Podcast appearances and mentions of king saul

Fear is a powerful tactic that the enemy uses as a stronghold in our lives. Pastor David Wray kicks off a brand-new series titled “Crowned: Leadership Under God's Authority” by teaching us how to break through the trap of fear and live in the calling of God on our lives.

Jesus: The True King Before the Sea of Need The Homily focuses on the Gospel of Mark . . . . . . and the Old Testament account of David and Saul to contrast two radically different models of kingship and authority. In the Gospel, Jesus draws overwhelming crowds from every direction . . . Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, and beyond. The weight of human need is so great that his disciples must prepare a boat to keep him from being crushed. Jesus heals, teaches, and confronts unclean spirits, yet refuses acclaim or self-promotion. His kingship is defined not by ego or force, but by mercy, humility, and service to the wounded. This is set against the tragic example of King Saul, whose victory over Goliath becomes the seed of his downfall. Saul's fragile ego turns David . . . God's chosen servant . . . into a perceived enemy. Saul embodies the ruler who serves God on his own terms, seeking praise, control, and personal glory. David, though deeply flawed, remains oriented toward God's will, capable of repentance and humility. The Homily culminates in Christ as the true Son of David and Mary as Queen through obedience. God's kingdom is revealed not as conquest by power, but as a conquest of love—founded on surrender to God's will rather than domination. True authority flows from hearts mastered by God, not from self-assertion or acclaim. Listen to Jesus: The True King Before the Sea of Need ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Art Work Christ Healing the Paralytic at the Pool of Bethesda: Spanish Painter: Bartolomé Esteban Murillo: 1667 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gospel Reading: Mark 3: 7-12 First Reading: 1 Samuel 18: 6-9; 19:1-7 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Why was this image selected: Murillo's Christ stands amid a mass of broken, desperate humanity . . . bodies pressed close, faces marked by suffering. The painting mirrors Mark's emphasis on overwhelming crowds and Christ's quiet authority. Jesus is central not as a ruler demanding praise, but as a healer absorbing the crushing weight of human need.

King Saul tried to convince David to go to battle with Goliath in Saul's armor, but David refused it and went in his shepherd's garments instead. Join Pastor Cameron as he looks at the spiritual significance of this exchange!

King Saul's fall from grace becomes relevant to our lives today in that it reveals the danger of partial obedience. The tragedy isn't just that Saul disobeyed—it's that he made value judgments independent of God's word.Support the show

Greetings dear readers! Welcome to episode 212 as we recap 1 and 2 Chronicles. We learn about the prophet Samuel and King Saul and David, boy and king in 1 Chronicles. It Retells 1 & 2 Samuel and gives the genealogies all the way back to Adam!2 Chronicles retells 1 and 2 Kings, giving details of each kings' reign and Jerusalem's fall along with the destruction of the temple. Elijah and Elisha are the prophets during these turbulent times. We see a lot of turmoil with most kings doing evil in the sight of the Lord, albeit some do stay true to God. God is always faithful and patient through it all, seeking a relationship with His wayward people.Why do people think they know better than God? Doesn't it come down to humility? The more humble we are the more we will trust Him and seek to follow His Word. Please join us for a flash back to the past as Babylonians destroy the temple and lead many away into captivity. Yes, it is a cliff hanger for sure and gives us much to learn! Remember as we read; connect to reflect with each book you select! Blessings!https://recapbookchat.com/

1 Samuel 14:20 – 14:46. Saul almost kills Jonathan.   When God brings a big victory through Jonathan's faith, King Saul turns it into a mess with a selfish oath that leaves Israel exhausted and almost costs Jonathan his life. In this episode, kidzos learn why trusting God matters more than trying to take the credit.  

Journey Into the Unknown – Part 4: The Danger of Re-Entry 1 Samuel 28:3–7 In the final message of Journey Into the Unknown, Pastor Joey challenges us to confront the spiritual danger of returning to what God has already delivered us from. Drawing from 1 Samuel 28:3–7, we see King Saul at a critical moment—fearful, desperate, and disconnected from God. Instead of waiting on the Lord, Saul re-enters forbidden territory, seeking answers from a source God had clearly warned him against. This message reveals how seasons of silence, pressure, or uncertainty can tempt us to fall back into old habits, mindsets, or dependencies. Pastor Joey reminds us that re-entry often begins subtly—with fear replacing faith and desperation replacing obedience. What feels like a shortcut for relief can ultimately distance us further from God's purpose. As we conclude this journey, we are encouraged to trust God even when the way forward feels unclear. The unknown is not an invitation to go backward, but an opportunity to deepen our dependence on the Lord. True direction and peace are found not by revisiting the past, but by standing firm in obedience and faith. Key Takeaway: When God has called you out, don't go back—trust Him in the unknown.

David writes more psalms while hiding out from King Saul.  He pretends to be insane around the Philistines. Saul has priests killed for helping David. Psalm 56, 34; I Samuel 22:1-2; Ps 142; I Chronicles 12:8-18; I Samuel 22:3-5; I Sam 22:6-23; Ps 52:1-9. #everydaychristians

