Set Free by the Enemy

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Jeremiah 40:1-6

TO CHEW ON: "But today I am freeing you from the chains on your wrists. Come with me to Babylon, if you like, and I will look after you; but if you do not want to, then don’t come. Look, the whole country lies before you; go wherever you please." Jeremiah 40:4

The people from Jerusalem, bound and chained, had set out on the long march to Babylon. Jeremiah was with them. Then at Ramah a surprising thing happened. Nebuzaradan, a commander in the Babylonian army, found him.

“I know about your God and how this is a punishment for the sins of the people,” he said. “But today I’m going to set you free.”

With that he took the chains off Jeremiah’s hands and feet. “You can come with me,” he went on, “or go wherever you like in the country. If you stay here you might want to go to Mizpah. There Gedaliah is watching over everyone who is left.”

So Jeremiah went to live with Gedeliah. Again God had helped him. This time He had sent an enemy commander to set him free.

The God who helped Jeremiah is the same God we worship today. If we obey Him and live for Him like Jeremiah did, He can and will look after us in wonderful and unexpected ways.

PRAYER: Dear God, please look after me today.

MORE: Jeremiah’s End
A few months after Jeremiah came to live with Gedaliah, Gedaliah was killed in a plot. The new leaders were afraid of Nebuchadnezzar. They thought he would come after them because the man he had put in charge had been murdered.

They decided to get far away from Babylon and go to Egypt. Their new leader Johanan asked Jeremiah to find out what God thought about their plan. You can read the answer God gave Jeremiah in Jeremiah 42:7-18.

But Johanan didn’t pay any attention to Jeremiah’s words. Instead, all the people went to Egypt, as they had planned. They took Jeremiah with them. He probably died there.



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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Book Burning

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Jeremiah 36:1-26

TO CHEW ON: "The king and all his attendants who heard all these words showed no fear, nor did they tear their clothes." Jeremiah 36:24

“I’m sure the people will change their ways when they hear all this,” Baruch said, as he put the final touches on the scroll.

God had told Jeremiah many months before to try another way to get the people to listen. “You write down all the things I’ve told you,” God told him. “Then read them to the people. When they hear about the judgments that are coming, surely they’ll change their ways.”

Jeremiah had hired Baruch as his secretary. He had spoken the things God had said to him, while Baruch wrote them on a scroll. It was slow work and took a long time. But finally they were done.


On a day when many people were in Jerusalem, Baruch read Jeremiah’s words at the crowded temple courtyard. Micaiah heard them. He hurried to a room where the king’s officials were gathered. “You’ve got to hear this!” he told them.

They invited Baruch to read Jeremiah’s scroll. After he finished they said, “This is serious. We’d better make sure the king hears this!”

On a cold winter day King Jehoiakim called Baruch to come. But when he heard the words written in the scroll, he didn’t seem the least bit worried. Instead, after Baruch had read a bit, Jehoiakim took the scroll from him. With a knife he cut off the part he had just heard and dropped it in the fire.

Baruch read on, but a few minutes later, Jehoiakim took the scroll again and cut off more. He kept on doing this until Baruch came to the end. When he had read the last words, Jehoiakim burned the rest of the scroll as well. Maybe he thought that if it was gone, the things it said would never happen.



How sad Jeremiah and Baruch must have been to see all their hard work destroyed in a few hours. How sad God must have felt to see His patience and love treated with such contempt.

We have God’s written-down words too. They are the Bible. Of course we don’t physically cut out and destroy the Bible words that make us uncomfortable. But might we be doing that in a different way when we hear God’s words but don’t do them?

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to hear Your words and obey them. Amen.

MORE: Chapter 2
When he burned the scroll, Jehoiakim didn’t make things better for himself – only worse. Read the end of the story - Jeremiah 36:27-32. Then pick out the statements that are true:

1. God told Jeremiah and Baruch to rewrite what had been in the first scroll.

2. Jehoiakim’s son would replace him as king.

3. When Jehoiakim died, his body would be treated with disrespect.

4. None of the predictions in Jeremiah’s scroll would come true.

5. All of the predictions in Jeremiah’s scroll would come true.

ANSWERS

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Copying the Wrong Cat

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Kings 17:15-20

TO CHEW ON: "But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their ancestors, who did not trust in the Lord their God. They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors and the statutes he had warned them to keep. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the Lord had ordered them, 'Do not do as they do.' " 2 Kings 17:14,15

Israel was in big trouble. It was about thirty years and five kings after Jeroboam II. Shalmaneser king of Assyria had discovered that Israel’s present king Hoshea had secretly made a pact with Egypt. When Hoshea stopped paying the tax that Shalmaneser demanded, he arrested King Hoshea and took him to an Assyrian prison.

