Category: Daily Bible Reading

1 Samuel 17:1-18:4; John 8:21-30; Psalm 111:1-10; Proverbs 15:11

One way to assure success when you are facing a giant situation is to get God involved. Israel’s army was paralyzed with fear because of Goliath. He taunted them daily and they could not muster the courage to fight him.

When David came to the camp to bring his brothers some food, he heard the rants of Goliath and wondered why no one was challenging him. After all, Goliath was mocking God! David steps forward having no military experience and offered to fight a trained warrior. How could David be so confident?

It was because he had a track record of God helping him in impossible situations. When he was alone and the flock was attacked, David had to rely on God! He attributed his success to God’s intervention. Sure enough, David stood before someone who was better trained, better resourced (Goliath had state of the art weapons) and bigger in stature; yet, with one smooth stone, he brought Goliath down. What made the difference? God’s help.

God will help you defeat any giant you face. You just have to include Him and follow His directions. Your giants will fall.

Tomorrow’s Reading: 1 Samuel 18:5-19:24; John 8:31-59; Psalm 112:1-10; Proverbs 15:12-14

1 Samuel 15:1-16:23; John 8:1-20; Psalm 110:1-7; Proverbs 15:8-10

Did you know it was possible to bring sorrow to God? This is exactly what Saul did. He was given specific instructions about how to handle the Amalekites. When God speaks, He speaks with clarity. He does this because if God is unclear then He cannot hold us accountable for obeying an unclear instruction. He told Saul through Samuel to “completely destroy the Amalekites….” No vagueness at all.

Saul, however, only destroyed the things that he felt were worthless and kept the best for himself! When Samuel confronted him, Saul was erecting a monument to himself! He had allowed the position that God put him in to cause him to become boastful and prideful. It made him so confident in himself that he openly disobeyed God’s instructions.

When Samuel confronted him, he blamed the people for leading him astray! Saul’s disobedience cost him everything! He lost the throne and disqualified his successive generations from sitting on the throne. Our disobedience can derail not only our lives but also the lives of those around us. In the same way that disobedience brings sorrow to God, our obedience brings joy!

Have a willing heart to obey God and there is no promotion that He will withhold from you!!

Tomorrow’s Reading: 1 Samuel 17:1-18:4; John 8:21-30; Psalm 111:1-10; Proverbs 15:11

1 Samuel 14:1-52; John 7:31-53; Psalm 109:1-31; Proverbs 15:5-7

Saul’s kingship was moving forward. They were experiencing victories at the powerful hand of God. Saul had a heart to hear from God before he took any move. Saul valued hearing from God before he took any military action. (In fact, in the previous chapter, Saul was so desperate to hear from God that he set up his own altar and made sacrifices.)

There was a time when Saul inquired of the Lord but God was silent! Saul knew there was something blocking his ability to hear from God. He found out it was the sin of his own son that stopped the voice of God. Unlike Eli, Saul was ready to punish Jonathan for his disobedience. But, the people pleaded with him for mercy– which he granted.

Have you experienced a time in your life when God seemed silent? Has hearing God’s voice become dull? Search your heart and go back to the last clear instruction you received from Him. You do not want anything to block you from hearing today– or any day. God is always speaking but our lack of obedience dulls our ability to hear. It is too risky to live life without hearing God’s voice!

Tomorrow’s Reading:  1 Samuel 15:1-16:23; John 8:1-20; Psalm 110:1-7; Proverbs 15:8-10

1 Samuel 12:1-13:23; John 7:1-30; Psalm 108:1-13; Proverbs 15:4

Samuel is transitioning his ministry and he presents himself before the people as a way to have an integrity check!  Not every leader is willing to stand before those whom they serve and have those people confirm their integrity. Samuel asked the people to present evidence against his character.

You see the greatest asset to a leader is his or her integrity. Many people desire to be leaders but without the integrity that goes along with it, you will never see the fruit of your leadership. Integrity creates influence. No leader alive has ever made all the right decisions. What causes people to follow is that they can trust the heart of the person in charge.