Audio Transcript All right. Beautiful singing. I love that song. I love the lyrics and that they sing. And I hope that’s why you’re here this morning, that your soul is satisfied in just Jesus and him alone. And if it’s not, we hope that by the end of the service, you are. So one of the things that we talk about pretty often here is like the most important instrument that we have as a congregation for our music is the singing of you. And so as we sing, I do want to keep encouraging you to sing. Sing out. This is the most important thing, our singing time is us singing as a congregation. So beautiful singing once again. So I’ve not met you. My name is Aaron. I’m the preaching pastor here. And we’re glad that you’re with us on this very cold Sunday morning. So if you have a Bible with you, if you open up to the Gospel of Luke, continue in our study of Luke. Today, our text to study is going to be Luke 6:1, 11. If you don’t have a Bible with you, the pew Bibles are scattered throughout and they’re on page 502. And then if you’re visiting with us. So we do a style of preaching here called expository preaching. And so I’m going to read a passage, I’m going to pray, ask for the Lord’s blessing, and then we’re going to actually walk right back through the text. And so as you open your Bible, please do keep them open. So the most important thing I might say today is just me reading the Word and continue to communicate the Word to you. That’s the most important thing. So we want to hear God speak this morning. So Luke 6:1 through 11 on page 502, if you’re using one of the pew Bibles, So please to hear the words of our God. So Luke wrote, on a Sabbath, while he was going through the grain fields, disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. But some of the Pharisees said, why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath? Jesus answered them, have you not read what David did when he was hungry? He and those who were with him, how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of presents. Was it not lawful for any but the priest to eat? And he also and also gave it to those with him. And he said to them, the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath. On another Sabbath in the synagogue was teaching. And a man who was there, whose right hand was withered, the scribes and Pharisees watched him to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath so they might find a reason to accuse him. He knew their thoughts. Said to the man with a withered hand, come stand here. He rose and stood there. Jesus said to them, I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or. Or to do harm, to save a life or to destroy it? After looking around at them, he said to him, stretch out your hand. And he did so, and his hand was restored. But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus. So that’s God’s word for us this morning. Let’s pray. God, it’s good to be here. For every Sunday that we can gather together as your people here at Red Village. It is a sweet gift from you and Lord, we pray that you would bless the preaching of your word for the glory of Christ and for our good God. Please help me to communicate the word correctly, to rightly divide the word of truth. Please be with the congregation. Please give them ears to hear what the Spirit is saying. And Lord, in this time, please just use it to bring glory to Christ. In his name we pray. Amen. So I think every so often it’s really important for us to think through the why or the purpose behind all that we do. Because what can happen over time, the why, the purpose of what we do can kind of get lost in ways that we just start doing things for the sake of doing things, where things that we’re doing perhaps end up taking a life on their own in ways that end up not being healthy, that can lead to us maybe become apathetic or arrogant. So as a church, it’s important to us to understand the why, the purpose, which I’m going to talk about more at the end of this time. But I say this to you up front just to kind of help set us up for our text of study today, which is a text where the people in the text clearly lost track of the why, the purpose, one of the more important aspects of their faith as they lost track of the why, the purpose of the Sabbath in ways that rather than the Sabbath existing for them and their arrogance, they started to like almost try to exist for the Sabbath, as in their arrogance, they tried to use the Sabbath as a means of their own self righteous gain before God, which was not the purpose of the Sabbath, why God created the Sabbath. So I’ll talk about this more in just a bit as well, but before we do, just to take a little bit of time, just to kind of help think through just some of the context before we dive into the passage. First, let me just the context of the passage I just went through. So I mentioned our text last week. The public ministry of Jesus is now in full swing, which is the ministry that kicked off in the region of Galilee where this public ministry of the Lord Jesus included like healing the sick, the lame, the blind, casting out demons. But the primary ministry that Jesus had was actually his preaching and teaching ministry, which often would take place in various synagogues, including one in our text today. And as the public ministry of Jesus was now on full swing, his popularity was spreading like wicked wildfire throughout the region as more and more began to wonder if indeed he Jesus was the long awaited, long anticipated Christ who was to come. And this led to more and more coming around Jesus, forming bigger and bigger crowds around him. However, even though his popularity was spreading questions, concerns about his ministry were also starting to like increase, particularly among the Pharisees and the scribes who were the religious leaders of the day. And these concerns that the Pharisees and scribes had to Jesus were on multiple fronts. Maybe share a few with you. One, the Pharisees scribes really did not like who Jesus was ministering to, which in the Gospel accounts included those with like some very deep negative social stigma tied to them. A few weeks back, if you were here, a text included Jesus healing a leper, which was like a painful, gross skin disease. He also heard a paralytic where the Pharisees seemed to imply that this paralytic suffered that because of some of his own sin. Last week may remember Jesus came to a tax collector named Levi. And as Jesus came to Levi was then to like shame him, but to actually call Levi to follow him, which Levi did, leaving everything to follow Jesus. And then after that, may you remember how Levi threw a great party for other tax collectors and other social outcasts with Jesus being the guest of honor at this party. If you remember, it was last week. So the tax collectors, they’re arguably like the most hated people in all of Israel because they were viewed as traitors. So for the Pharisees, like they hated these people, they hated who Jesus was ministering to with like all these deep social stigma tied to them because in their minds those type of people were to be like, avoided and shamed. Certainly not cared for, loved on, certainly not shown any type of mercy. Second, the Pharisees had concerns about Jesus because they rightly understood that as Jesus ministered, Jesus did so in ways that he was claiming divine authority that he is God in the flesh, which Jesus can do. Because we see all throughout the New Testament, including Luke, that yes, indeed, Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us, that Jesus is the great God man, fully God, fully man, which we actually see again in our text today. We see this both in his divine actions of healing a man, also in his divine words in our text today, as he refers himself as the Son of man, who is the Lord over the Sabbath. However, for the Pharisees, even though throughout the Old Testament that they claim to love, even though the Old Testament pointed to a God man who had come to save his people, even though from his birth Jesus fulfilled these promises and prophecies of the Old Testament that he was the God man who was to come, the Pharisees fully rejected Jesus. They fully rejected him being the fulfillment. They rejected that indeed he was the Christ Messiah. And because they rejected who Jesus is and what he came to do, they just hated him. Third, the Pharisees also had concerns about Jesus, didn’t improve his ministry. They hated him in ways because of how Jesus would confront their own sin, sinful hearts. So over and over again, including our text today, the Pharisees would try to trap Jesus, only for Jesus to turn things back on them. However, as Jesus confronted their hearts, rather than humbling themselves before him, rather than confessing their sin in their pride, they became more and more violent towards Jesus in the rejection of him. They hated how Jesus confronted them in their sin, because they hated that not only did they reject him, they would work hard to try to convince others to reject him and as well. Okay, so that’s a little bit of our context, our passage. So Jesus ministry is growing, crowds around him is growing. But the hatred from the religious leaders also was growing as they’re seeking, like, every opportunity they could to like discredit the Lord Jesus and his ministry. So that’s kind of his text. Second, let me also just give you some context or some handles on the Sabbath, which is going to be at the center of our passage today. So the word Sabbath basically means, like to cease or to rest. And this ceasing, this rest, the Sabbath is something we first see on the seventh day of creation in the book of Genesis. Okay? So if you read through the creation account, so the preceding six days, so God is at work where he not only creates the heavens, the earth, but then he fills the heavens and the earth, including filling with mankind who is the pinnacle of his creative work. As He, God created mankind in his very image. And this took place on the sixth day, but then on the seventh day of creation as God finished His creative work. We read in Scripture that God ceased from the work. He rested with creation, in particular with mankind, who has mentioned created in his image. And this rest that God had with mankind was not because he was like dog tired from a long six days of creative work. Rather, God rested with mankind, rested with the creation to enjoy mankind to enjoy his creative work as God was pleased with which he created, making the seventh day of creation, this day of rest, a picture of fellowship, a picture of harmony and peace that God enjoyed with that which he created. However, if you’ve read through Genesis, you know that by the time we get to Genesis 3, we see this, the Sabbath fellowship, the Sabbath rest with mankind creation, we see that it was lost because mankind rebelled against God, rebelled against God’s design that he gave them, which was to obey him joyfully because they sinned. And this sin separated mankind from God and brought a curse to the earth, causing the Sabbath rest to be lost. Okay, now, if you’re with us over a year ago, you may remember we went to the book of Hebrews. And you may remember in much of that study of Hebrews, the Old Testament is like a quest trying to figure out how do we get rest back. Now for this time here, I won’t mention all the different pictures of rest found in the Old Testament outside of one, which is important for our text to study today, which is the fourth commandment, which is a commandment to remember the Sabbath day. This is from Exodus 20, where the Ten Commandments are found. So it’s in the fourth commandment it says, remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do your work. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it, you should not do any work. You or your sons or your daughters, your male servant, your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is with you within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, and and rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. So the Sabbath is a commandment we are to keep, but within that. This commandment, like all other commandments, was designed actually to be a blessing from God to his people. A blessing that was meant to help them remember the holiness of God and the worship that we designed to give to him a blessing, to give them rest to their bodies, our physical bodies. We can’t just like, go, go, go, go, go. Like, we need rest, physical rest, emotional rest. Mental rest from our labors. So Sabbath helped provide for that. And Sabbath is also a blessing to help mankind just to remember back to creation and the Sabbath rest that we’ve been created for, which is a Sabbath rest by which we live in fellowship and harmony with God. And because the Sabbath was a blessing by God to his people, man was not created for the Sabbath. That’s not why the Sabbath existed. Rather, the Sabbath was created for mankind. Say it again. It’s a blessing to mankind from a good God. That’s the why of the Sabbath, a gift from God to mankind. As we’ll see in our passage, the Pharisees today completely missed the why of the Sabbath, which caused them to completely miss this blessing that was given to them from God. And because they missed the why, they tried to use the Sabbath as like a fuel for their own pride and their own arrogance, where they tried to make the Sabbath become something that was not intended to be, something like, for their own self righteous gain. So that is the intro. But if you want to look back with me in our text, starting in verse one, so read these words. It says on the Sabbath, while he, meaning Jesus, while he was going through the grain fields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain. And then rubbing them in their hands, with rubbing the hands was how they would remove like the outer chaff before eating. Now for us, perhaps nothing seems wrong here. Jesus, disciples, they’re hungry and there is no like prohibition from like eating on the Sabbath. So nothing concerned here. This is not like biblically wrong. In fact, even in the book of Leviticus, there’s provisions given to pluck heads of grain with one’s hand on the Sabbath. Now I will mention that there are prohibitions in the Old Testament of using like a sickle to cut the heads of grain on the Sabbath, because the plucking is more of a provision to help like get them through the day, where the sickle have been more of like a tool that have been used to provide for like food for like multiple days of work. So what they’re doing here though, just plucking with the heads of grains with their hands. So biblically there’s nothing wrong here. However, for the Pharisees this was a great concern, and it was a great concern to them because they viewed this act being done by disciples as an act of work defined by what was called the misna, which is a list of like 39 additional rules and regulations to what scripture laid out. Where these additional rules and regulations were given in part to help put together like A tighter, more specific regulations on what work was on the Sabbath. Thus, according to these rules, regulations, the disciples of Jesus were breaking the Sabbath by plucking and then rubbing with their hands. For the Saraces, this action broke the Sabbath and this call to rest from one’s labor. Now, let me pause a couple things here I think should challenge us. So first, there’s a ministry that helps with, like, teaching preaching called the Simeon Trust, which is named after an old preacher named Charles Simeon. So we don’t have time to. For me to tell you about his ministry, but I would recommend looking up and reading more about him, Charles Simeon. He has a great ministry. So now in this ministry, Simeon Trust, there’s a training called first principles. And I know some of you have gone through that. And for me, the most helpful lesson in first principles revolves around what they call the line of Scripture. So, like preachers, teachers of the Word, even us as Bible readers, we’re to stay on the line to communicate what the text communicates. Because this temptation will always be to go above or below the line. So to go below the line, according to the training, it’s like to ignore the commands of scripture, to ignore clear teachings in scripture, maybe because they’re uncomfortable to us, or maybe we don’t approve of them, or the other temptation is actually to go above the line of Scripture. According to the training, we start to add to the commands the teachings of Scripture, as if what Scripture says is not enough, so we need to, like, add to it. And this is what the Pharisees were doing here. So Scripture taught one could pluck grains from a field by hand, not with a sipical, but of concern that perhaps people abuse the provision of plucking by hand. Perhaps the rubbing of the hands is too much. We better add more safety rails here. So let’s add to the commandment. Let’s go above the line of Scripture and limit any and all acquiring of grain, any and all rubbing of hands, right? Better be safe to go above the line than to fail by going below the line. Now, there’s kind of a common buzzword in church life, the word legalism. And this can mean a lot of things to a lot of people, where for some, they use, like, the term legalism to almost like, justify, like, going below the line to kind of do whatever they want to do because, you know, they don’t want to be illegalistic. But I think the right way to use this term legalism is simply adding to what Scripture says in ways that we, like, go above the line, where the Additions become as important, if not more important, to what Scripture says itself. So in the end, going above the line, that’s illegalism. In the end, it’s actually similar to going below the line and ignoring Scripture because neither side actually honors God in his Word. Neither side above or below, trusts the truth of what Scripture says. Neither side actually holds to the sufficiency of God’s Word. Second, just on this note, I think we need to understand how easy it is to go above or below this line. First time here, let me just think specifically about going above the line, which is true of our text today. So here’s a command from God, remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. So perhaps there’s, like, thoughts of, like, good intentions. Hey, let’s do all that we can do to put guardrails in place to ensure that this happens. However, these guardrails become more and more over time. Over time, the why behind the guardrails completely lost. The guardrails become the focus, the standard, not the original command. And for us, we could do this as a host of different things. Maybe in our culture think of, like, movies or music or alcohol or how we dress, or maybe even how we, like, interact with those who are not Christians. So we know there’s commands out there, biblical principles connected to these things. I just mentioned in our culture that maybe we have to think through, which are commands, principles that we certainly want to follow. We might understand there’s dangers for not following them in ways that we maybe go below the line. But what can easily happen, all these guardrails become more and more where we become, like, more and more tight with more and more things. And all we begin to think about now is this new standard that, like, we