Then his army went through the countryside, rounding up the people. When they came to Samaria, the gates were locked. But Shalmaneser had all the time in the world. His army camped outside the city and waited for the people inside to surrender.


The Samaritans hung on for three years. But finally, desperate for food and water, they surrendered. In no time Shalmaneser had rounded up all those people too. He marched all his captives to Assyria. And that was the end of Israel.


Israel had had many chances to return to God. Many prophets had preached, warned and begged her kings and people to destroy their idols and worship God again. Again and again they chose to ignore those warnings. Finally God had had enough. The reason for Israel’s fall is spelled out in today’s reading.

What was the main thing to blame? (2 Kings 17:15):
1. bad crops and famine.
2. a weak army.
3. imitating the idol-worshiping nations around them.
4. a plague of sickness.


We aren’t that different today. Like the Israelites we love to imitate those we admire. It’s not imitation that’s bad, but whom we choose as our models. Let’s be careful to choose models of whom God would approve.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to choose my models wisely. Amen.


MORE: Pick Someone to Copy
You have been introduced to many Bible characters: Job, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, Joseph, Esau, Moses, Joshua, Rachel, Ruth and others. If you were to choose one of them to imitate, who would it be? Why?

ANSWERS


Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Pride Before a Fall

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Chronicles 26:16-22

TO CHEW ON: "But after Uzziah became powerful his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense." 2 Chronicles 26:16

Back in Judah, years had gone by since King Joash’s reign had ended. Now sixteen-year-old Uzziah, Joash’s grandson, was king. Like his grandfather Joash, Uzziah was trained by a priest. Just like Joash he started out well. He strengthened the army, defeated his Philistine enemies, built cities, and gave lots of people good jobs on his farms and in his fields. Soon he was famous in the nations all around. Best of all, during this whole time he was careful to do what pleased God.

That is, until one day when his success went to his head. That day he decided there was nothing he couldn’t do. So he went into the temple, lit the incense in the portable burner called a censer, and was about to make a sacrifice on the altar when Azariah and a crowd of priests stopped him.

“What are you doing?” Azariah asked. “This isn’t right. Only priests are allowed to go into the temple and make sacrifices. You’re showing disrespect to God. Leave!”

Azariah’s words made Uzziah furious. He shouted and raged at the priests. But even as he was yelling his curses and insults, they drew back in horror. For there was leprosy on his forehead.

“There’s leprosy on you!” Azariah said.

"Punishment in the Temple" © 1992 by Darlene Slavujac (Used with the artist's permission)

Then Uzziah quieted and quickly left the temple. As a leper, he was contagious and unclean. He had to live alone from then on.

Uzziah started out so well. He was very successful. But his success made him proud. Pride led him to think he could do whatever he liked. Finally it brought him to a bad end.

Have you started well? Ask God to alert you to pride, or selfishness, or greed, or the desire to be popular, or any other thing that would keep you from finishing well.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to live well from beginning to end. Amen.



MORE: Finish Well
Think about the people in your life, or people you have read about.

- Name someone who started well but finished poorly: ____________

- Name someone who started well and finished well: _____________

- What would you say it means to finish well? _______________

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Runaway

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Jonah 1:1-15


TO CHEW ON: "But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord." Jonah 1:3

Have you ever been asked to do a job you really didn’t want to do?
Did you a] do it anyway or b] try to avoid it. If you tried to avoid it - how?

Jonah was an avoider. One day God gave him a job. “Go to the city of Nineveh and preach against its wickedness.”

But Jonah didn’t want to. Instead, he went the opposite direction. In the city of Joppa he bought a ticket and set sail for Joppa.

Illustration by Annie Vallotton from the Good News Bible
© American Bible Society 1976, 1992, used with permission. 


Soon a violent storm came up. The wind and waves tossed the boat so fiercely the sailors were sure they would all sink. They threw baggage into the sea and prayed to their gods to stop the storm.

All the while, Jonah was sleeping. The captain found him. “Get up. Pray to your God,” he said.

But still the storm raged. Finally the sailors decided to find out if anyone on board was responsible. They cast lots (sort of like picking straws or flipping a coin). The lot fell to – Jonah.

“Who are you and what have you done?” the sailors asked.

