Payback or Pardon? by Sarah Camillo
Today’s Passage – 1 Samuel 25 – 27 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers read – Matthew 11 – 12; Proverbs 6; Psalms 26 – 30)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Ephesians 4:32
Read the “0405 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send. Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing the LORD hath withholden thee from coming to shed blood, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal.” – (1 Samuel 25:25-26)
“And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD’S anointed, and be guiltless? David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish.” – (1 Samuel 26:9-10)
In this portion of scripture, we read about David’s interactions with Nabal and Abigail. Nabal was a very rich man but he was an ungenerous and unkind man. David and his men had been protecting Nabal’s flocks from the Philistines. At the right time, David kindly asked for compensation but Nabal reacted with a bad attitude! Basically saying, “Who does he think he is?” This made David angry and it wasn’t the way God would have wanted him to respond. In his anger,David intended to kill all the men of Nabal’s household. Nabal’s wife, Abigail, was told about the situation. We are told that she was not only beautiful woman but also a wise one. She gathered food, drink, and gifts and hurried to meet David. Abigail went in humility and took the blame for her husband’s actions and asked David for forgiveness. She, in her wisdom, asked David to think about how much worse the situation would be if he proceeded to kill all the men. Abigail’s request to David lifted David up instead of beating him down. David responded to Abigail in the right way, being wise enough himself to listen and consider her advice and then to praise her for her boldness. We learn later in the chapter that Nabal dies; God’s judgement. David left the revenge to God instead of taking revenge himself. God, at the right time, took care of the wrong that was done.
Most of us are familiar with the story that is told in Chapter 26. David and his men sneak up on Saul’s camp. While Saul and Abner (Saul’s commander of his army) are asleep David has the opportunity to kill them. David is encouraged by Abishai who was with him, to take Saul’s life. Saul’s spear was beside him, the same spear was thrown at David to try and kill him previously. (I Sam 18:10-11, 19:9-10) Using Saul’s own spear seemed like the perfect time for revenge giving Saul what he deserved! Instead, David took the spear and a jug of water that was there next to Saul, instead of killing him, to show he had the opportunity to do so. David did not feel that Saul was right in what he was doing but because Saul was God’s anointed. David knew that God was able to kill Saul at any time, for every breath we breathe is given by God.
In our human nature and in the culture we live in today, revenge runs rampant. We must be careful in our thoughts and actions when we are hurt or treated unfairly by believers or non-believers. Always consider what God tells us in Romans 12:19 “…for it is written, vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” God will do a much better job taking care of the situation then we ever could!
Posted in Devotions by Sarah Camillo with 3 comments.
What Are You Standing For? … by Sarah Camillo
Today’s Passage – Judges 7 – 8 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – 1 Peter 1 – 5; Proverbs 22; Psalms 106 – 110
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 47:1
Read the “0322 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“And they stood every man in his place round about the camp:” (Judges 7:21a)
In the world we live in today, we need some people who will stand. Someone once said, “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.”
Most of us are familiar with the story of Gideon in Judges 7. In this battle God used the trumpet, the pitcher, and the lamp to bring about victory. We read that the use of trumpets in Numbers 10:1-10, was the voice of God. It was used as a signal of gathering people together, for marching, for a time to commune with God, and for battle. The pitcher, was an earthen vessel used for food and water in Biblical times. In Judges 7, these vessels were empty when they were broken or they would not have made such a loud crashing sound. The lamps, were made from the broken pitcher to hold the light and possibly to keep the wind from blowing them out. These three items have meanings that should remind us, encourage us, and prepare us to stand.
- The trumpet is sounding! We are in the Lord’s army! We will find the strength to stand by being in the Word and being together with other believers. An army is a group of comrades who march together, support each other, lift up the fallen, give encouragement when the going gets tough, and stand strong together in their place against the enemy. Hebrews 10:25 “ Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
- We are the pitchers. We are the earthen vessels, empty, broken, and worthless. God uses the broken ones! God can use us in great ways if we allow Him to! 2 Corinthians 4:7 “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”
- We are to be the lamp! In this dark world where evil is called good and good is called evil, we are to shine the light of Jesus! Matthew 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
Sound the trumpet call to stand on the Word of God and let God use your broken vessel to shine His light. Be in your place in the battle and stand strong! Stand for truth!