set, where the original command, the original principle, is now lost, leaving us, like, really tightly wound up, where we now begin to, like, pridefully judge everyone who is not tightly as wound as we are. Or what else can happen is over time, we just become, like, apathetic to everything, apathetic to, like, any and all rules, because we completely lost track of the why. So we just throw our hands up in the air and we completely abandon, like, Scripture and what it commands in our text. The Pharisees, they’re really tightly wound, tightly wound with, like, deep, prideful judgment of others. In the end, they’re completely missing what scripture taught in their attempt to follow Scripture. You know, there’s a blog I read a few years back, it said you become, like, so biblical where you’re going above and beyond or above and beyond the line. And attempt to like, follow Scripture, I’m going to be so biblical that in the end you actually become like, unbiblical. Once again, that’s the Pharisees. At all costs, they’re going to follow the Sabbath. But in the end, they’re becoming more and more unbiblical in this attempt. Third, let me also just mention, just to be fair and to be clear, going below the line can also lead you to really awful places. It’s not just above the line. Legalism has problems, but that’s what our text is today. This is a cautionary tale. To go above the line in ways, you become like, legalistic. Okay, say more here, bro. Let’s move on. Verse 2, we see the Pharisees came to Jesus, his disciples, to confront them for not meeting their legalistic standard and what they were doing with the grains in the field. And this here, it kind of gets a sense in Luke that kind of like everywhere Jesus went, there’s almost like these like, assigned Pharisees, like, following them around, where it almost felt like their entire existence to try to call out Jesus and what they felt he was doing wrong to try to trap him. Man, I was thinking about this week. This had to be so annoying. Like, everywhere Jesus went, you know. Here are his critics for following him. The text. As Pharisees went to confront Jesus, disciples, we see that he said to them with a tone of judgment and arrogance and pride, why are you doing this? This is not lawful for you to do on the Sabbath, at least not according to their standards. This here, this is another attempt by the Pharisees to catch Jesus and what they deemed like catch him red handed. Another attempt to discredit him disciples, his ministries. However, in this conversation, yet again, Jesus turns things back on them in ways. Actually, we’re discrediting them. Verse 3, we see Jesus respond not in direct ways to their question, to the arrogance, to the pride, but maybe in a little bit more indirect way where Jesus, like, responds by using a story of scripture to prove his point. So the text, Pharisees, you know, the story about David, scripture, you know, maybe, maybe you didn’t read this one. I think you have, but maybe, maybe you remember this one, you know, the one where he was like on the run from evil King Saul. And when he was on the run, remember how he became hungry along with others who were with him. And, and this is a story from 1st Samuel 21:1 that no doubt the Pharisees would have known. Remember how while they were hungry in the run, how David entered into the house of God and how he took and ate of the bread of the presence, which high priest Elimelech allowed for them to do so. Can I ask you, Pharisees, was that not unlawful for David to do that? After all, the bread of presence was not allowed for the priest to eat. In that story, David took give it to those who are with him. So, Pharisees, let me ask you, was that wrong for David to do? Was it wrong for the priest to let that happen? I mean, do you think the priest should have told David his hungry men, sorry, it’s not for you. You must just keep going on in your hunger. What Jesus is doing here in the story is, first, so in the strictest letter of the law, sure, it would have been unlawful for David for Elimelech to distribute bread in this fashion. However, second, Jesus point out that the letter of the law should not be removed or divorced from the spirit of the law. The why of the law, where in the end the law is there to be a blessing from God, a blessing to not only help us love and honor God, but but also to help us to love and honor others. That’s the why. So in the story of David, the spirit of law was there to show David his friends, like, they needed mercy in that moment, right? They’re hungry, they needed mercy, and that’s what Elimelech gave them. He let them eat the food that they needed to save their life to keep going. For the Pharisees, mercy was just not a part of who they were. And backing up. No mercy to the leper, no mercy to the paralytic, no mercy to Levi in our text last week. No mercy to the other tax collectors and social outcasts who Levi threw the party for in our text today. No mercy towards Jesus, his disciples who are hungry, even though what they were doing biblically actually was not wrong in the first place, for the Pharisees, it was wrong in their own eyes. First morning for us, maybe a little litmus test. When we see someone in need, which can come on a lot of different fronts, do we desire to show them mercy or do we just want to, like, hammer them with like, the strictest letter of the law that we can get to a standard. They’re not that we feel they’re not living up to now, as I say that I’m not advocating for, like, enabling, which is not an act of mercy, but it’s actually an act of putting burdens on when we try to enable people. But we should seek to show real mercy to those who are in need, we are able to help those who we can in ways that actually in the end doesn’t hurt them. Keep going to the text, verse 5. So the Pharisees are not already angry and frustrated towards the Lord Jesus as He confronted them for their lack of mercy. What he says next would have only made them that much more angry and that much more frustrated. Where in the text he declared them the Son of Man was a title that he already referred to himself in Luke, a title ground in the Old Testament. The Old Testament pointed to a God man is to come. The Son of Man in the text is the Lord of the Sabbath. Now why this is so frustrating for the Pharisees to hear, Jesus makes the segregation a couple things here. First, they would have hated Jesus continued to declare himself as being the great God man, even though that’s what we see all throughout Scripture as he declared himself to be the Son of Man, the Lord of the Sabbath. Second, as Jesus declared himself to be the Lord of the Sabbath, not only is he declaring himself to be greater than the Sabbath day, but he also declared that the rest that the Sabbath was to picture and point to from the seventh day of creation. Jesus is now declaring that rest between God and man is fulfilled in him. That he is the means by which we find rest with God. He’s the answer of the question of the Old Testament. How do we get rest back? It’s not in ourselves. It’s not in trying to keep the law. It’s not in trying to keep some type of like standard of self righteousness by our own effort. It’s not by keeping the Sabbath. Rather in this declaration by the Lord Jesus, he’s saying to follow the Sabbath would lead you to find Him. Because ultimately he is the Sabbath. He’s the why. The Sabbath, it is through him, in him alone. That’s how we find rest with God. Which is why Jesus calls out for all to hear, including all here today. Come to me, all who labor and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. For I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Once again for the Pharisees, Jesus making this declaration this way he could fuel to the flames of hate that was burning deeply in the heart. This is what legalism always does when confronted with Jesus. Legalism hates Jesus because Jesus exposes that we can’t do it. Rather we must by faith come to him, the one who did it for us Hebrew 1, verse 6. We see now in the text we’re on to a different Sabbath where the Pharisees are still after Jesus, still trying to catch him red handed, still trying to discredit him, his ministry. We see on another Sabbath, Jesus entered into a synagogue. And as he entered in, he did what is mentioned earlier became his custom to do. And he went in to teach, to preach, to preach God’s word as one with authority. In that particular Sabbath, we see there’s a man in the synagogue whose right hand was withered and true to form because Jesus was there. The Pharisees scribes are also on the scene. And on the particular Sabbath, they’re also there at the synagogue, as I mentioned, trying to continue to trap the Lord Jesus. And as they’re inside the synagogue, they began to watch this man with withered hand to watch Jesus, to see if Jesus would heal on the Sabbath. You know, for me, in my mind, I can kind of just see the Pharisees and scribes in the back of the synagogue, like kind of looking around, whispering among themselves if there’s any potential candidates for Jesus to heal on the Sabbath. And as they whispered around, you know, kind of wondered in my mind if, you know, they maybe zeroed in on this man with a withered hand. They began to like, question like, I wonder if that’s the one that Jesus is going to heal today. Verse 8. As Pharisees, maybe we’re zeroing in on whether this man with a withered hand would be the one that Jesus would healed. We see that Jesus started to like zero in on them, the Pharisees, he began to zero in their hearts as our text tells us, like he knew their thoughts. And as Jesus knew their thoughts, he yet again turns things back on the Pharisees. Jesus calls out to the man with the withered hand. You over there. Yeah, he’s you, the one with the withered hand. Come stand up here with me. And his call, Jesus went forth. The man did what Jesus called him to do in the text. He rose from where he was seated and he stood, instructing him to stand right swimming right next to the Lord, like right in front of everyone where no doubt everyone can see him. For me, it gets sent in the text that Jesus didn’t want anyone, particularly the Pharisees, to miss that which he was about to do. Verse 9 of the text. So the man standing up front next to him, Jesus turns the congregation to the Pharisees and can you answer me a question on this Sabbath? Want to ask you this Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save a life or to destroy it? I keep saying the Pharisees are trying to trap Jesus, but this question, but Jesus is now actually trapping them. We’re in this trap. Everyone, including the Pharisees would admit doing good is more important than doing harm. Saving a life is more important than destroying it. And this is really kind of the question that is in line with the story of David and the hungry men who ate the bread of presents. It was more important to do good to them on the Sabbath. Jesus gave his question with the obvious answer, important to do good to save. Jesus now further stressed the importance of mercy and love towards others as the entire law is boiled down into two commandments, to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. And the second is like it, to love your neighbor as yourself. So at the scene on the Sabbath, as Jesus continues to fulfill the law by showing love and mercy, he does so to this man. Verse 10. As everyone in the room is looking at him, as everyone probably is quiet, and as Jesus gave his question in verse nine, Jesus turns to the man sitting next to him and says to him, man, stretch out your hand once again. As the call of Jesus went forth, the man did what Jesus asked. By faith he stretches out his hand. And as he does so, it was restored, healed. Restored. He healed by the power and the authority of the great God man, Jesus Christ. It was restored, healed by the mercy and the love of the great God man, Jesus Christ. And now for us you would think this would have been to the praise and wonder for all who are present to see this incredible act of love and mercy and power and authority of Jesus Christ. However, as Jesus did this great act for this man who was in need of the hearts of the Pharisees, we see still they’re not softened towards Christ. They still didn’t see like the errors of their way. They still didn’t understand the law, the Sabbath, the why. So our text ends today, verse 11, we see that they became feel or filled with fury and they started to discuss among themselves what they might do to Jesus. You know, as thick headed and as proud as the Pharisees were there even them were being understand that their strategy of trying to catch Jesus red handed like was not working. So even here they’re starting to understand they needed a new strategy if they’re ever to get rid of Jesus Christ, which we know over time became a strategy so filled with hate and fury that their strategy would lead them to kill Jesus Christ, which they finally would end him, his ministry, his influence over his people. But we also know that, that even that completely backfired on them because it’s actually through the death and the resurrection from the dead on the third day. That’s the reason why Jesus came. That is how his ministry would be fulfilled, how his mission to save his people from their sins would be fulfilled. How through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That’s how he would be restored back to fellowship with God so that we might have rest. Now, as I close this time, I do want to close by asking maybe a few like, why questions and some answers to this, and then we’ll close. So first question, maybe you’re kind of thinking this is so why do we not keep the Sabbath? So the church, we obviously don’t meet on Saturdays. And this is actually one of the commandments, right? One of the ten commandments. Remember the Sabbath day, the commandment that was actually given by God for our good. So why do we not meet on the Sabbath? The reason why relates to Jesus being the Lord of the Sabbath, where, yes, Jesus came to fulfill the entire law, but he uniquely fills the Sabbath as Jesus is our rest. So in the New Testament, like all the ten Commandments are spoken about in ways that they’re still binding on us today. Still expectation that God has for mankind in order to follow him that are for our good. That is, with the exception of the Sabbath. So New Testament, there’s no command for us to follow the Sabbath because as mentioned, Jesus uniquely fulfilled the Sabbath as he is the Lord of the Sabbath. So everyone, this is why we don’t meet on Saturdays, but we meet on Sundays. And in fact, we see this all throughout New Testament, all throughout church history. God’s people, Christians gather on Sunday. Sundays, not Saturdays, with Sundays being referred to like the Lord’s Day, as Sunday helps us remember the day that Jesus Christ rose again from the dead. So now Sundays, like the Sabbath, the Old Testament is the day that Christians are to set aside to worship, right? This is why we don’t forsake the assembly of believers. We gather together every Sunday to worship. This is why Sunday, the Lord’s day, right? This is supposed to be a benefit to us to rest from our labors. So when Sunday we not only remember back to creation, but remember Jesus, the new creation that he comes to give. If you wonder why, that’s why. Second, so why is the line of scripture so important for us to stick to? So something I talked about a little earlier, you know, this Line of Scripture do not go above, not go below. And the main reason why we want to stick to the line of Scripture, to not add to it, not take it away. Because going on either side of the line, not only is it take away from the truth of scripture, but when you go on either side, what happens is we stop seeing Jesus, our need for Him. And this is certainly true of our text today in the Pharisees, they just could not see Jesus for who he is. They certainly did not see their need for Him. The rest that he alone can offer says for us to read and apply Scripture, particularly when it comes to the commands of Scripture as we read them. Do we read them in ways that we see Jesus, where our hearts are full of praise and worship towards him, where our hearts become full of love for God and love for others in more meaningful ways which lead to another why? Question. So why is it important for us to stay focused on the weightier matters of the law? Because this is something that Jesus actually later on confronts the Pharisees on and their attempt to try to keep the law through tithing, where they’re so like hyper focused on every little aspect of tithing like they were in our text with the Sabbath, that tithing becomes like, almost like way too much, where they completely lost the weightier manners of the law. Like loving God, loving others, showing mercy, showing kindness to others, when their attempt to become so biblical with tithing, to become unbiblical with weightier matters of the law. So for us, yes, clearly we want to follow the Scriptures, whatever Scripture commands us to do, but we want to do so in ways with the weightier matters of law. Love, mercy, kindness towards others is at the center. This is the last why. So why is all this so important? The answer is simple. So why is this all important? The answer is Jesus, his wooden cross, empty tomb, things that mean everything to us, right? That’s the why for us. What Jesus did, all these things he did for us, if they continue to mean everything to us, we must keep him at the center of the why of all that we do, that we do. So maybe we want to ask, so why are we here this cold morning? Why? Because of Jesus, that’s why. The worship of him, that’s why. So why do we do all the different ministries that we do, even though at times these ministry can leave us weary? Why? Right? It’s because Jesus, because He means everything to us. Why do we seek to share the Gospel with the world around us? Why? It’s because of Jesus. This, his love for us compels us to now want to love others like who he is, what he has done for us. That’s at the why of our entire existence as a church. That’s why. This morning, if you know you’ve been living above the line, maybe you can kind of like resonate with the Pharisees. Like you’re so wound up tight that you’re missing, like, the weightier matters of the law, maybe even more so you’ve been missing Jesus the rest and the joy that he alone can offer. Let me invite you to humble yourself and just confess your sin and come back to Jesus, knowing that all who by faith come to him will be forgiven. And friends, if you came here looking like the Pharisees from the text, don’t leave here still looking like one. Rather come to Jesus and leave here looking more and more like Him. Church, may God give us the grace to stay on the line of Scripture so we might find and continue to find our rest in him, the great Lord of the Sabbath. Let’s pray. Lord, thank you for Jesus. Lord, please help us to set our eyes on him. And Lord, you’ve given us many good commandments. And so, Lord, please help us to follow them, knowing that they’re good. Help us not lose track of the why behind them and how in the end, not only for our good, but they all lead us to Christ. Pray so in Jesus name, amen. The post Lord of the Sabbath – Luke 6: 1-11 appeared first on Red Village Church.