“I’m a Hebrew,” he answered. “And I admit, the storm is my fault. I’m running away from God. If you throw me overboard, the storm will stop.”

The sailors didn’t want to do that. Instead they threw more cargo overboard. But it didn’t help. Finally, in desperation, they did what Jonah said. They threw him into the churning water.


Immediately the storm quieted.

Jonah tried to get out of doing what God asked by running away. Of course he couldn’t. How about you? Could you ever run far enough or hide well enough so God couldn’t find you?

PRAYER: Dear God, You know exactly where I am at all times. Help me to always live with that in mind. Amen.


MORE: God Watching – Comfort or Problem?
Knowing that God sees us always can be either a comfort or a problem. Most of the time it’s a comfort. But it could also be a problem. Put an X beside each time, below, when God seeing you would feel like a problem:
1. ___ You helped a friend with homework.
2. ___ You cheated on a test.
3. ___ You got lost in the woods.
4. ___ You helped a person in a wheelchair.
5. ___ You took money from Mom’s purse.
6. ___ You’re having fun at Disneyland.

ANSWERS

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

I'll Do it My Way!

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Chronicles 16:1-13

TO CHEW ON: "For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." 2 Chronicles 16:9

When Asa had been king for a long time, Baasha the King of Israel blocked the border between Israel and Judah.

1. The last time King Asa was faced with a problem (2 Chronicles 14:11) he had: (choose the correct answer):
a] asked for help from Egypt.
b] asked for help from God.

2. This time he (2 Chronicles 16:2):
a] asked for help from Ben Hadad of Aram
b] asked for help from God.

Shortly after that, the prophet Hanani came to him and asked, “Why did you make your own plan instead of asking for God’s help? Didn’t God help you in your fight against Cush? God is always looking out to help anyone who depends on Him. What you did was foolish. From now on you’ll always be at war.”

What Hanani said made Asa so angry, he put Hanani in prison.

After that Asa stubbornly refused to ask for God’s help with anything. A few years later when he got a disease in his feet, he only went to doctors. He ignored God completely.

Why did Asa, who started out so well, end like this? Perhaps he thought that with all his experience he no longer needed God’s help. Or maybe he just wanted to do his own thing instead of listen to God.

Let’s not become like the old Asa, who stopped trusting God. Instead, let’s ask for His help with everything all our lives long.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to depend on You now and through all my life. Amen.

MORE: I Couldn’t Bother God with That!


Which times could you ask for God’s help?
- When someone is bullying you.

- When you are sick

- When you don’t understand something in school

- When you want to make the team.


- When your parents aren’t getting along.

Did you pick them all? God can help in all these times and with all these things and much more.

Nothing is too small for God. He is interested in everything about you from the biggest thing to the tiniest detail. What will you ask him to help you with today?

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Answers

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Jehu's Unfinished Job

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Kings 10:18-29

TO CHEW ON: “So Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel. However, he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit – the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.” 2 Kings 10:28,29

Jehu lost no time getting to work on job the prophet had given him. When Ahab’s son King Joram was recovering from a war injury in Jezreel, Jehu rode there in his chariot and did away with Joram. Next he had Queen Jezebel killed. Finally, he destroyed the worship of the idol Baal.


He did this by tricking all the Baal prophets. He told the people to call them together for a big, big sacrifice. “Ahab served Baal a little,” Jehu said. “I will serve him much. Any Baal prophet who doesn’t show up will be killed.”

When all the prophets had gathered in Baal’s temple, Jehu posted guards outside. “Don’t let anyone escape,” he said. Then he made the sacrifice. And right after that he gave the signal to the guards to destroy every Baal prophet in the temple.

After that was done, Jehu tore down the Baal altar and the temple. In this way he stopped Baal worship in Israel.

But he didn’t go far enough. What did he still allow that was not pleasing to God? (2 Kings 10:28,29) __________


Has God showed you something that needs to change in your life? Maybe, for example, you’ve stolen something in the past. You know that God hates stealing. You decide never to steal anything again. Still you haven't make it right with the person you stole from or returned or paid for the thing you stole. So you haven't finished the clean-up. Don’t be like Jehu and go only partway in obeying God. Instead, finish the job.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to finish doing what You ask. Amen.


MORE: Unfinished Projects
Do you have unfinished projects sitting around your room or house?

What are they?

Why didn’t you finish them?

Pick out one unfinished project and determine to finish it. Work on it today.

