Category: Daily Devotional

Scripture 1 Sam 11:6 Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard this news, and his anger was greatly aroused.

Observation: There are things in this world that make me angry, like homosexual marriage, the teaching of evolution, cult religions and all of these things are against God. So is it the spirit of the Lord that convicts me and arouses my anger or is it just my anger? There is plenty of things that get me angry which have nothing to do with the nature of God, mostly about me. I believe the items I mentioned is because the Spirit of God is upon me. Every time I hear or see these detestable things, which in this day is quite often, I get angry and feel bad there is nothing I can do. If God’s Spirit is upon me, maybe there are things that I can do if I ask for wisdom. Maybe it’s time for more than anger, it’s time to be a part of the solution to glorify God.

Application: Don’t just pass off these moments of anger as a helpless victim, but ask the Spirit what it is I’m supposed to be doing. God does everything for a purpose if we stop and ask Him what He desires us to do in a situation He will guide us. I need to stop being so passive and ask for courage to change what God desires me to change. If God’s Spirit is upon me there is nothing I can’t do.

Prayer: My God I want to make a difference for you. I’m surrounded by sin each day and do nothing but complain. Get me in the game Lord and may your spirit show me what You desire me to do. I’m here as your servant fill me with Your Spirit and have me serve.

Scripture 1 Sam 10:6 Then the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man.

Observation: When I received Jesus as my Lord and Savior and the Holy Spirit took His place in my heart, I was changed. Even from the beginning I remember I couldn’t swear anymore or tell a lie. I started to see people differently, more like how God sees us. God gave me a heart to serve and do something for His glory and before I didn’t do anything for anyone, even my own family. My heart was softened, I became someone different, someone I wish I was my whole life. I remember, before that every day I wish I was someone else, anyone but me and now I wouldn’t want to be anyone else, maybe just a little better me each day.

Application: Stay focused on the man God wants me to be. Get more involved in things at church and find a way to get the depression ministry and outreach ministry going. Each day become a better me, someone that honors God each day. I need to try harder to be better for my Lord, it’s too easy to do nothing. I’m so blessed that God has made me a different man then I use to be, but I still want to be better, better every day.

Prayer: My Lord thank you for changing me from the person I created. Thank you for softening my heart and changing my thinking so that it serves you. Continue to change me, filling me with the Holy Spirit reaping rewards for your glory.

Scripture 1 Sam 9:16 “Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him commander over My people Israel, that he may save My people from the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon My people, because their cry has come to me.”

Observation: Don’t you wish you were one of the prophets that God talked directly to you. Like Moses when God gave him instructions on what to do and say when He sent him to Pharaoh. Like so many times God hears our cries for help and does something about it. He may use a person to help bring about His plan whether it be Moses, Abraham, Joshua and the list goes on. When we cry to the Lord for help, do we make ourselves available for service, available to our God? I’ve cried out so many times and He has always been there, maybe not the way I thought it should happen or in my time frame, but God always came through and many times He used someone to help guide me. The biggest example of that is my wife. I cried out to God to allow me to end this life here, since I saw no use for it and He placed the most wonderful woman I had ever met into my life. God has used her to encourage me to fulfill the purpose God has given me.

Application: I need to be able to hear God’s voice and let Him know each day that I’m available and desire to serve in whatever way he desires me to serve. As I’ve cried out to God I need to be able to hear others cries and then ask God what I may do to help. Each day I cry out in prayer my petitions to my God, but until now I have never asked how I might be the answer to someone else’s prayer.

Prayer: My Lord show me how to be the answer to someone’s prayer. Use the gifts and abilities that you have given me to your service. Help me be silent so that I may hear your voice guide me today. Take me off the sidelines and put me in the game that I may finish well.

Scripture 1 Sam 8:7 And the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.

Observation: Whenever we go against God’s will, which is sin, we reject our God. Whenever we put our needs and desires above God’s we are saying we are more important than Him. So often in a day do we reject God? When we say something hurtful to someone, a lie, lust, personal ambition and the list goes on. We are not only sinning, but we are rejecting our Heavenly Father, because we do not listen to His instructions for our life. God is love and has blessed us so much more than we can ever possibly deserve, but I bet a day doesn’t go by that we turn our backs to Him, I know in my life unfortunately that’s true.

