Title: A Boy Named Fool / Topic: The Power of Names

Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 25; 1 Samuel 26; Psalm 63; Matthew 9

Scripture: 1 Samuel 25:25 May my lord pay no attention to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name — his name is Fool, and folly goes with him...

Observation: It doesn't sound very nice. A woman is describing her husband and she says, "He is just like his name - his name is Fool!" But Abagail said that to save the life of her husband who indeed was a fool. Apparently his name, Nabal, means "fool". Now I don't know why a parent would name a child "Fool." Maybe it was a joke. Or maybe they were mad or in a bad mood. But names have power. And God gave people the power to name things. Adam was given the power to name the animals. Parents are given the right to name their children. Unfortunately, some people don't do their children any favors with the names they give them. (Last June famous comic/magician Penn Jillette, of Penn and Teller fame, and his wife Emily gave their firstborn child the name Moxie CrimeFighter Jillette. That's right: first name, Moxie; middle name, CrimeFighter; last name, Jillette. "Thanks a lot, mom and dad!")

Application: What we call people matters. Not just the names, but the descriptive words as well. If a child is told, "you're stupid" or "you're ugly" or "you were an accident," those hurtful words will have a negative effect on that child. When we jokingly call someone a loser or a fool, we are speaking something negative into their life which can bring about negative results. Bottom line: be careful about the words you use regarding others. Be positive and loving. Be encouraging. If you can't say something good, then think a little harder because I know that there's almost always a way to say something good. Let's look for that and say it and use our words to bless and encourage one another.

Prayer: Lord, may I be used of You to make a positive impact on those you bring into my life. May I offer words of life, hope, and encouragement, to all I meet. Make me a plus in the lives of those around me.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Repect For The Un-Respectable / Topic: Authority

Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 24; Psalm 57; Psalm 58; 1 Chronicles 8; Matthew 8

Scripture: 1 Samuel 24:3-7
3 He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. 4 The men said, "This is the day the LORD spoke of when he said to you, 'I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.' " Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul's robe.
5 Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. 6 He said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD's anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the LORD." 7 With these words David rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.

Observation: David does an amazing thing here. He shows us how to live out the truth of respect for and submission to authority even when the person in the position of authority is in the wrong. If ever a person had cause to disrespect authority and to reject it, David did. Saul had accused him of disloyalty for no cause whatever and was hunting David down to kill him. But here David shows incredible depth of character. As Saul goes into a cave to "relieve himself" (i.e. go potty) David is there and could kill Saul easily. (And it would be acceptable in the laws of combat because Saul is out on a mission hunting down David to kill him.) David's men urge him to kill Saul. But David only sneaks up and cuts off a corner from Saul's robe. Even this minor infraction causes David pangs of guilt! David's statement in verse 6 is deep. Saul is "the Lord's anointed" even though his actions are reprehensible. David knows that it is God's business to deal with Saul and he lets his men know that even though Saul is trying to kill him, he will not kill Saul.

Application: This is a tough lesson, but it is gets down to the nitty gritty in our hearts. When people attack us, what should we do? Do we take matters into our own hands or do we trust something else? The natural human inclination is to retaliate. But David demonstrates God's character by "turning the other cheek". He lives out the truth that Jesus teaches about loving your enemies: "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. (Luke 6:32-33)
And there is an added dimension here: authority. Saul is the king, even though he is abusing his authority. And David shows how to appeal to authority rather than rebelling against it. When a person in a position of authority (such a parent, pastor, teacher, or judge) mistreats us, we need to consider carefully how to respond. David clearly shows us that the person's misuse of his authority does not justify retaliation in kind. God is over that person's authority and we must submit to God and appeal to Him in finding the right and respectful approach in dealing with the offense against us.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for the lesson we see here. Give us wisdom to respond as You would have us do when treated inappropriately by a person in authority. Help us to respectfully appeal to You and to others in authority to rectify the problem. And forgive us for the times that we have taken matters into our own hands and come against those who You have placed in authority in our lives. And give us hearts like of David that we may honor You through all the difficulties of life.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: How To Judge / Topic: Judging

Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 23; Psalm 31; Psalm 54; Matthew 7

Scripture: Matthew 7:1-6
1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3 "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
6 "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces."

