The Shift: Part 1

Chasing God, Not Approval

Thrones by Vance K. Jackson

The Comeback Part 2

Someone Else's World

The Take Off: Launching Into God’s Purpose

How Sweet the Sound

Building Better Devotions

15 Minute Daily Reading Plan

Our God Who Pursues: Guiding Us Back to Him

The Listener’s Bible®: NIV Edition

New International Version™  (Anglicised), Audio Edition

Holy Bible, New International Version™ (Anglicised), South Asian Audio Edition

<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bk1CH">
 <div class="chapter ch10" data-usfm="1CH.10">
 <div class="label">10</div><div class="s1">Saul Takes His Life</div><div class="p"> 1Now the Philistines fought against Israel; the Israelites fled before them, and many fell dead on Mount Gilboa. 2The Philistines were in hot pursuit of Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua. 3The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded him.</div><div class="p"> 4Saul said to his armor-bearer, &#8220;Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and abuse me.&#8221;</div><div class="p">But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it. 5When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died. 6So Saul and his three sons died, and all his house died together.</div><div class="p"> 7When all the Israelites in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their towns and fled. And the Philistines came and occupied them.</div><div class="p"> 8The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9They stripped him and took his head and his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news among their idols and their people. 10They put his armor in the temple of their gods and hung up his head in the temple of Dagon.</div><div class="p"> 11When all the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12all their valiant men went and took the bodies of Saul and his sons and brought them to Jabesh. Then they buried their bones under the great tree in Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.</div><div class="p"> 13Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord; he did not keep the word of the Lord and even consulted a medium for guidance, 14and did not inquire of the Lord. So the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bk1CH">
 <div class="chapter ch11" data-usfm="1CH.11">
 <div class="label">11</div><div class="s1">David Becomes King Over Israel</div><div class="p"> 1All Israel came together to David at Hebron and said, &#8220;We are your own flesh and blood. 2In the past, even while Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lord your God said to you, &#8216;You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 3When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, he made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel, as the Lord had promised through Samuel.</div><div class="s1">David Conquers Jerusalem</div><div class="p"> 4David and all the Israelites marched to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus). The Jebusites who lived there 5said to David, &#8220;You will not get in here.&#8221; Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion&#8212;which is the City of David.</div><div class="p"> 6David had said, &#8220;Whoever leads the attack on the Jebusites will become commander in chief.&#8221; Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, and so he received the command.</div><div class="p"> 7David then took up residence in the fortress, and so it was called the City of David. 8He built up the city around it, from the terraces#11:8 Or the Millo to the surrounding wall, while Joab restored the rest of the city. 9And David became more and more powerful, because the Lord Almighty was with him.</div><div class="s1">David&#8217;s Mighty Warriors</div><div class="p"> 10These were the chiefs of David&#8217;s mighty warriors&#8212;they, together with all Israel, gave his kingship strong support to extend it over the whole land, as the Lord had promised&#8212; 11this is the list of David&#8217;s mighty warriors:</div><div class="p">Jashobeam,#11:11 Possibly a variant of Jashob-Baal a Hakmonite, was chief of the officers#11:11 Or Thirty; some Septuagint manuscripts Three (see also 2 Samuel 23:8); he raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter.</div><div class="p"> 12Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite, one of the three mighty warriors. 13He was with David at Pas Dammim when the Philistines gathered there for battle. At a place where there was a field full of barley, the troops fled from the Philistines. 14But they took their stand in the middle of the field. They defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory.</div><div class="p"> 15Three of the thirty chiefs came down to David to the rock at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 16At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. 17David longed for water and said, &#8220;Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!&#8221; 18So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to the Lord. 19&#8220;God forbid that I should do this!&#8221; he said. &#8220;Should I drink the blood of these men who went at the risk of their lives?&#8221; Because they risked their lives to bring it back, David would not drink it.</div><div class="p">Such were the exploits of the three mighty warriors.