After the servant‘s wise supplication and Abigail‘s grace-filled conversation with David, we return to Nabal, who remains as obliviousever as he indulges in gluttony and drunkenness. - P118
He serves as a tragicontrast to the other three characters who fear God and welcome thhelp of those around them. - P118
So when Abigail tells him all that transpired, he "becomes like a stone," most likely meaning that he sufferedstroke. - P118
May Nabal serve as a cautionary tale to us. We can avoid fallininto selfishness, isolation, and foolishness by continually depending ofGod‘s words and our church community. - P118
We must also routinely repent for we know that even the most seemingly innocuous sins can cause to harden our hearts. - P118
When David hears of Nabal‘s death, he praises God who dealt with hisenemy and kept him from committing sin. - P118
While we cannot controlwhat God will do with our enemies, we can ask Him to guard ourhearts from bitter and vengeful inclinations, trusting that He will han-dle our battles for us. - P118
And in the end, we see God‘s bounty of blessingsfor David and Abigail. - P118
Though Saul took David‘s first wife, Michal, awayfrom him, David marries a godly woman in Abigail. Abigail, whowas once married to a fool, now marries the Lord‘s anointed. - P118
When weexercise wisdom, God can use us as agents of peace and He also provides for us in unexpected ways. - P118
Dear Lord, I pray that You search my heart, exposing my foolishness so that Ican confess my sins unto You. - P119
Turn my foolishness into wisdom so that I canenjoy peace others and experience Your perfect provision for me. In Jesus‘ name, amen. - P119
In an article on conversational prayer, Christian apologist Greg Kouklencourages his readers to use the SIP acronym when praying: pray specifically, intelligibly, and persuasively. - P115
The first two adverbs certainlyhelp guard against rambling, which most of us have been guilty of atsome point in our prayers. - P115
But what about persuasively? That wordmay throw forus a loop when it comes to prayer. It may even seeminappropriate. But when we look at the great prayers of the Bible, wecertainly notice boldness and persuasiveness on display in Daniel‘sprayer for Israel in Daniel 9, Moses‘s various prayers, and Abraham‘sprayer for Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 18. - P115
[NIV] 1 The Ziphites went to Saul at Gibeah and said "Is not David hiding on the hill of Hakilah, which facesJeshimon?" - P120
8 Abishai said to David, "Today God has delivered yourinto yourhands. Now let me pin him to theenemyground with one thrust of the spear; I won‘t strike himtwice." 9 But David said to Abishai, "Don‘t destroy him! Whocan lay a hand on the LORD‘s anointed and be guiltless? ttacking the - P121
9 But David said to Abishai, "Don‘t destroy him! Wholay a hand on the LORD‘s anointed and be guiltless? 10 As surely as the LORD lives," he said, "the LORD himself will strike him, or his time will come and he will die,or he willgo into battle and perish. - P121
11 But the LORD forbid that I should lay a hand on theLORD‘S anointed. Now getare near his head, and let‘s go." 12 So David took the spear and water jug near Saul‘shead, and they left. No one saw or knew about it, nordid anyone wake up. They were all sleeping, because theLORD had put them into a deep sleep. - P121
Saul goes to the Desert of Ziph to search for David. David learns that Saulhas arrived and goes with Abishai son of Zeruiah to the place where Saul iscamped. - P121
They find Saul lying asleep, and Abishai says that God has deliveredDavid‘s enemy into his hands. But David does not let Abishai kill the Lord‘sanointed. He takes the spear and water jug near Saul‘s head and leaves. - P121
Both Saul and the Ziphites are acting in self-indulgence. - P122
The Ziphitesgladly give up David in hopes of a reward. Saul, who is supposed tofight Israel‘s battles as their king, uses the very resources he has beenentrusted with to fulfill his own sinful agenda. - P122
Blinded by their greed, both parties are not only completely engrossed in pursuing their owngoals, but they go directly against the Lord‘s purpose in their pursuits. - P122
Itis easy to lose sight of God‘s values when we seek to indulge our desires. - P122
We have all seen bugs that fly toward a light as though hypnotized, onlyto be zapped to death. - P122
In the same way, allowing our sinful desires toguide us will lead to a harmful end. - P122
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