David rocketed to the highest limits of political power in Israel about a thousand years before Christ. What was his secret? How did he achieve so much with so little? It was the Lord. God was the secret of David’s rise to super-stardom. He was successful because “the LORD was with him.”

In the quiet admission of utter failure, Jesus offers me another chance. This time I am expected to do more than change my mind. I must exchange my mind. 

My mind can easily play tricks on me. I can’t trust it. It will often justify and rationalize almost anything, if it is to my advantage to do so. Not so with the mind of Christ. Thankfully I can exchange mine for His.

Samuel was a real leader. He was a prophet, priest, and judge in Israel about a thousand years before the birth of Christ. He was a father of the faith for his countrymen. Samuel was called to pray for his nation and teach truth to his people. For Samuel, to fall short of his divine mandate was to commit gross sin.

You and I too are called to shepherd flockd. Out's may be smaller than Samuel’s, but no less significant.

The people of Israel wanted a king so they could be “just like all the other nations.” Then they would relax and enjoy the good life. “Our king will rule us and lead us and fight our battles.”

Oh, how much I want a king like that; my very own hero, father, president, mentor, leader, mommy, shepherd, personal trainer, personal consultant, personal valet, personal savior, etc.

...someone who would make life better for me without any investment from me.

I’m intrigued with the account of Jesus’ miraculous feeding of five thousand people.
The disciples prodded Jesus to send the crowds away after a long day of healing and preaching so that “they could buy themselves something to eat” (Mark 6.36 RSV). The Master’s matter-of-fact response recorded in all three Synoptic Gospels surprised his followers then just as it does me now… “You give them something to eat,” (Matthew 14.16; Mark 6.37; Luke 9.13).

It was no accident that Ruth found herself gleaning in the field of Boaz and it was not accidental that Boaz noticed Ruth. We romanticize the text but the book of Ruth is not primarily a love story between an rich man and a lovely Moabitess virgin.

It is the story of the providential care of God.

Sin is very tricky business. It’s impossible to sin just a little, especially for any length of time. The devil’s strategy includes plans for your complete destruction. Don’t be fooled. You can be easily lulled into tolerating an acceptable level of sin only to discover there is no such thing. You are quickly swept into the power of your enemy, engulfed by the flames of fire you meant only to touch.

Sin management does not work!

I attended a dance at my high school somewhere around 1968. A couple of long haired guys from another school cornered me and I felt threatened. Ned noticed my plight. He quietly strolled over and asked if everything was all right. Ned was a big guy. He was a lineman for the Ingraham High School football team and best of all, Ned was my friend. The bullies quickly got the picture and vanished. Thank you Ned.

Do you have such a friend. There will come a time when you wish you did. 

This podcast is an overview of week 15 in the Word Traveler Bible reading plan and covers the following chapters in the Old and New Testaments: Judges 17 – 21; Ruth 1 – 4; 1st Samuel 1 – 9; John 3 – 7.