Perceive: In typical Nabal behavior, he is throwing a party and overindulging in spirits to the point of being very drunk. After he sobers up in the morning, Abigail tells him what she did to keep him and the household safe. The suffering from a hangover and hearing of a stressful story results in a related heart failure. Within ten days, the Lord struck Nabal, and he died. David, having recognized the inner and outer beauty of Abigail sends for her, and she becomes his wife. While in the wilderness, David also marries Ahinoam giving him three wives total. However, Saul gives Michal to another man. In giving away Michal to another man, Saul was saying David was as good as dead.
 
Practice:  Abigail was effective in dealing with a surly husband and an angry future king. Through her actions and words, she kept both men from making rash moves in a very difficult and emotionally charged situation. By her swift action and skillful negotiation, she kept David from taking vengeance on Nabal, thereby keeping David from blood guilt. Do you look beyond your present crisis to see the bigger picture? Are you able to be loyal to family members without being blind to their weaknesses? Whenever you discuss difficult matters with family or friends, timing is important. Ask God for wisdom anytime you feel the need to confront or inform.
 
Pray:  Father in heaven, please give me wisdom and insight as I learn to speak truth to ____________________.​

​This devotional challenge comes from The Heart of a Lion - King David of Israel and is available on Amazon.com

Perceive: After hearing how her husband insulted David and his men, Abigail realizes her home, and entire existence is great danger, so she readies a gift, saddles the donkeys, and speeds her way to David. As soon as she sees David, she takes action by getting off her donkey, falling at his feet, and bowing to the ground in humble submission. Immediately after this, she pleads for mercy. In her plea, she successfully intercedes on behalf of her husband and helps David avoid blood guilt. Hearing God’s wisdom in her words, David agrees with her and gives thanks to the Lord for sending her, receives her gifts, and sends her home safe and secure. After Abigail reports the story to her surly husband, he has a heart-related failure and dies ten days later.
 
Practice:  This short story is a great reminder that God often sends people our way to help us see His hand in our actions. David was close to acting more like Saul than an upcoming king. To his credit, he learns that patience and restraint are a better way than anger and revenge. Unlike Nabal and Saul, David could hear an unexpected word from God that corrected his understanding of his circumstances, and then responded accordingly. No matter how right we think we are, we should always take a moment or two to listen to others.
 
Pray: O Lord, send godly people my way when it is necessary. Help me see and hear Your word when and where it is appropriate. Help me avoid more trouble and trauma in my life. 

Perceive: Samuel dies, and all Israel mourns his loss. Meanwhile, David and his men took their own time and effort to protect a rancher, his shepherds, and his sheep from Raiders in the Desert of Moan. It was not uncommon for wild tribes to overrun an area, take the sheep, and raid small villages. While there was no written law saying a rancher had to pay for this service, it was a custom like tipping. Nabal refuses David's request for remuneration. Thus, David reacts strong and swift by arming four hundred of his men and marched out with a desire to kill every male belonging to Nabal. He was furious.
 
Practice:  It is better to leave our circumstances in God's hands than to always take quick action. If the situation warrants retribution and judgment, He will do this in His time and His way without our intervention. After learning a better way, David quickly changes his response and patiently waits for God to act and accomplish His will.
 
Pray:  Lord, help me to maintain my composure and keep my anger in check, especially when I deal with ________________. 

​This devotional challenge comes from The Heart of a Lion - King David of Israel and is available on Amazon.com

Perceive: David is experiencing the constant pursuit of an enemy who wants to destroy his life and the lives of his men. As the psalm alludes, David feels like he is among a group of lions out for a kill. Although they have a trap for him, he is confident they will fall into their demise. Regardless of his circumstances, he knows God will act on his behalf. The psalm is divided up into three main parts: he gives a cry for refuge and a confession of need (1-3), he describes his difficult situation (4-6), and he commits to singing, praising, and giving thanksgiving to God (7-9). God is faithful to help in times of trouble.
 
Practice: When we face trials and tribulations, God will quiet our hearts and give us confidence in facing each day. At times we may be surrounded by tough circumstances and difficult people who love to criticize. Rather than react in a negative way or respond with angry words, we can be like David and get before the Lord. Every time this happens, we should be expressing the situation and learning to sing praises among the nations.  In times of great stress, do not look inward which leads to self-pity, or focus outward with actions for revenge, instead look upward to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and grace to help in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16).
 
Pray:  Help me today O Lord. I look to You and Your throne for mercy in times of suffering and grace in times of need. ​

​This devotional challenge comes from The Heart of a Lion - King David of Israel and is available on Amazon.com

Perceive: David has intentionally allowed Saul to live even though as his enemy he could have ended his life. In a unique way, Saul is emotionally repentant and acknowledges David, recognizes his righteous actions, and then asks for a lifesaving favor regarding his descendants.  David promises to spare his descendants. To his credit, David did not follow the Near Eastern custom of exterminating all of the children of his imperial predecessor. According to Scripture, David kept his promise.
 
Practice:  Like David, you are responsible for telling your enemies the truth. He or she may or may not see the error of their ways and repent. Ultimately, it does not matter how they respond. What matters is that all those who serve God speak the truth. As serving men of God, we are required to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15).  It is impossible to make someone change their opinion especially an enemy. Unfortunately, too many people believe lies rather than the truth. By speaking the truth, you, however, will know that your conscience will be clear. God is in the business of changing people’s lives when and how He wants. He loves using men to transform the world. Be firm but fair in sharing the truth.
 
