A Wake Up Call From Saul's Fall | 1 Samuel 28:20-25
Vince Miller Podcast
Have you ever fallen flat on your face? Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller. In this chapter, King Saul is at rock bottom. He’s been abandoned by God, tormented by fear, and reduced to consulting a witch. His desperation is matched only by his hopelessness when Samuel’s spirit tells him the worst: there’s no escape. Tomorrow’s battle will end in his death. Here is how he responds to the news in : Then Saul fell at once full length on the ground, filled with fear because of the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten nothing all day and all...
info_outline
Four Questions When God Doesn’t Answer | 1 Samuel 28:8-9
Vince Miller Podcast
Is God not answering? Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller. King Saul is freaked out right now. God is not answering, and this is what he decides to do. : So Saul disguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, “Divine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you.” The woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the necromancers from the land. Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death?” — ...
info_outline
Consulting the Wrong Medium | 1 Samuel 28:6-7
Vince Miller Podcast
Are you talking with the wrong people? Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller. King Saul is freaked out right now. He glared down at an inevitable war with his two great enemies, Achish and David. And in his despair, he will do exactly what he shouldn't. Let's read verses 6-7: And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets. Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, there is a medium at En-dor.” — ...
info_outline
Grab Hold | 1 Samuel 28:3-5
Vince Miller Podcast
Are you in a mess? Maybe it is time to reach out for help. Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller. At the beginning of Chapter 28, we got a snapshot of what was going on with Achish (the Philistine King) and David, who were planning to go to war with Israel. But for much of the rest of the chapter, we are going to jump to King Saul, and we are going to see a spiritual downward spiral that is demonic. This has been the trajectory of his life and legacy, so let's see what happens first in verses 3-5: Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own...
info_outline
Cornered by Deception | 1 Samuel 28:1-2
Vince Miller Podcast
Are you cornered by a deception? Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller. Today, we begin . This chapter is interesting, to say the least. For the most part this paints a final picture of the downward progression of Saul. But before we get to that we see one more glimpse of David and Achish as they prepare to go to war with Israel together! Here are verses 1-2: In those days the Philistines gathered their forces for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, “Understand that you and your men are to go out with me in the army.” David said to Achish, “Very well, you...
info_outline
Perceptions and Deceptions | 1 Samuel 27:12
Vince Miller Podcast
Is another's misconception your deception? Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller. Here is the final verse in : And Achish trusted David, thinking, “He has made himself an utter stench to his people Israel; therefore he shall always be my servant.” — Achish was convinced that David had turned his back on Israel, pledging allegiance to him for life. But David hadn’t abandoned his people, faith, or God. But he was navigating a tight spot he got himself into. David’s “deepfake” was a carefully crafted illusion that walked a fine line given the expanse of...
info_outline
When Skill Becomes A Snare | 1 Samuel 27:10-11
Vince Miller Podcast
What happens when skill becomes a snare? Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller. David is currently residing in Philistine territory under the shield of Achish, and he is battling enemies of Israel that Saul has left unaddressed. But listen to this interaction with David and Achish in : When Achish asked, “Where have you made a raid today?” David would say, “Against the Negeb of Judah,” or, “Against the Negeb of the Jerahmeelites,” or, “Against the Negeb of the Kenites.” And David would leave neither man nor woman alive to bring news to Gath, thinking, “lest they...
info_outline
Never Idle In The Land Between | 1 Samuel 27:8-9
Vince Miller Podcast
Waiting doesn’t mean wasting time. Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller. David is currently residing in Philistine territory and the enemy king Achish gave him and his army a city called Ziklag where they resided which was right on the border of Philistine and Israelite territory, and here is what happened in the 16 months they resided here: But for today, let's dive into : Now David and his men went up and made raids against the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites, for these were the inhabitants of the land from of old, as far as Shur, to the land of Egypt. And David...
info_outline
Life in the Land Between | 1 Samuel 27:5-7
Vince Miller Podcast
Are you in the "land between"? Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller. We want you to live all in and know, grow, and go with Jesus every day. Check out the show that dropped yesterday on . This might be a helpful video if you have been trying to figure out how to do this. Also, we are just a few chapters away from finishing 1 Samuel. So, I want to prepare you for our next book. We are moving to the New Testament and will start the new year with the ! So go to our website and get the for this book. There is a below the video or in the show notes. But for...
info_outline
The New Ideological Battle | 1 Samuel 27:3-4
Vince Miller Podcast
Don't let secular ideologies erode your faith. Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller. We want you to live all in and know, grow, and go with Jesus every day. Check out the show that dropped yesterday on . This might be a helpful video if you have been trying to figure out how to do this. Also, we are just a few chapters away from finishing 1 Samuel. So, I want to prepare you for our next book. We are moving to the New Testament and will start the new year with the ! So go to our website and get the for this book. There is a below the video or in the show...
info_outlineAre you cornered by a deception?
Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.
Today, we begin 1 Samuel 28. This chapter is interesting, to say the least. For the most part this paints a final picture of the downward progression of Saul. But before we get to that we see one more glimpse of David and Achish as they prepare to go to war with Israel together! Here are verses 1-2:
In those days the Philistines gathered their forces for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, “Understand that you and your men are to go out with me in the army.” David said to Achish, “Very well, you shall know what your servant can do.” And Achish said to David, “Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.” — 1 Samuel 28:1-2
Here, we learn that David might be too clever and cunning. His deepfake is so convincing to the enemy king that he is convinced David should be chief of his secret service detail for life. David has overplayed his hand and now backed himself into his own corner, as he is compelled to wage war against his own people.
This is the problem with deception. The storyline must be developed; otherwise, the initial deception falls apart. This means one deception must be built on another and another. If a construction is too perfect, like David, you risk overplaying your hand and cornering yourself.
Later in this chapter, David will find a way out of this situation, but in the meantime, we are left wondering, and so is David.
When you are in a compromising position, the best thing to do is to be honest and not practice to deceive. Otherwise, the situation will become more complicated, and the deceptive storyline will become more challenging to maintain.
Is it time to stop your deception and come out from hiding?
#IntegrityMatters, #TruthOverDeception, #FaithfulLoyalty
Ask This:
- When have you relied on deception to avoid conflict, and what consequences followed?
- How does choosing honesty, even when risky, shape your character?
Do This:
Stop being deceptive.
Pray This:
Lord, help me walk in truth, even when it’s hard or costly. Keep me from the traps of deception and make me trustworthy in all things. Amen.
Play This:
The Struggle.