One of the most tragic figures in the Bible is King Saul. What can we learn from a life that began with such promise only to end so badly? Dr. Stanley gives a solemn warning—even seemingly small acts of disobedience can derail us from accomplishing God’s will.Donate: https://store.intouch.org/donate/generalSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the most tragic figures in the Bible is King Saul. What can we learn from a life that began with such promise only to end so badly? Dr. Stanley gives a solemn warning—even seemingly small acts of disobedience can derail us from accomplishing God’s will.Donate: https://store.intouch.org/donate/generalSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the most tragic figures in the Bible is King Saul. What can we learn from a life that began with such promise only to end so badly? Dr. Stanley gives a solemn warning—even seemingly small acts of disobedience can derail us from accomplishing God’s will.Donate: https://store.intouch.org/donate/generalSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this powerful exploration of 1 Samuel 15, we encounter one of the most sobering lessons about obedience versus religious performance. The story of King Saul's downfall reveals a dangerous pattern we all face: treating as holy what God calls common, while compromising on what He truly values.Support the show

Have you ever suddenly found yourself in terrible circumstances beyond your control? Like Esther sleeping while genocide is decreed, you've probably experienced that moment—the diagnosis, the layoff, the betrayal—when life spins beyond your control. Even when it feels like evil is winning and God is silent, Esther 2-3 reminds us God is always several moves ahead. Inside this episode of our Esther Bible Study:Mordecai at the King's Gate. Why “sitting at the gate” means political authority, not loitering.The forgotten hero. Mordecai saves King Xerxes and is recorded in the royal annals but not rewarded.Haman the Agagite vs. Mordecai the Benjamite. Mordecai's refusal to bow to Haman wasn't just personal, it was an ancient spiritual conflict between the descendants of King Saul and King Agag. (1 Samuel 15)The seven things God hates. How Haman serves as a "masterclass" in the evil traits described in Proverbs 6, from a lying tongue to feet that rush into evil. The Purim plot. Why Haman cast lots (Purim) to determine the timing of the Jews' destruction and how God uses the resulting 11-month delay to prepare His people.Esther 2-3 sets the stage for one of Scripture's most dramatic confrontations between good and evil. And it holds lessons we can apply to our lives today:God often positions us for a purpose before He reveals the plan. Faithfulness often precedes understanding.Delayed justice is not denied justice. What's “forgotten” on earth is never forgotten by God.The need to be honored quietly reshapes the heart. When social media–driven approval, titles, or respect become non-negotiable needs for us, they don't just damage relationships, they distort judgment.We love feedback, but can't reply without your email address. Message us your thoughts and contact info! Contact Bible Book ClubDONATE Buy merch Like, comment, or message us through Bible Book Club's InstagramLike or comment on Susan's Facebook or InstagramLeave us an Apple reviewContact us through our website formThanks for listening and happy podcasting!

