When Saul inquired for Samuel, the Lord did not cause Samuel to appear to Saul. He saw nothing. Satan was not allowed to disturb the rest of Samuel in the grave, and bring him up in reality to the witch of Endor. God does not give Satan power to resurrect the dead. But Satan’s angels assume the form of dead friends, and speak and act like them, that through professed dead friends he can the better carry on his work of deception. Satan knew Samuel well, and he knew how to represent him before the witch of Endor, and to utter correctly the fate of Saul and his sons.

Satan will come in a very plausible manner to such as he can deceive, and will insinuate himself into their favor, and lead them almost imperceptibly from God. He wins them under his control, cautiously at first, until their perceptibilities become blunted. Then he will make bolder suggestions, until he can lead them to commit almost any degree of crime. When he has led them fully into his snare, he is then willing that they should see where they are, and he exults in their confusion, as in the case of Saul. He had suffered Satan to lead him a willing captive, and now Satan spreads before Saul a correct description of his fate. By giving Saul a correct statement of his end, through the woman of Endor, Satan opens a way for Israel to be instructed by his satanic cunning, that they may, in their rebellion against God, learn of him, and by thus doing, sever the last link which would hold them to God.

Saul knew that in this last act, of consulting the witch of Endor, he cut the last shred which held him to God. He knew that if he had not before wilfully separated himself from God, this act sealed that separation, and made it final. He had made an agreement with death, and a covenant with hell. The cup of his iniquity was full.26The S.D.A. Bible Commentary 2:1022, 1023.
Conflict and Courage p. 172
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Prayer Requests
—-Urgent prayer request for a very dear friend of mine. she hurt her back badly cant sit stand or walk. M
—-My niece Lindsey had biopsies three days ago for possible uterine cancer and is recovering at home. It went well, but she is in a lot of pain. They made 4 incisions and biopsied 3 places. She has a post op in 2 weeks and at that time we should know if anything else is going on. They said she is the youngest patient they have had in there. She’s only in her late 20s and just had a baby 8 or 9 months ago. Please pray for no cancer! Mary
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Dear Friends,

A few years ago, I was listening to someone was describe his experience of wading in the water of the Gulf of Mexico. It was the first time he had ever been to a body of water large enough to have waves. He said that he didn’t like the way the waves churned up sand from the bottom because it made the water so dirty. As he waded along the shoreline, his legs got covered with a layer of sand. He didn’t like that feeling, so he went out a little farther to wash it off, but the more he tried to rinse the sand off, the more he was covered. It was only after he got completely out of the water and walked over to a fresh water supply that he was able to get that sand off from his legs.

How true that is in our spiritual lives. As we partake of what this world has to offer, we become covered with sin. “We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Isa 64:6 We don’t like our condition and long to be cleansed, but we cannot cleanse ourselves. We may attempt to wash away our iniquities and guilt, but if we don’t let go of our worldly thoughts and habits, we will become more and more covered with the dirt of this world. We can try to clean up the outside, but the inside is still the same.

How much we need the Water of Life Who can make us clean and pure inside and out. He pleads, “Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isa 1:16-18

The disciple John assures us, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 Think of it! There is a way of escape from the sin-grains that cling to us! Our Dear Saviour is “the way, the truth, and the life.” John 14:6 On the way to Gethsemane He prayed, “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth….Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word.” John 17:15-20

May we come to our Loving Saviour for the cleansing that He so freely offers and allow Him to keep us “unspotted from the world” is my prayer. James 1:27

Rose

Source: https://rosesdevotional.org/thats-not-samuel-2.html

The spirit of evil was upon Saul. He felt that his doom had been sealed by the solemn message of his rejection from the throne of Israel. His departure from the plain requirements of God was bringing its sure results. He did not turn, and repent, and humble his heart before God, but opened it to receive every suggestion of the enemy. He listened to every false witness, eagerly receiving anything that was detrimental to the character of David, hoping that he might find an excuse for manifesting his increasing envy and hatred of him who had been anointed to the throne of Israel.

Every rumor was credited, no matter how inconsistent and irreconcilable it was with the former character and custom of David.

Every evidence that the protecting care of God was over David seemed to imbitter and deepen his one engrossing and determined purpose. The failure to accomplish his own designs appeared in marked contrast to the success of the fugitive in eluding his search, but it only made the determination of the king the more unrelenting and firm. He was not careful to conceal his designs toward David, nor scrupulous as to what means should be employed in accomplishing his purpose.

It was not the man David, who had done him no harm, against whom the king was contending. He was in controversy with the King of heaven; for when Satan is permitted to control the mind that will not be ruled by Jehovah, he will lead it according to his will, until the man who is thus in his power becomes an efficient agent to carry out his designs. So bitter is the enmity of the great originator of sin against the purposes of God, so terrible is his power for evil, that when men disconnect from God, Satan influences them, and their minds are brought more and more into subjection, until they cast off the fear of God, and the respect of men, and become bold and avowed enemies of God and of His people…. God hates all sin, and when man persistently refuses all the counsel of heaven, he is left to the deceptions of the enemy.14The S.D.A. Bible Commentary 2:1019.
Conflict and Courage p. 165
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Prayer Requests
—-Asking for prayers for my sister Susie, she’s had 3 back surgeries in a months time. She has an infection in her disc. Please pray for a fast recovery and for her pain to be lifted. Pray for my son too. He has a very hard life and is depressed. Connie
—-Please pray that God will provide for E’s needs. R
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Dear Friends,

