APRIL 21, 2026

  "But if God be for you, who can be against you? Are all of them together stronger than God? O be not weary of well doing!” 

― John Wesley

2 SAMUEL 1-3

1The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time. David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker(3:1)

LUKE 18:1-27

1Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

4“For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’ ”

6And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

JOURNAL 

Following the death of King Saul, one might reasonably expect that David’s rise to the throne would unfold smoothly. Instead, what followed was a prolonged season of conflict. The struggle between his house and Saul’s did not weaken him. It strengthened him. The resistance, the waiting, the uncertainty all became the very things that formed his character and deepened his capacity to lead.

There is a pattern here that is easy to miss but impossible to ignore once seen. Growth is often forged in tension, not comfort. Strength is not built in ease but in endurance.

This same truth shows up in the teaching of Jesus through the story of the persistent widow. Her strength was not in power or position but in refusal to quit. She kept showing up. She kept asking. She kept pressing forward. That kind of persistence reveals something deeper than determination. It reveals belief. It shows a heart convinced that what it is pursuing matters enough to keep going.

That is the posture we are called to live with. Not passive. Not distracted. Not easily discouraged. But steady, focused, and anchored in faith.

The world often points us in a different direction. It tells us the goal is comfort. That we are working toward a life where struggle disappears and ease takes over. But that vision falls short of what we were created for. We are not designed for a life of avoidance. We are built for engagement. For meaningful effort. For stepping into problems and bringing light, truth, and love into them.

There is rest, yes. There is peace. But those are not the destination. They are the byproduct of walking closely with God. They are found along the way, not at the end of escape from difficulty.

What sustains us is not the absence of hardship but the presence of God within it. Even in the darkest valleys, there is a steady reassurance that we are not alone. That we are being led, shaped, and strengthened.

A life of faith is not about coasting. It is about showing up with courage. Continuing when it would be easier to stop. Trusting that every challenge carries purpose. And believing that through it all, God is forming something deeper, stronger, and more aligned with who we were created to be.

Trust in the Lord and do good. Dwell where you are planted. Find your joy in Him. And trust that what He is shaping in you is far greater than what comfort alone could ever produce.

 

3Trust in the Lord and do good;

dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

4Take delight in the Lord,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

PSALM 37:3-4

APRIL 20, 2026

  “The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress and grow.” 

― Thomas Paine

1 SAMUEL 30-31

3When David and his men reached Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. 4So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. 5David’s two wives had been captured—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 6David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God.(30:3-6)

LUKE 17:20-37

20Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, 21nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”^c

JOURNAL 

David’s strength was never rooted in circumstances going his way or in the approval of the people around him. It was anchored in something deeper. When everything collapsed and the people closest to him turned against him, he reached a point where there was nothing left to rely on externally. That is where his true foundation was revealed. Instead of giving in to fear or bitterness, he turned inward and upward and found strength in God.

There is something powerful about that moment. It shows that real strength is often uncovered when everything else is stripped away. When there is no applause, no visible path forward, and no control left to grasp, what remains is what we actually trust. David did not just believe in God when life made sense. He leaned into Him when life fell apart.

This kind of faith is not built in comfort. It is formed in tension, in loss, and in uncertainty. It is the quiet decision to trust that God is present and working even when nothing around you reflects it. That is where endurance is born. That is where confidence begins to take root, not in outcomes but in the character of God.

The reality of God’s kingdom is not something that always shows up in visible or dramatic ways. It is often experienced internally as strength, clarity, peace, and resolve in the middle of chaos. It is the steady assurance that you are not alone and that your life is held together by something far greater than what you can see.

Because of that, there is no need to retreat when things get difficult. There is no need to give up when circumstances turn. The same God who sustained David is present now, offering that same strength and stability. Even in failure, even in doubt, He remains faithful. He restores, renews, and continues to walk with us.

This changes how we live. It replaces fear with courage and hesitation with action. It calls us to step forward with confidence, not because we control the outcome, but because we trust the One who does. It reminds us that nothing we face has the power to separate us from His love, and that truth alone is enough to carry us through anything.