What if God is working powerfully in your life, even when your circumstances feel wrong, unfair, or out of your control? In Esther 2, we see how God can still work all things for good even when obedience, safety, and faith feel compromised.In this episode of our Esther Bible Study, we walk through the historical reality of King Xerxes and the forced gathering of young women into the Persian harem. Moving beyond the "romance" myths, we uncover the dark and uncomfortable reality of Hadassah's transformation into Queen Esther. We'll explore:The Intriguing Power of Two Names: Why the author introduces her as both Hadassah and Esther and what it means for her hidden identity.The Saul-Mordecai Connection: Uncovering the "Bible Bender" linking Esther's uncle Mordecai (son of Kish) to King Saul's ancient conflict with the Amalekites.Finding Favor: How God used Hegai (the king's eunuch) and divine providence to position a Jewish orphan for a royal crown.The Book of Esther holds powerful wisdom we can apply to our lives today and we'll dive deeper into these three themes from Esther 2:God is the Master Strategist: Even when you feel like a pawn, God is moving the board to position you for a purpose you can't see yet.You don't have to be perfect for God to use you: Esther's story proves that God works through "imperfect faith" and complicated situations to bring about good.Favor is a Gift, Not a Hustle: We explore how Esther "won favor" not through manipulation, but through a divinely-guided character that stood out in a crowded room.This episode invites you to stop judging appearances and start trusting God's unseen work in your own life, even when your story doesn't look the way you expected.We love feedback, but can't reply without your email address. Message us your thoughts and contact info! Contact Bible Book ClubDONATE Buy merch Like, comment, or message us through Bible Book Club's InstagramLike or comment on Susan's Facebook or InstagramLeave us an Apple reviewContact us through our website formThanks for listening and happy podcasting!

SERMON SUMMARYWe explored the journey to authentic spirituality by looking at David's confrontation with Goliath in 1 Samuel 17. Biblical authenticity means discovering who God created us to be, surrendering to the Holy Spirit's transforming work in that hidden 90% beneath the surface.David faced three major obstacles before he ever reached Goliath. First, accusations from family. His brother Eliab attacked his character and tried to shame him publicly. Second, expectations from authority. King Saul told David he was too young and inexperienced to fight. Third, armor that doesn't fit. Saul offered David his own armor, but David knew himself well enough to reject what worked for someone else.The key to David's confidence was his firsthand experience with God. While watching sheep in the fields, the Holy Spirit had been training him, teaching him to recognize God's voice above every other voice. He had killed lions and bears in private before facing the giant in public.We examined differentiation: the ability to maintain a clear sense of worth and identity in Christ, apart from the opinions or approval of others. This allows us to remain connected to people without being controlled by their reactions or expectations.Our world desperately needs authentic Christians who know themselves deeply and know God intimately enough to step into who they were created to be. This week, we're challenged to get alone with God and ask two questions: "Lord, what lies am I still believing about myself?" and "Lord, who did You create me to be?"URF WEBSITE: ➤ http://www.urfellowship.comSOCIALS: ➤ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/urfellowship/➤ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/urfellowship

In the second message of our series called Prepare the Way, Pastor Mel draws from Matthew 3:1-3 to emphasize preparing the way for God's blessings through complete obedience, illustrating the concept with the story of King Saul from 1 Samuel 15, where Saul's partial compliance in destroying the Amalekites—sparing King Agag and the best livestock while claiming to sacrifice them to God—resulted in divine rejection, as "obedience is better than sacrifice" (1 Samuel 15:22). Defining blessing as divine favor and happiness (from Hebrew "barak" meaning to bless or kneel, "esher" for happiness, and Greek "makarios" for blessed or happy), he contrasts it with Luke 11:27-28, stressing that true blessing comes from hearing and practicing God's word rather than mere rituals or good intentions, warning that disguising disobedience with spiritual excuses or fear of people leads to regret and loss, as seen in Saul's downfall (1 Chronicles 10:13-14). He concludes with John 14:15-21, urging that loving Jesus manifests in obeying His commandments, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and that partial obedience equals complete disobedience, blocking the revelation of God's glory and favor.

