In a lost and lonely state (due to his sinful choices) Saul has contacted dead Samuel. But Samuel has no comfort for him. The king has sown disobedience to God and now he will reap the consequences of that: tomorrow,
All made new
8.1c All creation will be made new, and all evil destroyed, and so God will be honoured for ever. Christians long for this time; they are to prepare themselves for it by the way they conduct their daily lives. Press
A close shave
David’s attitude and thinking are being tested, to see if he is worthy to be the king God is calling him to be. One particular test comes when Saul falls into his hands. David’s men know what to do: strike
A testing time
God isn’t making things easy for David on the road towards being king. But the hard tests he faces prepare him for future service. Thus, David finds no refuge even amongst his Judahite kinsman and, having been betrayed, ends up
Immersed in water
4.6 Baptism is the way in which we express outwardly our new-found faith. Those who have turned from sin to God and are trusting Christ to save them are immersed in water in the name of the Father, the Son
Have faith
4.2 Becoming a Christian involves four things which properly belong together: repentance, faith, receiving new life which the Holy Spirit gives, and baptism. 4.4 Faith recognises that we cannot save ourselves. All we can do is to receive with gratitude
Becoming a Christian
4.1 We believe that God commands each person to stop rebelling against Him and His ways, and to receive the salvation which He offers. Before an individual can be reconciled to God in this way, it is necessary for the
Stick and stones
David goes into his fight with Goliath in a way no-one else expects, with weapons seeming incapable of taking down the heavily protected warrior apart from some incredible luck. But David isn’t relying on luck. He goes trusting his God
A monumental failure
Saul was given a task from God. He was to bring justice, without any gain for himself, upon an enemy of the nation. All he had to do was obey. But he hasn’t. His heart has led him astray to
Grieving the Lord
Three times in three chapters Saul has the opportunity to sacrifice in the way God desires; three times he fails. The first was when he panicked over Samuel’s lateness in chapter 13. Then when he caused dangerous havoc with a