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

I'm Sorry

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Psalm 51:1-19

TO CHEW ON: "My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart
    you, God, will not despise." Psalm 51:17


After Nathan had talked to David, he felt terrible. Now he knew how seriously God took what he had done. It wasn’t just some little "mistake." It was sin – adultery, lying, murder. He felt guilty. He felt dirty. He felt sad. He felt afraid that God wouldn’t be his friend any more. He was very sorry.


David wrote his thoughts and feelings in Psalm 51.

1. Even though David had killed Uriah, whom had he sinned against the most? ____ (Psalm 51:4)

2. What did David ask God to do for him (Psalm 51:7-12)?
A. Create a new heart in him.
B. Let him be happy again.
C. Help him be more clever at covering his sins next time.
D. Wash and cleanse him.
E. Give him the will to obey God.
F. Take all temptation away from him.

David knew that God wanted more than sacrifices. God wanted a different attitude inside. He wanted a broken heart and a broken and contrite spirit. David felt that way. He knew God would forgive him.

Still, there would be consequences to what he had done. A man had been killed. There was a baby on the way. And God had said David’s family would never be the same. Even though God forgave him, David would still have to bear the consequences of his sin.

PRAYER: Dear God, I too want a pure heart and the will to obey You. Amen.

MORE: Signs of ‘Sorry’
Has God brought to your memory some sin that you need to deal with? Perhaps you’ve realized for the first time how seriously God takes what you did. Now you feel like David – guilty, dirty, sad, sorry. What can you do? Here are some things:

1. Confess your sin to God. He has promised to forgive you and make you clean again. (1 John 1:9)

2. Ask yourself, who was injured by my sin? Do I need to ask any person for forgiveness or repay something I’ve stolen, or make right a lie I told? Then do what you need to do.

3. Now ask God to give you a heart that is sensitive to the things that please and displease Him.


Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Breaking the Rules

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Chronicles 13:1-14

TO CHEW ON: "They moved the ark of God from Abinadab’s house on a new cart, with Uzzah and Ahio guiding it." 1 Chronicles 13:7

One day, sometime after he had become king, David thought of the ark. For many years this special gold box had been sitting in Abinadab’s house in Kiriath Jearim.* Now David wanted to bring it back to the tabernacle in Jerusalem.

He went with a crowd to Kiriath Jearim to move the ark. They put the ark on a new cart. Then he and the people celebrated with singing and playing harps, lyres, tambourines, trumpets and cymbals. Behind them came the lumbering oxen pulling the precious load.


Suddenly one of the oxen stumbled. Uzzah, who was guiding the animals, saw that the ark was starting to slip. He reached out to steady it. The minute he touched it he fell down – dead!



The procession stopped. David was shocked, even angry with God – and very afraid. Why had God killed Uzzah? Wasn’t God pleased that they were bringing the ark back to Jerusalem?

But David had forgotten one important thing about moving the ark. God’s warnings and instructions to Moses, back when the ark was made, were clear.

1. What did God tell Moses about the carriers touching any of the tabernacle furniture? ___ (Numbers 4:15)

2. How was the ark supposed to be carried? ______ (Exodus 37:4,5)

Now David didn’t feel like taking the ark any farther. The house of Obed-Edom was nearby. He left the ark there. Then he and all the people went home feeling puzzled, frightened and sad.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to be careful to live by Your rules. Amen

MORE: Rules – a good thing?
God didn’t invent the rule that people shouldn’t touch the holy things from the tabernacle because He was fussy or to make things complicated for them. There was a reason for that rule. God’s presence was in the tabernacle and on the ark. It was more powerful than thousands of volts of electricity. Human bodies couldn’t stand to touch that much power and still stay alive. The rule not to touch the ark was given for everyone’s safety.

1. What are some rules in your home, school or favorite sport?

2. Choose one of these rules and tell how that rule is a good thing.

* You can read the story of how the ark got to Kiriath Jearim in 1 Samuel 4-7:1


Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Saul the Desperate

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Samuel 28:3-20

TO CHEW ON: "He inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him . . . . Saul then said to his attendants, 'Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her.'” 1 Samuel 28:6,7

The Philistines were threatening again and Saul was terrified. He wanted to talk to God and find out what to do. But Samuel had died, Saul had killed the priests, and no prophet came with any message. God was silent.

In desperation Saul asked his servants to find a medium. A medium was a person who could contact the spirits of dead people and get messages from them. But this power came from Satan and not God. God had commanded Saul to rid the land of all mediums and spiritists.

Still Saul’s men managed to find a medium. Saul disguised himself and went to her house. He persuaded her to try to bring up the spirit of Samuel so Saul could talk to him.


