1SAMUEL 21-22:Yesterday we heard the touching story of David and Jonathan's deep friendship, and how Jonathan realized at last the secret plot that his father, Saul, had against David. Jonathan seems to have been a prophet, for he realized that

150: 1 Samuel 20; Psalm 103; Romans 7:7-8:4

1 day ago 20m 36s

1SAMUEL 20:Yesterday we heard the slow escalation of David's problems stemming from Saul's jealousy. Saul made David his son-in-law, but only because of the hope that David would be killed by the Philistines. For only the first time in yesterda

149: 1 Samuel 18-19; Psalm 102; Romans 6:19-7:17

2 days ago 24m 10s

1SAMUEL 18-19:In yesterday's story, David showed that he was more concerned with God's reputation than for his own safety. May we all face our imposing enemies with more belief in the unseen God than in the very present enemies! PSALM 102:This

148: 1 Samuel 17; Psalm 101; Romans 6

3 days ago 18m 38s

1SAMUEL 17:God told Samuel to anoint one of Jesse's sons as the next king of Israel. Anointing another king while one is still ruling is rather dangerous. So God told Samuel how to do that without making it public. That story included this memo

147: 1 Samuel 16; Psalm 100; Romans 6

4 days ago 15m 24s

1SAMUEL 16:Yesterday's reading told the story of Saul's incomplete obedience and the rejection of Saul as king— by both God and Samuel. In the process Samuel said some of the most important statements in Scripture, which I will underline here:

146: 1 Samuel 15; Psalm 99; Romans 5:1-6:4

5 days ago 18m 4s

1SAMUEL 15:Jonathan saved the day! He and his faithful armor bearer kind of took a leaf out of Gideon's play book and agreed on a sign that would show what God wanted them to do— although they didn't ask for confirmation like Gideon did. They t

145: 1 Samuel 14; Psalm 98; Romans 5

6 days ago 21m 1s

1SAMUEL 14:Hostilities with the Philistines heated up to full war, and Israel was badly outnumbered. The Israelites had been kept down so much that they were basically unarmed for war. Saul and his son's army dwindled down from 3,000 men to onl

144: 1 Samuel 13; Psalm 97; Romans 4

7 days ago 16m 13s

1SAMUEL 13:In yesterday's story, God's Spirit came powerfully upon the new king Saul, and he succeeded in mobilizing all of Israel's fighting men. They won a stunning victory over king Nahash and the Ammonites. Afterwards, Samuel led the people

143: 1 Samuel 11-12; Psalm 96; Romans 4:1-17

8 days ago 19m 49s

1SAMUEL 11-12:Yesterday we heard of the way God arranged for Saul to meet Samuel, and how God revealed amazing details to Samuel about what would happen to Saul in the short term. Saul became king. It is such a shame that Saul fulfilled the ear

142: 1 Samuel 9-10; Psalm 95; Romans 3:9-31

9 days ago 21m 15s

1SAMUEL 9-10:In yesterday's reading, Samuel was formally made a judge, and then he led the people of Israel into victory over the Philistines. But when Samuel was old and after the appointment of his two sons as judges in his place, his sons pe

141: 1 Samuel 7-8; Psalm 94; Romans 2:2-3:20

10 days ago 18m 44s

1SAMUEL 7-8:Having won the war with Israel, the Philistines thought their idol Dagon had given them victory. The ark of God was put in Dagon's temple. Then God not only proved that He is greater than Dagon by what happened in the temple, but He

140: 1 Samuel 5-6; Psalm 93; Romans 2:13-29

11 days ago 16m 36s

1SAMUEL 5-6:Yesterday we saw the touching way that God revealed to Samuel how to listen for God's voice, and at the same time how He again warned Eli of impending disaster. Eli was incredibly able to recognize the way the Lord works, but at the

139: 1 Samuel 3-4; Psalm 92; Romans 1:28-2:16

12 days ago 18m 56s

1SAMUEL 3-4:Yesterday we heard Hannah's poetic and prophetic prayer of praise. R Then we heard of the contrast between the boy Samuel serving the Lord, while Eli's sons were scoundrels. Finally a “man of God” (a prophet or perhaps even an angel

