DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR SUNDAY MARCH 27:
WORD OF WISDOM
The best news the world has ever heard came from a cemetery. He lives!
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DAILY DEVOTION
God's Easter Promise for You
"By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also"
(1 Corinthians 6:14 NIV).
Millions and millions of Christians around the world celebrate Easter every
year. But for far too many of us the story has become boring and rote. We
have the basic facts down. Jesus was arrested. He was crucified. And three
days later, God raised him from the dead.
Yet we miss something very important. We miss what turns Easter from a
one-dimensional holiday to a multi-dimensional, life-transforming way of
life.
We miss that the story of the Resurrection isn't just Jesus' story - it's
our story as well.
You see, you are a part of the Resurrection. Jesus' death and Resurrection
didn't just prove there was life after death. The Resurrection proves you
can have life after death, that there's life beyond your grave.
Jesus says, if you trust in him, death becomes a transition, not an ending
point.
One day your heart will stop. That will be the end of your body. But it will
not be the end of you. God made you to last forever. That's why you often
have a feeling there's more to life than this. Jesus made this amazing
promise in John 11: 25-26: "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who
believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by
believing in me will never die" (NIV).
That's quite a promise! Jesus proved he could do it by resurrecting himself.
Otherwise, we would have no reason to believe it. If Jesus hadn't died on
the cross and been resurrected more than 2,000 years ago, you would have
zero chance of getting to Heaven - no hope of the afterlife and no eternal
life.
The Bible says, "By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will
raise us also" (1 Corinthians 6:14).
As Easter comes our way this year, that's a truth to hang our lives upon.
It's great news that Jesus rose from the dead. But what turns that truth
from black and white to living color is that one day - if you trust in him -
he will raise you from the grave, too.
That's the promise of Easter.
Why do you think the story of Jesus' Resurrection grows stale for many
believers?
How does internalizing "the promise of Easter" transform how you live your
life?
How can you help others understand how they can have eternal life through
Jesus' Resurrection this Easter season?
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DAILY BIBLE READING
1 Samuel 25-27Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
David and Nabal the Fool
25 Samuel died. All the Israelites met together and mourned his death. They
buried him at his home in Ramah.
Then David moved to the desert of Maon.[a] 2 There was a very rich man
living in Maon. He had 3000 sheep and 1000 goats. That man was in Carmel
taking care of some business. He went there to cut the wool from his sheep.
3 This man's name was Nabal.[b] He was from Caleb's family. Nabal's wife was
named Abigail. She was a wise and beautiful woman, but Nabal was a mean and
cruel man.
4 David was in the desert when he heard that Nabal was cutting the wool from
his sheep. 5 David sent ten young men to talk to Nabal. He told them, "Go to
Carmel. Find Nabal and tell him 'Hello' for me." 6 David gave them this
message for Nabal: "May you and your family be well and all that you own be
well. 7 I heard that you are cutting wool from your sheep. Your shepherds
were with us for a while, and we did nothing wrong to them. We never took
anything from your shepherds while they were at Carmel. 8 Ask your servants
and they will tell you this is true. Please be kind to my young men. We come
to you now, at this happy time. Please give these young men anything you
can. Please do this for me, your friend[c] David."
9 David's men went to Nabal. They gave his message to Nabal, 10 but Nabal
said, "Who is David? Who is this son of Jesse? There are many slaves who
have run away from their masters these days. 11 I have bread and water, and
I have the meat I killed for my servants who cut the wool from my sheep. But
I won't give them to men I don't even know."
12 David's men went back and told him everything that Nabal had said. 13
David's response was, "Put on your swords." So David and his men put on
their swords. About 400 men went with David while 200 of them stayed with
the supplies.
Abigail Prevents Trouble
14 One of Nabal's servants spoke to Nabal's wife Abigail. The servant said,
"David sent messengers from the desert to meet our master, but Nabal was
rude to them. 15 These men were very good to us while we were out in the
fields with the sheep. David's men were with us the whole time, and they
never did anything wrong to us. They did not take anything from us. 16 His
men protected us night and day. They were like a wall around us-they
protected us while we were with them caring for the sheep. 17 Nabal was
foolish to say what he did. Terrible trouble is coming to our master and all
his family. You need to think of something to do."
18 Abigail quickly gathered up 200 loaves of bread, two full wine bags, five
cooked sheep, about a bushel[d] of cooked grain, about 2 quarts[e] of
raisins, and 200 cakes of pressed figs. She put them on donkeys. 19 Then
Abigail told her servants, "Go on. I'll follow you." But she did not tell
her husband.
20 Abigail rode her donkey down to the other side of the mountain. She met
David and his men coming from the other direction.