Soon the woman saw something coming out of the ground. And then Samuel’s voice filled the room, “Why have you disturbed me?”

“The Philistines are threatening again,” said Saul. “I need to know what to do.”

Then Samuel gave Saul a message he probably didn’t want to hear.


With that Saul fell on the floor, weak and paralyzed with fear. The knowledge he got through the medium didn’t help. It only made him more afraid.

True to the prediction, Saul and three of his sons were killed in battle the next day. Here is how the Bible talks about his death: “Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord; he did not keep the word of the Lord and even consulted a medium for guidance and did not inquire of the Lord. So the Lord put him to death . . .” (1 Chronicles 10:13,14)

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to stay away from the things and practices that don’t please You. Amen.

MORE: Occult warning
The world of the occult is fascinating, but dangerous. Here are some things to keep in mind when tempted to get involved in occultic practices like horoscopes, telling fortunes, talking with spirits, palm readings, witches, warlocks, I-Ching, seances, the Oiji game, Wicca etc.

1. These practices are condemned many times in the Bible. Some places are Leviticus 19:31, Micah 5:12 and Revelation 21:8

2. Satan is known for lying. Though the things we learn from the occult about ourselves, others and the future may seem accurate, we need to remember the source of that knowledge – Satan. Talking about Satan, Jesus said, “. . . there is no truth in him. When he lies he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44

3. If you have occultic objects and books in your home, in your room or in your desk or locker at school, be like the Christians in Ephesus (Acts 19:19), and get rid of them.

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Dethroned

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Samuel 15:17-26

TO CHEW ON: "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams." 1 Samuel 15:22

Samuel came to Saul one day to give him a new job from God. He was to fight Israel’s old enemy, the Amalekites. After the battle was over, Samuel gave him plain instructions not to let any person or animal escape alive.

Saul’s army won easily. Then they did as Samuel told them and destroyed all the people. But they kept the best cattle and Saul saved the life of king Agag.

After the battle God talked to Samuel. “Saul hasn’t carried out my instructions,” He said.

So Samuel went to find Saul. When Saul saw him he was all smiles. “I did exactly what God told me to,” he said.

“Then what are the sounds of sheep and cattle I hear?” Samuel asked.

“The soldiers kept those,” Saul said. “They’re planning to sacrifice these animals to God. I destroyed all the people just like you told me to. I only kept Agag the king.”



But Samuel wasn’t fooled by the Saul's excuses. “God wants your obedience,” he said, “not your sacrifice. What you did shows that you have a rebellious heart which doesn’t want to obey God. Because you have rejected God, he has rejected you as king. He has torn the kingdom from you and your family and will give it to one of your neighbors.”

Then Saul was sorry. He wished he could go back and do what God had told him to do.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to obey You and the people, like my parents that You have put over me. Amen.

MORE: Obedience
We don’t have specific instructions of things God wants us to do like Samuel gave Saul. But God does give us general instructions on how to live. These are in the Bible.

One set of instructions is the Ten Commandments - Exodus 20:1-17.

Write the commandment that is easiest for you to obey. _____________

Write the commandment that is hardest. _________________________

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Impatient Saul

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Samuel 13:7-14

TO CHEW ON: "He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter. So he said, 'Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.' And Saul offered up the burnt offering." 1 Samuel 13:8,9

One day after Saul had been king for a while, Saul’s son Jonathan attacked a Philistine outpost. This was like poking a stick into a wasp’s nest. Immediately the Philistines gathered their army and came against the Israelites to fight.

Saul’s army was only two thousand men. In a panic he sent trumpeters through the land to call back the rest of the army and anyone else able to fight. Then he and his men waited. They waited for more soldiers to come. They also waited for Samuel, the prophet and priest, to offer a sacrifice and ask for God’s help. Saul knew that it would be useless to go to war without that.

Meanwhile every day the Philistine army grew larger. It swelled to three thousand chariots, six thousand charioteers and thousands upon thousands of soldiers.

The men in Saul’s army watched and grew more terrified by the hour. Soon they lost all courage and began to run away and hide in caves, among trees, behind rocks and in cisterns.

Saul too felt afraid and desperate. Where was Samuel? He said he’d come in a week. The week was over and he still hadn’t arrived. If they didn’t get going soon, his army would be down to nothing. Even though he wasn’t a priest, Saul decided to make the offering himself.

He was just finishing when Samuel arrived.

