October 25, 2025

David was anointed king and took over Judah, the southern kingdom of Israel. At the time, Jerusalem was called Jebus and was the home of the Jebusites. David told his men that whoever strikes and removes the Jebusites first will become the chief and captain. Joab was successful in taking over the location; it became the City of David, Jerusalem. David lived in the castles, and Joab repaired the rest of the city. 

David had some courageous men in his army, and Ezra lists some of their accomplishments in 1 Chronicles 11. One notable warrior was Benaiah, who not only slayed two lion-like men who were champions of Moab, but also an actual lion in a pit on a snowy day. The Bible doesn’t expand on the significance of the snow, but because snow is only mentioned here and a couple of times in Proverbs, I would say it was unusual and may have made it more challenging for Benaiah. He then became chief and captain, after David, during Solomon’s reign as king.

What we can glean from this is that when God has His hand in a situation, we can count on success. It takes courage to be a champion for God, and sometimes you may be required to take chances and depend on your faith in Him to conquer all that the enemy has put in your way. God’s warriors are not weak and cowardly. 

Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many acts; he slew two lionlike men of Moab: also he went down and slew a lion in a pit in a snowy day. 1 Chronicles 11:22

October 24, 2025

Saul’s sons were slain in battle against the Philistines, and an archer wounded him. He ordered his armor bearer to run him through with the sword so a gentile wouldn’t kill him, but his armor bearer was too afraid, so Saul fell on his sword, taking his own life. Then the Philistines found his body, cut off his head, and placed it in the temple of Dagon, their false god. Some valiant men found his body and the bodies of his sons and buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh. It was unfortunate that Saul’s son Jonathan, David’s best friend, also fell under God’s punishment of Saul for his transgressions against God. Here’s where things get concerning for those who have sought the counsel of fortune tellers, taro card readers, necromancers, or other sorcerers; God saw it and didn’t like it one bit! We are to seek the counsel of God and not those who deal in the devil’s work. I would also warn you about the way you conduct yourself during the Halloween season. Many of the things people embrace during this season, which seem harmless, are in direct conflict with God. Conduct yourself in a way that is pleasing to God, and let go of your fleshly desires, especially when they are in opposition to Him.

So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; And enquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse. 1 Chronicles 10:13-14

October 23, 2025

Ezra accounted for those who were employed in taking care of the temple and the duties thereof, after their release from captivity in Babylon. To fulfill all the requirements, they camped close to the temple, ensuring they were readily available to perform their duties. It makes sense that they would stay close because, when they were released, King Cyrus sent them back with all the items taken from the temple that were meant for the daily rituals, and because they were valuable, it was likely that they needed to be guarded against theft, but also, so they were close to perform their duties in the morning hours. 

And they lodged round about the house of God, because the charge was upon them, and the opening thereof every morning pertained to them. 1 Chronicles 9:27

Spiritually, we also need to stay on guard so our temple, which is our body, and the valuables within it, are not squandered or even stolen. It is imperative that we keep our minds clear and clean and avoid unrighteous behavior to preserve our most valuable asset: the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. 

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:1-2

October 22, 2025

Although many great names are listed in the genealogies of the chronicles, I can’t help but notice that some of them were named after Baal. You wonder how this happens and how the people strayed so far from God that they began naming their children after idols. It seems so common in the Old Testament that it makes me think that maybe there was a physical being enticing them to follow this heinous, child-sacrificing religion. Then again, if you look at your own family, many of whom were brought up to love and have faith in Jesus, yet still they go their own way, which leads them away from him. You can’t make your children believe the way you do, even though we have many testimonies of how instrumental God has been in our lives and that we wouldn’t be where we are now if it weren’t for Him. The best we can do is set them in the right direction while they are young and hope and pray that they come back to believe in what we taught them. Please don’t name your children after idols or fake gods because you’ll have people like me evaluating your character well after you’re dead. Here is an example: And his firstborn son Abdon, and Zur, and Kish, and Baal, and Nadab, 1 Chronicles 8:30

There is not much history mentioned in 1 Chronicles 8, except for the valiant men of Ulam, who were archers and must have been quite skilled at it, as they were the only ones given historical significance in the lineage of Saul. 

