A Madman

31. July 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

 

In our story today, David continues his journey as he is on the run from Saul and he encounters an enemy that has heard about his fame.  Let’s look at our text today and see how he handles it.    

Here is our story: 

I Samuel 21: 10 That day David fled from Saul and went to Achish king of

Gath. 11 But the servants of Achish said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Isn’t he the one they sing about in their dances: “‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands’?” 12 David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish king of

Gath. 13 So he pretended to be insane in their presence; and while he was in their hands he acted like a madman, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard. 14 Achish said to his servants, “Look at the man! He is insane! Why bring him to me? 15 Am I so short of madmen that you have to bring this fellow here to carry on like this in front of me? Must this man come into my house?”  

Achish was an enemy to the Israelites, so for David (whose reputation had preceded him as a mighty warrior and defending the armies of

Israel) to be in the land was a threat to them.   David was afraid and pretended to be a mad man in order to confuse the king and save his life. 

Everyone have a great weekend.   I am so excited about life and my relationship with God.  No…… there is nothing major happening in my life but I am just learning to be content and just enjoy God no matter what is going on.   I have learned that at the end of the day…. It really does all work together for our good. 

God Bless you!!!!!!!! 

 Stay encouraged and don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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The Priest’s Help

30. July 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

 

 

Our story now picks up with David being officially on the run from Saul.   After he leaves Jonathan, his first stop is to find some food and a weapon.   Let’s look at our text and see where he goes.

 

Here is the text:

 

I Samuel 21:1 David went to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech trembled when he met him, and asked, “Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?” 2 David answered Ahimelech the priest, “The king charged me with a certain matter and said to me, ‘No one is to know anything about your mission and your instructions.’ As for my men, I have told them to meet me at a certain place. 3 Now then, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever you can find.” 4 But the priest answered David, “I don’t have any ordinary bread on hand; however, there is some consecrated bread here–provided the men have kept themselves from women.” 5 David replied, “Indeed women have been kept from us, as usual whenever I set out. The men’s things are holy even on missions that are not holy. How much more so today!” 6 So the priest gave him the consecrated bread, since there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence that had been removed from before the Lord and replaced by hot bread on the day it was taken away. 7 Now one of Saul’s servants was there that day, detained before the Lord; he was Doeg the Edomite, Saul’s head shepherd. 8 David asked Ahimelech, “Don’t you have a spear or a sword here? I haven’t brought my sword or any other weapon, because the king’s business was urgent.” 9 The priest replied, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here; it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want it, take it; there is no sword here but that one.” David said, “There is none like it; give it to me.”

 

 

As you can see from our text, David goes to the priest and the priest was concerned that David was alone.  David lied and said he was on the king’s business and the priest gave him the bread that had been consecrated which wasn’t supposed to be given out but to the priests. 

 

David asked for a weapon and the priest told him that the only weapon available was the sword of Goliath which David had killed earlier.   David took the sword and went on his way.

 

Tomorrow’s story takes an interesting turn as we see what happens when Saul’s people found out David was with the priest.

 

Stay encouraged and don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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The Meeting

29. July 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

 

Our text for today is: 

I Samuel 20:35 In the morning Jonathan went out to the field for his meeting with David. He had a small boy with him, 36 and he said to the boy, “Run and find the arrows I shoot.” As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. 37 When the boy came to the place where Jonathan’s arrow had fallen, Jonathan called out after him, “Isn’t the arrow beyond you?” 38 Then he shouted, “Hurry! Go quickly! Don’t stop!” The boy picked up the arrow and returned to his master. 39 (The boy knew nothing of all this; only Jonathan and David knew.) 40 Then Jonathan gave his weapons to the boy and said, “Go, carry them back to town.” 41 After the boy had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone and bowed down before Jonathan three times, with his face to the ground. Then they kissed each other and wept together–but David wept the most. 42 Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘The Lord is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.’” Then David left, and Jonathan went back to the town.  

As you can see from our text this is the encounter between David and Jonathan after Jonathan found out that his father was really trying to kill David.   Tomorrow, we will continue our journey on David’s test and trials as he awaits the promise and destiny that is on his life. 

It is amazing how David is to be the next king and yet he has so much hell to go through before the plan of God on his life is manifested.    