One’s heart will establish him even when accusations are hurled. As a leader, you are not immune from attacks and misrepresentations of your character. What you can do is live in such a way that they are proven to be false by your lifestyle.

Samuel exercised great spiritual power because his heart was right towards God. Check your heart today. Ensure that there is no pollution in your heart that would keep you from walking in a supernatural level of leadership. People will be inspired to follow you because of the integrity of your heart.

Tomorrow’s Reading: 1 Samuel 14:1-52; John 7:31-53; Psalm 109:1-31; Proverbs 15:5-7

1 Samuel 5:1-7:17; John 6:1-21; Psalm 106:13-31; Proverbs 14:32-33

How easy it is to take God’s presence for granted. If we are not careful, we will take God’s presence lightly as if He were any other person. God’s presence is not to be played with. One of the most precious benefits we have as children of God is to enjoy His presence.

The Philistines thought they had an upper hand on Israel because they took the Ark of the Covenant, which represented the presence of God. The problem was The Almighty God cannot and will not be contained in an unholy place or vessel. When they took the Ark and put it in their temple next to their god, each day they found their god on the ground.

Even the people who held onto the Ark found themselves under attack. The truth is that the power of God is superior to all other gods. Our God knows this but do we? God’s presence and power are unparalleled. God has made that power available to you today.

Receive that power into your life and let that power flow from you to everyone you encounter. When God’s power flows through you, it will transform situations around you. That’s when healing happens and people are set free. This power is available to you right now!

Tomorrow’s Reading: 1 Samuel 8:1-9:27; John 6:22-42; Psalm 106:32-48; Proverbs 14:34-35

1 Samuel 2:22-4:22; John 5:24-47; Psalm 106:1-12; Proverbs 14:30-31

Are there people who are in a protected category for whom you turn a blind eye to their behavior? Eli was the priest and God had promised him that his family would always serve as priests because of Eli’s faithful duty as priest of the Lord.

However, Eli looked the other way when he was made aware of his son’s immorality. He did nothing. The saddest thing about this whole episode with Eli is that the young man who was sent to be mentored by Eli had to inform him of God’s judgment. God’s presence was removed. God’s hand was removed from Eli’s family and he died in obscurity.

With all that is happening in the world, are there areas where you turn a blind eye and say, “whatever”? If so, today would be a time to search your heart and ask, “Am I missing God’s presence or hand on my life because of looking away at injustice?” God is counting on you to stand firm on His principles regardless of who is committing the injustice. No one is above the standards of God. Let’s stand firm in Him!

Tomorrow’s Reading: 1 Samuel 5:1-7:17; John 6:1-21; Psalm 106:13-31; Proverbs 14:32-33

1 Samuel 1:1-2:21; John 5:1-23; Psalm 105:37-45; Proverbs 14:28-29

What is pressing you in your life? Are there things that you have become frustrated about and wish they could change? The key to handling these things is not complaining about them. So often we use natural means to solve our issues while neglecting the supernatural power that God has made available to us.

Whatever you are facing can be conquered! How? Through prayer. Hannah had a pressing deficiency. She was barren and had a desire to have a child. Her husband was good to her but she judged her life by what she did not have. So, she did the most powerful thing. She prayed about it. She was so fervent in her prayer that the priest thought she was drunk!

Nevertheless, Hannah had confidence in God! She trusted God to answer her prayer. And, God did answer! She received a child that she had prayed for.

So, how’s your prayer life? What benefit or answer are you missing because you have not had the courage to pray?

We used to sing this song as I grew up: “What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit,O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Tomorrow’s Reading: 1 Samuel 2:22-4:22; John 5:24-47; Psalm 106:1-12; Proverbs 14:30-31

Ruth 2:1-4:22; John 4:43-54; Psalm 105:16-36; Proverbs 14:26-27

We often hear, “actions have consequences.” Usually it is said in a negative context where there is punishment coming because of something we did. However, the opposite is also true. Good actions have good consequences (or rewards).