31What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;

we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”^j

37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^k neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

ROMANS 8:31-39

APRIL 19, 2026

 “Passion. It lies in all of us. Sleeping... waiting... and though unwanted, unbidden, it will stir... open its jaws and howl. It speaks to us... guides us. Passion rules us all. And we obey. What other choice do we have? Passion is the source of our finest moments. The joy of love... the clarity of hatred... the ecstasy of grief. It hurts sometimes more than we can bear. If we could live without passion, maybe we'd know some kind of peace. But we would be hollow. Empty rooms, shuttered and dank. Without passion, we'd be truly dead.”

― Joss Whedon

1 SAMUEL 27-29

4But the Philistine commanders were angry with Achish and said, “Send the man back, that he may return to the place you assigned him. He must not go with us into battle, or he will turn against us during the fighting. How better could he regain his master’s favor than by taking the heads of our own men? 5Isn’t this the David they sang about in their dances:

“ ‘Saul has slain his thousands,

and David his tens of thousands’?”

6So Achish called David and said to him, “As surely as the Lord lives, you have been reliable, and I would be pleased to have you serve with me in the army. From the day you came to me until today, I have found no fault in you, but the rulers don’t approve of you. 7Now turn back and go in peace; do nothing to displease the Philistine rulers.”

8“But what have I done?” asked David. “What have you found against your servant from the day I came to you until now? Why can’t I go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”

9Achish answered, “I know that you have been as pleasing in my eyes as an angel of God; nevertheless, the Philistine commanders have said, ‘He must not go up with us into battle.’ 10Now get up early, along with your master’s servants who have come with you, and leave in the morning as soon as it is light.”

11So David and his men got up early in the morning to go back to the land of the Philistines, and the Philistines went up to Jezreel.(29:4-11)

LUKE 17:1-19

5The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”

6He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.

JOURNAL 

What is so compelling about David is the intensity and completeness with which he lives. He does nothing halfway. Whatever the moment demands, he is fully present in it. When he is desperate, he does not just react, he embodies it, even to the point of appearing like a madman. When he is courageous, he does not hesitate, he runs toward a giant with nothing but a sling and faith in God. When he leads, he is decisive and thorough. When he worships, he does so with such freedom and abandon that others mock him, yet he remains unmoved. His passion consistently outweighs his pride.

David lives with a single-minded and wholehearted focus. His heart is not divided. He gives himself fully to each moment whether it is battle, leadership, repentance, or praise. This kind of undivided life reflects the heart of a true king and reveals a man aligned with the purposes of God.

At one of the most unusual points in his story, David aligns himself with the Philistines. It is a strange and tension-filled season where the former enemy becomes a trusted ally. His presence becomes so significant that the Philistine leaders grow uneasy and begin to question his loyalty. Even in this uncertain space, David remains effective, leading with strength and wisdom and earning both respect and caution from those around him.

This all-in way of living is part of what set David apart as a man after God’s own heart. He was not perfect, but he was never indifferent. He did not live with half measures. He loved deeply, struggled openly, failed honestly, repented sincerely, and worshiped passionately.

This kind of life challenges us. It shows what it looks like to be fully alive in God. We are called into that same kind of engagement, not necessarily through dramatic moments, but through faithfulness in the everyday.

Wake up each morning with intention. Do not drift through your day. Step into it with purpose. Give your full effort to what God has placed before you. Whether it is leading your family, doing your work, creating something meaningful, serving others, or simply being present, do it with energy, hope, and passion.

Hold nothing back. This is the life of faith. This is the life David modeled. It is a life marked by fullness, boldness, and an undivided heart committed to God in all things.

 31So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

1 CORINTHIANS 10:31

APRIL 18, 2026

  “It is a denial of the divinity within us to doubt our potential and our possibilities.” 

― James E. Faust

1 SAMUEL 25-26

21Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. Because you considered my life precious today, I will not try to harm you again. Surely I have acted like a fool and have been terribly wrong.”

22“Here is the king’s spear,” David answered. “Let one of your young men come over and get it. 23The Lord rewards everyone for their righteousness and faithfulness. The Lord delivered you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. 24As surely as I valued your life today, so may the Lord value my life and deliver me from all trouble.”