SOUNDS FAMILIAR????   

Stay encouraged and don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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Jonathan’s Discovery

27. July 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

 

On Friday, we left off with David and Jonathan making a covenant that David would always be kind to the house of Jonathan and that Jonathan would provide protection for David.   The New Moon festival was coming up and David was supposed to be seated at the king’s table with Saul.   David felt that Saul was going to take this opportunity to kill him so he asked Jonathan to allow him to hid and to send word if he felt that Saul was trying to kill him during this festival.   This is where our story picks up today.

 

Here is the text:

 

I Samuel 20:18 Then Jonathan said to David: “Tomorrow is the New Moon festival. You will be missed, because your seat will be empty. 19 The day after tomorrow, toward evening, go to the place where you hid when this trouble began, and wait by the stone Ezel. 20 I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I were shooting at a target. 21 Then I will send a boy and say, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I say to him, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you; bring them here,’ then come, because, as surely as the Lord lives, you are safe; there is no danger. 22 But if I say to the boy, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you,’ then you must go, because the Lord has sent you away. 23 And about the matter you and I discussed–remember, the Lord is witness between you and me forever.”

24 So David hid in the field, and when the New Moon festival came, the king sat down to eat. 25 He sat in his customary place by the wall, opposite Jonathan, and Abner sat next to Saul, but David’s place was empty. 26 Saul said nothing that day, for he thought, “Something must have happened to David to make him ceremonially unclean–surely he is unclean.” 27 But the next day, the second day of the month, David’s place was empty again. Then Saul said to his son Jonathan, “Why hasn’t the son of Jesse come to the meal, either yesterday or today?” 28 Jonathan answered, “David earnestly asked me for permission to go to Bethlehem. 29 He said, ‘Let me go, because our family is observing a sacrifice in the town and my brother has ordered me to be there. If I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away to see my brothers.’ That is why he has not come to the king’s table.” 30 Saul’s anger flared up at Jonathan and he said to him, “You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Don’t I know that you have sided with the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of the mother who bore you? 31 As long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Now send and bring him to me, for he must die!” 32 ”Why should he be put to death? What has he done?” Jonathan asked his father. 33 But Saul hurled his spear at him to kill him. Then Jonathan knew that his father intended to kill David. 34 Jonathan got up from the table in fierce anger; on that second day of the month he did not eat, because he was grieved at his father’s shameful treatment of David.

 

Well, as you can see in our text David’s suspicions were correct and Saul had intended on killing David during this festival.    When Jonathan questioned his father as to what was David’s sin, Saul threw his spear at his own son to kill him and Jonathan left from the dinner table in fierce anger because he was grieved with his father’s shameful treatment of David.   David was innocent and had done nothing but great things for the kingdom and against the enemies of Israel.  

 

Saul was fiercely jealous at David’s talents and success so much that he would risk losing a great warrior against the enemies of Israel so that he could get rid of what he thought was his competition.    David was innocent.   This plan came from God.   Saul had been rejected and God’s favor was now resting on David and Saul hated the feeling of not having God’s anointing on him anymore and he took it out on David.   His problems were not with David they were with God but were self-induced.     Saul had his chance and God had moved on but Saul refused to relinquish his kingdom and fought to regain his popularity by getting rid of David.   

 

WOW!!!!!!!!!!    So many of our battles are not because we have done anything wrong but because people can see that the hand of God is on us and that there  is something so different which makes people intimidated and insecure by our destinies.    God has a plan for each and every one of us but it is usually the bitter person who does not like what they have cause to happen in their lives that create so much drama in our lives.

 

Well, tomorrow, we will see what Jonathan will do with his new found information that his father wants David dead.

 

Stay encouraged and don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

 

 

 

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David on the Run II

24. July 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

 

In our text today, it continues with David and Jonathan plans for safety and the development of their friendship.

