Journey through the life of Saul & David - 50. Depend on God for strength!!!

Three days later, David and his men arrived to the town Ziklag where they were staying.

They found the Amalekites had made a raid in Ziklag; had crushed Ziklag and burned it to the ground and carried off the women and children.

When David and his men saw the ruins and realized what had happened to their families, they wept until they could weep no more.

David’s two wives, Ahinoam and Abigail, were also captured.

David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters. They began to talk of stoning him.

But David found strength in the LORD his God. (1 Samuel 30:1-6 NLT)

To ponder:

It's so heart breaking when we ourselves have lost our dear ones but still have to bear the blame for it.

Psalms 63:8 says, I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely.

Learning to depend on God comes only when we face desperate situations in our life.

Isaiah 40:29 says, He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.

We have a God to whom we can run to and be strengthened. 

Journey through the life of Saul & David - 49. God gives His peace!!!

The Philistine army was ready to attack the Israelites. David and his men also got ready to fight.

But the Philistine commanders were not happy with David and his men fighting along with them.

King Achish gave a good testimony about David , that he’s been with them for years, and he has never found a single fault in him from the day he arrived until that day.

But the Philistine commanders got annoyed and asked Achish to send them back since they feared that David can anytime turns against them in battle and become their enemy.

So finally King Achish though he found David trustworthy as a angel of God, he had to send him back home.

David felt bad that he couldn't fight the enemies of king Achish.

So David and his men headed back into the land of the Philistines, while the Philistine army went on to fight.

To ponder:

When our ways are pleasing to God, even our enemies will be at peace with us.

Today let us analyze our lives. Is our life pleasing God?

Journey through the life of Saul & David - 48. Saul consults a medium!!!

Saul disguised himself and went to the woman’s home at night, accompanied by two of his men and asked her to call up a spirit for him.

The woman confronted that Saul had outlawed all mediums and who consult the spirits of the dead.

But Saul took an oath in the name of the LORD that nothing bad will happen.

Saul requested to call Samuel's spirit . But when the woman saw Samuel, she screamed, saying that Saul deceived her.

Saul asked her not to be afraid. So as she described Saul realized it was Samuel, and he fell to the ground before him.

Samuel asked Saul that why he disturbed him.

He replied that he was in deep trouble, the Philistines were at war with him and God also did not speak to him by prophets or dreams.

So he called him. But Samuel replied, that why should he ask him when the LORD himself has left and become his enemy.

The LORD has torn the kingdom from him and given it to his rival, David.

The LORD did this to him because he refused to carry out his fierce anger against the Amalekites.

So now the LORD will hand over Israel to the Philistines that next day and he and his sons would be with Samuel soon.

Saul fell full length on the ground, paralyzed with fright because of Samuel’s words.

He was also fainted in hunger, since he did not eat anything that full day and night. (1 Samuel 28:8-20 NLT)

To ponder:

A true leader acknowledges his mistake readily.

Judah and David accepted their mistakes readily but Saul tried explaining for his actions and only lately regretted, but it became too late.

Nothing could help him. No other powers could change his destiny!!!!

Journey through the life of Saul & David - 47. Run to God!

The Philistines were ready for another war with Israel.

King Achish told David, that he and his men were expected to join in the battle.

David gladly agreed. Then Achish told David, that he will make him his personal bodyguard for life.

Meanwhile, Samuel had died. He was buried in Ramah, his hometown.

And Saul had banned from the land of Israel all mediums and those who consult the spirits of the dead.

When Saul saw the vast Philistine army, he became frantic with fear. He asked the LORD what he should do? But the LORD refused to answer him, either by dreams or by sacred lots or by the prophets.

Saul then said to his advisers to find a woman who was a medium, so that he can go and ask her what to do.

His advisers replied, “There was a medium at Endor.” (1 Samuel 28:1-3, 5-7 NLT)

Saul was so desperate to know what would happen in the battle. When he did not get answers from God, he couldn't wait but was so desperate that he did not hesitate to consult even a medium.

To ponder:

What do we do and where do we run to find solutions in life?

Do we wait in God's presence? Do we humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God or run around finding solutions?

Journey through the life of Saul & David -46. David among the Philistines!

Since Saul was continuously behind David, he thought the best idea to be safe from Saul was to be with Philistines.

So David took his 600 men and went over and joined Achish , the king of Gath.

David brought his two wives along with him—Ahinoam and Abigail.

Word soon reached Saul that David had fled to Gath, so he stopped hunting for him.

David asked Achish, that they would live in one of the country towns.

So Achish gave him the town of Ziklag ,so they lived there among the Philistines for a year and four months. David sincerely spent his time raiding all the nearby villages for the philistines and took the sheep, goats, cattle, donkeys, camels, and clothing to King Achish.

Thereby David built up the trust of King Achish.

King Achish also thought that the people of Israel will hate David bitterly because of what he was doing.

And so he thought David has to stay in Philistine forever with him and serve him.

To Ponder:

Proverbs 16:7 says that, When people’s lives please the LORD, even their enemies are at peace with them.

Even our enemies can show kindness to us today if our ways are pleasing God. Are we living a God pleasing life?

Journey through the life of Saul & David - 45. David spares Saul again!!!

Saul heard that David was hiding near Ziph so he took 3,000 of his troops and went to hunt him.

Saul camped near the place where David was hiding. But David slipped over to Saul’s camp one night and saw Saul and Abner , the commander of his army, were sleeping inside a ring of sleeping soldiers.