</div><div class="p"> 20Abishai the brother of Joab was chief of the Three. He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three. 21He was doubly honored above the Three and became their commander, even though he was not included among them.</div><div class="p"> 22Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He struck down Moab&#8217;s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. 23And he struck down an Egyptian who was five cubits#11:23 That is, about 7 feet 6 inches or about 2.3 meters tall. Although the Egyptian had a spear like a weaver&#8217;s rod in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian&#8217;s hand and killed him with his own spear. 24Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors. 25He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="li1"> 26The mighty warriors were:</div><div class="li2">Asahel the brother of Joab,</div><div class="li2">Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,</div><div class="li2"> 27Shammoth the Harorite,</div><div class="li2">Helez the Pelonite,</div><div class="li2"> 28Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,</div><div class="li2">Abiezer from Anathoth,</div><div class="li2"> 29Sibbekai the Hushathite,</div><div class="li2">Ilai the Ahohite,</div><div class="li2"> 30Maharai the Netophathite,</div><div class="li2">Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite,</div><div class="li2"> 31Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin,</div><div class="li2">Benaiah the Pirathonite,</div><div class="li2"> 32Hurai from the ravines of Gaash,</div><div class="li2">Abiel the Arbathite,</div><div class="li2"> 33Azmaveth the Baharumite,</div><div class="li2">Eliahba the Shaalbonite,</div><div class="li2"> 34the sons of Hashem the Gizonite,</div><div class="li2">Jonathan son of Shagee the Hararite,</div><div class="li2"> 35Ahiam son of Sakar the Hararite,</div><div class="li2">Eliphal son of Ur,</div><div class="li2"> 36Hepher the Mekerathite,</div><div class="li2">Ahijah the Pelonite,</div><div class="li2"> 37Hezro the Carmelite,</div><div class="li2">Naarai son of Ezbai,</div><div class="li2"> 38Joel the brother of Nathan,</div><div class="li2">Mibhar son of Hagri,</div><div class="li2"> 39Zelek the Ammonite,</div><div class="li2">Naharai the Berothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,</div><div class="li2"> 40Ira the Ithrite,</div><div class="li2">Gareb the Ithrite,</div><div class="li2"> 41Uriah the Hittite,</div><div class="li2">Zabad son of Ahlai,</div><div class="li2"> 42Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, who was chief of the Reubenites, and the thirty with him,</div><div class="li2"> 43Hanan son of Maakah,</div><div class="li2">Joshaphat the Mithnite,</div><div class="li2"> 44Uzzia the Ashterathite,</div><div class="li2">Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,</div><div class="li2"> 45Jediael son of Shimri,</div><div class="li2">his brother Joha the Tizite,</div><div class="li2"> 46Eliel the Mahavite,</div><div class="li2">Jeribai and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam,</div><div class="li2">Ithmah the Moabite,</div><div class="li2"> 47Eliel, Obed and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bk1CH">
 <div class="chapter ch12" data-usfm="1CH.12">
 <div class="label">12</div><div class="s1">Warriors Join David</div><div class="p"> 1These were the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he was banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish (they were among the warriors who helped him in battle; 2they were armed with bows and were able to shoot arrows or to sling stones right-handed or left-handed; they were relatives of Saul from the tribe of Benjamin):</div><div class="b"></div><div class="mi"> 3Ahiezer their chief and Joash the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet the sons of Azmaveth; Berakah, Jehu the Anathothite, 4and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty warrior among the Thirty, who was a leader of the Thirty; Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite,#12:4 In Hebrew texts the second half of this verse (Jeremiah&#8230; Gederathite) is numbered 12:5, and 12:5-40 is numbered 12:6-41. 5Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah and Shephatiah the Haruphite; 6Elkanah, Ishiah, Azarel, Joezer and Jashobeam the Korahites; 7and Joelah and Zebadiah the sons of Jeroham from Gedor.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"> 8Some Gadites defected to David at his stronghold in the wilderness. They were brave warriors, ready for battle and able to handle the shield and spear. Their faces were the faces of lions, and they were as swift as gazelles in the mountains.</div><div class="li1"> 9Ezer was the chief,</div><div class="li1">Obadiah the second in command, Eliab the third,</div><div class="li1"> 10Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,</div><div class="li1"> 11Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,</div><div class="li1"> 12Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,</div><div class="li1"> 13Jeremiah the tenth and Makbannai the eleventh.</div><div class="p"> 14These Gadites were army commanders; the least was a match for a hundred, and the greatest for a thousand. 15It was they who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks, and they put to flight everyone living in the valleys, to the east and to the west.