21 David was saying, "I protected Nabal's property in the desert. I made
sure not one of his sheep was missing. I did all that for nothing. I was
good to him, but he was rude to me. 22 I swear,[f] I won't let even one man
in Nabal's family live until tomorrow morning."
23 Just then Abigail arrived. When she saw David, she quickly got off her
donkey and bowed down with her face to the ground in front of him. 24
Abigail fell at his feet and said, "Sir, please let me talk to you. Listen
to what I say. Blame me for what happened. 25 I didn't see the men you sent.
Sir, don't pay any attention to that worthless man, Nabal. His name means
'Foolish,' and that is what he is. 26 The Lord has kept you from killing
innocent people. As surely as the Lord lives and you as well, may your
enemies and anyone else who wants to harm you be as cursed as Nabal is. 27
Now, I am bringing this gift to you. Please give these things to your men.
28 Please forgive me for doing wrong. I know the Lord will make your family
strong because you fight his battles. People will never find anything bad
about you as long as you live. 29 If someone chases you to kill you, the
Lord your God will save your life. But he will throw away your enemies like
a stone from a sling. 30 The Lord promised to do many good things for you,
and he will keep his promises. He will make you leader over Israel. 31 So
don't do anything that would make you guilty of killing innocent people.
Please don't fall into that trap. Please remember me when the Lord blesses
you."
32 David answered Abigail, "Praise the Lord, the God of Israel. Praise God
for sending you to meet me. 33 God bless you for your good judgment. You
kept me from killing innocent people today. 34 As surely as the Lord, the
God of Israel, lives, if you hadn't come quickly to meet me, not one man in
Nabal's family would have lived until tomorrow morning. But the Lord
prevented me from hurting you."
35 Then David accepted Abigail's gifts. He told her, "Go home in peace. I
have listened to your request, and I will do what you asked."
Nabal's Death
36 Abigail went back to Nabal, who was in the house. He had been eating like
a king, and he was drunk and feeling good. So Abigail told Nabal nothing
until the next morning. 37 The next morning, Nabal was sober, so his wife
told him everything. He had a heart attack and became as stiff as a rock. 38
About ten days later, the Lord gave him a stroke and Nabal died.
39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, "Praise the Lord! He
judged Nabal to be wrong for insulting me and kept me from doing something
wrong. The Lord made Nabal pay for what he did."
Then David sent a message to Abigail and asked her to be his wife. 40 His
servants went to Carmel with this message, "David sent us to get you. He
wants you to be his wife."
41 Abigail bowed her face to the ground. She said, "I am willing to be your
slave woman, even if it is only to wash the feet of my master's servants."
42 Abigail quickly got on a donkey and brought five of her maids with her.
They followed David's messengers. So Abigail became David's wife. 43 David
had also married Ahinoam of Jezreel. Both Ahinoam and Abigail were David's
wives. 44 David was also married to Saul's daughter Michal, but Saul had
taken her away from him and had given her to a man named Palti, son of
Laish. Palti was from the town named Gallim.
David and Abishai Enter Saul's Camp
26 The people of Ziph went to see Saul at Gibeah and said to him, "David is
hiding on Hakilah Hill, across from Jeshimon."
2 Saul gathered 3000 of the best soldiers in Israel and went down to the
desert of Ziph to search for David there. 3 Saul set up his camp by the road
at Hakilah Hill, across from Jeshimon.
David was out in the desert and saw that Saul had come out into the desert
after him. 4 So David sent out spies to know for certain that Saul had come
after him again. 5 Then David went to where Saul had set up his camp. David
saw where Saul and Abner were sleeping. (Abner son of Ner was the commander
of Saul's army.) Saul was sleeping in the center of a circle of men that
surrounded him.
6 David talked to Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah. (Abishai
was Joab's brother.) He asked them, "Who would like to go down into the camp
with me after Saul?"
Abishai answered, "I'll go with you."
7 When night came, David and Abishai went into Saul's camp. Saul was asleep
in the middle of the circle of men. His spear was stuck in the ground near
his head. Abner and the other soldiers were asleep around Saul. 8 Abishai
said to David, "Today God has given your enemy to you. Let me pin Saul to
the ground with his spear. I'll only do it once!"
9 But David said to Abishai, "Don't kill Saul! Anyone who hurts the Lord's
chosen king[g] must be punished. 10 As surely as the Lord lives, the Lord
himself will punish Saul. Maybe Saul will die naturally or maybe he will be
killed in battle. 11 But I pray that the Lord never lets me hurt the Lord's
chosen king. Now pick up the spear and water jug by Saul's head and let's
go."
12 So David took the spear and water jug that were near Saul's head, and
then David and Abishai left Saul's camp. No one knew what had happened. No
one saw it. No one even woke up. Saul and all of his soldiers slept because
the Lord had put them into a deep sleep.
