DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR FRIDAY APRIL 10:
WORD OF WISDOM
When life is not a bed of roses, remember who wore the thorns.
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DAILY DEVOTION
The Path to Power
"And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the
law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which
is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection,
and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead."
Philippians 3:9-11
Paul met Jesus when he was on the way to Damascus to persecute Christians
there. Paul was fully aware that Jesus had been crucified, and that day he
became fully aware that Jesus was alive again. Paul never lost sight of the
truth of the resurrection. He recognized what having the power over death
meant-that there was literally nothing that could stand against it. Paul
devoted his life to telling others about the risen Lord, working in the
power of the resurrection.
But in writing to the church at Philippi, the place where he had been beaten
and cast into prison before the earthquake loosed his chains, Paul described
the path to that power. And it is not an easy road. We cannot know
resurrection power without first knowing the pain of suffering and death to
self. Lester Roloff said, "Nobody ever got resurrected who wasn't dead
first." The reason many Christians do not have God's power is that they are
not willing to do what it takes to get it.
The power of God has not changed or lessened with the passage of years. The
Holy Spirit indwells every believer. "But if the Spirit of him that raised
up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead
shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you"
(Romans 8:11). The question is not whether there is power available to meet
our needs, but whether we are willing to lay aside whatever is necessary to
have it.
God's resurrection power is available to every Christian who is willing to
pay the price.
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DAILY BIBLE READING
1 Samuel 9-12 New King James Version (NKJV)
Saul Chosen to Be King
9 There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son
of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man
of [a]power. 2 And he had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul.
There was not a more handsome person than he among the children of Israel.
From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.
3 Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. And Kish said to his
son Saul, "Please take one of the servants with you, and arise, go and look
for the donkeys." 4 So he passed through the mountains of Ephraim and
through the land of Shalisha, but they did not find them. Then they passed
through the land of Shaalim, and they were not there. Then he passed through
the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them.
5 When they had come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was
with him, "Come, let us return, lest my father cease caring about the
donkeys and become worried about us."
6 And he said to him, "Look now, there is in this city a man of God, and he
is an honorable man; all that he says surely comes to pass. So let us go
there; perhaps he can show us the way that we should go."
7 Then Saul said to his servant, "But look, if we go, what shall we bring
the man? For the bread in our vessels is all gone, and there is no present
to bring to the man of God. What do we have?"
8 And the servant answered Saul again and said, "Look, I have here at hand
one-fourth of a shekel of silver. I will give that to the man of God, to
tell us our way." 9 (Formerly in Israel, when a man went [b]to inquire of
God, he spoke thus: "Come, let us go to the seer"; for he who is now called
a prophet was formerly called a seer.)
10 Then Saul said to his servant, [c]"Well said; come, let us go." So they
went to the city where the man of God was.
11 As they went up the hill to the city, they met some young women going out
to draw water, and said to them, "Is the seer here?"
12 And they answered them and said, "Yes, there he is, just ahead of you.
Hurry now; for today he came to this city, because there is a sacrifice of
the people today on the high place. 13 As soon as you come into the city,
you will surely find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. For the
people will not eat until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice;
afterward those who are invited will eat. Now therefore, go up, for about
this time you will find him." 14 So they went up to the city. As they were
coming into the city, there was Samuel, coming out toward them on his way up
to the high place.
15 Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear the day before Saul came, saying,
16 "Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man from the land of
Benjamin, and you shall anoint him [d]commander over My people Israel, that
he may save My people from the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked
upon My people, because their cry has come to Me."
17 So when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said to him, "There he is, the man of
whom I spoke to you. This one shall reign over My people." 18 Then Saul
drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, "Please tell me, where is the
seer's house?"
19 Samuel answered Saul and said, "I am the seer. Go up before me to the
high place, for you shall eat with me today; and tomorrow I will let you go
and will tell you all that is in your heart. 20 But as for your donkeys
that were lost three days ago, do not be anxious about them, for they have
been found. And [e]on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on you and
on all your father's house?"
21 And Saul answered and said, "Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the
tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the
[f]tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak like this to me?"