Memories. Sometimes just a little thing will trigger them. The past few weeks I’ve been going to a depression and anxiety seminar at our church. I went only because my family felt that I had a lot of anxiety. (The test I took said that I was in danger of having anxiety but did not have it.) As I went through the seminar, memories came back to me that I hadn’t thought of in years. I could feel myself getting in a sad and nostalgic mood that has been hard to shake off. I will be glad when the seminar is over……

We all have those kinds of memories and regrets. We all wish at times that things had been different. Praise God! There will come a time when those memories will not haunt us. All of the sorrow of this world will be a thing of the past. John speaks of this time, “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.” Rev 21:2-5 Precious promise! The Great King of the Universe will personally wipe away all tears from our eyes! Sorrow, sickness, painful memories, and the like will be gone and we will be filled with joy unspeakable.

Peter speaks of the time preceding that wiping away of tears. He says that “the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us–ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; [unexpectedly] in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” 2 Peter 3:7-14

May we “give diligence to make [our] calling and election sure” that we may see God face to face, hear Him as He rejoices over us with singing, and feel His loving embrace is my prayer. 1 Peter 1:10; Zeph 3:17

Rose

Source: https://rosesdevotional.org/no-one-sorry-2.html

When war was declared by Israel against the Philistines, three of the sons of Jesse joined the army under Saul; but David remained at home. After a time, however, he went to visit the camp of Saul. By his father’s direction he was to carry a message and a gift to his elder brothers and to learn if they were still in safety and health…. As David drew near to the army, he heard the sound of commotion, as if an engagement was about to begin….

Goliath, the champion of the Philistines, came forth, and with insulting language defied Israel and challenged them to provide a man from their ranks who would meet him in single combat….

For forty days the host of Israel had trembled before the haughty challenge of the Philistine giant. Their hearts failed within them as they looked upon his massive form, in height measuring six cubits and a span. Upon his head was a helmet of brass, he was clothed with a coat of mail that weighed five thousand shekels, and he had greaves of brass upon his legs. The coat was made of plates of brass that overlaid one another, like the scales of a fish, and they were so closely joined that no dart or arrow could possibly penetrate the armor. At his back the giant bore a huge javelin, or lance, also of brass. “The staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron; and one bearing a shield went before him.” 7Ibid., 644-646.

Israel did not defy Goliath, but Goliath made his proud boasts against God and His people. The defying, the boasting, and the railing must come from the opposers of truth, who act the Goliath. But none of this spirit should be seen in those whom God has sent forth to proclaim the last message of warning to a doomed world.

Goliath trusted in his armor. He terrified the armies of Israel by his defiant, savage boastings, while he made a most imposing display of his armor, which was his strength.8Testimonies for the Church 3:218, 219
Conflict and Courage p. 162
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Prayer Requests
—-prayer request for a church member who fell and broke near her pelvis. she has been having falls a lot lately so far she has broken her foot, now her pelvic and another break some where I cant recall ever since her husband passed away a few months ago she is in her 90’s M
—-Please pray for my husband. He is preaching on the great controversy this Sabbath and Satan has been attacking him. Now he is feeling sick and his knee is causing him a great deal of pain. He can’t get in to the Orthopedic doctor until the 12th. Thank you for your prayers! Kathy
—-My sister Danielle called me yesterday at work and is worried about her health, she already has Ehlers Danlos and heart valve prolapse and now her platelet count is 411k. Normal is considered to be between 100-400k so hers is in the high range. We don’t know what it is yet and she’s scared. She already has a lot on her plate with a mentally and verbally abusive husband and trying to raise a rambunctious 7 year old with ADHD, could you please pray for her physical and also spiritual well-being? David
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Dear Friends,

One day when I was about 17, I was waiting for a bus on the main corners of Kalamazoo, Michigan, my home town. A postcard that I had just written was in my hand as there was no mailbox close by. I was not very happy at the moment as I had just missed my bus and had to wait for the next one. It was a long wait. Before long, my mind was deep in thought and my fingers were busy with the postcard. Rather than tearing the card, those fingers of mine were enjoying its smoothness. They rubbed and rubbed the freshly written card without my realizing it.

At last the bus arrived. I stepped aboard, paid my fare, and found a seat. It was only then that I looked at what used to be my postcard. I had rubbed it so vigorously, that it had split into three layers: the picture side, the message side, and an inner layer. I was shocked! That postcard that I had written so carefully was good for nothing but to be thrown away.

How easy it is to get so wrapped up in our own little world, that we do not realize what we are doing just as I didn’t realize what my fingers were doing to that postcard. How easy it is to go through a day, a week, a lifetime in our own little routine with very few thoughts heavenward, not realizing that we are speeding toward the end of all things, every day going faster and faster, more and more out of control. How true is David’s description, “The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” Ps 14:2,3

We cannot save ourselves any more than I could put that postcard back together so long ago. No matter how hard we try to conform to God’s law outwardly, our efforts will “split apart” in our hands unless there is an inward change of heart. Isaiah tells us, “we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” “The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.” Isa 64:6; 1:5,6

Our Dear Saviour pleads, “Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die?” Eze 33:11 “There is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” Isa 45:21,22 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Matt 11:28,29

May we run, as a trusting child, to our Loving Redeemer’s outstretched arms, that we may receive the pardon and cleansing we so desperately need is my prayer. (1 John 1:9-2:1)

Rose

Source: https://rosesdevotional.org/human-boasting-2.html