me and I hope it becomes clear to you if you haven’t gotten it already. Here it is: There is urgency in My work.

It’s not earth-shattering news, I know. But it’s important for you to understand and I want you to feel that same urgency. I had a very short time to live with you in the flesh and show you what abundant living looks like. I had a very short time to carry out the task I came to earth to do. Everything I accomplished had an urgency about it.

All the people that came to Me for healing came with an urgency for relief. They didn’t want to wait another minute for healing and as a compassionate God who created those who came to Me for help, I didn’t want to wait a minute longer either. You know when you’ve suffered any illness, you want to get well, now, not later. There is an urgency to your prayers. There is an urgency to your actions for healing. You want to be well again.

So it is with My tasks for you. They bring healing to someone’s heart. You might not understand how, but the skills, talents, and gifts I’ve given you, I’ve given for a reason. That reason always helps others and grows My kingdom. It edifies Me and My church. And there is an urgency to the spiritual healing of others. You can introduce Me to people no one else around you can.

You see the urgency with the healing. It’s clear in My message to the scribe. Time is precious. You might have today or you might have another 100 years. But you don’t know. Life is too fleeting not to prepare for being with Me now and forever. And how about your co-worker or your spouse? Your children and your neighbor? They need Me, too. Who will introduce them to Me if you don’t? Their time is short, also. You could be their last chance. Don’t let them lose that opportunity because you think you have something “more important” to do. What can be more important that helping someone make it to heaven?

The message I hope you carry with you today and every day is the urgency of sharing the good news of My forgiveness for the asking. Live for Me and experience real freedom and life everlasting. The time is now.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

The source of David’s deliverance (Psalms 31), Apr 20, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Psalms 31
Set – Psalms 31; Matthew 7
Go! – 1 Samuel 23; Psalms 31, 54; Matthew 7

Psalms 31
¹ You are my shelter, O Eternal One—my soul’s sanctuary!
Shield me from shame;
rescue me by Your righteousness.
² Hear me, Lord! Turn Your ear in my direction.
Come quick! Save me!
Be my rock, my shelter,
my fortress of salvation!
³ You are my rock and my fortress—my soul’s sanctuary!
Therefore, for the sake of Your reputation, be my leader, my guide, my navigator, my commander.
⁴ Save me from the snare that has been secretly set out for me,
for You are my protection.
⁵ I entrust my spirit into Your hands.
You have redeemed me, O Eternal, God of faithfulness and truth.
⁶ I despise the people who pay respect to breathless idols,
and I trust only in You, Eternal One.
⁷ I will gladly rejoice because of Your gracious love
because You recognized the sadness of my affliction.
You felt deep compassion when You saw the pains of my soul.
⁸ You did not hand me over to the enemy,
but instead, You liberated me
and made me secure in a good and spacious land.
⁹ Show me Your grace, Eternal One, for I am in a tight spot.
My eyes are aching with grief;
my body and soul are withering with miseries.
¹⁰ My life is devoured by sorrow,
and my years are haunted with mourning.
My sin has sapped me of all my strength;
my body withers under the weight of this suffering.
¹¹ To all my enemies I am an object of scorn.
My neighbors especially are ashamed of me.
My friends are afraid to be seen with me.
When I walk down the street, people go out of their way to avoid me.
¹² I am as good as dead to them. Forgotten!
Like a shattered clay pot, I am easily discarded and gladly replaced.
¹³ For I hear their whispered plans;
terror is everywhere!
They conspire together,
planning, plotting, scheming to take my life.
¹⁴ But I pour my trust into You, Eternal One.
I’m glad to say, “You are my God!”
¹⁵ I give the moments of my life over to You, Eternal One.
Rescue me from those who hate me and who hound me with their threats.
¹⁶ Look toward me, and let Your face shine down upon Your servant.
Because of Your gracious love, save me!
¹⁷ Spare me shame, O Eternal One,
for I turn and call to You.
Instead, let those who hate me be shamed;
let death’s silence claim them.
¹⁸ Seal their lying lips forever,
for with pride and contempt boiling in their hearts,
they speak boldly against the righteous and persecute those who poured their trust into You.
¹⁹ Your overflowing goodness
You have kept for those who live in awe of You,
And You share Your goodness with those who make You their sanctuary.
²⁰ You hide them, You shelter them in Your presence,
safe from the conspiracies of sinful men.
You keep them in Your tent,
safe from the slander of accusing tongues.
²¹ Bless the Eternal!
For He has revealed His gracious love to me
when I was trapped like a city under siege.
²² I began to panic so I yelled out,
“I’m cut off. You no longer see me!”
But You heard my cry for help that day
when I called out to You.
²³ Love the Eternal, all of you, His faithful people!
He protects those who are true to Him,
but He pays back the proud in kind.
²⁴ Be strong, and live courageously,
all of you who set your hope in the Eternal!