</div><div class="p"> 16Other Benjamites and some men from Judah also came to David in his stronghold. 17David went out to meet them and said to them, &#8220;If you have come to me in peace to help me, I am ready for you to join me. But if you have come to betray me to my enemies when my hands are free from violence, may the God of our ancestors see it and judge you.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 18Then the Spirit came on Amasai, chief of the Thirty, and he said:</div><div class="q1">&#8220;We are yours, David!</div><div class="q2">We are with you, son of Jesse!</div><div class="q1">Success, success to you,</div><div class="q2">and success to those who help you,</div><div class="q3">for your God will help you.&#8221;</div><div class="p">So David received them and made them leaders of his raiding bands.</div><div class="p"> 19Some of the tribe of Manasseh defected to David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. (He and his men did not help the Philistines because, after consultation, their rulers sent him away. They said, &#8220;It will cost us our heads if he deserts to his master Saul.&#8221;) 20When David went to Ziklag, these were the men of Manasseh who defected to him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu and Zillethai, leaders of units of a thousand in Manasseh. 21They helped David against raiding bands, for all of them were brave warriors, and they were commanders in his army. 22Day after day men came to help David, until he had a great army, like the army of God.#12:22 Or a great and mighty army</div><div class="s1">Others Join David at Hebron</div><div class="p"> 23These are the numbers of the men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul&#8217;s kingdom over to him, as the Lord had said:</div><div class="li1"> 24from Judah, carrying shield and spear&#8212;6,800 armed for battle;</div><div class="li1"> 25from Simeon, warriors ready for battle&#8212;7,100;</div><div class="li1"> 26from Levi&#8212;4,600, 27including Jehoiada, leader of the family of Aaron, with 3,700 men, 28and Zadok, a brave young warrior, with 22 officers from his family;</div><div class="li1"> 29from Benjamin, Saul&#8217;s tribe&#8212;3,000, most of whom had remained loyal to Saul&#8217;s house until then;</div><div class="li1"> 30from Ephraim, brave warriors, famous in their own clans&#8212;20,800;</div><div class="li1"> 31from half the tribe of Manasseh, designated by name to come and make David king&#8212;18,000;</div><div class="li1"> 32from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do&#8212;200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command;</div><div class="li1"> 33from Zebulun, experienced soldiers prepared for battle with every type of weapon, to help David with undivided loyalty&#8212;50,000;</div><div class="li1"> 34from Naphtali&#8212;1,000 officers, together with 37,000 men carrying shields and spears;</div><div class="li1"> 35from Dan, ready for battle&#8212;28,600;</div><div class="li1"> 36from Asher, experienced soldiers prepared for battle&#8212;40,000;</div><div class="li1"> 37and from east of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, armed with every type of weapon&#8212;120,000.</div><div class="p"> 38All these were fighting men who volunteered to serve in the ranks. They came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel. All the rest of the Israelites were also of one mind to make David king. 39The men spent three days there with David, eating and drinking, for their families had supplied provisions for them. 40Also, their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali came bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules and oxen. There were plentiful supplies of flour, fig cakes, raisin cakes, wine, olive oil, cattle and sheep, for there was joy in Israel.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bk1CO">
 <div class="chapter ch8" data-usfm="1CO.8">
 <div class="label">8</div><div class="s1">Concerning Food Sacrificed to Idols</div><div class="p"> 1Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that &#8220;We all possess knowledge.&#8221; But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. 2Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. 3But whoever loves God is known by God.#8:2,3 An early manuscript and another ancient witness think they have knowledge do not yet know as they ought to know. 3 But whoever loves truly knows.</div><div class="p"> 4So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that &#8220;An idol is nothing at all in the world&#8221; and that &#8220;There is no God but one.&#8221; 5For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many &#8220;gods&#8221; and many &#8220;lords&#8221;), 6yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.</div><div class="p"> 7But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. 8But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.</div><div class="p"> 9Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 10For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol&#8217;s temple, won&#8217;t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? 11So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. 12When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.</div>
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