And the sons of Ulam were mighty men of valour, archers, and had many sons, and sons' sons, an hundred and fifty. All these are of the sons of Benjamin. 1 Chronicles 8:40

October 21, 2025

It’s not often you hear of a valiant woman in our current life, yet even more rare is hearing of them in the Bible. It isn’t that these women were nonexistent, but that the choice of writers is often heroic men, and I can’t blame them because there are more stories of them to glean from. However, a passage in 1 Chronicles 7 tells us of a resourceful woman who was not ignored.  We’ve always been taught to believe women should stay in the shadows, likely so our opinions and ideas would not be taken seriously. God had a different idea and showed that women are capable, and with the help of strong men as our partners, we can accomplish great things. A daughter named Sherah, from the tribe of Ephraim, built some cities and even had one named after her, Uzzensherah. Joshua, son of Nun, came from the same tribe and led the Israelites into the promised land. We must remember that God has a plan and a purpose for everyone, and when He reveals that purpose to you, you should walk it out to the best of your ability. Sherah did just that and was accomplished in her endeavor to build cities for the Ephraimites. 

(And his daughter was Sherah, who built Bethhoron the nether, and the upper, and Uzzensherah.) 1 Chronicles 7:24

October 20, 2025

The writer of the Chronicles, by Jewish tradition, was Ezra. He didn’t play any games or hold back the truth when accounting for the tribes of Israel. Ruben, Israel’s firstborn, by tradition would have been the matriarch. Remember, God changed Jacob’s name to Israel. Here is where things get interesting. Ruben slept with his father’s concubine, which exempted him from the most powerful position in the family. Because of this transgression, Jacob, before he died, handed the birthright to Joseph’s sons, but gave the position of power to Judah. Can you imagine the burn those brothers felt when they were all passed over and the birthright given to Joseph, whom they had sold into slavery?

To break this down into terms for today, we can see that during the lifetime of this family, God made sure justice was served. Joseph may have forgiven his brothers because his circumstances improved after he was imprisoned, but God remembered all the trouble they caused because of their anger about the dream Joseph shared with them about the entire family bowing down to him. Not only did they end up bowing to him, but they also lost their position and birthright because of what they did to him. If things are tough for you right now, and you have been doing things in a godly way, you can expect that God hasn’t forgotten and will reward you for your faithfulness. Wait for it; it will surely come.

Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright. 1 Chronicles 5:1

October 19, 2025

You can overcome your name. Jabez was so named because his mother had a lot of trouble when giving birth to him, though all women face sorrow giving birth, she may have come close to death, but it doesn’t expand on what caused her to give him a name that means grief and sorrow. Jabez opened his heart and prayed that God would increase his territory, that His hand would be with him and keep him from evil, so that he wouldn’t be grieved. God heard Jabez’s prayer and answered it. What is also notable is that his prayer wasn’t only for prosperity, but was also spiritual because he didn’t want to live up to the curse of his name. 

We are called by the name of Christ, which is very honorable, but because we have standards of behavior to honor the name of Jesus, it is sometimes considered a derogatory name. People who do not share our way of living will want us to accept their way, even though we find it unacceptable and sinful, so they disparage us because of our beliefs. If God blessed Jabez, whose name means grief, I believe He will also bless us and increase us, who are called by the name that is above every name, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Pray the prayer of Jabez and watch as God increases your territory. I prayed that prayer years ago, and God has blessed me beyond what I could ever ask or imagine. 