 

Here is the text:

 

I Samuel 20: 5 So David said, “Look, tomorrow is the New Moon festival, and I am supposed to dine with the king; but let me go and hide in the field until the evening of the day after tomorrow. 6 If your father misses me at all, tell him, ‘David earnestly asked my permission to hurry to Bethlehem, his hometown, because an annual sacrifice is being made there for his whole clan.’ 7 If he says, ‘Very well,’ then your servant is safe. But if he loses his temper, you can be sure that he is determined to harm me. 8 As for you, show kindness to your servant, for you have brought him into a covenant with you before the Lord. If I am guilty, then kill me yourself! Why hand me over to your father?” 9 ”Never!” Jonathan said. “If I had the least inkling that my father was determined to harm you, wouldn’t I tell you?” 10 David asked, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?” 11 ”Come,” Jonathan said, “let’s go out into the field.” So they went there together. 12 Then Jonathan said to David: “By the Lord, the God of Israel, I will surely sound out my father by this time the day after tomorrow! If he is favorably disposed toward you, will I not send you word and let you know? 13 But if my father is inclined to harm you, may the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if I do not let you know and send you away safely. May the Lord be with you as he has been with my father. 14 But show me unfailing kindness like that of the Lord as long as I live, so that I may not be killed, 15 and do not ever cut off your kindness from my family–not even when the Lord has cut off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.” 16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord call David’s enemies to account.” 17 And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself.

 

 

As you can see our text is pretty self explanatory.   We are just continuing to unfold the events that will lead to David’s rise to power as the second king in the monarchy.

 

Have a great weekend everyone.  Be blessed.  Take time to just breathe and live and love.  

 

 

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

 

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David on the run

23. July 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

 

For the next few days, our text will deal with David and Jonathan and their attempts to keep David safe and the development of their friendship.

 

Here is the text:

 

1^st Samuel 20:1 Then David fled from Naioth at Ramah and went to Jonathan and asked, “What have I done? What is my crime? How have I wronged your father, that he is trying to take my life?” 2 ”Never!” Jonathan replied. “You are not going to die! Look, my father doesn’t do anything, great or small, without confiding in me. Why would he hide this from me? It’s not so!” 3 But David took an oath and said, “Your father knows very well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said to himself, ‘Jonathan must not know this or he will be grieved.’ Yet as surely as the Lord lives and as you live, there is only a step between me and death.” 4 Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do for you.”

 

 

Tomorrow, we will continue our journey to David’s rise to the monarchy.

 

 

God Bless you and don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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Saul among the Prophets?

22. July 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

 

Our text today is as follows:

 

I Samuel 19:  18 When David had fled and made his escape, he went to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went to Naioth and stayed there. 19 Word came to Saul: “David is in Naioth at Ramah”; 20 so he sent men to capture him. But when they saw a group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing there as their leader, the Spirit of God came upon Saul’s men and they also prophesied. 21 Saul was told about it, and he sent more men, and they prophesied too. Saul sent men a third time, and they also prophesied. 22 Finally, he himself left for Ramah and went to the great cistern at Secu. And he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” “Over in Naioth at Ramah,” they said. 23 So Saul went to Naioth at Ramah. But the Spirit of God came even upon him, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth. 24 He stripped off his robes and also prophesied in Samuel’s presence. He lay that way all that day and night. This is why people say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

 

 

 

In our text today, it picks up with David having fled from the hand of Saul and his men and going to Samuel to let him know what happened.    When the word came to Saul that David was with Samuel, he sent three sets of men to kill David but when they got there, the spirit of God came upon them and they began to prophesy.   Saul went and he also prophesied in Samuel’s presence all day and night to the point where people wondered was Saul also among the prophets.

 

I find this text so fascinating.   People were sent to kill David and God put his spirit upon them and they began to prophesy.   Whenever I read things like this in the text, I always wonder what they said while they were under a prophetic calling.  

 

God is so amazing to me.   That place where David and Samuel were was so anointed that no matter who came there and no matter what their motives were, God used them for his glory.

 

 

God bless you and don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

 

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On the Run

21. July 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

 

Our text for today is as follows:

I Samuel 19:8 Once more war broke out, and David went out and fought the Philistines. He struck them with such force that they fled before him. 9 But an evil spirit from the Lord came upon Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. While David was playing the harp, 10 Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape.