22 Now Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall, and
had them sit in the place of honor among those who were invited; there were
about thirty persons. 23 And Samuel said to the cook, "Bring the portion
which I gave you, of which I said to you, 'Set it apart.' " 24 So the cook
took up the thigh with its upper part and set it before Saul. And Samuel
said, "Here it is, what was kept back. It was set apart for you. Eat; for
until this time it has been kept for you, since I said I invited the
people." So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25 When they had come down from the high place into the city, [g]Samuel
spoke with Saul on the top of the house. 26 They arose early; and it was
about the dawning of the day that Samuel called to Saul on the top of the
house, saying, "Get up, that I may send you on your way." And Saul arose,
and both of them went outside, he and Samuel.
Saul Anointed King
27 As they were going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to
Saul, "Tell the servant to go on ahead of us." And he went on. "But you
stand here [h]awhile, that I may announce to you the word of God."
Samuel Anoints Saul
10 Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head, and kissed him
and said: "Is it not because the Lord has anointed you commander over His
[i]inheritance? 2 When you have departed from me today, you will find two
men by Rachel's tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will
say to you, 'The donkeys which you went to look for have been found. And now
your father has ceased caring about the donkeys and is worrying about you,
saying, "What shall I do about my son?" ' 3 Then you shall go on forward
from there and come to the terebinth tree of Tabor. There three men going up
to God at Bethel will meet you, one carrying three young goats, another
carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine. 4 And
they will [j]greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall
receive from their hands. 5 After that you shall come to the hill of God
where the Philistine garrison is. And it will happen, when you have come
there to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from
the high place with a stringed instrument, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp
before them; and they will be prophesying. 6 Then the Spirit of the Lord
will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into
another man. 7 And let it be, when these signs come to you, that you do as
the occasion demands; for God is with you. 8 You shall go down before me to
Gilgal; and surely I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and make
sacrifices of peace offerings. Seven days you shall wait, till I come to you
and show you what you should do."
9 So it was, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, that God [k]gave
him another heart; and all those signs came to pass that day. 10 When they
came there to the hill, there was a group of prophets to meet him; then the
Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them. 11 And it
happened, when all who knew him formerly saw that he indeed prophesied among
the prophets, that the people said to one another, "What is this that has
come upon the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?" 12 Then a man
from there answered and said, "But who is their father?" Therefore it became
a proverb: "Is Saul also among the prophets?" 13 And when he had finished
prophesying, he went to the high place.
14 Then Saul's uncle said to him and his servant, "Where did you go?"
So he said, "To look for the donkeys. When we saw that they were nowhere to
be found, we went to Samuel."
15 And Saul's uncle said, "Tell me, please, what Samuel said to you."
16 So Saul said to his uncle, "He told us plainly that the donkeys had been
found." But about the matter of the kingdom, he did not tell him what Samuel
had said.
Saul Proclaimed King
17 Then Samuel called the people together to the Lord at Mizpah, 18 and
said to the children of Israel, "Thus says the Lord God of Israel: 'I
brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you from the hand of the
Egyptians and from the hand of all kingdoms and from those who oppressed
you.' 19 But you have today rejected your God, who Himself saved you from
all your adversities and your tribulations; and you have said to Him, 'No,
set a king over us!' Now therefore, present yourselves before the Lord by
your tribes and by your [l]clans."
20 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the
tribe of Benjamin was chosen. 21 When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin
to come near by their families, the family of Matri was chosen. And Saul the
son of Kish was chosen. But when they sought him, he could not be found. 22
Therefore they inquired of the Lord further, "Has the man come here yet?"
And the Lord answered, "There he is, hidden among the equipment."
23 So they ran and brought him from there; and when he stood among the
people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. 24
And Samuel said to all the people, "Do you see him whom the Lord has chosen,
that there is no one like him among all the people?"
So all the people shouted and said, "Long[m] live the king!"
25 Then Samuel explained to the people the behavior of royalty, and wrote it
in a book and laid it up before the Lord. And Samuel sent all the people
away, every man to his house. 26 And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and
valiant men went with him, whose hearts God had touched. 27 But some rebels
said, "How can this man save us?" So they despised him, and brought him no
presents. But he [n]held his peace.
Saul Saves Jabesh Gilead
11 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up and [o]encamped against Jabesh Gilead;
and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, "Make a covenant with us, and we
will serve you."
2 And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, "On this condition I will make a
covenant with you, that I may put out all your right eyes, and bring
reproach on all Israel."