Pray:  O Lord Almighty, thank You for Your word and that it is the truth I can share openly and freely. Help me speak the truth in love to all who are in my sphere of influence. 
​
This devotional challenge comes from The Heart of a Lion - King David of Israel and is available on Amazon.com

Perceive: While on the run from an evil enemy, David and his men have the perfect opportunity to avenge. Seeing Saul relieving himself in a cave, he could kill Saul and take over as the rightful ruler. His men wanted him to end Saul’s life and used a supposed word from God to encourage David to act. After all, King Saul was out to kill or imprison them as well. Instead, he removes a part of Saul’s robe. David, in a Christ-like manner, does not take advantage of the situation even though Saul repeatedly has tried to kill him.  In a brave act, David confronts his enemy while trusting in God for the results.
 
Practice: An opportunity to defeat an enemy does not always mean God wants us to act in such a manner. God chose David to succeed Saul not to kill him. David knew that judgment, vengeance, and vindication were under God’s control. David relies on God to avenge the wrongs done to him and to establish him as king. David’s refusal was not an example of cowardice, but rather of courage. He demonstrates the kind of courage all men need when standing up against group actions that are wrong. Never compromise your moral standards by giving in to group pressure.
 
Pray:  Thank You O Lord for all that You do to protect my family and me. You know when and where to take action on Your enemies best. Continue to show me Your hand in my life. ​

This devotional challenge comes from The Heart of a Lion - King David of Israel and is available on Amazon.com

Perceive: Being on the move, David and his men relocate to the wilderness of Moan a few miles from Ziph. After Saul receives an intel report, he and his men move quickly to take advantage of the situation. Arriving on the scene, Saul is on one side of a mountain and David is on the other side trying to escape to the Dead Sea. Saul was about to flank David by dividing his troops and surrounding him. Since Saul’s forces were much more numerous and the land to the east was open country, he could have easily captured or killed them. God demonstrates His providence when word arrives of a Philistine raid. Reluctantly, Saul abandons his personal concerns and temporarily focuses on a national crisis.
 
Practice:  We would do well to keep in mind that God is in control of our circumstances and delivers His men in His time and in His way. God wants to use our situations, problems, and trials to establish His kingdom. Satan uses the world, the flesh, and all those blinded by him to kill and destroy the men of God and the work of God. Like David, we must seek the mind of God and trust Him for our protection and victory. Sometimes we need to advance and attack and other times to retreat and regroup.
 
Pray:  Lord, I lift up to You my present circumstances. Thank You for my struggles and dealing with ___________________. Help me seek Your mind and see Your victory daily. Enable me to know when to advance and when to retreat.​

This devotional challenge comes from The Heart of a Lion - King David of Israel and is available on Amazon.com

Perceive: Ziph was in Judah and the people should have been loyal to David, but instead they betrayed his location to an evil king Saul. Once again David prays and records his call for God to help him overcome his enemies especially in times of betrayal. This psalm contains three main sections: he cries out to God for salvation (1-3), he acknowledges God as his source of help and recompense (4-5) and promises to worship God with thanksgiving for his deliverance (6-7). The tone of this psalm reflects the kind of words that Jonathan may have given him for encouragement in the Lord.
 
Practice:  Many of David’s psalms follow a pattern where he goes from praying over his situation to singing praises to God. The more time you spend in the psalms, the more you realize that David routinely goes to God and expresses his true feelings and needs. Many of his psalms end with God being his friend, helper, and protector. Whatever you are facing today, take some time to prayerfully share it with your heavenly Father knowing that He sustains and delivers.
 
Pray:  Lord, help me forgive those who betray me. I need You to help me in ________________. Protect and provide for this situation. 

This devotional challenge comes from The Heart of a Lion - King David of Israel and is available on Amazon.com

Perceive: In a time of war, both sides employ a network of spies and informants to stay on top of their enemy’s whereabouts and plans. David’s current plan is to camp on a hill in the middle of a forest where he is relatively safe. Here Jonathan visits him for the last time and both men renew their lifetime covenant and encourage one another in the Lord. The Ziphites, a nearby tribe, probably worried more about the threat of destruction from King Saul than the protection they may get from an outlaw and his band of raiders. So, they provide Saul with an intelligence report that pinpoints the exact location of David and his men. When Saul receives the report, he responds with a religious statement that illustrates his lack of true piety, and he continues only to think of himself. David naturally feels betrayed and writes and prays Psalm 54.
 
Practice:  As true friends, David and Jonathan were more than battle buddies who enjoyed each other’s companionship. They took the time to share mutual and individual concerns about life, and then to strengthen and encourage one another in the Lord. True friends can share their deepest thoughts and most secret confidences. No matter what their friend is going through, they want them to be encouraged and demonstrate strong faith in God. These are the hallmarks of true friendship.
 
Pray:  Lord, thank You for ____________. Help us be true friends for one another. ​

This devotional challenge comes from The Heart of a Lion - King David of Israel and is available on Amazon.com

Perceive: This psalm was written by David when he was in the wilderness. At least twice in his life, he spent time in the rough country during a difficult period where his life was in danger. Once was after fleeing from Saul and the other was after fleeing from Absalom. The psalm has three main sections: he seeks and praises God (1-5), he remembers and meditates regarding how God acts on his behalf (6-8), and he expresses confidence in how God acts toward his enemies (9-11). The dessert can be a dry and lonely place, especially if you are hiding from danger and possible death.
 
Practice:  Anytime we are in a wilderness walk, we need to sense God’s presence, power, protection, and provision. Sometimes we seek to quench our thirst or numb our loneliness with the wrong thing; sometimes these things can become idols and have severe consequences. No matter what time we find ourselves in the desert, we should desire to be with the Lord because only He fully satisfies. Jesus said, “but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:14).
 
Pray:  O Lord, I lift my hands in Your name. When I am in a dry and lonely place, come to my aid, quench my thirst with your living water. Help me see You in my daily circumstance. 


This devotional challenge comes from The Heart of a Lion - King David of Israel and is available on Amazon.com