“What have you done?” Samuel asked. When Saul told him, Samuel said, “You have acted foolishly.” Then he told Saul that God was displeased with him and there would be consequences of his impatience and disobedience.

PRAYER: Dear God, please guard me from the impatience that would cause me to do things my way instead of Your way. Amen.

MORE: Waiting. . . waiting . . . waiting. . .
Do you like to wait? What things make you impatient?

It’s easy to get impatient with things, people – even God, especially when He doesn’t seem to hear and answer our prayers.

Here is a verse that reminds us God is always on time. You might want to memorize it.

"In that day they will say, 'Surely this is our God; we trusted in him and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.'” Isaiah 25:9

Next time you’re tempted to impatiently do things your way instead of waiting for God’s help in His time, remember the story of impatient Saul, review this verse and wait for God's timing.

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Hidden But Not Secret

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Joshua 7:10-25

TO CHEW ON: “Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions.” Joshua 7:11

Have you ever done something sneaky – stolen something, told a lie, or cheated on an exam? Achan did such a thing when he went into Jericho. He had heard Joshua’s command about what to do with the loot. But when he saw a beautiful robe, some silver coins, and a wedge of gold, he sneaked these things home, dug a hole inside his tent and hid them in the ground.

A few days later Joshua sent scouts to Ai, the next city. “It’s a small town,” the scouts reported when they got back. “We’ll only need part of the army to capture it.”

But the people of Ai chased the Israelites from their city, beat them and killed many soldiers.

Joshua and the people were stunned. Joshua fell on his face before God and asked, “Why didn’t you help us?”

“Get up!” God told him. “There’s sin in the camp. Someone has stolen and lied. You need to deal with this sin before I can help you again.”

The next day Joshua called the people to a meeting to see who was guilty. He had the tribes pass before him tribe by tribe. The tribe of Judah was picked. From the tribe of Judah the clan of Zerah was picked. From the clan of Zerah the family of Zimri was picked. From the family of Zimri, the man Achan was picked.


“What have you done?” Joshua asked him.

Then Achan confessed. And when the men looked in his tent, sure enough, there was the evidence. So Achan and his whole family had to die that day because of his sin. Then God helped the people win over Ai.

What about you? Did you get caught for the sneaky thing you did? Even if you didn’t, God knows about your sin. It may be hidden from others but it isn’t a secret to Him. Don’t be like Achan and wait to get caught. Instead, confess your sin to God and make things right with anyone you’ve wronged now. Only then will God’s blessing rest fully on your life.

PRAYER: Dear God, You see the wrong things I’ve done. I’m sorry for them. Help me to make things right. Amen.

MORE: A God-sees verse
These verses remind us that God sees us always, everywhere and knows everything about us.

"O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways." Psalm 139:1-3


You could memorize it. Then next time you’re tempted to do something sneaky, you’ll remember – God sees!

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

No Favorites

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Numbers 20:1-13

TO CHEW ON: "But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 'Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.' ” Numbers 20:12

Now the Israelites kept traveling from place to place. While in the desert of Zin they ran out of water. As usual the people came to Moses to complain. “Why did you bring us here,” they whined. “There is no grain. There are no figs, grapes, and pomegranates. Now we have no water.”

When Moses and Aaron asked God what to do, God said to Moses, “Take your staff, gather the people and speak to that rock.”

So Moses did exactly as God had said – almost. He took his staff, gathered the people at the rock but then, instead of speaking to the rock, he hit it with his staff.

Water gushed out and the people stopped complaining and began drinking and filling up water jugs.



God had answered Moses’ prayer. But He was not pleased with Moses’ disobedience. Even though he was the leader God had chosen, and God had often talked to him like a friend, still God didn’t play favorites or make an exception for him. Instead He said, “Because of what you have done, you will not lead these people into the land I’m giving them.”

What a disappointment for Moses. After all this time, he would not be able to enter Canaan and live in the land God had promised.

Still today God doesn’t have favorites. He hates sin and won’t have anything to do with it no matter who does the sinning.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for always being fair. Help me to obey You always. Amen.

MORE: What is “holy”?
In this story God showed He wouldn’t have anything to do with sin (and Moses’ disobedience was sin), even if His friend did the sin. In this way “God showed himself holy among them.” Numbers 20:13.

When we say God is holy, we mean that He is separate from and above everything He has made. We also mean that He is separate from bad things (evil) and sin.

Holiness is a characteristic or attribute of God. We can say God is other things as well.