David Shames Saul Again
13 David crossed over to the other side of the valley. He stood on top of
the mountain across the valley from Saul's camp. David and Saul's camp were
far apart. 14 David shouted to the army and to Abner son of Ner, "Answer me,
Abner!"
Abner answered, "Who are you? Why are you calling the king?"
15 David said, "You are an important man, aren't you? You are better than
any other man in Israel. Is that right? So why didn't you guard your master,
the king? An ordinary man came into your camp to kill your master, the king.
16 You made a big mistake. As surely as the Lord is alive, you and your men
should die, because you didn't protect your master, the Lord's chosen king.
Look for the king's spear and the water jug that was near Saul's head. Where
are they?"
17 Saul knew David's voice and said, "Is that your voice, David my son?"
David answered, "Yes, it is my voice, my lord the king. 18 Sir, why are you
chasing me? What wrong have I done? What am I guilty of? 19 My lord the
king, listen to me. If the Lord caused you to be angry with me, let him
accept an offering. But if men caused you to be angry with me, I ask the
Lord to curse them because they forced me to leave the land that the Lord
gave me and told me to go serve other gods. 20 Now don't make me die far
away from the Lord's presence. The king of Israel has come out looking for a
flea. You are like a man hunting partridges in the mountains."[h]
21 Then Saul said, "David, my son! I have sinned. Come back. Today you
showed me that my life is important to you, so I won't try to hurt you. I
have acted foolishly. I have made a big mistake."
22 David answered, "Here is the king's spear. Let one of your young men come
here and get it. 23 The Lord pays every man for what he does-he rewards him
if he does right, and he punishes him if he does wrong. The Lord gave you to
me today, but I wouldn't harm the Lord's chosen king. 24 Today I showed you
that your life is important to me. In the same way the Lord will show that
my life is important to him. He will save me from every trouble."
25 Then Saul said to David, "God bless you, David my son. You will do great
things and you will win."
David went on his way, and Saul went back home.
David Lives With the Philistines
27 But David thought to himself, "Saul will catch me some day. The best
thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will
give up looking for me in Israel. That way I will escape from Saul."
2 So David and his 600 men left Israel and went to Achish son of Maoch.
Achish was king of Gath. 3 David, his men, and their families lived in Gath
with Achish. David had his two wives with him-Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail
of Carmel. Abigail was the widow of Nabal. 4 People told Saul that David had
run away to Gath, so Saul stopped looking for him.
5 David said to Achish, "If you are pleased with me, give me a place in one
of the country towns. I am only your servant. I should live there, not here
with you in this royal city."
6 That day Achish gave David the town of Ziklag. And Ziklag has belonged to
the kings of Judah ever since. 7 David lived with the Philistines one year
and four months.
David Fools King Achish
8 David and his men went to fight the Amalekites and Geshurites who lived in
the area from Telem[i] near Shur all the way to Egypt. David's men defeated
them and took their wealth. 9 David defeated the people in that area. He
took all their sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels, and clothes and brought them
back to Achish. But David didn't let any of those people live.
10 David did this many times. Each time Achish asked David where he fought
and took those things. David said, "I fought against the southern part of
Judah," or "I fought against the southern part of Jerahmeel," or "I fought
against the southern part of the Kenizzites."[j] 11 David never brought a
man or woman alive to Gath. He thought, "If we let anyone live, they might
tell Achish what I really did."
David did this all the time he lived in the Philistine land. 12 Achish began
to trust David and said to himself, "Now David's own people hate him. The
Israelites hate him very much. Now he will serve me forever."
Footnotes:
a.1 Samuel 25:1 Maon This is from the ancient Greek version. The standard
Hebrew text has "Paran."
b.1 Samuel 25:3 Nabal This name means "foolish."
c.1 Samuel 25:8 friend Literally, "son."
d.1 Samuel 25:18 about a bushel Literally, "5 seahs" (36.5 l).
e.1 Samuel 25:18 about 2 quarts Literally, "1 omer" (2.2 l).
f.1 Samuel 25:22 I swear Literally, "May God do so and so for David's
enemies if .."
g.1 Samuel 26:9 chosen king Literally, "anointed one." Also in verses 16,
23.
h.1 Samuel 26:20 hunting partridges in the mountains People hunted these
birds until the birds became too tired to go on. Then they killed the birds.
Saul was chasing David the same way. This is also a wordplay. The Hebrew
word for "partridge" is like the word for "calling" in verse 14.
i.1 Samuel 27:8 Telem This is found in copies of the ancient Greek version.
The standard Hebrew text has "long ago."
j.1 Samuel 27:10 Judah, Jerahmeel, Kenizzites All these places belonged to
Israel. David made Achish think he had fought against his own people, the
Israelites.
Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
Copyright C 2006 by Bible League International
