Expository Thoughts on 1 Samuel 29 The anointed King of Israel lived in the land of Israel’s arch enemy, Goliath’s people, the Philistines. David voluntarily resided there – not by kidnapping or under protest. He deceptively raided pagan tribes from his base at Ziklag (27:6-12). Furthermore, he was Achish’s side-kick and bodyguard (28:1-2). Seemingly, he was ready to defend Achish even against the Israelites, his own people (29:2). David’s predicament proceeded from his hasty anxiousness, which resulted in his departure from Judah to Philistia (27:1-2). How would he escape this quandary? The possibility of leading his Israelite warriors against their…
Sunday Morning Calls to Worship
Call to Worship November 7 2021
Expository Thoughts on 1 Samuel 28 Remember, Samuel was dead and Saul had decreed the removal of any spiritists from Israel (3). Now, the Philistines and Saul gathered for war. The site of their army brought fear to the heart of Saul. He recognized their military movement threatened the economic life of Israel.[1] His heart was so troubled by the camp of the Philistines he did something somewhat unusual since the time of his rebellious act. Scripture tells that Samuel had parted ways with Saul after Saul’s disobedience regarding God’s command to destroy Amalek. Samuel would not go to “see…
Call to Worship October 31 2021
Expository Thoughts on 1 Samuel 27 Life is often more complex and confusing, than calm and comforting. People are much the same, especially since they make up so much of daily life. David is no different. His thoughts and actions were sometimes encouraging and even heralding, but other times perplexing and disconcerting. The LORD protected him from the moody wiles of Saul. David, by God’s grace, withstood several tempting situations to permanently end Saul’s reign. Saul even recognized at the end of the last chapter God’s blessing upon David. However, David took off to the Philistines (27:1). The land and…
Call to Worship October 24 2021
Expository Thoughts on 1 Samuel 26:12-25 David stood on a hill top in the distance across from Saul’s camp with Saul’s spear and canteen. First, he called out to Abner and all of Saul’s men. He ruffled their rousing minds and made them aware of their failure to protect the king. David put all of them on notice that they were in danger and not him. David had been led and protected by the LORD. Saul was powerless and defenseless against God’s judgment.[1] Saul had hoped for David’s demise, only this time God planned a final call of repentance to…
Call to Worship October 10 2012
Expository Thoughts on 1 Samuel 25 No one likes to be slighted, especially without cause. David was no different than most people, and being snubbed set him off to unreasonable proportions in this particular narrative. He encountered an irritable, worthless fool named Nabal. Fool? Yes, that is what his name meant (25:25).[1] He acted that way apparently with some regularity according to his servant and his wife (17, 25). Also, David recognized it firsthand and was moving in the direction of putting this fool and his folly to a sharp end (10-13). David needed a further lesson in God’s purpose,…
Call to Worship October 3 2021
Expository Thoughts on 1 Samuel 24 David, once again, was being pursued by Saul. Saul selected his choice 3,000 men to hunt for David, and his somewhat ragtag bunch of 600. Saul’s chase ranged far enough south that he needed a pit stop, so he entered a cave for a nature break. Strangely, he chose a cave that David and his men were using for refuge. As they were in the back recesses of the cave, Saul stopped somewhere closer to the front and had no idea who was behind him in the darkness (24:1-3). David’s men saw this as…
Call to Worship September 26 2021
Expository Thoughts on 1 Samuel 23 William Tyndale encountered tenacious opposition while seeking to translate and transport English Bibles. He was most concerned with his English speaking people’s ability to read and know the biblical truth of God’s salvation through Christ alone, by faith alone. More than once Tyndale was turned in to English authorities or law enforcement in various mainland European cities, where he was exiled, for his translation and shipping of Bibles. Thomas More, a Lord Chancellor for the King of England and Roman Catholic apologist of his day, sought to publically ruin Tyndale’s character in order to…
Call to Worship September 12 2021
Expository thoughts on 1 Samuel 21-22:4 Fugitives are often confused and wandering. They search for hope in the midst of their circumstances. The fear of their situation and surroundings manifests troubling and sometimes sinful decisions. David as a fugitive proved to produce some disconcerting decisions. David was no longer the teenager who had been ready to take hell on with a water pistol. He had seen war, bloodshed, and death firsthand. The sights and smells of corpses of all ages were painstakingly burned into his memory. He knew death and what it meant to be the hunter and the hunted….
Call to Worship September 5 2021
Expository Thoughts on 1 Samuel 20 Security is what most people want in life. Excitement and variation are enjoyable for a little while or in controlled circumstances, but few people desire constant change or chaos. Saul had become, as my grandmother might say, “a regular royal pain in the patooty.” His fits of rage and mood swings fluctuated more than a driver in five o’clock Atlanta traffic. Saul was on the war path and he verbalized his anger toward David, Jonathan, and ultimately God (1 Sam. 20:30-31). Saul’s decree to execute David was a direct violation against God’s edict. God…
Call to Worship August 29 2021
Expository Thoughts on 1 Samuel 19 Athanasius, an important 4th century pastor/theologian, was exiled from Alexandria six times during his life. He was influential in studying the scriptures and aiding the churches of his day in confessing the deity of Christ. He faced many trials for his study, writings, and teachings that Jesus was of the same essence or being as God the Father. [1] One such occasion occurred after Julius became emperor of Rome in 361 A.D. Under Julius, Athanasius was allowed to return to Alexandria, but was soon exiled again.[2] Julius was frustrated that paganism made little headway…