25Then Saul said to David, “May you be blessed, David my son; you will do great things and surely triumph.” So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.(25:17-25)

LUKE 16:19-31

19“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.20At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

22“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

25“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

27“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’

29“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’

30“ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

31“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”

JOURNAL 

There’s so much here, I feel like I could reflect on it for days. David’s story offers such a raw, honest glimpse into the chaos of life. He makes some serious mistakes—he creates messes of his own, and he’s caught up in Saul’s as well. And yet, through it all, David keeps pursuing God. Even when he strays, he returns to obedience, to humility. He’s far from perfect, but it’s that very humility that God uses—not just to shape David, but to draw others, ultimately leading him to become Israel’s greatest king.

What makes a life truly great isn’t the absence of trouble or the perfection of our circumstances. It’s our heart. It’s humility. It’s obedience to God. He takes the messes we make and, somehow, crafts something beautiful and meaningful out of them. What we see as broken or shameful, He sees as full of potential and beauty.

Maybe that’s why scripture warns us not to fear, and why timidity is so strongly cautioned against. It can look like humility on the surface, but at its core, it’s often a refusal to trust God. God is no stranger to mistakes—He works through them all the time. But timidity is different. It withholds. It pulls back. It disengages. And in doing so, it limits what God can do through us.

Every morning I wake up, God is affirming my life. He’s trusting me with another day—another chance to live, to represent Him, and to reflect His heart to the world. And honestly, too often I overlook that. Too often I take it for granted or hold back instead of giving my best.

Father, thank You for another day. Thank You for believing in me, for trusting me to carry Your name in this world. Help me live like it’s the honor it truly is.

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 

REVELATION 3:15-16

APRIL 17, 2026

 

“A great man is always willing to be little.”   

- Ralph Waldo Emmerson

1 SAMUEL 22-24

1David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and his father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there. 2All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their commander. About four hundred men were with him...

LUKE 16:1-18

14The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. 15He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.

JOURNAL

So Mighty David has blown it. Game over...how can he ever recover? Saul is chasing him and wants to kill him. He has sacrificed his integrity and lied to the priest at Nob. He has acted like a fool and a madman in order to escape his enemies. He has nowhere else to turn so he goes out and hides in a cave. 

One of my favorite passages in the Bible is " 2All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their commander." I wonder if God in all his glory is sitting back watching and at this point in the story says "Now he is ready...". I kinda think he does. Facscinating that it wasn't the slaying of Goliath or the numerous military victories or the security of being accepted into Saul's family that signaled David being ready to lead...but rather being stripped of all that honor and hiding in a cave. 

I think Jesus speaks to this when he condemns the pharisees for wanting to "justify themselves in the eyes of others". David has definitely blown it from a worldly perspective, however he is humbled and finally in a position where God is all he has, where justifying himself is impossible. Gone is the glory of Goliath, gone is his friendship with Jonathan, gone is all the comfort and security of the royal palace. 

David is back to the lonely place where it all started, out by himself with nothing but God. We don't have a record of what happened from the time he went to the cave to the time his family and others came to him. However, Psalm 57 is an indication of what was going on spiritually at this time in his life.  I can only imagine that some of his most honest moments were during this period. When he had to come to terms with all that he had lost...but the fact remained that all of that really no longer mattered because in the end he had God.

I love that God used David's weakness to bring him those who could identify with failure and their own sin.  Here again God's message is never about how you can make a great life for yourself...but rather how he will bring redemption to our hearts and this therefore becomes our greatest treasure.

1Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,

for in you I take refuge.

I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings

until the disaster has passed.

2I cry out to God Most High,

to God, who vindicates me.

3He sends from heaven and saves me,

rebuking those who hotly pursue me—^c

God sends forth his love and his faithfulness.

4I am in the midst of lions;

I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—

men whose teeth are spears and arrows,

whose tongues are sharp swords.

5Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;

let your glory be over all the earth.

6They spread a net for my feet—

I was bowed down in distress.

They dug a pit in my path—

but they have fallen into it themselves.

7My heart, O God, is steadfast,

my heart is steadfast;

I will sing and make music.

8Awake, my soul!

Awake, harp and lyre!

I will awaken the dawn.

9I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;

I will sing of you among the peoples.

10For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;

your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

11Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;

let your glory be over all the earth.

PSALM 57