Church Blog (Page 11)

Read: 1 Samuel 15-17 Focus Verse: “But Samuel replied: ‘Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22).  Devotion: The theme through this, and David and Goliath, is the LORD seeks our heart and obedience. The sacrifices, what we do…

Read: 1 Samuel 13-14 Focus Verse: “Perhaps the LORD will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few.” (1 Samuel 14:6b).  Devotion: So far Jonathan’s father, king Saul, has been a hot mess. It’s funny to see this juxtaposition in Ch 13 Saul is impatient and breaks faith with God, and he is unsuccessful in battle. However, in…

Read: 1 Samuel 9-12 Focus Verse: “Now then, stand still and see this great thing the LORD is about to do before your eyes! Is it not wheat harvest now? I will call on the LORD to send thunder and rain. And you will realize what an evil thing you did in the eyes of the LORD when you asked for a king.” (1 Samuel 12:16-17).  Devotion: Can the king bring rain? Can an…

Read: 1 Samuel 4-8 Focus Verse: “So Samuel said to all the Israelites, ‘If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” (1 Sam 7:3).  Devotion: The ark of the LORD was captured and the LORD…

Read: 1 Samuel 1-3 Focus Verse: “I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind.” (1 Sam 2:35a).  Devotion: Those who were already priests by birth we find out are acting like scoundrels. Those promised to be priests forever have become wicked and abuse their power. It’d be easy to assume you could get away with…

Read: Ruth 1-4 Focus Verse: “Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you without a guardian redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel!” (Ruth 4:14).  Devotion: Boaz certainly does! He’s famous as the grandfather of David! The redemptive process to get to this point, however, was no simple matter. The closest relative was unwilling to financially…

Read: Judges 19-21 Focus Verse: “Then all the Israelites, the whole army, went up to Bethel, and there they sat weeping before the LORD. They fasted that day until evening and presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to the LORD.” (Judges 20:26).  Devotion: So some pretty insane stuff leads Israel to war against one of its own tribes. They loose the battle…

Read: Judges 16-18 Focus Verse: “So he told her everything. ‘No razor has ever been used on my head,’ he said, ‘because I have been a Nazirite dedicated to God from my mother’s womb . If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.” (Judges 16:17).  Devotion: So that’s exactly what they did. Sampson lost his strength.…