Ruth was a selfless lady who had every reason to leave her mother-in-law and return to her family, find a new husband and raise a new family. Yet, because of her loyalty to Naomi, she remained with her and left her native land. As a foreigner, she was very vulnerable but her good actions positioned her for good rewards.

Her sacrifice caused her to leave family, security, children, and comfort. There is no way possible that God will ever let someone give up something for which He will not recompense him or her! When Ruth went out to work, she started to receive the favor of God. She received the food she needed. She then found the man she wanted. He married her and gave her the child she wanted. The interesting aspect to this whole story is that this selfless woman, Ruth, is in the bloodline of King David and King Jesus!

God will give you opportunities to show selflessness as it relates to someone else. When you do this you should know that God sees and He will honor it. It is the very nature of God to be selfless. Don’t run from sacrifice! Your answered prayers are right on the other side of your selfless acts.

Tomorrow’s Reading: 1 Samuel 1:1-2:21; John 5:1-23; Psalm 105:37-45; Proverbs 14:28-29

Judges 21:1-Ruth 1:22; John 4:4-42; Psalm 105:1-15; Proverbs 14:25

Do you allow the circumstances that you face to define who you are? Do you allow the faults that you have or the failings you’ve experienced in life dictate who you are? If so, you are very much like Naomi. She was a woman who endured a rough life. Her husband moved her to a new city and they built a seemingly great life. They had 2 sons who found themselves wives. All was going well.

Then, Naomi’s husband dies. Ten years later, both of her sons die. In Middle Eastern culture, the men were one’s connection to security and identity. With her two daughters-in-law, she decided to return home. One daughter-in-law turns back to go be with her family and start over. The other daughter-in-law, Ruth, makes a resolute commitment to never leave Naomi. Once Naomi and Ruth arrive back home, they are met with great joy and affection.

Naomi tells these happy people not to call her Naomi which means “sweet” but call her Mara, which means bitter. Naomi wanted people to refer to her based on what life had thrown at her. But, she was so much more than her past. God made Naomi so much more than her circumstances. As you go through life, you will face times when things do not go well. You will face challenging times that may cause you to revise the pathway that you take to your destiny (notice I did not say that your destiny has changed just the pathway).

Don’t change your name! God’s purpose and plan for your life has not changed. Your future is still bright. Your dreams are still attainable. Your life still has meaning and purpose. You have to believe this: you are more than your circumstances!

Tomorrow’s Reading: Ruth 2:1-4:22; John 4:43-54; Psalm 105:16-36; Proverbs 14:26-27

 

Judges 19:1-20:48; John 3:22-4:3; Psalm 104:24-35; Proverbs 14:22-24

Israel continues her slide into mayhem as people continue to do what is right in their own eyes. You can’t help but be disturbed by what you read today. It is offensive on so many levels yet it is what happens when we make the rules for our lives instead of God. On our best day, we cannot adequately manage the affairs of our lives. We need God’s guidance.

God’s guidance is like a navigation system. If you have ever gone to an unfamiliar city and had to rely upon the navigation system to get you around, you respond differently to it than in cities where you are somewhat familiar. In an unfamiliar place, you hang on every word of the navigation. Even when your mind wants to question if the voice is directing you properly, you keep listening. In an area where you have some familiarity, you will second guess the navigation and even go another way.

We have to see our lives as unchartered territory where only God knows the best route. Allow Him to direct us so that we don’t waste time being lost or sliding into defiant sin. When people do what is right in their own eyes, they are playing to the lowest common denominator. Over time, the bar keeps lowering until every institution (family, church, community, business, government, etc.) are all operating against the will of God. What awaits these people is destruction.

Choose today to let God lead you and set the spiritual and moral compass for your life. You may not fully understand God’s ways but they are always right and the best for us!

Tomorrow’s Reading: Judges 21:1-Ruth 1:22; John 4:4-42; Psalm 105:1-15; Proverbs 14:25