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

When David played the part of a mentally handicapped person to avoid punishment by the king of Gath, Achish, he feared for his life and the lives of the men who followed him. Saul hunted him to kill him. The Philistines hunted him. Everyone seemed to want him dead. But Samuel had anointed him as the next king of Israel and he was under My protection. It was difficult for David to see how the future would unfold with everyone searching for him to kill him. He was confused and afraid.

David knew where to turn, though. He called out to Me and had confidence to know I could deliver. I could deliver provisions when and where he needed them. I could deliver protection when he needed it. I could deliver comfort and security. I could deliver peace. I could deliver his enemies into his hands. There is nothing I could not do for him.

David knew when he cried out to Me I would hear him and answer his prayer. He had seen Me do it in the past and knew I would answer again. I didn’t always answer the way he wanted Me to, but I always answered him in a way that was best for him and let him and others know I was in control of the situation in which he found himself.

The same is true today for My followers. I never change. And quite frankly, people haven’t changed either. Evil still has a grip on people. Modes change, media change, methods change, but people haven’t changed. Their thoughts are continually evil…until I free them from the bondage of sin. My message to humanity hasn’t changed. I am the same yesterday, today, and forever. So is mankind. Progress has not pushed man’s selfish intentions forward. But I can help with that. Progress hasn’t changed the fact that all have sinned. But I can help with that. Progress hasn’t changed people’s hearts. But I can help with that.

David knew where to go for the answer to his greatest need. He turned to Me for deliverance. Those today who are wise still know where to go for their answers. Turn to Me and I will give you the answers you need. Try Me out and see if I don’t deliver you from your darkest enemies.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Why should you pray? (Matthew 6:5-18), Apr 19, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Matthew 6:5-18
Set – 1 Samuel 22; Matthew 6
Go! – 1 Samuel 22; Psalms 17; Matthew 6

Matthew 6:5-18
⁵ Likewise, when you pray, do not be as hypocrites who love to pray loudly at synagogue or on street corners—their concern is to be seen by men. They have already earned their reward. ⁶ When you pray, go into a private room, close the door, and pray unseen to your Father who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you. ⁷ And when you pray, do not go on and on, excessively and strangely like the outsiders; they think their verbosity will let them be heard by their deities. ⁸ Do not be like them. Your prayers need not be labored or lengthy or grandiose—for your Father knows what you need before you ever ask Him.

⁹ Your prayers, rather, should be simple, like this:

Our Father in heaven,
let Your name remain holy.
¹⁰ Bring about Your kingdom.
Manifest Your will here on earth,
as it is manifest in heaven.
¹¹ Give us each day that day’s bread—no more, no less—
¹² And forgive us our debts
as we forgive those who owe us something.
¹³ Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
But let Your kingdom be,
and let it be powerful
and glorious forever. Amen.

¹⁴ If you forgive people when they sin against you, then your Father will forgive you when you sin against Him and when you sin against your neighbor. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive your neighbors’ sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

¹⁶ And when you fast, do not look miserable as the actors and hypocrites do when they are fasting—they walk around town putting on airs about their suffering and weakness, complaining about how hungry they are. So everyone will know they are fasting, they don’t wash or anoint themselves with oil, pink their cheeks, or wear comfortable shoes. Those who show off their piety, they have already received their reward. ¹⁷ When you fast, wash your face and beautify yourself with oil, ¹⁸ so no one who looks at you will know about your discipline. Only your Father, who is unseen, will see your fast. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

I can’t tell you how important prayer is to you. So many think of prayer as just a few rote words at meal or bedtime, but prayer is so much more. It’s communicating with Me. How else will you know Me or express yourself to Me except through prayer? I must hear from you for you to solidify your relationship with Me.

Can you imagine building a friendship or a marriage without talking to each other? How would you ever get your thoughts across? How would you support each other? How would you help each other reach your goals, your dreams? If you don’t talk to each other you wouldn’t know each others dreams, so you would only get in each others way. Relationships would crumble and die.