SummaryIn this conversation, Benjamin Lee explores the theme of loving God with all our heart, drawing insights from the life of King David as depicted in the Bible. He contrasts David's heart with that of King Saul, emphasizing David's unique relationship with God, his faith, and his sincere repentance for sin. The discussion highlights the importance of a heart devoted to God, the weight of sin, and the path to forgiveness, ultimately encouraging listeners to make daily choices that reflect their love for God.TakeawaysDavid was described as a man after God's own heart.The contrast between Saul and David illustrates different heart attitudes.David's relationship with God began from a young age.True love for God involves sincere worship and devotion.David's faith was evident in his actions, especially against Goliath.Repentance is a key aspect of loving God with all our heart.David's sin did not define him; his response to sin did.The importance of having a Nathan in our lives for accountability.God desires a broken and contrite heart from us.Loving God requires daily choices and commitment.Chapters00:00 The Heart of Worship: Understanding Mark 1206:32 King David: A Man After God's Own Heart12:33 Contrasting Hearts: David vs. Saul18:35 The Weight of Sin: David's Failures and Repentance24:10 Lessons from David: Love, Repentance, and RestorationNewsletter and Blog: https://benjaminlee.blogPodcasts: https://icandopodcast.comYoutube: https://youtube.com/@icandopodcast?si=VrkwUyrdzbprR-cl

The era of the judges comes to an end as God's people demand a king. They want someone who looks the part, rules like other kings, and makes them more like the surrounding nations. God warns them of the cost—then gives them exactly what they ask for. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Bible has made it very clear that King Saul is not a godly man. He is selfish, he is prideful, and as we saw last week in our study, that no matter where he turns, he behaves in a wicked way. And now we're going to see the reason why God, although Saul, is the People's Choice, he should never be thought of as God's choice. Look with me, if you would, to First Samuel and chapter 15. To donate please visit us at:https://loveisrael.org/donate/Checks may be sent to:LoveIsrael.org

1 Samuel 13:16 – 14:20. Jonathan attacks the Philistines…again!   When King Saul is surrounded by a massive Philistine army and his own soldiers are running away, fear and bad choices leave Israel in serious trouble. But while Saul panics, his son Jonathan bravely trusts God, and with just his armor-bearer by his side, sets the stage for an unbelievable rescue that only God could pull off.  

Join us as Pastor Nathan teaches through 1 Samuel 14, contrasting King Saul's impulsive oath against his son Jonathan's measured approach to God's plan in the battle against the Philistines. If you like what you hear, or want to learn more visit our website, www.hopeinanderson.com

Comparison is the silent killer of joy. It steals your confidence, shifts your focus, and leaves you spiritually drained. In this episode, we dive into 1 Samuel 18 to look at the lives of Saul and David. David's victory over Goliath should have been a moment of national unity, but instead, it exposed the dangerous power of comparison in King Saul's heart.Join us as we explore how to break free from the "sideways energy" of jealousy and find true confidence in your identity in Christ.Key Takeaways:Comparison Strangles Your Joy: Saul had every reason to celebrate, but he let a song of praise for David turn into personal insecurity. When we look sideways at what others have, we forget the goodness God has already given us.Comparison Stunts Your Growth: Jealousy is like "cancer in the bones" (Proverbs 14:30). It keeps you from being mentored by or mentoring others because you view everyone as a threat rather than a partner in God's kingdom.Comparison Steals Your Focus: You cannot follow Jesus effectively while watching someone else's calling. What you stare at is what you steer toward—if you stare at others' success, you'll steer toward envy.Episode Highlights:[00:00] The Celebration That Turned Into Jealousy David's victory was celebrated by the nation, but Saul fixated on the lyrics: "Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!" (1 Samuel 18:7). Saul heard a threat where he should have heard a victory for God.[04:30] The Modern Comparison Trap Social media has made comparison effortless. We discuss how "scrolling" affects our spiritual health and why Psalm 34:10 is the antidote: "Those who seek the Lord will lack no good thing."[09:15] Sideways Energy Saul spent more time watching David than ruling his kingdom. We look at Jesus' words to Peter in John 21:22: "What is that to you? As for you, follow me."[15:45] From Competition to Confidence The Gospel replaces insecurity with identity. Like the Apostle John, we can move from chasing status to resting in the love of the Father (1 John 3:1).Scripture References:1 Samuel 18:7-12 – Saul's jealousy of David.Psalm 34:10 – Lacking no good thing in the Lord.Proverbs 14:30 – The physical and spiritual toll of jealousy.John 21:22 – Jesus' command to focus on our own walk.1 John 3:1 – Our identity as children of God.Mentions & Resources:Learn more about David's life and biblical leadership at pursueGOD.org.Start a Conversation: Use this episode to talk with a friend or small group. Find the full discussion guide at pursueGOD.org/david.

We're going to learn in our study today what type of man, King Saul truly was, and it's not going to be my opinion or some other commentator. We're going to see it from the Word of God itself. So there's no debate. No one can disagree, because if we are truly disciples of our Lord and Savior, Messiah, Yeshua, we are always going to agree with God. With that said, take out your Bible and look with me to First Samuel chapter 14. To donate please visit us at:https://loveisrael.org/donate/Checks may be sent to:LoveIsrael.org

We're going to learn in our study today what type of man, King Saul truly was, and it's not going to be my opinion or some other commentator. We're going to see it from the Word of God itself. So there's no debate. No one can disagree, because if we are truly disciples of our Lord and Savior, Messiah, Yeshua, we are always going to agree with God. With that said, take out your Bible and look with me to First Samuel chapter 14.To donate please visit us at:https://loveisrael.org/donate/Checks may be sent to:LoveIsrael.org

Do some stories or laws in the Bible have you stumped?In this special Q&A episode, we tackle your hardest biblical questions from why innocent people face consequences for others' sins to how Jesus' genealogy proves his Davidic lineage through both Mary and Joseph. We explore controversial Old Testament laws about rape and marriage, unpack the cultural context behind family punishment in ancient Israel, and reveal why Satan appears less frequently in Old Testament books compared to the New Testament. You'll discover surprising answers about Joseph's Egyptian wife, the evil spirit that tormented King Saul, and how to study scripture like a theologian.Podcast themes:Context transforms understanding. When we understand the cultural and historical context of difficult biblical passages, God's justice and protection come into clearer focus. So when stories seem harsh or unfair, look at them as an invitation to dive deeper and seek the true nature of God who is just, patient, and intentional from Genesis to Revelation. God's plan leaves no room for doubt. The dual genealogies of Jesus in Matthew and Luke aren't contradictions. They're confirmation. One traces Joseph's legal lineage, the other Mary's biological line, both converging at King David to prove Jesus fulfills messianic prophecy completely.Satan's influence has always existed, even when unnamed. Just because "Satan" isn't mentioned by name frequently in the Old Testament doesn't mean spiritual warfare wasn't happening. The adversary operated throughout biblical history, sometimes through direct attack when God withdrew His protection.Show notes:Genealogy of JesusWe love feedback, but can't reply without your email address. Message us your thoughts and contact info! Contact Bible Book ClubDONATE Buy merch Like, comment, or message us through Bible Book Club's InstagramLike or comment on Susan's Facebook or InstagramLeave us an Apple reviewContact us through our website formThanks for listening and happy podcasting!

On kings and whether Moses was one - with the argument that he was not king, and also that he was, but without being the progenitor of a dynasty of kingship. Which leads to a discussion of monarchic dynasties - and the lack thereof, including King Saul. Also, how kohanim who are unfit for the service of a given day do not eat from that day's offerings... except that the shares of meat given the kohanim with blemishes has already been established! Plus, the logic of the order of the statements on these points.

1 Samuel 13:1-15. King Saul challenges Israel's biggest enemy…the Philistines.   King Saul's first big test against the Philistines reveals a dangerous crack in his character when fear and pressure push him to disobey God. As Saul panics and takes matters into his own hands, Samuel delivers a sobering message: God has already chosen someone else to be king—someone after His own heart.  

Send us a textThe subject of today's episode is one we usually avoid in polite conversation, and honestly, I have never heard it addressed from the pulpit. We're talking about the decision to take one's own life, suicide. I know that just saying the word can cause a tightening in the chest. But we have to talk about it, because 1 Samuel 31 very clearly ends with King Saul taking his own life.If you, or if you know someone is struggling, I want you to hear me clearly: There is hope. Before you go any further, I want you to write a number down. Put it in your phone. In the US, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is 988. In the UK, it's an organization called The Samaritans, and you can call them free on 116 123 They're free, it's confidential, and it's available 24/7. Please, don't try to walk through that "narrow" place alone.My New book, "The Renewed Mind", available now at;https://amzn.eu/d/0RkxBbgSupport the showTo listen to my monthly church history podcast, subscribe at; https://thehistoryofthechristianchurch.buzzsprout.com For an ad-free version of my podcasts plus the opportunity to enjoy hours of exclusive content and two bonus episodes a month whilst also helping keep the Bible Project Daily Podcast free for listeners everywhere support me at;|PatreonSupport me to continue making great content for listeners everywhere.https://thebibleproject.buzzsprout.com

In this message, Adrian Rogers reviews David's reverence for the God-appointed position of King Saul and explains how to recognize and respect authority. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/135/29?v=20251111

In this message, Adrian Rogers reviews David's reverence for the God-appointed position of King Saul and explains how to recognize and respect authority. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/135/29?v=20251111

Experience the unexpected power of meekness through the compelling story of David sparing Saul.In this episode, we explore the profound strength found in humility as we recount the powerful tale of David sparing King Saul's life. Discover how meekness can transform even the most tumultuous relationships and reveal the true meaning of leadership in God's kingdom.Today's Bible verse is Matthew 5:5, from the King James Version.Download the Pray.com app for more Christian content including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Pray.com is the digital destination for faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send us a textIt was one of David's finest moments: the two times he could have killed the paranoid, murderous King Saul, but he showed mercy. David's willingness to show mercy to someone who only hurt him prepared David to one day be King David. Pick up your Bible or phone and turn to I Samuel 24 to hear the story.This episode is based on the God's Word for Life, Winter 2025–2026, Adult Lesson Guide entitled, "King David" (December 14, 2025).Find an Apostolic church that preaches this glorious gospel and our response at UPCI.orgThis episode is produced by the Pentecostal Resources Group and is hosted by LJ Harry. To order resources of the God's Word for Life curriculum, visitPentecostalPublishing.com and PentecostalResourcesGroup.com. Share your God's Word for Life stories with me at pphcurriculum@upci.org.

