But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 To read today’s portion of scripture, you can purchase The One Year Bible or find the following in your Bible: 1 Samuel 15:1-16:23 John 8:1-20 Psalm 110:1-7 Proverbs 15:8-10 My sweet friend had driven four hours to see me. Not only that, when she arrived, she immediately rolled up her sleeves and helped us move a garage-load of boxes from one storage…

After all,” they said, “would you expect the Messiah to do more miraculous signs than this man has done?” John 7:31 To read today’s portion of scripture, you can purchase The One Year Bible or find the following in your Bible: 1 Samuel 14:1-52 John 7:31-53 Psalm 109:1-31 Proverbs 15:5-7 That’s a good question. Who could (or would) do more than Jesus had done? Who could top the healings, the feedings, the teachings that He did? I love the list David Guzik compiled for this. Here’s what he had to say about this passage: “It is fair to ask, who has done more than Jesus? If Jesus isn’t the Messiah, then…

Then the leaders tried to arrest him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his time had not yet come. John 7:30 p class=”p1″>To read today’s portion of scripture, you can purchase The One Year Bible or find the following in your Bible: 1 Samuel 12:1-13:23 John 7:1-30 Psalm 108:1-13 Proverbs 15:4 When Oregon pastor and author Ron Mehl was first diagnosed with leukemia, he went through a time of great fear and despair, until his wife gently reminded him that,  “The servant of the Lord is indestructible until God is finished with him.” Such wise, calming words. And so reassuring. It means that we can move forward…

When Saul returned to his home at Gibeah, a group of men whose hearts God had touched went with him … Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he became very angry … And the Lord made the people afraid of Saul’s anger, and all of them came out together as one … 1 Samuel 10:26; 11:6,7 To read today’s portion of scripture, you can purchase The One Year Bible or find the following in your Bible: 1 Samuel 10:1-11:15 John 6:43-71 Psalm 107:1-43 Proverbs 15:1-3 What struck me when reading through this passage were these three instances when God had His way with Saul and his…

“Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied, “for they are rejecting Me, not you. They don’t want Me to be their King any longer. 1 Samuel 8:7 To read today’s portion of scripture, you can purchase The One Year Bible or find the following in your Bible: 1 Samuel 8:1-9:27 John 6:22-42 Psalm 106:32-48 Proverbs 14:34-35 How long suffering, patient and merciful Is our God? When I read that passage, and I imagine how hurtful that rejection must have been, I’m amazed that God continued to watch over, bless, protect and deliver Israel. And of course, He has shown the same love to you, and to me, and…

The people made a calf at Mount Sinai; they bowed before an image made of gold. They traded their glorious God for a statue of a grass-eating bull. Psalm 106:19-20 To read today’s portion of scripture, you can purchase The One Year Bible or find the following in your Bible: 1 Samuel 5:1-7:17 John 6:1-21 Psalm 106:13-31 Proverbs 14:32-33 When you read those words, the ridiculousness of their choice jumps right out at you. Who would trade “their glorious God” for a statue of a bull? And what’s equally unbelievable is that Israel formed and worshiped this bull in the exact same place where they had pledged their devotion to…