The same is true in your relationship with Me. We need to talk to each other. I left you My word. In most Bibles, it’s only twelve or thirteen hundred pages. That might sound like a lot, but it’s the length of about three or four novels. Isn’t reading My word as important as reading the latest novel? Just three or four pages a day and you’ve read My word through in a year. Doesn’t My relationship with you mean at least that much to you?

It’s equally important to talk to Me. Yes, I know your thoughts before you speak them, but often you don’t know them until you articulate them. Praying helps put your thoughts about Me or about your concerns, your intercession, your praise into your consciousness and give coherence to your thought. You explore who I am and what I’ve done for you when you pray. You share your deepest feelings, your doubts and fears when you pray. Then I can come to you and meet your needs and you know I’m the one who does it.

We need to talk to each other. I talk to you a myriad ways, but principally through My word. Read it, meditate on it, learn of Me. Listen to Me in nature, in the character and thoughts of other followers of Mine. Share with them your thoughts, also. Voice your prayers to Me. It takes few words, but it takes words from the heart.

Prayer changes things. You don’t like the way things are around you? Then pray.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Trouble comes, so does God (Psalms 34), Apr 18, 2015

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready -Psalms 34
Set – 1 Samuel 21; Psalms 34; Matthew 5
Go! – 1 Samuel 20-21; Psalms 34; Matthew 5

Psalms 34
¹ I will praise the Eternal in every moment through every situation.
Whenever I speak, my words will always praise Him.
² Everything within me wants to pay tribute to Him.
Whenever the poor and humble hear of His greatness, they will celebrate too!
³ Come and lift up the Eternal with me;
let’s praise His name together!
⁴ When I needed the Lord, I looked for Him;
I called out to Him, and He heard me and responded.
He came and rescued me from everything that made me so afraid.
⁵ Look to Him and shine,
so shame will never contort your faces.
⁶ This poor soul cried, and the Eternal heard me.
He rescued me from my troubles.
⁷ The messenger of the Eternal God surrounds
everyone who walks with Him and is always there to protect and rescue us.
⁸ Taste of His goodness; see how wonderful the Eternal truly is.
Anyone who puts trust in Him will be blessed and comforted.
⁹ Revere the Eternal, you His saints,
for those who worship Him will possess everything important in life.
¹⁰ Young lions may grow tired and hungry,
but those intent on knowing the Eternal God will have everything they need.
¹¹ Gather around, children, listen to what I’m saying;
I will teach you how to revere the Eternal.
¹² If you love life
and want to live a good, long time,
¹³ Take care with the things you say.
Don’t lie or spread gossip or talk about improper things.
¹⁴ Walk away from the evil things of the world,
and always seek peace and pursue it.
¹⁵ For the Eternal watches over the righteous,
and His ears are attuned to their prayers. He is always listening.
¹⁶ But He will punish evildoers,
and nothing they do will last. They will soon be forgotten.
¹⁷When the upright need help and cry to the Eternal, He hears their cries
and rescues them from all of their troubles.
¹⁸ When someone is hurting or brokenhearted, the Eternal moves in close
and revives him in his pain.
¹⁹ Hard times may well be the plight of the righteous—
they may often seem overwhelmed—
but the Eternal rescues the righteous from what oppresses them.
²⁰ He will protect all of their bones;
not even one bone will be broken.
²¹ Evil moves in and ultimately murders the wicked;
the enemies of the righteous will be condemned.
²² The Eternal will liberate His servants;
those who seek refuge in Him will never be condemned.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

David found himself in trouble often. That’s the way of those who follow Me. I promised My disciples they would have trouble as long as they lived in the present world. But don’t worry about it. As David understood 1,000 years before My coming in the flesh and as I told My disciples, I have already overcome the world.

The world will never understand Me. Satan has tried his best to lure My highest creation away from Me. All of you have a choice as to whether you will follow Me and My path will always look strange to the world. It seems opposite of what the world wants because the world continually pushes a selfish agenda. I want you to live a life of servanthood.

The world thinks materialistic things are important. Money, cars, houses, jobs, things you can hold in your hand and show to others mean the most to those who follow the patterns of the world. My followers know that material things don’t last. Those things also don’t bring happiness. Everyone who seeks material things as an end finds that reaching that goal only leads to wanting more.

Every thing that comes into your life also requires time to maintain it. Whatever the thing might be, it will take time from your life. Whether a house, a yard, a gadget, a time-saver, whatever the object might be, it requires time from the set number of hours in any given day. It the intangible you want to relish, the relationships with the immortal. And the immortal are you and Me. I made you in My image so you have an eternal spirit that will either live with Me or apart from Me forever. You get to choose.