David and Abishai , Joab’s brother went and saw all of them sleeping with his spear stuck in the ground beside his head.

Abishai whispered to David saying, he would kill Saul with one thrust of the spear.No! David said. “Don’t kill him. For who can remain innocent after attacking the LORD’s anointed one? Surely the LORD will strike Saul down someday, or he will die of old age or in battle."

So as an evidence David took the spear and jug of water that were near Saul’s head and slowly walked off. The LORD had put Saul’s men into a deep sleep.

David then climbed the hill opposite to were Saul was and called for Abner.

Once again Saul was given in David's hands, but David chose not to harm him.

To ponder:

Even today God has placed before us what is good and bad. It's our choice, of what we choose.

God himself put Saul to a deep sleep. But David chose not to harm God's anointed.

God has his own reward for taking such stands, that no man can give!

Journey through the life of Saul & David - 44. David marries Abigail!

After meeting David, Abigail returned home, and found Nabal having a big party and was celebrating like a king.

He was very fully drunk, the next morning when Nabal was sober, Abigail told him what had happened.

As a result he had a stroke, and was paralyzed on his bed like a stone.

Ten days later, the LORD struck him, and he died.

When David heard that Nabal was dead, he praised the LORD, who had avenged the insult he received from Nabal and prevented him from doing it himself.

Nabal received the punishment for his sins. Then David sent messengers to Abigail to ask her to become his wife. She was happy to marry David so she bowed low to the ground and responded.

Quickly getting ready, she took five servant girls as attendants, mounted her donkey, and went with David’s messengers.

David also married Ahinoam from Jezreel, making both of them his wives.

Saul on the other hand gave his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to a man from Gallim named Palti son of Laish. (1 Samuel 25:36-44 NLT)

To ponder:

Isaiah 61:7-8 says, Instead of shame and dishonor, you will enjoy a double share of honor. You will possess a double portion of prosperity in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.

The Lord says, I will faithfully reward my people for their suffering and make an everlasting covenant with them.

Today let’s be STILL and know that He is God in our life.

Journey through the life of Saul & David - 43. Abigail intercedes for Nabal!

Nabal was a wealthy crude man ,who owned property near Carmel.

His wife, Abigail, was a sensible and beautiful woman.

When David heard that Nabal was shearing his sheep, he sent his men and said that, "He took good care of his men and sheep when they were near them". So David requested if he would you be kind to them and share the provisions they had.

But Nabal refused it, so David got upset and asked the men to get ready to fight.

This news reached Nabal's wife. She immediately took some gifts on the donkey and went to meet him and pleaded not to attack them.

David was happy for her good sense! and appreciated her for keeping him from carrying out vengeance and murder.

To ponder:

For all the kindness David showed to Nabal, he return only evil, but God graciously sent Abigail and calmed David who was furious and was ready to commit a murder.

The steps of a righteous man are ordered by God.

Praise God that we have such a loving Savior in our life who cares for us.

Journey through the life of Saul & David - 42. David spares Saul's life!!!

After Saul had left the cave David came out and shouted “My lord the king!” and bowed low before him.

Then he said that the LORD gave him in his hand ,at his disposal to kill him.

Though Saul was harming David, he did not take the vengeance in his hands ,but allowed God to judge.

David cried saying why should the king chase a one who is as worthless as a dead dog or a single flea?

After David finished speaking, Saul addressed David as 'my son'.

Then Saul cried saying David was a better man than him for he repaid good for all the evil he did, by being amazingly kind to him that day.

No one would let his enemy get away when he had him in his power.

Saul blesses David saying, the Lord will reward him well for the kindness he showed and that he will surely be the king, and Israel will flourish under his rule.

Then Saul made David swear by the LORD that he would not kill his family and his descendants.

To ponder:

Today are you patiently waiting on God to act? He will never leave you.

People who are opposing you today will bless you with all their heart. Dont give up!

Journey through the life of Saul & David - 41. Dare not to talk about God's anointed ones!!!

After Saul returned from fighting the Philistines, he chose 3,000 elite troops from Israel and went in search of David.

Since he was tired he went into a cave to relieve himself. But it happened, David and his men were hiding farther back in that same cave!

David’s men whispered that it was his opportunity and the LORD was telling to do as he wishes with his enemies.

So David crept forward and cut off a piece of the hem of Saul’s robe.

But then David’s conscience began bothering him.

He said to his men, I shouldn’t attack the LORD’s anointed one, for the LORD himself has chosen him.

So David restrained his men and did not let them kill Saul.

To ponder:

Proverbs 24:15 says, Don’t wait in ambush at the home of the godly, and don’t raid the house where the godly live.

We dare not speak or attack God's chosen ones.

Though David was surrounded by people who were encouraging him to attack, he chose not to touch God's anointed one.

How are we today? Are we quick in condemning people? Or are we respecting and valuing God's chosen ones in our life.

Journey through the life of Saul & David - 40. Our redeemer lives

David took refuge in a fortified city called Keilah.

God asked David to fight with the Philistines and escape from that place. But the people of Ziph told Saul where David was hiding.

In the search, Saul and David met on the opposite side of the mountain ,it was a very critical time.

But suddenly the news came that the Philistines were attacking the Israelites. So Saul was forced to quit attacking David and was forced to go away. This rock was called as the ROCK of ESCAPE.

To Ponder

Isaiah 43:1-2 says, Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. 

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.

Yes! Though we walk through tough times in life, we might feel we are totally lost but unexpected relief will come our way.

Don’t worry !! Our redeemer lives!!