3 Then the elders of Jabesh said to him, "Hold off for seven days, that we
may send messengers to all the territory of Israel. And then, if there is no
one to [p]save us, we will come out to you."
4 So the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told the news in the hearing
of the people. And all the people lifted up their voices and wept. 5 Now
there was Saul, coming behind the herd from the field; and Saul said, "What
troubles the people, that they weep?" And they told him the words of the men
of Jabesh. 6 Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard this news,
and his anger was greatly aroused. 7 So he took a yoke of oxen and cut them
in pieces, and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hands
of messengers, saying, "Whoever does not go out with Saul and Samuel to
battle, so it shall be done to his oxen."
And the fear of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out [q]with one
consent. 8 When he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were
three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. 9 And they
said to the messengers who came, "Thus you shall say to the men of Jabesh
Gilead: 'Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have help.' " Then
the messengers came and reported it to the men of Jabesh, and they were
glad. 10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, "Tomorrow we will come out to
you, and you may do with us whatever seems good to you."
11 So it was, on the next day, that Saul put the people in three companies;
and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and killed
Ammonites until the heat of the day. And it happened that those who survived
were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
12 Then the people said to Samuel, "Who is he who said, 'Shall Saul reign
over us?' Bring the men, that we may put them to death."
13 But Saul said, "Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the
Lord has accomplished salvation in Israel."
14 Then Samuel said to the people, "Come, let us go to Gilgal and renew the
kingdom there." 15 So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made
Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal. There they made sacrifices of peace
offerings before the Lord, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced
greatly.
Samuel's Address at Saul's Coronation
12 Now Samuel said to all Israel: "Indeed I have [r]heeded your voice in all
that you said to me, and have made a king over you. 2 And now here is the
king, walking before you; and I am old and grayheaded, and look, my sons are
with you. I have walked before you from my childhood to this day. 3 Here I
am. Witness against me before the Lord and before His anointed: Whose ox
have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I cheated? Whom
have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I received any bribe with which to
blind my eyes? I will restore it to you."
4 And they said, "You have not cheated us or oppressed us, nor have you
taken anything from any man's hand."
5 Then he said to them, "The Lord is witness against you, and His anointed
is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand."
And they answered, "He is witness."
6 Then Samuel said to the people, "It is the Lord who raised up Moses and
Aaron, and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt. 7 Now
therefore, stand still, that I may reason with you before the Lord
concerning all the righteous acts of the Lord which He did to you and your
fathers: 8 When Jacob had gone into [s]Egypt, and your fathers cried out to
the Lord, then the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out
of Egypt and made them dwell in this place. 9 And when they forgot the Lord
their God, He sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of
Hazor, into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of
Moab; and they fought against them. 10 Then they cried out to the Lord, and
said, 'We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord and served the
Baals and [t]Ashtoreths; but now deliver us from the hand of our enemies,
and we will serve You.' 11 And the Lord sent [u]Jerubbaal, [v]Bedan,
Jephthah, and Samuel,[w] and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies
on every side; and you dwelt in safety. 12 And when you saw that Nahash
king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, 'No, but a king
shall reign over us,' when the Lord your God was your king.
13 "Now therefore, here is the king whom you have chosen and whom you have
desired. And take note, the Lord has set a king over you. 14 If you fear
the Lord and serve Him and obey His voice, and do not rebel against the
commandment of the Lord, then both you and the king who reigns over you will
continue following the Lord your God. 15 However, if you do not obey the
voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then the
hand of the Lord will be against you, as it was against your fathers.
16 "Now therefore, stand and see this great thing which the Lord will do
before your eyes: 17 Is today not the wheat harvest? I will call to the
Lord, and He will send thunder and rain, that you may perceive and see that
your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the Lord, in
asking a king for yourselves."
18 So Samuel called to the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that
day; and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel.
19 And all the people said to Samuel, "Pray for your servants to the Lord
your God, that we may not die; for we have added to all our sins the evil of
asking a king for ourselves."
20 Then Samuel said to the people, "Do not fear. You have done all this
wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the
Lord with all your heart. 21 And do not turn aside; for then you would go
after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing. 22
For the Lord will not forsake His people, for His great name's sake, because
it has pleased the Lord to make you His people. 23 Moreover, as for me, far
be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you;
but I will teach you the good and the right way. 24 Only fear the Lord, and
serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He
has done for you. 25 But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away,
both you and your king."