David knew the right path and chose well. He understood the world’s path is one of evil, self-centeredness, and ultimate complete and final destruction. My path is one of peace, joy, and contentment even in the middle of the trouble the world brings your way. How can peace, joy, and contentment be your in the middle of trouble? Because I am with you. You can have the confidence that I will not leave you and your ultimate success rests with Me and I never fail.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

What can you find in David’s house? (1 Samuel 19:11-23), Apr 17, 2015

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – 1 Samuel 19:11-23
Set – 1 Samuel 19; Matthew 4
Go! – 1 Samuel 19; 1 Chronicles 7; Psalms 59; Matthew 4

1 Samuel 19:11-23
¹¹ Saul dispatched some of his officers to watch David’s house so that they could kill him the next day. David’s wife Michal warned him.

Michal: If you don’t save yourself tonight, tomorrow morning you’ll be killed.

¹² So Michal lowered David down through the window, and he escaped. ¹³ Then she laid a large idol on the bed, made it a wig of goat’s hair, and covered it with clothes. ¹⁴ When Saul’s officers came to take David to the king, she told them, “He’s sick.”

¹⁵ Hearing this report, Saul ordered his officers to return and see David for themselves. He would not be deterred.

Saul: Even if you have to carry him to me in his bed, do it so I can kill him.

¹⁶ When the officers returned, they threw back the blankets and, instead of David, they discovered the idol with its goat-hair wig in the bed. So they took Michal to Saul.

Saul (to Michal): ¹⁷ Why have you betrayed me like this, daughter, and let my enemy escape?

Michal (lying): He said to me, “Let me go. Don’t make me kill you.”

¹⁸ David fled to Samuel in Ramah, and he told him everything that had happened. Samuel took David to the town of Naioth, and they lived there.

¹⁹ Saul soon learned that David was at Naioth in Ramah, ²⁰ so he sent officers to arrest him and bring him back. But when they came, they found a group of prophets in a prophetic trance with Samuel standing and leading them, and the Spirit of the True God entered Saul’s officers so that they, too, were caught up and prophesied.

²¹ When Saul heard this news, he sent other officers who were also affected in this way. He sent a third set of officers, and again, the same thing happened when they encountered Samuel and the prophets.

²² So finally Saul went, himself, to Ramah. When he arrived at the large cistern at Secu, he asked where he might find Samuel and David and was told they were at Naoith in Ramah. ²³ As Saul traveled, the Spirit of God entered him, and he, too, fell into a constant prophetic trance.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Preachers preach a lot of sermons about Saul’s change of heart and his stormy relationship with David. They talk about the fact Saul never intended David to marry his daughter, Michal. He thought he ensured it would never happen by posting the unusual dowry of 100 Philistine foreskins. Saul would never have believed David would pay double the price with 200 foreskins.

We hear about My protection of David through all of Saul’s attempts to destroy David. But few ask an important question about the story of Michal’s betrayal of her father’s treachery and helping David escape his clutches. What are David and Michal doing with a life-sized idol in their home?

David let his love for Michal cloud his spiritual leadership in his home by allowing her to have the idol. Whether it belonged to her or one of her handmaids, the problem is the same. As the spiritual leader of his home, there was no place for an idol there. His children would learn about false gods from those who prayed to them, who believed in them. David created a tolerance in his household for the unholy which spread to his children and his grandchildren as seen later in the story of Israel’s kings.

I told My Moses and My children I am jealous and would not allow other gods around Me. They were to establish no idols of any kind around them. Yet here was the future king and queen with an idol close enough to use as a subterfuge for his escape. Now consider the domino affect that idol in David’s house began to have on the kingdom.

If David’s wife, Michal, would use it to disguise her husband from her father, she or others within the household no doubt kept it around as a good luck charm and told David’s children about how the idol helped him escape instead of My providence. The tolerance of the idol in the home allowed for Solomon’s tolerance of the many idols of his wives and concubines and the fact he even began to worship them at the shines on the hillsides in his later years. His son Rehoboam completely abandoned Me and worshiped pagan gods and Solomon’s officers after their rebellion set up idols in Bethel and Dan in direct violation of My commands.

You see, tolerance for the wrong things in your life can lead to disastrous results. David probably didn’t think much of the idol sitting around his house. After all, he had a heart for Me. He would not change his faith and was ready to die for Me. But those of lesser faith in his household, particularly his children and grandchildren, fell further and further from Me as the tolerance for a single idol grew to the point that shrines covered almost every hilltop across the land I had given My people.