And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested. 1 Chronicles 4:9-10

October 18, 2025

There are twists and turns in the lineage of David. One notable aspect is that his sons from all his concubines were not recorded nor considered royalty, yet they were still descendants of royalty. David loved women and consummated many of those love interests, pouring out his seed, creating love children that we don’t have a record of. I suppose we would call those women mistresses in today’s terminology. Concubines didn’t have the same rights as those who were married to their partners. Still, they participated in the conjugal duties as a wife and probably lived a similar life as the wives, except that their children were considered illegitimate. I doubt they had any inheritance of the royal belongings that were usually passed down to the sons, which is similar to children today who are born outside of marriage to fathers who are philanderers, womanizers, or cheaters. I feel sad for those children because that’s a heavy burden of rejection that they will carry to the grave unless they overcome it by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony. Jesus can loosen all bonds, including the heavy chain of rejection. If you have experienced rejection, which we all have, seek freedom in Jesus; he is the chain breaker, and whatever evil intentions were meant to harm you, he can turn them into a testimony for good to help the redemption of others. 

These were all the sons of David, beside the sons of the concubines, and Tamar their sister. 1 Chronicles 3:9

October 17, 2025

1 Chronicles 1 is the genealogy from Adam to Abraham, and from Abraham to Jacob. It’s funny that I thought it would be boring; however, you can find a little bit of controversy and intrigue within those names. A little gossip about the characters who could be some of our ancestors: we already know the story of Abraham and Sarah, but when Sarah passed away, Abraham, being 140 years old, remarried. The woman he married was Keturah. According to some historians, Keturah was actually Hagar, who had changed her name, never remarried, and stayed pure for all those years after Ishmael was born and Abraham sent them away; remember this is extra-biblical and was written by Jewish historians, so take it as a tantalizing tidbit that adds interest to an otherwise tedious chapter in the Bible. Keturah added six more sons to Abraham’s lineage. We can glean historical information that dates back to well before Jesus, so why is it that there is little to no accurate historical information that can be trusted as truth outside the Bible after he died and rose again? Hopefully, I will be able to keep up with all the gossip of the Bible in the chapters to come. I’ll let you know about all the interesting tidbits that I find.

Now the sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine: she bare Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. And the sons of Jokshan; Sheba, and Dedan. 1 Chronicles 1:32

October 16, 2025

It may seem sad that we’ve reached the very last psalm; however, the psalms are always within reach, making it easy to use God’s own words to praise Him, even though His words are not the only way to offer Him praises. As long as you have breath, praise the Lord. In this short, six-verse psalm, the writer praises God thirteen times. I wonder how many times the Levites sang this song during the temple service, or how many times God hears the voices of angels singing it? For how great God is, it is never enough. How happy would we be if only we offered our praises for everything God has done for us, from waking us up to giving us rest and everything in between? Be generous in your praises and feel your countenance change as you focus on God rather than your circumstances. He is worthy of all our praise, so lift your voice and give Him what He deserves. Here it is, the very last verse of the psalms:

Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD. Psalms 150:6

October 15, 2025

Your salvation is a victory over the enemy; your chains are gone, you’ve been set free! Even when you are experiencing what you consider the worst, you have reason to be full of joy, to dance and sing; you are triumphant because of Jesus. 

Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp. Psalms 149:3

Not only are you victorious, but you are equipped with praises and a two-edged sword. According to Hebrews, the word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword, sharp and able to cut between the souls and spirit, joint and marrow, and He knows the intentions of the heart. The writer of Hebrews must have been well-versed in the scriptures, as evidenced by their reference to Psalms 149:6.

Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand; Psalms 149:6

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

So, remember, God knows your heart, and no matter the challenges you might be facing, you are a winner, and victory is yours through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

October 14, 2025

Who are commanded to praise God? We know that we are to praise Him, but who or what else? There are a couple of things in Psalms 148 that many don’t believe in; do we pick apart what the Bible says and only believe what we want to believe, or should we believe it in its entirety? Scripture is God-breathed, so we should believe every word of it, but perhaps we shouldn’t believe the lies the enemy tries to perpetrate that invalidate what it says. The point of this psalm is for everything to praise God, which includes the waters above and dragons! 

That’s not all it talks about, but because we’ve been led to believe that dragons don’t exist or were only fairy tales, I decided to mention them. We can see examples of dragons, except they are small, lizards, iguanas, and Komodo dragons are a few examples. The Bible doesn’t mention dinosaurs; here’s a thought: maybe the skeletons we’ve seen that scientists call dinosaurs are actually dragons. 