Application: I need to realize my thoughts and actions are much more than an expression of my wants, but so often they can be a rejection of my God, who should be my first true love. Rejecting Him is the same as telling Him he is not as important as the things I want to do and that needs to end. I’m on a journey to Heaven and I will be held responsible for all that I say, think and do and I don’t want to hear about all the times I rejected the one who has created and saved me. It’s time to start a commitment to giving myself a hundred percent to my Father and to never reject Him again. At least if this is my goal and target in life I have a much better chance of hitting it then never having anything to shoot for.

Prayer: My Lord I am a sinner and selfish man. My desire is to never reject you anymore. I know I have a very difficult time controlling my thoughts and I need you to help me with the way I am. Fill me with the Holy Spirit and get me through this life without dishonoring you anymore. I do love you, may my life prove it.

Scripture 1 Sam 7:3 Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you return to the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and prepare your hearts for the LORD, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”

Observation: What is it to return with all of your heart? That God is your everything, He is your heart, mind and soul and that you will live for Him. God should be the master of us, everything that we have and are needs to belong to the Lord. Before we do anything we should see if it honors God, we need to die to ourselves and then live for our Lord. It seems like a lot to ask, but it’s the very least we can do. Everything we give Him He gave it to us first and we are simply giving it back. Our hearts need to be prepared for God, which makes Him our main focus and since we love Him we desire to serve Him, it’s no longer a chore to serve, but becomes an honor.

Application: I still need to return to my Lord with all of my heart and rid myself of this self-centerness. I need to prepare my heart and get my life into perspective. I’m still living as if this life is for me, when in fact it has always belonged to my Lord. I need to serve more, because when I serve I know I’m in His presence and in His will. I need my Lord to deliver me from this sinful existence and get my heart ready to glorify Him.

Prayer: I can’t do it by myself, my Lord. I’ve tried and always fall short and go back to focusing on me. Help get my heart ready for service to You. In my heart I do want to be the man you call me to be, but I continue to stray off the path. Give me a strong heart and take this laziness from me so that I may serve.

Scripture 1 Sam 6:9 And watch: if it goes up the road to its own territory, to Beth Shemesh, then He has done us this great evil. But if not, then we shall know that it is not His hand that struck us–it happened to us by chance.”

Observation: How many times have we made our own game of if this happens it’s God and if this happens it wasn’t. If God rules our lives then His hand is in everything and we won’t have to toss a coin. Our goal is to be in God’s will and ask for His direction and we know as His followers He will answer. Our Lord answers in different ways but He doesn’t allow chance to guide our lives. I once heard the definition of coincidence is only a miracle God didn’t get the credit for. We should never let chance decide our future the future belongs to God.

Application: I keep thinking that things are just going to come in the right time. I need to be more aware of how God is working in my life. I need to stop taking chances and seek God’s direction. God is the ruler of my life not pure chance. It’s not as if I’m here by chance, but I’m here because God desired it so. However I do need to be taking chances on what to do when God leads me in a direction and not sit idly by.

Prayer: My Lord speak to your servant and direct me on what to do. Open doors for the things you want of me and give me the courage to do them. I’m so tired not doing anything for you show me what to do. You have given me gifts and talents use them for your glory. Show me how to please you.

Scripture 1 Sam 5:7 And when the men of Ashdod saw how it was, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is harsh toward us and Dagon our god.”

Observation: As I was reading this I see how God is showing His powers and how He destroyed the statue of their god, Dagon. They didn’t say that the God of Israel was God or get rid of their false god Dagon, but they said get rid of the ark, which is of God, He is harsh with them and their so called god Dagon. They had this god for so long it hasn’t dawned on them that this really wasn’t God, as a matter of fact they were trying to protect it from God. Were like this not wanting to give up on our idolatries, even though God has proven Himself the one and only God worthy of our worship. It may not be a statue, but it can be money, job, relationship, pride or even something else. At times we wonder why God’s hand is so harsh towards us, probably right in the middle of our worship to a false god.

Application: I’m no better than anyone else when it comes to idol worshipping. Sometimes it’s my pride, my abilities that God has given me, possessions and my desires, instead of God’s desires for me. I need to bow down to my Lord who has given me everything that I have and worship Him only. I need to ask for His guidance and listen to how He wants to direct me. I need to burn the gods of my life and realize they are nothing and offer my whole self to my Lord.

Prayer: Dear Lord and Master of my life. You are the only thing that I should be worshipping and you are so worthy of all my love praise and worship. Please take these distractions from your servant and open my eyes to your desires for my life. I love and want to obey you in everything my God.