Devotionals

Read Genesis 12:18-20

Abram lied to Pharaoh to save his own skin, telling him that Sarai was his sister. In doing so, he put her in jeopardy. But where he failed to protect his wife, theLord overwhelmingly succeeded in doing so. He afflicted Pharaoh and his household with plagues (see Genesis 12:17).

Read Genesis 12:10-13

For Abram, this season of hunger represented a major test. While God didn’t cause the famine, He certainly used it as an instrument in the development of Abram’s faith.

You can expect more than one divine test in your own faith journey, but God doesn’t use difficult circumstances to find out what we’ll do. He already knows us better than we know ourselves. He uses tests to reveal us to ourselves! He often uses a test to show us where we need improvement.

Read Genesis 12:5

After spending much of his life — perhaps from birth — in Ur of the Chaldeans, Abram was instructed by God to go to a place to be disclosed later. Sadly, he didn’t respond with complete obedience; he obeyed only in part. When he left Ur, Abram brought along his father, Terah, and his nephew Lot.

Read Genesis 12:1

God’s call of Abram began with an imperative — a clear command. God told him to leave his country for a land that He would show him ... sometime later. To receive the promised blessings, Abram had to leave behind everything he relied on for safety and provision — homeland and relatives — and trust that God would honour His commitment. The call he received as a nomad for the Lord was a call to move, a call to go, a call to leave behind the comfortable and the familiar.

Read 1 Samuel 15:1-35

ABRAHAM | SAMUEL | SAUL

Read 1 Samuel 13:1-15

ABRAHAM | SAMUEL | SAUL

Saul's disobedient actions involved at least three major errors.

First, kings weren't supposed to offer sacrifices on behalf of the community. Kings could offer sacrifices for themselves, but never for the nation. That was done only by priests.

Read 1 Samuel 10:1-11:15

ABRAHAM | SAMUEL | SAUL

When the people located their new king, they celebrated. And why not? This was a glorious day. Saul was tall, strong, modest, and had the full support of his nation. From a human point of view, this was a beautiful start to a new era.

But from God's point of view, this was a sad day. His people had rejected Him asking, replacing Him with someone as impressive as a handsome film star. Unlike all

Read 1 Samuel 8:1-9:27

ABRAHAM | SAMUEL | SAUL

From the time that Joshua died until Saul took the throne of Israel, the Hebrew government was not a monarchy like most surrounding nations. Theologians refer to it as theocracy — “God-rule.” The Lord ruled over Israel, issuing Hisdecrees and governing through prophets and priests. Each major region looked to a judge for what most other cultures would expect from a king. He(occasionally, she) led the people in battle, decided civil cases, and enforcedGod's laws.

Read 1 Samuel 3:19-21

ABRAHAM | SAMUEL | SAUL

Disintegrating families fail to respond quickly and thoroughly to the warnings of others. Listen to their teachers. They may seem biased against your child, but they rarely are. Take the early warnings seriously, and get involved soon. Listen to your pastor or your youth leader. Listen to the uniformed officer with a badge who rings your doorbell.

Read 1 Samuel 3:1-18

ABRAHAM | SAMUEL | SAUL

The temptation of any child of vocational Christian ministers is to see the work of the ministry as just another thing, just another religious occupation. Breaking through the wall of "public religion" must be the intense responsibility of the parent-minister if his or her children are to understand that this isn't a business, a slick profession, or an entertainment arena where Mommy or Daddy puts on a performance.