But wait, there’s more! The waters above are to praise God! If there is water above us, and it is alive, able to glorify God, how is it possible that we have rockets go into outer space? We must start questioning the narrative and begin to believe what God has told us, rather than the fog of lies the enemy is trying to deceive us with. I could go on, especially considering that water is alive, but I’ve given you enough to think about for one day. Question everything! The truth is in the scripture; everything else should be subjected to your discernment. 

Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created. He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass. Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps: Psalms 148:4-7

October 13, 2025

Put your trust in God alone. He is the One who appoints kings and governments, whether they are good or bad. I believe some governments may be placed to help us realize that God alone is in control. When you think that things are finally turning around and we begin to see a light at the end of the tunnel, remember, Jesus is that light. When the wheat is threshed and the tares are separated, which we can see happening in real time, we know our redemption is near. While we wait, continue to praise God and thank Him for your salvation. There is no sweeter gift than what our Savior has given us. Do you remember the song we sang as children? If you went to Sunday school, you probably sang it. Even as an adult, we should sing that song every day. 

Praise ye the Lord, hallelujah. Praise ye the Lord, hallelujah. Praise ye the Lord, Hallelujah. Praise ye the Lord.

Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul. While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being. Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. Psalms 146:1-3

October 12, 2025

As we approach the conclusion of the Book of Psalms, we can see that those who compiled them were intentional in their order and listened carefully to the Holy Spirit as he guided them in their placement. The previous five chapters were psalms of prayer, followed by six psalms of praise to finish out the book. If the Psalms were a story of our life and we were in our final days, like the Psalms, our life should be filled with prayer and praise as a precursor or practice of what is to come in the afterlife. Worshipping and praising God is not hard; as a matter of fact, it is the easiest thing we can do, and it comes naturally to those who love Him. 

One of my favorite places to be is the beach. When I am there, I can immerse myself in God's presence and offer Him heartfelt and unhindered praise. Something about the waves crashing, the vastness of the sea, the birds freely skimming the waters, that helps me open my heart to Him. Whether it is your prayer closet, the forest, or, like me, the beach, find a place where you can concentrate on Him and give Him what He desires, our complete, unencumbered attention, where we open our hearts in prayer and praise to the One who holds our entire existence in His hands. Whatever is in your heart should be outwardly expressed, or it is not the truth. He deserves every ounce of worship we can utter. Make Him the center of your life, and everything else will fall into place. 

The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; Psalms 145:9-11

October 11, 2025

If you are like me, your idea of who God is depends on what’s going on in your life. Some days, He’s a comforting Father holding you in His arms and quieting your spirit within you. Other days, He’s a fierce warrior, standing with you, helping you fight, and encouraging you when you are in the midst of battles. If you’re not running to Him for every occasion, how do you manage this life? I can’t help it; whether dealing with family or foe, crying out to Him in troubled times is automatic. Does he come to mind when you’re being crushed? Are you including Him in both the good times and the trying times? Share every part of your life with Him; He’s waiting for your attention and expecting you to come to Him for help. He is our rock and fortress, our shield and high tower; no one is more available than He is. Make Him your first thought when the arrows fly, whether friendly fire or enemy combatants. He wants to be our go-to for everything. People whose God is the Lord are the happiest; I can attest to that truth.

A Psalm of David. Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight: My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me. LORD, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! orthe son of man, that thou makest account of him! Psalms 144:1-3

Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD. Psalms 144:15

October 10, 2025

God is your source for everything. David, who was on the run, likely absconding from Saul, hid in a cave. His friends had abandoned him, and he had no human to turn to for comfort, so, knowing where his help comes from, he turned to God. We sometimes find ourselves in need of support, but it is not always convenient or even appropriate for us to reach out to others for help. Even if we did, most people have their own problems to deal with and are not always available. There was a time when, like David, I felt abandoned by my friends, church people, and my only help came from the Lord. But know this, there wasn’t anyone who could have helped me the way God did. Don’t wait until you are at your lowest; solidify a relationship with the Almighty now, so that if ever there comes a time when your friends fail you, know that you will never find a friend who has all the resources God has. 