Observation and Application: It is quite common today to hear people quote the first part of verse 1: "You know the Bible says, 'don't judge!'" But that is only a part of what Jesus said here. In fact, while Jesus starts out by saying, "Do not judge," He ends us telling us that we should judge, we need to judge -- but in the right way! Let me list the points:
1) Hold yourself to the same standards that you expect of others. The old saying, "do as I say, not as I do" doesn't cut it. This message is in verses 2, 3, 4, and 5.
2) Deal with your own stuff first. Most people can see the little things in others while they ignore big problems of their own. And the illustration Jesus uses here is hilarious. One guy has a tiny speck of sawdust in his eye and this other guy is trying to pull it out but he has a big honkin' log hanging out of his eye. Yeah! It's quite a picture. This is in verses 3,4, and 5.
3) Help the other guy. Jesus clearly says that once we have worked out our own issues, we need to deal with our friend. But not as a condemning prosecutor. No, we need to help as a brother. Judgment is observation with value applied. I want my brothers and sisters to observe me and apply our shared values to what they observe. Where I am inconsistent, I want to know it so I can fix it.
4) Don't bother with people who don't want to change. Jesus calls these people dogs and pigs. This is a little brutal but it's true. I have met quite a few of this type of person. All my attempts to help such people have done no good and have caused me a lot of grief. Jesus was right. You have to have discretion and discernment in whom you bless with your value observations. In other words, even when you are judging rightly with helpful motives, be careful.

Prayer: Lord, make us better in the way we help others. May we have eyes to see our own issues, and hearts to fix our brokenness. Give us keys to make breakthroughs in our tough areas. And give us wisdom and skill in helping others to receive as we judge rightly. Help us all to be more like You every day.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: I'll Take Mine To Go / Topic: Eternal Rewards

Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 22; Psalm 17; Psalm 35; Matthew 6

Scripture: Psalm 17:14 O LORD, by your hand save me from such men, from men of this world whose reward is in this life.

Observation: David understood that true fulfillment is not to be found in this life. We can experience a degree of blessing (and certainly our relationship with the Lord can be truly great) but all of what we experience here pales in comparison to the fullness to be received in the hereafter. The people who believe that their reward is here live for today, striving for fame and fortune, power and pleasure. And to them, the ends justify the means.

Application: But for us, the goal is our eternal reward to be received from God. Therefore, we aren't surprised if everything isn't peaches and cream here. When opposition or hardship confront us, we expect them and we look past the immediate to the ultimate. We hang in there because there is a greater reward coming. Understanding this truth is essential to glad endurance of the testings and trials of this life and for loving and forgiving those who misuse and mistreat us. We have something so much greater to look forward to. Be joyful.

Prayer: Thank You, Lord that You have created a system that those who love You and follow You can be assured that the greatest things are yet to come. You are paying attention to what is going on and You will bring the consequences of every person's life - rewards and punishments - to them. Lord, help me to lay up for myself treasures in heaven - and help me to use the treasures You give me here to bless others and further Your good purposes for this planet.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Perfection Required / Topic: Divine Qualification

Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 20; 1 Samuel 21; Psalm 34; Matthew 5

Scripture: Matthew 5:17, 20-22
17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them...
20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
21 "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment... ...anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell."

Observation: Law vs. Grace. There have been debates over this subject as long as there has been church. Jesus says that He didn't come to get rid of the law but to fulfill it. And verse 20 is a doosie. If I can't outperform a Pharisee, I can't make it in the kingdom of God! Then Jesus goes even further -- He expands the meaning of the law beyond action (murder) into attitudes (hate) and words ("fool"), making it even more impossible for me to get it done. What am I to do?