Choose the qualities or attributes of God, below, that tell us what God is like. Can you add any more to the list?
(Check these verses if you’re not sure: Psalm 89:14; Mark 10:18; Romans 2:4; Ephesians 2:4-5).

God is:

Answers

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

No-Whine Zone

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Numbers 11:4-6, 31-34

TO CHEW ON: "But while the meat was still between their teeth and before it could be consumed, the anger of the Lord burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague." Numbers 11:33

The Israelites camped at Mount Sinai for a long time. Then one day the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle. Quickly the people packed up their tents and belongings while the Priests and Levites took down the tent church. It was time to move on.

The cloud led them from place to place. Though their feet got tired from walking, they were never hungry for long. Each morning they awoke to a new supply of manna on the ground.

Israelites gathering manna - A. F. Pearse

The manna kept them from getting hungry but after a while they got bored. “We’re so tired of this manna,” they whined. “We want the food we had in Egypt – the fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks onions and garlic.” As the wailing spread through the whole camp, Moses prayed for God’s help.

God was angry with the Israelites for their grumbling. Even so, He sent a great wind. It brought quail from the sea. Quickly news spread around the camp: “Birds have landed all around.” The people went out and caught the quail – dozens and dozens. At last they would have their feast of meat!

Israelites capture quail to eat - Artist unknown

But God wasn’t through with them. As the people were stuffing themselves with quail, they become ill. Many died that day. And God taught them that sometimes the things we want most are not the things that are good for us.

Do you ever grumble and complain about things like your clothes, the stuff you want but can’t afford, the food your Mom makes? Learn from the Israelites. Instead, choose to be thankful for all the good things you have.

PRAYER: Dear God, I’m sorry for whining, complaining and grumbling. Help me to be thankful. Amen.

MORE: Blessing surprise.
An old song goes: “Count your blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done.”

Give yourself a blessing surprise by making a list of things for which you’re thankful. Can you think of 20?

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Gold Frappuccino

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 32:7,8, 15-26

TO CHEW ON: "They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, 'These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt'.... And the Lord struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made." Exodus 32:8, 35

While the people were worshiping and celebrating around the idol, God told Moses, “It’s time for you to go down. The people are doing something bad.”

So Moses went down the mountain, carrying the tablets of stone on which God had written. But even God’s warning hadn’t prepared him for the sight that met his eyes when he got back to camp. There, in the middle of everything, was the gold calf idol. Around it the people were dancing, singing and celebrating.

Moses stormed into camp. He threw down the stone pieces he was carrying and they shattered.

"Moses Breaks the Tablets of Stone" from Treasures of the Bible (Moses)

Then he tore the calf idol off its stand and heaved it into a fire. When it had melted, he ground it up to fine powder, mixed the powder with water and forced the people to drink it (YUCK!)

Then he called for Aaron. “What happened?”

“Uh... the people told me to make them a god,” Aaron said. “So I collected their jewelry, put it in the fire, and out came this calf.”

Moses scolded Aaron for letting the people get out of control. Later, God sent a plague (sickness) that destroyed many of the rebellious Israelites.

God had commanded the people to worship only Him. They had disobeyed Him by making an idol and worshiping it. Now they had to suffer the consequences of disobedience.

Sin still has consequences. Sometimes consequences are natural – like getting suspended from school for stealing. Sometimes God Himself causes them – like the sickness from which these people died.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me remember that each thing I do (each action) has a consequence. Amen.

MORE: I told you so!

Consequences word search

Below the word search are five statements about consequences. Find each bold word in the word search.

Created with Puzzlemaker on DiscoveryEducation.com

1. You don't clean your room so you can't find your ipod.
2. You tell secrets you promised to keep so your friends don't trust you.
3. You keep up with your homework so you make good marks even on surprise tests.
4. You always defend your friends so your friends are loyal to you.
5. You don't read your Bible much so you're not sure how God feels about most things.

Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Gold God

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 32:1-6

TO CHEW ON: "He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.' ” Exodus 32:4

Moses was on Mount Sinai for a long time. When he didn’t come back, and didn’t come back, the Israelites camping at the bottom of the mountain wondered what was taking so long. Maybe God had destroyed Moses in the fire that rested on the top of the mountain. Maybe a wild animal had killed him. Who could help them if Moses never came back? They remembered Egypt. There the people had prayed to statues or idols.

The people went to Aaron. “Make us a god idol!” they demanded.

“Give me your jewelry,” he said. Then Aaron melted the gold he collected and cast it into the shape of a calf.