Beware the little things you allow to creep into your life and the surroundings of your home. You never know the impact they will have on future generations.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Want to trade places with John? (Matthew 3), Apr 16, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Matthew 3
Set – 1 Samuel 18; Psalms 11; Matthew 3
Go! – 1 Samuel 18; 1 Chronicles 6; Psalms 11; Matthew 3

Matthew 3
¹ Around the same time, a man called John began to travel, preach, and ritually wash people through baptism in the wilderness of Judea. John preached a stern but exciting message.

John: ² Repent! For the kingdom of heaven is near.

³ John’s proclamation fulfilled a promise made by the ancient prophet Isaiah, who had said, “There will be a voice calling from the desert, saying,

Prepare the road for the Eternal One’s journey;
repair and straighten out every mile of our God’s highway.”
⁴ John wore wild clothes made from camel hair with a leather belt around his waist—the clothes of an outcast, a rebel. He ate locusts and wild honey.

⁵ People from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and indeed from all around the river Jordan came to John. ⁶ They confessed their sins, and they were baptized by him in the Jordan.

⁷ He told some Pharisees and Sadducees who came for the ritual baptism,

John: You children of serpents! You brood of vipers! Did someone suggest you flee from the wrath that is upon us? ^8-9 If you think that simply hopping in the Jordan will cleanse you, then you are sorely mistaken. Your life must bear the fruits of turning toward righteousness. Nor are you correct if you think that being descended from Abraham is enough to make you holy and right with God. Yes, the children of Abraham are God’s chosen children, but God can adopt as daughters and sons anyone He likes—He can turn these stones into sons if He likes.

¹⁰ Even now there is an ax poised at the root of every tree, and every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and tossed into the fire. ¹¹ I ritually cleanse you through baptism as a mark of turning your life around. But someone is coming after me, someone whose sandals I am not fit to carry, someone who is more powerful than I. He will wash you not in water but in fire and with the Holy Spirit. ¹² He carries a winnowing fork in His hand, and He will clear His threshing floor; He will gather up the good wheat in His barn, and He will burn the chaff with a fire that cannot be put out.

¹³ And then, the One of whom John spoke—the all-powerful Jesus—came to the Jordan from Galilee to be washed by John. ¹⁴ At first, John demurred.

John: I need to be cleansed by You. Why do You come to me?

Jesus: ¹⁵ It will be right, true, and faithful to God’s chosen path for you to cleanse Me with your hands in the Jordan River.

John agreed, and he ritually cleansed Jesus, dousing Him in the waters of the Jordan. ¹⁶ Jesus emerged from His baptism; and at that moment heaven was opened, and Jesus saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon Him, alighting on His very body.

Voice from Heaven: ¹⁷ This is My Son, whom I love; this is the Apple of My eye; with Him I am well pleased.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Not many people want to change places with John the Baptist. It might sound cool to baptize My son in the Jordan and announce the beginning of his ministry to the world, but…

Even in Jesus’ day, camel hair clothes and only sporadic baths in the desert didn’t exactly draw the fashion crowd. John could probably smell himself. It was only because of My message he attracted anyone at all. But then again, the message wasn’t exactly the popular theme of the day either.

John cried for repentance. He pled for those who came to him to cast off the ritual of the temple just for the sake of practicing rituals as many of My earlier prophets did. He made a lot of enemies among the religious…few among the righteous. I gave him a hard mission trumpeting My arrival in flesh and blood. I knew few would believe him. I knew he would have at least as difficult a time as the prophets before him.

John never backed away from his task, though. Despite the rough treatment. Despite the hard conditions. Despite the many who shouted at him, hated him, tried to drive him away or change his message, John stayed true to his task. He never let up on his call to repentance to those who failed to follow My word.

John even found himself imprisoned after announcing to Herod the wrongs he committed in his illicit marriage. Still he refused to back off from the message I gave him to share with those around him. It made no difference whether they held high positions of authority or barely survived from day to day. John’s message, My message always came across boldly and without hesitation.

Not many want to change places with John. His might sound like an interesting life, getting to baptize My son. But living like John and losing your life to an executioner’s sword, few will sign up for knowingly. I won’t give you John’s task. But I will give you something only you can do for Me. And when you do what I ask, boldly and unhesitatingly, I guarantee you’ll meet Me face to face one day.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.