Devotionals

Read 2 Samuel 11:1-12:14. “Then David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ Nathan replied, ‘The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die’” (2 Samuel 12:13). David was a man with uncommon faith in the Lord. So, when he committed adultery and then murdered the woman’s husband, it was completely out of character. Thankfully, God sent the prophet Nathan to confront David’s sin—to invite him to take the first step toward restoration. Nathan told David a parable about a rich man and a poor man. The rich man had plenty of sheep and cattle, but the poor man had one little lamb. He cared for the lamb as though it were his own daughter, even letting it sleep in his arms. One day, a traveler arrived at the rich man’s house, but rather than preparing a meal with one of his own animals, the rich man stole the poor man’s lamb and served […]

“The king asked, ‘Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?’” (2 Samuel 9:3). Read 2 Samuel 9:1-13. For fifteen long years, Saul chased David from mountain to mountain, wilderness to wilderness, village to village, seeking to kill him. And yet, shortly after becoming king, David decided to show mercy to his enemy’s undeserving family. The kindness of David foreshadows God’s grace when He sent His Son to earth searching for lost sinners. Just as God reaches out to undeserving, disobedient, and rebellious people, David reached out to Mephibosheth, the grandson of a man who had hated and resented him with every fiber of his being. Likewise, we were once enemies of God, undeserving of His lovingkindness (see Colossians 1:21; Romans 5:10). When David discovered that Jonathan’s son (Saul’s grandson), Mephibosheth, was living on the other side of the Jordan in a town called Lo Debar, he jumped at the […]

“Lord Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying ‘I will build a house for you.’ So your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you” (2 Samuel 7:27). Read 2 Samuel 7:18-29. David couldn’t stand to think that while he was living in a palace, the ark of God was outside in a tent—he wanted to build the Lord a proper temple. However, the Lord had other plans. He sent the prophet Nathan with a message for David: “This is what the Lord says: You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in” (1 Chronicles 17:4). Now, David’s response tells us everything we need to know about his character. David’s seven-fold prayer in the midst of disappointment is a model prayer for all of us when we don’t receive the answer from the Lord we had hoped for. First, David acknowledged God’s grace in his life: “Who am I, […]

“The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:37). Read 1 Samuel 17:1-58. Twice a day, the Philistine giant Goliath would emerge to taunt the Israelites: “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? . . . This day I defy the armies of Israel!” (vv. 8, 10). To defy the armies of Israel was to defy the God of Israel. Yet not even King Saul, who had more military experience than anyone else, who was six feet, ten inches tall, who was the only Israelite with armor, who was meant to represent the living God, dared to accept Goliath’s challenge. When David entered the camp and heard Goliath’s mockery, he was livid that the name of God should be blasphemed. He asked, “Who is this uncircumcised […]

“The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). Read 1 Samuel 16:1-13. When Samuel came to Bethlehem, he wasn’t sure what to expect. The Lord had told him that He had chosen one of Jesse’s sons to be the next king over Israel, but He hadn’t told him which one. Still, he knew what a king should look like—or so he thought. First, there was Eliab, the oldest. “Samuel saw Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord’” (1 Samuel 16:6). He was tall and strong, a suitable warrior—he looked like a king. However, God told his prophet, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him” (v. 7). One by one, Samuel inspected each of the seven sons of Jesse who were in attendance for the sacrifice, but none of them were the Lord’s chosen […]

“But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life” (Romans 6:22). Read Romans 6:15-23. If you think you can live a godly life by your own strength, you are in deep trouble. Although we play an important role in our sanctification and are commanded to obey the Lord, we cannot grow into Christlike people without depending on Christ Himself. Therefore, we must surrender completely to our rightful master and loving King—the Lord Jesus Christ. Every person on the face of the earth has either sin or Jesus as their master. There are only two choices; there is no third. The question is Which master are you obeying? Slavery to sin produces unbearable guilt here and now and eternal separation from God forever (see v. 21). In contrast, slavery to righteousness gives you freedom from guilt and shame and guarantees you […]

“Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35). There is something contagious about a heart of love. People who are selfless with their love can make giant waves in this world, whereas those who cling to selfish desires cause only ripples. In fact, those who have hearts of love view the people around them as being most important. A heart that bears the marks of God’s intimate love is not a selfish heart. The Truth is that when we look directly into God’s heart of love, we are transformed forever. The selfish desires that once dominated our heart’s landscape vanish in an instant—replaced by a desire to lavish love on others. As God begins to transform our hearts through His grace and kindness, we become vessels willing to reciprocate this type of love. Something happens inside of […]

“You gave me life and showed me kindness, and in your providence watched over my spirit” (Job 10:12). Inside each of us there is a hunger and a thirst for justice. We want to see the guilty person get his just due. Yet, when it comes to us, we want mercy and grace extended in our direction. We may be deserving of the worst kind of punishment, but we long for someone to give us a second chance before harshly condemning us. Although God is just in His ways, He also is merciful. In fact, God’s Word makes it simple: “Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13). God would rather extend mercy toward us than the harsh consequences of judgment. That is why Jesus gave His life for us—so we would not have to suffer the consequences of sin. Jesus paid the debt we owe for our sin. As believers pursuing the heart of God, we must emulate His heart. As […]

“Humility is the fear of the Lord; its wages are riches and honor and life” (Proverbs 22:4). Becoming a champion challenges our faith in more ways than we think. When we experience a great deal of success and numerous victories in our lives, human nature begins to enjoy the praises that are given to us. Before we know it, the excitement that people have for us changes the way we view life, and we start believing our own press. Instead of dwelling on who got us to this point, we begin dreaming about where we are going to take ourselves in the future. Humility is the mark of a true champion. Godly love is emblazoned on his or her heart. Most people can sniff out false humility miles before they get to it. They hear the cliché about how we had nothing to do with it, and they know we do not believe a word we are saying. Sincere humility, […]

“I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer” (Psalm 17:6). The true test of our character is not measured by the actions we take nor the attitudes we present when we are on stage with the spotlight shining on us. The true test of our character is measured when no one is watching but God. Many people make the mistake of wearing their spiritual maturity on their sleeves. But God is not impressed with how many Bible verses we know nor how many Sunday school lessons we teach. In fact, nothing we do can impress God. What God desires from us more than anything is a relationship. He designed us for this. We function best when we have others around us supporting us and challenging us to grow in our relationship with Him. And no relationship can thrive without communication. In 1 Samuel 22, we find David tucked […]

“My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge” (Psalm 62:7). In the New Testament, Jesus made it clear that we have to make a choice: Either we will serve God or we will serve something else. You can dedicate your life to living for the Lord, or you can spend your life living for yourself. However, to truly honor God in a way that places Him in high esteem over everything else, He must be at the center of your affections. Many people do good works. Some non-believers even do more good works than Christians. Yet, a look at the heart reveals their true motivation—whether their deeds are truly done for themselves or for the people they are serving. Some Christians are doing good works out of guilt or obligation, as opposed to the purest reason: love for God. To honor God is to serve Him out of our strong desire to see […]

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple” (Isaiah 6:1).  When anxiety and uncertainty surround us, God is still in control. Read Isaiah 6:1-7.  The decline of true Christian faith in America is our most pressing trouble. This loss of faith has hollowed out our society from within. It’s just as the psalmist said, “When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3). Many believers are asking the same question today. Even so, I have hope—hope that is based on the changeless and immovable promises of God. As I already mentioned, in times like these, it is imperative—not recommended, not suggested, not just preferable—it is imperative that we go to God’s Word and learn from His prophets. During Isaiah’s lifetime, the nation of Judah, too, went through a period of anxiety and uncertainty. Isaiah 6:1 tells us, […]