O CHURCH ARISE
O Church Arise and put your amour on
Hear the call of Christ our Captain
For now the weak can say that they are strong
In the strength that God has given
With shield of faith and belt of truth
We’ll stand against the devil’s lies
An army bold whose battle-cry is Love
Reaching out to those in darkness
~Keith & Kristyn Getty, Chris Tomlin, Stuart Townend
Posted in Devotions by Sarah Camillo with 2 comments.
Say So! Sing So! … by Sarah Camillo
Today’s Reading – Psalms 106 – 107 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Matthew 13 – 14; Psalms 31 – 35; Proverbs 7)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 34:1 – 4
Read the “0707 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;” (Psalm 107:1-2)
Have you ever thought about what God loves to hear you say? Have you ever wondered what song God loves to hear you sing? Have you ever pondered what it is that you speak that captures His attention? It is your voice, the voice of the sinner who has been made clean through the blood of Calvary, proclaiming to the world that you have been redeemed!
I have a song I love to sing
Since I have been redeemed
Of my redeemed Savior King
Since I have been redeemed
I have a Christ who satisfies
Since I have been redeemed
To do His will my highest prize
Since I have been redeemed
I have a witness bright and clear
Since I have been redeemed
Dispelling ev’ry doubt and fear
Since I have been redeemed
I have a home prepared for me
Since I have redeemed
Where I shall dwell eternally
Since I have been redeemed
I have a joy I can’t express,
Since I have been redeemed,
All through His blood and righteousness,
Since I have been redeemed.
Refrain:
Since I have been redeemed
Since I have been redeemed
I will glory in His name
Since I have been redeemed
I will glory in my Savior’s name!
~ Edwin O. Excell
Redeemed how I love to proclaim it,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb,
Redeemed through His infinite mercy,
His child and forever I am!
~Fanny Crosby – If you have been redeemed, you have something to say! You have something to sing about!
Posted in Devotions by Sarah Camillo with 2 comments.
God’s Presence by Sarah Camillo
Today’s Passage – Numbers 8 – 10 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Acts 13 – 15; Proverbs 18; Psalms 91 – 95)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Joshua 1:8
Read the “0218 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read a previous post from today’s reading – “Don’t Move“
“So it was always: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.” (Numbers 9:15)
There are times in our lives we end up in a spiritual wilderness. We feel alone, forsaken, unloved, unforgiveable, and longing for God’s presence. Reading the passage today, we see that the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness, which they did for 40 years. It was due to sin and this was the consequence, yet in the midst of them God made His presence known! The cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night was God’s presence with them during those wilderness years. He used the cloud and the pillar of fire to guide them. What a comfort to know that even when we are in the “wilderness” GOD IS THERE! He is with us! As He guided the Israelites by taking up the cloud and moving it to where He wanted them to go and the pillar of fire by night to light their way, so God’s presence in our darkness will light the way and guide us through the difficult times of our lives. He is our guide and He is our light! A great verse to commit to memory is Hebrews 13:5b “…for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
“Guide Me Thou, O Great Jehovah” is an old hymn that was written in 1745 by William Williams after going through many difficulties. It is one of my favorite hymns. Notice that verse two refers to the cloud and the fire. May these words be a blessing to you today.
Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but Thou art mighty,
Hold me with Thy pow’rful hand.
Bread of heaven, Bread of heaven,
Feed me till I want no more;
Feed me till I want no more.
Open now the crystal fountain,
Whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through.
Strong Deliv’rer, strong Deliv’rer,
Be Thou still my Strength and Shield;
Be Thou still my Strength and Shield.
Posted in Devotions by Sarah Camillo with 4 comments.