When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me. I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul. I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou artmy refuge and my portion in the land of the living. Psalms 142:3-5

October 9, 2025

As a Christ follower, you have more enemies now than when you were of the world. Traps are set, just waiting for you to make a wrong move so they can blast your impropriety all over social media in the hopes of embarrassing God. When David was running from Saul, he prayed that he wouldn't fall into a trap; we should also pray that God will keep us out of the enemy's traps. Not only that, but David asked God to help him keep control of his own mouth; we would all do well to pray that way, too. Things aren't always going to go our way, but if we stay in touch with God and voice our concerns to Him, He will hear us and send His hedge of protection. Remember, every day is renewed and another chance to walk upright and in righteousness, reach out to God as often as you should, and ask Him to incline His ear to hear your request for His intervention and protect you from the enemy's snare.

But mine eyes are unto thee, O GOD the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute. Keep me from the snares which they have laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity. Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal escape. Psalms 141:8-10

October 8, 2025

When we honor God and put Him at the top of our list, we can count on His protection. That doesn't mean things won't go wrong, but it does mean that because your heart and soul belong to Him, He will preserve them. When we reach out to God with our request, it's okay to ask that our enemy receive what they justly deserve. David poured out his heart in prayers and songs for God's intervention, and he wasn't afraid to pray condemnation upon those who sought to destroy him. 

Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again. Psalms 140:10

Is it vengeance to pray like that? We are not seeking revenge of our own, but asking God to take control and help us to break free from our enemy's stronghold. When Satan is driving someone, I believe it is our duty to seek God and ask him to alter the course of events and surround us with his fortress. 

Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings. Psalms 140:4

October 7, 2025

Spending a weekend with my daughters and having quality time with them made me realize that our children keep a lot from us. They told me stories of situations they’ve been in that you wouldn’t wish anyone to go through. You can never protect your children enough, so for those who criticize helicopter parents, you should probably zip it! We must never stop praying for them; when we turn them loose in the world, our only hope is for God’s protection. Tell them about Jesus, teach them His ways, so that when they are in situations that we cannot control, we can be assured that God will cover their hearts, rendering any damage done to them powerless, because their strength comes from Him. I know it seems weird, but we should praise Him for whatever happens to us, whether good or bad, because those experiences shape us into an image of beauty. Imagine never being challenged and having an easy life; how could we ever feel God rejoicing over us with singing when He scoops us into His arms and comforts us after we fall? If every day were just roses and butterflies, we might not love Him the way we do. One day it will be roses and butterflies, but we will have already decided to love Him with all our hearts, and He will take us to live with Him for eternity. 

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me. The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands. Psalms 138:7-8

October 6, 2025

It is essential that we remember the trials and tribulations from our past and worship and praise God for our deliverance from evil. Psalms 137 is in memory of the captivity in Babylon. Through this song, we can understand the difficulties faced by the children of Israel, who were exiled there, and their captors pressing them to sing to them a sacred song meant for worshipping God! 

For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. Psalms 137:3

It is also a reminder that even though they settled in as servants of the Babylonians, they were still treated harshly and endured disturbing atrocities, as noted by the end of this psalm, where they seem to expect God’s vengeance upon the Babylonians by treating their babies the way their children had been treated; it paints a horrific image.

Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones. Psalms 137:9

Although our country appears to be all about freedom, we must wonder who is truly free. It seems to me that the only ones free are the vile that run rampant. Who really is the Statue of Liberty, as seen with its chain broken off its foot? With my eyes wide open, I see a man who looks an awful lot like several paintings I’ve seen depicting Satan. History is not what we’ve been told. I concur with the captives of Babylon and wait patiently for the vengeance on those who claim we have freedom while continuing to press us down with heavy weights. 

To end this devotional on a positive note, we look to God for our freedom and find it within ourselves through the comfort of the Holy Spirit, who lifts our countenance and reminds us of the goodness of God’s grace. Find your freedom in Jesus, who sets us free from all the hostility of this world and leads us into the promised land of eternal life with him as King and conqueror over all evil.