“This is our god,” the people shouted to each other. “This is the god who brought us out of Egypt.” They offered sacrifices to the idol and then they began to party.

Israel celebrating around the calf idol - Artist unknown

Which statement, below, tells why this happened?
- The people were impatient.
- It’s easier to believe in a God you can see than one who is invisible.
- The people were really trusting in Moses, not God. When Moses didn’t come back, they thought they were on their own.

Did you choose them all? Like the Israelites we too can get impatient when we think God isn’t working quickly enough. We can find it hard to believe in a God who is invisible. We can put our trust in people instead of God. Ask God to show you if you are trusting anyone or anything else besides Him.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to trust in You totally and completely. Amen.


MORE: Modern Idols
In some places people still worship idols as God. We may not do that in our culture. But could we still be in danger of putting things in the place of God? Circle the things that may be modern idols. Can you name more?

- Money

- Being the most popular, best athlete, smartest in the class

- Having the latest and best stuff and fashions

- Wanting to be famous like a movie or rock star

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Choices

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Read: Genesis 4:1-12

Detail from "Cain and Abel Offering Their Sacrifices" by Gustave Doré

TO CHEW ON: "Then the Lord said to Cain, 'Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.'” (Genesis 4:6,7)

God told Cain and Abel to sacrifice animals to Him. Cain and Abel both worshiped God by making sacrifices. But Cain disobeyed and offered fruit from the plants he had harvested. Abel obeyed and offered animals from his flock.

God was pleased with the animal sacrifice. He didn’t accept the plant sacrifice. He had told Cain what He wanted. Here are some things Cain could have done. Which one did he choose to do?

1. Bought an animal and sacrificed it.
2. Ignored God and made another sacrifice of his harvest.
3. Became so upset, he murdered the brother who pleased God.
4. Argued with God about why his plant offering was just as good as an animal offering.

Sometimes we don’t like to hear what God says to us. He may tell us ways we need to change. He may make us aware of people we’ve wronged, or remind us of things for which we should apologize. But God will never force us to do the right thing.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to choose Your right way. Amen.

SECOND HELPING: Right Choices

Suggest good choices to make if you find yourself in these situations:



1. You accidentally break Mom’s favorite mug.

2. You’ve forgotten all about the test teacher promised today.

3. You find a purse in the washroom of a mall. It has lots of money in it.

4. A bunch of girls in your class are bullying another girl.

5. You’re only half finished delivering your papers, and you’re due at baseball practice.

Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Hiding

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Read: Genesis 3:1-9

TO CHEW ON: "Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden." (Genesis 3:8)

Up till now Adam, Eve and God had been friends. When God was in the garden, Adam and Eve hurried to meet Him, eager to tell Him about their day. But this day was different.

This day Adam and Eve broke God’s rule by eating the fruit from the only tree that God had forbidden. Now they felt guilty. Instead of hurrying to meet God, they hid from Him.


Do you ever feel like hiding–yourself or something you’ve done. When that happens ask yourself, why? Have I done something that’s wrong, so I feel guilty? If you have, tell God you're sorry. Make it right with any people you have wronged. Then come out and live in the light.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to be open with You and with others. Amen.

SECOND HELPING: Sneaking Around
Many Bible characters hid things. Match the Bible character to what he or she hid, and then to where they hid it.

Check the Bible reference if you don’t know the answer: 1. Joshua 7:20-21; 2. 2 Kings 5:19-24; 3. Exodus 2:11-12; 4. Genesis 31:34




Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Consequences

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Read: Genesis 2:15-17

TO CHEW ON: “...but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” (Genesis 2:17)

Match the action on the left with what will probably happen on the right:


We know what will happen if we do the everyday things above. When we lose our grip while we're in a tree we’re not surprised that we fall down towards earth, rather than up towards the sky. Neither is it a shock that we hit the ground hard enough to break a bone. We know about earth’s gravity. It helps us make a rule (Don’t jump from a high place) or there will be consequences (or you’ll hurt yourself). It's something we expect.

God gave Adam and Eve one rule when He put them in the garden. The rule was: Don’t eat fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Then God told them what would happen if they broke that rule. What was it? (Genesis 2:17).

We may not like rules but most of them are made for our good. They protect us from getting hurt or hurting others. Do you obey your parent's rules? the rules at school? God's rules?



PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to learn Your rules and to live by them. Amen.

SECOND HELPING: Broken Rules
Think of a time you broke a rule.

1. What rule did you break?

2. How did you break it?

3. What was the consequence?

Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.