Saul didn't start as a villain. But he inherited brokenness, shame, and insecurity that he brought into every room he entered. In this message, Dr. Gabriel Allen Powell takes us on a compelling journey into the heart of brokenness, legacy, and leadership through the story of King Saul and the tribe of Benjamin. He challenges listeners to confront the hidden insecurities and wounds that shape our roles as leaders, parents, and partners.If you've ever struggled with insecurity, perfectionism, or felt weighed down by the reputation of where you come from, this message is for you. Support the showText encounteratl to 94000 to stay up-to-date on all things Encounter.Worship with EncounterSundays at 11 AM ET | Wednesdays at 7:30 PM ETSupport EncounterText egive to 77977 Connect with EncounterFacebook | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | WebsiteConnect with Dr. GabeInstagram | YouTube | Website

In this powerful message, we celebrate the legacy of what God has built at The Ark Church and are reminded that faith always requires action. From humble beginnings to lives being changed every week, this message walks through what it truly means to step out in faith, walk in obedience, and fully surrender to God.Through the story of King Saul, we are challenged to look at areas where partial obedience has replaced full surrender. We are reminded that obedience is better than sacrifice, and that what we allow in a moment can shape our future. God is calling us back to wholehearted devotion, not halfway faith.If you have ever felt God prompting you to take a step, to let go of something, or to come back to Him, this message is for you. Jesus stands at the door and knocks, not to pressure you, but to bring real peace, healing, and purpose.⛪ Whether you are new to faith, returning to church, or walking closely with God, we pray this message encourages you to trust Him fully and take your next step in obedience.⸻

Send us a textFriends can be fickle. You've probably heard someone say, “When you get into trouble, you find out who your real friends are.” Many of us have lived long enough to know just how true that is.But, what is a true friend? What does genuine, God-honouring friendship look like? One of the greatest pictures of true friendship in all of Scripture—and indeed in all of ancient literature—is tucked away in 1 Samuel. It's the story of Jonathan, the son of King Saul, and his relationship with David. Some have called it the finest illustration of loyal friendship ever written.The Curious Case of Being HumanThe Curious Case of Being Humanwith Matt Cooper and Isabelle...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showTo listen to my monthly church history podcast, subscribe at; https://thehistoryofthechristianchurch.buzzsprout.com For an ad-free version of my podcasts plus the opportunity to enjoy hours of exclusive content and two bonus episodes a month whilst also helping keep the Bible Project Daily Podcast free for listeners everywhere support me at;|PatreonSupport me to continue making great content for listeners everywhere.https://thebibleproject.buzzsprout.com

The sermon centers on the pervasive and destructive power of fear, which the speaker identifies as the primary obstacle to spiritual freedom and divine purpose, illustrated through the tragic story of King Saul, whose fear led him to act prematurely and disobediently, forfeiting his prophetic destiny. Drawing from Philippians 4:6–7 and 1 John 4:18, the message emphasizes that true peace comes not from human effort but from abiding in God's perfect love, which casts out fear, and calls believers to self-awareness, identifying fear's symptoms—such as mental racing, control, defensiveness, and anger—and uncovering its roots through the Holy Spirit's guidance. The speaker outlines a transformative process: recognizing fear, confronting its origins, actively embracing the truth of being a deeply loved child of God, and choosing to act in faith rather than fear, exemplified by personal experiences of marital healing and spiritual breakthrough. Ultimately, the sermon invites listeners to make a covenant with God to abandon fear's dominion, surrendering to divine security and living from the stable platform of Christ's love, where freedom and faithfulness flourish.

Have you ever seen people change? Maybe they were humble and kind, but as they were givenmore responsibility they because mean and selfish? That's what happened to Israel's new king.King Saul started out humble, but now he thought that because he was king, he could dowhatever he wanted. He didn't wait to listen to God or to His commands. That is NEVER a goodthing!Year A Quarter 4 Week 49All Bible verses are from the NKJVHymn: I Surrender AllWrite to Ms. Katie: seedpod@startingwithjesus.comKatie's Korner: https://startingwithjesus.com/katies-korner/Find the Lessons Here:Kindergarten https://bit.ly/SeedPodKLessonsPrimary https://bit.ly/SeedPodPLessonsConnect with Us:Website: https://startingwithjesus.comStarting With Jesus - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/StartingWithJesusSeedPod - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCvU2FBPEL5-Zi2QW0STVLgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingwithjesusFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/startingwithjesusAcknowledgments:Bible Readings this week: AshleyPodcast Producer: Katie ChitwoodSound Engineer: Dillon AustinMy Bible First, https://bit.ly/SeedPodLesson for use of their Bible Lesson curriculum.AudioVerse, https://www.audioverse.org/ for partnering with us and supporting our ministry.Lindsey Mills, for writing and performing our SeedPod Kids Theme Song & Background Music.To learn more about her music or to get her CD, email her: lindsey@startingwithjesus.com

Have you ever seen people change? Maybe they were humble and kind, but as they were givenmore responsibility they because mean and selfish? That's what happened to Israel's new king.King Saul started out humble, but now he thought that because he was king, he could dowhatever he wanted. He didn't wait to listen to God or to His commands. That is NEVER a goodthing!Year A Quarter 4 Week 49All Bible verses are from the NKJVHymn: I Surrender AllWrite to Ms. Katie: seedpod@startingwithjesus.comKatie's Korner: https://startingwithjesus.com/katies-korner/Find the Lessons Here:Kindergarten https://bit.ly/SeedPodKLessonsPrimary https://bit.ly/SeedPodPLessonsConnect with Us:Website: https://startingwithjesus.comStarting With Jesus - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/StartingWithJesusSeedPod - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCvU2FBPEL5-Zi2QW0STVLgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingwithjesusFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/startingwithjesusAcknowledgments:Bible Readings this week: AshleyPodcast Producer: Katie ChitwoodSound Engineer: Dillon AustinMy Bible First, https://bit.ly/SeedPodLesson for use of their Bible Lesson curriculum.AudioVerse, https://www.audioverse.org/ for partnering with us and supporting our ministry.Lindsey Mills, for writing and performing our SeedPod Kids Theme Song & Background Music.To learn more about her music or to get her CD, email her: lindsey@startingwithjesus.com

Have you ever seen people change? Maybe they were humble and kind, but as they were givenmore responsibility they because mean and selfish? That's what happened to Israel's new king.King Saul started out humble, but now he thought that because he was king, he could dowhatever he wanted. He didn't wait to listen to God or to His commands. That is NEVER a goodthing!Year A Quarter 4 Week 49All Bible verses are from the NKJVHymn: I Surrender AllWrite to Ms. Katie: seedpod@startingwithjesus.comKatie's Korner: https://startingwithjesus.com/katies-korner/Find the Lessons Here:Kindergarten https://bit.ly/SeedPodKLessonsPrimary https://bit.ly/SeedPodPLessonsConnect with Us:Website: https://startingwithjesus.comStarting With Jesus - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/StartingWithJesusSeedPod - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCvU2FBPEL5-Zi2QW0STVLgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingwithjesusFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/startingwithjesusAcknowledgments:Bible Readings this week: AshleyPodcast Producer: Katie ChitwoodSound Engineer: Dillon AustinMy Bible First, https://bit.ly/SeedPodLesson for use of their Bible Lesson curriculum.AudioVerse, https://www.audioverse.org/ for partnering with us and supporting our ministry.Lindsey Mills, for writing and performing our SeedPod Kids Theme Song & Background Music.To learn more about her music or to get her CD, email her: lindsey@startingwithjesus.com

