Breaking Through Stubbornness | 1 Samuel 8:19-20
The Daily Devotional by Vince Miller
Release Date: 07/05/2024
The Daily Devotional by Vince Miller
Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Read more about and partner with us as we teach every verse of the Bible on video. Our text today is Judges 19:16-23. “And behold, an old man was coming from his work in the field at evening. The man was from the hill country of Ephraim, and he was sojourning in Gibeah. The men of the place were Benjaminites. And he lifted up his eyes and saw the traveler in the open square of the city. And the old man said, ‘Where are you going, and where do you come from?’ He said to him, ‘We are passing...
info_outlineThe Daily Devotional by Vince Miller
Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Read more about and partner with us as we teach every verse of the Bible on video. Our text today is . This story forces us to look beyond names and appearances. Israel still carries God’s name, but their hearts are far from Him. It’s the same challenge for us today—to be a people whose lives reflect the heart of the God we proclaim. “But the man would not spend the night; he rose up and departed and arrived opposite Jebus (that is, Jerusalem). He had with him a couple of...
info_outlineThe Daily Devotional by Vince Miller
Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Read more about and partner with us as we teach every verse of the Bible on video. Our text today is . “And his father-in-law, the girl’s father, made him stay, and he remained with him three days. So they ate and drank and spent the night there. And on the fourth day they arose early in the morning, and he prepared to go, but the girl’s father said to his son-in-law, ‘Strengthen your heart with a morsel of bread, and after that you may go.’ So the two of them sat and...
info_outlineThe Daily Devotional by Vince Miller
Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Read more about and partner with us as we teach every verse of the Bible on video. Our text today is . This isn’t just another story—it’s a wake-up call. The Levite’s failure reminds us how quickly spiritual leaders can drift from conviction to compromise. God is looking for men and women who will not only know His Word but live it, defend it, and pass it on with courage. In those days, when there was no king in Israel, a certain Levite was sojourning in the remote parts...
info_outlineThe Daily Devotional by Vince Miller
Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Read more about and partner with us as we teach every verse of the Bible on video. Our text today is . And the people of Dan set up the carved image for themselves, and Jonathan the son of Gershom, son of Moses, and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day of the captivity of the land. So they set up Micah's carved image that he made, as long as the house of God was at Shiloh. — The tribe of Dan ends their story with idols, not inheritance. They set...
info_outlineThe Daily Devotional by Vince Miller
Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Read more about and partner with us as we teach every verse of the Bible on video. Our text today is . And the people of Dan said to him, “Do not let your voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows fall upon you, and you lose your life with the lives of your household.” Then the people of Dan went their way. And when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his home. But the people of Dan took what Micah had made, and the priest who belonged to...
info_outlineThe Daily Devotional by Vince Miller
Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Read more about and partner with us as we teach every verse of the Bible on video. And Merry Christmas to you all. Our text today is . So they turned and departed, putting the little ones and the livestock and the goods in front of them. When they had gone a distance from the home of Micah, the men who were in the houses near Micah's house were called out, and they overtook the people of Dan. And they shouted to the people of Dan, who turned around and said to Micah,...
info_outlineThe Daily Devotional by Vince Miller
Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Read more about and partner with us as we teach every verse of the Bible on video. And Merry Christmas to you all. Our text today is . So 600 men of the tribe of Dan, armed with weapons of war, set out from Zorah and Eshtaol, and went up and encamped at Kiriath-jearim in Judah. On this account that place is called Mahaneh-dan to this day; behold, it is west of Kiriath-jearim. And they passed on from there to the hill country of Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah....
info_outlineThe Daily Devotional by Vince Miller
Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Our shout-out today goes to Scott Kacos and family. Thank you so much for partnering with us on We cannot do this without you. This is for you today. Our text today is Judges 18:7-10. Then the five men departed and came to Laish and saw the people who were there, how they lived in security, after the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and unsuspecting, lacking nothing that is in the earth and possessing wealth, and how they were far from the Sidonians and had no dealings with anyone. And when...
info_outlineThe Daily Devotional by Vince Miller
Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Read more about and partner with us as we teach every verse of the Bible on video. Our text today is . So the people of Dan sent five able men from the whole number of their tribe, from Zorah and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land and to explore it. And they said to them, “Go and explore the land.” And they came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there. When they were by the house of Micah, they recognized the voice of the young Levite. And they...
info_outlineHave personal insecurities made you stubborn and unreceptive to God's plan?
Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.
This week, we are in 1 Samuel 8. I've titled this chapter "When Our Insecurities Define Us."
Today, our text is 1 Samuel 8:19-20, which reads:
But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, “No! But there shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” — 1 Samuel 8:19-20
This is a powerful example of human stubbornness. The Israelites, despite being warned, demanded a king. Samuel had clarified the consequences, but they refused to listen. They so desperately wanted to be like other nations that they ignored the wisdom of God’s messenger because their hearts were set on their desires.
How often do we find ourselves in similar situations?
We might not be desperate for a king, but we have all stubbornly pursued our plans. Like Clark Griswold, we have our ideas about our vacations and want them to go our way. Only when our way disappoints do we see the situation in another way.
Being less trivial, we have all been stubborn at some point. We have all ignored the truth of Scripture, the wisdom of godly counsel, and the nudge of the Holy Spirit. Then our hearts become hardened, and the truth will not seep in. Therefore, we miss and dismiss the warning that directs us to the path of truth.
This situation reminds us of how stubborn we can all be, and sometimes, we need to examine our hearts. Sometimes, we need to spade the hardened soil of our hearts and become receptive to God, wise men, wisdom, and truth.
Take a moment today to seek God’s wisdom in any area where you’ve been stubborn. Pray for the humility to listen and the courage to follow God's guidance. Share your reflections with a friend and invite them to walk with you in this new experience of faith.
#GodsPlan #Insecurities #SpiritualGrowth
Ask This:
How can identifying and addressing my personal insecurities help me become more receptive to God's guidance in my life?
Reflecting on a recent situation where I've been stubborn, what steps can I take to cultivate a spirit of humility and openness to God's plan moving forward?
Do This:
Share an insecurity and get wisdom from a godly friend.
Pray This:
Father, help me to recognize and confront the insecurities that hinder my trust in Your perfect plan. Grant me humility and wisdom to surrender my stubbornness and follow Your guidance wholeheartedly. Amen.
Play This:
Come To The Table.