Devotional
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Daily Readings: 2 Samuel 4 and Psalm 81 The death of Abner (2 Samuel 3) was a disaster for Ish-bosheth. Abner’s military prowess and influence over the soldiers had propped up Ish-bosheth’s rule, and now Abner was gone. The king was weak because he had trusted in a man rather than in God, and now…
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Daily Readings: 2 Samuel 3 and Psalm 80 This was an age of polygamy, violent bloodshed, intrigues and power-mongering. Often people’s behaviour demonstrated what displeases God more than what pleases Him. The main characters in today’s chapter are mostly no different. There was a weak ‘puppet king’ of Israel, Ish-bosheth from the house of Saul.…
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Daily Readings: 2 Samuel 2 and Psalm 79 We will read these early chapters of 2 Samuel with the desire to learn something for our own discipleship in the Kingdom of our King Jesus. That will be tough, because they read more like the sort of contemporary entertainment that glorifies violence and bloodshed. David’s supporters…
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Daily Readings: 2 Samuel 1 and Psalm 78 The opening chapter of 2 Samuel contains much that warrants our attention, but for today let’s contemplate David’s reaction to hearing of the outcome of the battle, and of Saul and Jonathan’s deaths. While we would expect him to mourn for his dear friend Jonathan, his agonising…
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Daily Readings: 1 Samuel 31 and Psalm 77 This is the battle of which Saul was so frightened that he went to consult a medium at Endor for guidance (1 Samuel 28). This is the battle the Philistine leaders had instructed David to leave (1 Samuel 29). In hindsight we realise that this had actually…
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Daily Readings: 1 Samuel 30 and Psalm 76 “But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.” (v.6 NKJV) This was the turning point for David. He had hit rock bottom. Rejected and hunted down at home, he had defected to the Philistines. Rejected by the Philistines, now he returned to find his village destroyed and all…
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Daily Readings: 1 Samuel 29 and Psalm 75 David was in a truly dark place. He had defected to the Philistine leader Achish of Gath, leaving the people of God behind under Saul’s dark reign (1 Samuel 27:2). Then he took to raiding with horrific violence and enriching himself behind Achish’s back (see 1 Samuel…
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Daily Readings: 1 Samuel 28 and Psalm 74 While Saul was desperate to hear from God in the face of a huge enemy army, all he heard was silence. Why would that have been? It seems to be generally true, in the experience of God’s people, that when God has told us something consistently and…
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Daily Readings: 1 Samuel 27 and Psalm 73 “David thought to himself, ‘One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul.’” (v.1) David’s desperate circumstances had moved him to a point of despair. He had become so discouraged that he forgot all of God’s past miracles of deliverance and decided that…
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Daily Readings: 1 Samuel 26 and Psalm 72 The events of 1 Samuel 26 closely resemble those of chapter 24. And we learn a lot from the marked contrast between David and Saul. David: Once again the LORD creates a situation where David has the opportunity to kill Saul if he so chooses. Yet, once…
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