Have you ever seen people change? Maybe they were humble and kind, but as they were givenmore responsibility they because mean and selfish? That's what happened to Israel's new king.King Saul started out humble, but now he thought that because he was king, he could dowhatever he wanted. He didn't wait to listen to God or to His commands. That is NEVER a goodthing!Year A Quarter 4 Week 49All Bible verses are from the NKJVHymn: I Surrender AllWrite to Ms. Katie: seedpod@startingwithjesus.comKatie's Korner: https://startingwithjesus.com/katies-korner/Find the Lessons Here:Kindergarten https://bit.ly/SeedPodKLessonsPrimary https://bit.ly/SeedPodPLessonsConnect with Us:Website: https://startingwithjesus.comStarting With Jesus - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/StartingWithJesusSeedPod - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCvU2FBPEL5-Zi2QW0STVLgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingwithjesusFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/startingwithjesusAcknowledgments:Bible Readings this week: AshleyPodcast Producer: Katie ChitwoodSound Engineer: Dillon AustinMy Bible First, https://bit.ly/SeedPodLesson for use of their Bible Lesson curriculum.AudioVerse, https://www.audioverse.org/ for partnering with us and supporting our ministry.Lindsey Mills, for writing and performing our SeedPod Kids Theme Song & Background Music.To learn more about her music or to get her CD, email her: lindsey@startingwithjesus.com

How did you get here? We all have moments where we look back and wonder how a series of small, seemingly harmless choices led us to a place we never intended to be. In a culture saturated with deepfakes, fraud, and daily deceptions, is it possible that our own "little white lies" are leading us down a dangerous path?This week, our journey through the life of David takes a stunning turn. Up until now, David has been the ultimate hero - the faithful shepherd, the giant slayer, the man who trusted God. But when faced with the relentless threat of King Saul, the pressure of self-preservation causes David to compromise and manipulate the truth.In this message, Jon Bell dives into 1 Samuel 21 & 22 to unpack the moment David tells a series of fatal lies to Ahimelek the priest in the city of Nob.

Have you ever seen people change? Maybe they were humble and kind, but as they were givenmore responsibility they because mean and selfish? That's what happened to Israel's new king.King Saul started out humble, but now he thought that because he was king, he could dowhatever he wanted. He didn't wait to listen to God or to His commands. That is NEVER a goodthing!Year A Quarter 4 Week 49All Bible verses are from the NKJVHymn: I Surrender AllWrite to Ms. Katie: seedpod@startingwithjesus.comKatie's Korner: https://startingwithjesus.com/katies-korner/Find the Lessons Here:Kindergarten https://bit.ly/SeedPodKLessonsPrimary https://bit.ly/SeedPodPLessonsConnect with Us:Website: https://startingwithjesus.comStarting With Jesus - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/StartingWithJesusSeedPod - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCvU2FBPEL5-Zi2QW0STVLgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingwithjesusFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/startingwithjesusAcknowledgments:Bible Readings this week: AshleyPodcast Producer: Katie ChitwoodSound Engineer: Dillon AustinMy Bible First, https://bit.ly/SeedPodLesson for use of their Bible Lesson curriculum.AudioVerse, https://www.audioverse.org/ for partnering with us and supporting our ministry.Lindsey Mills, for writing and performing our SeedPod Kids Theme Song & Background Music.To learn more about her music or to get her CD, email her: lindsey@startingwithjesus.com

Have you ever seen people change? Maybe they were humble and kind, but as they were givenmore responsibility they because mean and selfish? That's what happened to Israel's new king.King Saul started out humble, but now he thought that because he was king, he could dowhatever he wanted. He didn't wait to listen to God or to His commands. That is NEVER a goodthing!Year A Quarter 4 Week 49All Bible verses are from the NKJVHymn: I Surrender AllWrite to Ms. Katie: seedpod@startingwithjesus.comKatie's Korner: https://startingwithjesus.com/katies-korner/Find the Lessons Here:Kindergarten https://bit.ly/SeedPodKLessonsPrimary https://bit.ly/SeedPodPLessonsConnect with Us:Website: https://startingwithjesus.comStarting With Jesus - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/StartingWithJesusSeedPod - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCvU2FBPEL5-Zi2QW0STVLgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingwithjesusFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/startingwithjesusAcknowledgments:Bible Readings this week: AshleyPodcast Producer: Katie ChitwoodSound Engineer: Dillon AustinMy Bible First, https://bit.ly/SeedPodLesson for use of their Bible Lesson curriculum.AudioVerse, https://www.audioverse.org/ for partnering with us and supporting our ministry.Lindsey Mills, for writing and performing our SeedPod Kids Theme Song & Background Music.To learn more about her music or to get her CD, email her: lindsey@startingwithjesus.com

In this story, we learn that our good God is the only king we need. ✧ Check out more resources in The Biggest Story Curriculum ✧ Follow The Biggest Story on Instagram ✧ Watch The Biggest Story Animated Videos! ✧ Sign up to receive weekly emails about the new story each week!

Garth Heckman The David Alliance TDAgiantSlayer@Gmail.com    Keep me running Keep me moving Keep me always on the go   David is on the run… 1 Sam. 22 it is his throne but King Saul is after him.   Hiding in the cave of Adullum… Its been almost 7-15 years between being anointed king by Samuel and fighting Goliath.    He builds 400 mighty men.    - He attracts the unattractive    He had 3, 30, 400 and 600 distress, in debt, or simply discontented with life under Saul's increasingly paranoid rule. These were societal rejects—failures by worldly standards—from diverse backgrounds, including obscure rural towns like Bethlehem and Tekoa, various Israelite tribes, and even foreigners like Uriah the Hittite.   What drew them wasn't wealth, power, or promises of glory, but David's personal magnetism as a God-anointed leader (1 Samuel 16:13) who embodied hope amid rejection. David didn't recruit the strong; He attracted the poor, broken, betrayed etc… he embraced the weak, transforming societal discards into a cohesive band through shared exile and purpose.   Men were tired of King Sauls agenda of seeking the life of David over protecting the Kingdom.    As a warrior-poet, he painted a vision of victory over Saul's enemies, appealing to men's sense of adventure and redemption.     **But what attracted them would not keep them if David would not have been a man after Gods own heart!

Experience the unexpected power of meekness through the compelling story of David sparing Saul.In this episode, we explore the profound strength found in humility as we recount the powerful tale of David sparing King Saul's life. Discover how meekness can transform even the most tumultuous relationships and reveal the true meaning of leadership in God's kingdom.Today's Bible verse is Matthew 5:5, from the King James Version.Download the Pray.com app for more Christian content including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Pray.com is the digital destination for faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are we seeing a rise of the most dangerous personality type among the Gen Z generation? On In The Market with Janet Parshall this week we started off the week with our expert on narcissism addressing this very issue along with more of your questions. Once again using both her professional training and her personal experiences, continued to show us to how to biblically address the many challenges that come with having a narcissist in your life and family. A joyful biking adventure around the world turned into a horrible tragedy of violence and death at the hands of ISIS terrorists. We were once again joined by a prolific author who tackled their amazingly tragic story. His meticulous research and gifted ability to tell a story takes us right into their experiences, the transformative encounters along the way and how and why one member’s hopeful but naïve view of the world became a doorway to their demise. The idea of “spiritual stupidity” may seem at first blush offensive but as our guest, a highly respected evangelist and author pointed out, the bible is filled with stories of people who were spiritually stupid who did not take the warnings from God seriously and lived to regret that choice sometimes with eternal consequences. Through the stories of Adam & Eve, their sons, King Saul and others our guest reminded us that God is both a merciful and a serious God and that His warning are real and not to be ignored. The incarnation of Christ, God becoming man and dwelling among us has been a rock of offense for many people throughout history. Many Jewish scholars has stumbled over it and tripping has created a wide chasm between Christians and Jews who share the same Messiah. But we were reminded that the incarnation is grounded in the Hebrew scriptures as prophecy and promise in the Old Testament and our guest used history, science to once again compelling show that the impossible did happen and that the acceptance or rejection of this amazing truth has wide ranging and eternal consequences for us all. From antisemitism to A.I. From Gaza tensions to government shutdowns. There has been no lack of news fighting for our attention this week. It can be easy to get overwhelmed by the constant onslaught. And that is why we invite you once again to join us for more lessons on the practical, real-time applications of God’s unbending truth as the measuring rod against the crooked, confused and sometimes completely deceptive goods that inform and influence the world around us through the news and social media that we consume daily. Become a Parshall Partner: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/inthemarket/partnersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.