Application: I think that Jesus is making a point that it is impossible for humans to get to heaven on the basis of good behavior. He says that our actions have to be absolutely perfect, plus our thoughts need to be completely pure and positive, plus our words must always bless! If this level of perfection is the standard for heaven, I'm doomed! And that is exactly the point that Jesus is making. I am totally dependent on Jesus for my divine qualification. Outside of Him, there is no basis for me to stand before God. The sooner I understand that, the more I can make use of what Jesus has to offer. He fulfilled the law and the prophets completely. I can't improve on it. I try to walk in obedience to the law as Jesus explained it, but I fail, and my failings illustrate my need of Jesus. What am I to do? Call on Jesus. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness." He carries me into the place of right standing before God. I just have to get to Him, as I trust in and submit to Him, He will take me the rest of the way.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for Jesus. Thank You for the provision of a way to come before You without shame and without fear. I trust in Jesus as my Savior and Lord and I ask You to help me to trust and obey Him in all things. Thank You for establishing righteous standard to create a perfect heaven. And thank You for creating a way through Jesus by which I can come there. May I walk in a way that pleases You.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: The God Moment / Topic: Opportunity

Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 19; 1 Chronicles 7; Psalm 59; Matthew 4

Scripture: Matthew 4:18, 21
18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen...
21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets...

Observation: Jesus is just walking along the seashore not far from where He lives. He sees some fishermen. The first two are brothers named Peter and Andrew. Another fishing crew is up ahead. Two more brothers, James and John, are working with their father. Just some guys fishing, right?

Application: Of course we know these fishermen. Peter, James, and John became the inner circle of Jesus’ disciples and Andrew also was a disciple. But in the story in today’s reading, they were just some guys on the seashore who Jesus happened to see. However, Jesus was in tune with His Father and this was a God moment. He called to these four men. He could have just said, “hello, how’s the fishing today?” but instead Jesus said, “follow me” and the rest is history. How many people will I meet today that need to hear something from God? Could I be the one to speak a message from God to them? Could I be like Jesus and say just the thing that calls them to a completely new life? What most people would see as just a stroll along the beach, Jesus understood to be an opportunity for a divine appointment.

Prayer: Lord, open me up to see the divine appointments You bring across my path. I don’t want to miss hearing from You and bringing Your message to those I meet along the way. Give me the vision to see and the words to say. I ask You to use me in drawing men and women, boys and girls to You. Help me not to miss those who may be like Peter, Andrew, James, and John -- just ordinary people who You call to an extraordinary destiny. Use me, Lord.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Dotting Every "i" / Topic: Diligence

Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 18; 1 Chronicles 6; Psalm 11; Matthew 3

[Today is Easter -- Resurrection Day. This is the one specific day that we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. But as Christians, we should live every day in the power of the resurrection. It is newness of life that should characterize every person who claims Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.]

Scripture: Matthew 3:13-15
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented.

Observation: Jesus could have said, "John, you're right. Being perfect and all, I guess I don't really need baptism after all." But He didn't say that. He said, "let's do things right in every way." He didn't cut any corners. Did Jesus do that because He needed it? No, He did it for us.

Application: So any time you're tempted to say, "I don't really need to go to Bible Study", or "I can skip prayer today", or "I'm sure the meeting is for weaker Christians", think again. If Jesus didn't cut corners, then neither should we. He was perfect and sinless, yet He was concerned about meeting all the requirements, about dotting every "i" and crossing every "t". We too should strive to do everything we can to grow -- not only the right things, but doing them well and with good motives. If I carefully follow everything God says to do, in a way that others perceive my diligence, I will be giving the best possible example for others and providing the best opportunity for myself as well.

Prayer: Lord, thank You that Jesus lived His life in the way He did. On this Resurrection Day I ask that You will help Your people to walk in Jesus' resurrection power and that we would follow His example of excellence. May we closely follow our risen and victorious Champion.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.