138: 1 Samuel 2; Psalm 91; Romans 1:16-32

13 days ago 20m 51s

1SAMUEL 2:Yesterday we heard of the wonderful answer to Hannah’s prayer and of her determination to fulfill a very difficult vow to the Lord. Samuel might have only been 3 years old when Hannah gave him up to stay permanently as a Nazarite serv

137: 1 Samuel 1; Psalm 90; Romans 1:1-17

14 days ago 18m 30s

1SAMUEL 1:Yesterday we heard the charming conclusion of the story of Naomi, Ruth and Boaz. The words of the town women have prophetic significance: “Praise the Lord, who has now provided a redeemer for your family.” (NLT) The words have a doubl

136: Ruth 3-4; Psalm 89:19-52; 1 Timothy 6

15 days ago 19m 20s

RUTH 3-4:In yesterday’s start to the book of Ruth, we saw how Naomi was left all alone, and how one of her two daughters-in-law, Ruth, left her family and idols to accompany Naomi and to follow Naomi’s God. Then it just so happened that Ruth wa

135: Ruth 1-2; Psalm 89:1-29; 1 Timothy 5

16 days ago 21m 45s

RUTH 1-2:The incident of the Levite and his concubine at Gibeah resulted in the civil war that we heard about yesterday. About 24,000 men died and many women and children as well. In certain things the army inquired of the Lord, and the Lord ga

134: Judges 20-21; Psalm 88; 1 Timothy 4

17 days ago 23m 54s

JUDGES 20-21:In yesterday's reading, the people of Dan took all the items in Micah's household shrine and Micah's Levite priest. The priest’s name was given at the end of the chapter. He was the grandson of Moses! And then the Danites slaughter

133: Judges 18-19; Psalm 87; 1 Timothy 3

18 days ago 21m 19s

JUDGES 18-19:In Judges yesterday, we heard the famous and tragic story of Samson and Delilah. Victory, in that case, was not ‘sweet’. Then we heard the start of the story about Micah and the not so nice background of his personal idols and shri

132: Judges 16-17; Psalm 86; 1 Timothy 2

19 days ago 17m 16s

JUDGES 16-17:Yesterday we heard of Samson's disastrous marriage, and his first major victory over the Philistines. Ways in which Samson disobeyed God's Laws are that he touched and even ate from a carcass, he murdered people when not at war, an

131: Judges 14-15; Psalm 85; 1 Timothy 1

20 days ago 19m 19s

JUDGES 14-15:Yesterday we heard the conclusion of Jephthah's six years as a judge of Israel. Then we heard briefly of three more judges, and then about the miracles preceding the birth of Samson. PSALM 85:This psalm is one appropriate at any ti

130: Judges 12-13; Psalm 84; Galatians 5:22-6:18

21 days ago 18m 7s

JUDGES 12-13:Yesterday, after hearing of three minor judges, we heard of Jephthah. Jephthah was a man of very poor credentials, but he turned out to be a surprisingly good leader. His story shows clearly why it is better not to make rash vows t

129: Judges 10-11; Psalm 83; Galatians 5

22 days ago 20m 56s

JUDGES 10-11:Yesterday we heard the conclusion of the story of Gideon. It is a pity that Gideon was so successful, but that a half-son and unfaithful people ruined his legacy. I am always very disappointed that Gideon so quickly turns to idolat

127: Reader Take Note: Buckling the belt of truth, Day 2

23 days ago 21m 47s

Review: This podcast is Day number 2 in my series about Buckling the belt of truth. In the first day in this series (which can be found by searching for 195 or the word ‘buckling’, I explained what I consider to be the first step in putting on

128: Judges 8-9; Psalm 82; Galatians 4

23 days ago 25m 23s

JUDGES 8-9:Yesterday we heard of Gideon who led Israel in a miraculous victory over the hoards of Midian using only three hundred men. Gideon struggled with believing that God would actually use him, and God was amazingly patient with Gideon— g