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

Perceive: After word gets back to Saul that David is in Keilah, Saul sends his army in what he assumed would be a trapped situation. He may have thought God was putting David into his hands and he could finally remove his enemy. David, on the other hand, continues to demonstrate his trust and dependence upon the Lord his God. Once again, through the high priest, he seeks a word from God. The Lord answers both his prayers, and he then takes immediate action. Although David saves the people of Keilah, they would rather turn him over to King Saul than protect someone who just delivered them from theft, death, and destruction. David and his men continue to dodge the relentless pursuit of evil King Saul.
 
Practice:  Not every new opportunity or opened door is something sent from God. Unfortunately, the human heart can want something so badly that we can assume any opportunity to obtain it is a divine sign. As is evident in the life of King Saul, this is not always true. Also, anything that counters biblical teaching or violates the will of God can never be from our Lord. Anytime you have an open door, be sure to double-check your motives and make sure you are following His desires and not putting your own first. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick, who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).
 
Pray: Father, help me see my motives as You see them.  Protect me from walking into an ungodly opportunity. 

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

Perceive: David hears the news that the Philistines are looting Keilah’s threshing floors which were their main source of food. In ancient Near Eastern towns, threshing floors often served as storage areas. David seeks the Lord’s guidance. The Lord gives him a clear directive to attack Israel’s sworn enemy; however, his men were afraid. Saul hunted them, and the Philistines hated them. It seemed overwhelming to David’s men to go up against a fierce, armed, and well-trained military. Therefore, David inquires a second time, and God gives His personal guarantee of victory over the Philistines. David led his men, and they delivered the inhabitants of Keilah.
 
Practice: Just like David, we should seek the Lord’s guidance before any significant action, especially in spiritual warfare. Rather than trying to find God’s will after the fact, we should take the time to determine God’s will before we step out. When we must take action, we can discern God’s will by reading and studying His word. Has God already addressed this or a similar situation? We can pray by asking, seeking, and knocking on doors (Matthew 7:2). We can use our brains and conduct quality research. We can seek wise counsel from godly biblical leaders. We can seek His peace and evaluate our circumstances considering Scripture.
 
Pray:  O Lord, help me to learn Your Word, seek Your face, use my mind, ask for the godly counsel, and properly evaluate my circumstances.​


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

Perceive: David wrote this psalm because of Doeg, the Edomite who witnessed David’s exchange with Ahimelech and then reported the incident as a spy to King Saul. This song contains three main sections: a description of someone who is evil (1-4), a judgment pending by God (5-7), and the blessings of a righteous man (8-9).  Doeg was one of Saul’s shepherds who is wicked and selfish. His most evil actions include murdering innocent men, women, and children. After this incident, he thought he was someone important due to the momentary favor from King Saul.
 
Practice:  Doeg represents a symbol of evil people, who will meet their just end; while David represents righteous people, who will be exalted by the Lord. God promises He will judge the evildoer. Our anger at the appearance of injustice should never block out or diminish our confidence in God’s desire and ability to defeat wickedness.  As Romans 12 says, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’”
 
Pray: Great and mighty God, thank You for Your word regarding evil and that someday You will hold every created being accountable for their actions. ​

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

Perceive: In his quest for blood Saul has seemingly destroyed all the existing priests of the Lord, which now includes removing any of the priestly sources for himself and any of his subjects to connect with God. In the providence of God, one son of Ahimelech named Abiathar escapes this massacre, secures the ephod and finds his way to David and his men. Abiathar is a young man at this point in his life, and he is the only surviving priest. Together these two will be friends and support each other for the rest of David’s life.
 
Practice:  The ephod was a priestly garment containing Urim and Thummim, two objects David and Abiathar routinely used to discern the will of God. Through their use, the high priest would help leaders determine God’s divine will during a national crisis. Apparently, priests could tell the future, determine guilt or innocence, and according to one theory, divide the land.[i] In a providential way, God supplies David with a high priest and an ephod to determine His will and to seek His ways. Today we have the word of God and the counsel of godly men to help us stay on track and to walk with God. Both were important to David and his men; both are important today.
 
Pray:  Lord, help me today, and every day I am on this earth to walk in Your ways, to discern Your will for my life, and to be a faithful, available, and teachable man.

[i] International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
​​
This devotional challenge comes from The Heart of a Lion - King David of Israel and is available on Amazon.com

Perceive: After David finds a safe place for his parents, he continues to seek safety for himself and his band of brothers. To learn more about David’s current situation, King Saul resorts to offering a substantial reward. Doeg the Edomite informs the king he saw David talking to Ahimelech, the high priest, receive some food, and acquire a weapon. After Saul hears a report on the whereabouts of his sworn enemy, he reacts as a half-crazed lunatic. Next, he summons the priests, accuses them of aiding his enemy, and orders their deaths. Seeing the guards refuse to kill the Lord’s priests, Doeg the Edomite slays them all and kills all in the city of Nob including women and children.
 
Practice:  There is no guarantee that those who serve God will not suffer harm or even death at the hands of an evil individual or group. Edmund Burke once said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing!”  Regardless of man’s action or inaction, in the end, all evil will be obliterated. Believing individuals who remain faithful through their trials will experience greater rewards. In His ministry, Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad for your reward is great in heaven,” (Matthew 5:10-12). 
 
Pray:  Heavenly Father, strengthen me for whatever battles I may face in this life and help me be a godly man no matter what.  

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