11 Saul sent men to David’s house to watch it and to kill him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, warned him, “If you don’t run for your life tonight, tomorrow you’ll be killed.” 12 So Michal let David down through a window, and he fled and escaped. 13 Then Michal took an idol and laid it on the bed, covering it with a garment and putting some goats’ hair at the head. 14 When Saul sent the men to capture David, Michal said, “He is ill.” 15 Then Saul sent the men back to see David and told them, “Bring him up to me in his bed so that I may kill him.” 16 But when the men entered, there was the idol in the bed, and at the head was some goats’ hair. 17 Saul said to Michal, “Why did you deceive me like this and send my enemy away so that he escaped?” Michal told him, “He said to me, ‘Let me get away. Why should I kill you?’”

We left off on last week with the apparent reconciliation of Saul towards David.   Jonathan, the son of Saul had attempted to persuade his father to make peace with David because David had done no wrong.   Saul agreed, however, today in our text you see that an evil spirit came upon Saul again and while David was playing the harp(which was the only thing that calmed Saul down whenever this evil spirit came upon)  Saul tried to kill David by throwing his spear at him.

 

David escaped and Saul sent men to find him.   David’s wife Michal (Saul’s daughter) informed David of her father’s plan to kill him and helped him escape through a window.

 

Our story leaves us with Saul rebuking his daughter for helping who he know believes is his enemy to escape and David now begins his life on the run.

 

Tomorrow we will continue our story of David’s rise to the monarchy.    It is amazing all the things that David has to go through in order to become king.  He is also chosen by God but in the natural, they will not accept it and are trying to destroy him.   BUT GOD!!!!!!!!!    What God has ordained will come to pass.

 

 Be encouraged!

 

God Bless!!!!!!!

 

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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Reconciliation?

17. July 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

Today, we start a new chapter in Samuel.  Wow!!!   We’re moving right alone.   In this story you will find that Jonathan has interceded on David’s behalf and Saul appears to have settled his differences with David.   Here is the text:

I Samuel 19: 1 Saul told his son Jonathan and all the attendants to kill David. But Jonathan was very fond of David 2 and warned him, “My father Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning; go into hiding and stay there. 3 I will go out and stand with my father in the field where you are. I’ll speak to him about you and will tell you what I find out.” 4 Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king do wrong to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly. 5 He took his life in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The Lord won a great victory for all Israel, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent man like David by killing him for no reason?” 6 Saul listened to Jonathan and took this oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be put to death.” 7 So Jonathan called David and told him the whole conversation. He brought him to Saul, and David was with Saul as before. I Samuel 18:12 Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with David but had left Saul. 13 So he sent David away from him and gave him command over a thousand men, and David led the troops in their campaigns. 14 In everything he did he had great success, because the Lord was with him. 15 When Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in their campaigns.

Our story ends today with reconciliation.   Will it last?   What will Saul and David’s relationship end up being?   Saul is driven by jealousy of David and can he live with David growing more and more popular among the people that he is king over? 

Tune in next week and we will continue our journey.  I hope everyone has a great weekend.   Take care and be blessed.

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

 

 

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The Challenge

16. July 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

 

In our text today, it picks up with David having turned down an offer to marry Saul’s oldest daughter because he felt as if he was not worthy to be the king’s son-in-law.  Saul’s offer  was designed to kill David by the hands of the Philistines, for he requested that David marry his daughter and become a fighter on front line against the Philistines which Saul was sure was going to get him killed.

 

Saul has a second idea and this time, he decides to offer David a challenge and the challenge is to tell David that if he brings back a hundred Philistine foreskins then that is the only price he wanted for his daughter.   David already felt that he did not desire to be the king’s son-in-law so now he could prove himself and win the king’s daughter that way which in David’s mind was a more honorable way to accept Saul’s daughter in marriage.  

 

Let’s continue the story:  Here is our text:

 

I Samuel 18:26  When the attendants told David these things, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. So before the allotted time elapsed, 27 David and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented the full number to the king so that he might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal in marriage. 28 When Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David, 29 Saul became still more afraid of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days. 30 The Philistine commanders continued to go out to battle, and as often as they did, David met with more success than the rest of Saul’s officers, and his name became well known.

 

As you can see, the story is self-explanatory.  David did 200 foreskins instead of the one hundred and he continued to succeed with whatever challenge was before him.  The people were falling in love with David and Saul became more and more afraid of him. 

 

Tomorrow, we will continue our journey on David rise as the 2^nd monarchy in Israel.

 

 

God Bless you and don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

 

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