Author: nickjones2011

How tragic to see the king desperately seeking out someone to speak to the dead for him (1 Sam 28). Before you feel sorry for him, he’s brought this tragedy on himself by refusing to listen to (and obey) God’s Word (ch 15). He’s also got rid of the priests who spoke God’s word (ch…

David is still on the run. God has rejected Saul as king (ch15), David had been anointed as king (ch16), but Saul is still reigning as king, and does not want the kingdom to pass to David. He fears David and seeks to destroy him. David acts with the utmost integrity as twice he refuses…

Paul and Silas had just had trouble in Philippi, so when they get to Thessalonica, they take a nice well earned break, No! You might expect that, but instead they carry on with the same thing that got them in trouble – preaching about Jesus (Acts 17). They last 3 Sabbaths, and then have to…

I’m often struck that when Paul and Silas are beaten with many blows and thrown in prison that they sing hymns to God. How can they sing when they have been through so much, especially since it’s because they are followers of Jesus that they have faced such suffering? How can they view their present…

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” So goes the old rhyme, but I’m sure you’ll know words can and do hurt. Words can be powerful and can be used to destroy someone. In 1 Samuel 22 we hear of Doeg’s awful betrayal of the priests who stood by…

David felt trampled on and oppressed all day long. He must have been in a bad place – the heading of Psalm 56 tells us he had fled to Gath. Where is Gath? It’s Goliath’s hometown! David is not going to receive a warm welcome there! He’s fled from Saul and ended up in Gath…

To feel unsafe in your own home is a terrible thing. To feel that there are people lurking around, waiting to harm you. This was the experience of King David before he was made king. King Saul was continually trying to trap David, and even sent men to his house to kill him! 1 Samuel…

He was truly terrifying. Over 9ft tall he towered over everyone. He had a simple challenge, come and fight me! If you beat this giant all your enemies will submit to you. It is a favourite Bible story for many young children – who hasn’t imagined that they could be the hero! There have been…

Samuel had told Saul that he needed to listen to God’s Word (1 Samuel 15:1). To listen to means not just to hear it, but to obey it. God’s Word can be hard to obey, normally because we think we know best. For Saul it was a hard word because it involved wiping out the…

“If it had not been the LORD who was on our side…” …we would have been toast! That is what David recognises in Psalm 124 as he recounts that they would have been swallowed up if the LORD had not been on their side. We don’t know which particular rescue was referring to, but our…