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Swordworx, Spring Branch, TX (2026)

08/31/2026

“HOW TINY OVERSIGHTS CAUSE BIG PROBLEMS”
The Devil Is Always In The Details

In 1999, NASA’s $327 million-dollar Mars Climate Orbiter spacecraft was completely destroyed because none of their aerospace engineers remembered to verify the unit measurements in a single software interface. Other NASA losses of lives and treasure blamed on similar human error included names like Voyager One, Apollo One, Challenger, and Columbia. It takes brilliant people to put rockets into outer space, but even with the world’s brightest minds, it’s often the “little things” or minor details we miss that cause the most catastrophic disasters.

The English proverb “the devil is in the details” is a reminder of the importance of tending the little things. When we step back to take in the big picture, it’s easy to overlook elements that, although tiny and seemingly insignificant, may prove vital to the success of the work at hand. Song of Solomon 2:15 echos this practical warning from ages past, reminding us that it is always “the little foxes that spoil the vineyards.” I, personally, would add “chihuahuas” to that list of “gremlins”, but the point is that we disregard little details at our own peril.

— One Nixed Word Almost Changed The Ten Commandments —

The King James Version of the Bible contains nearly 800,000 words. But a printing in 1631 is infamous today for one omitted word. England’s royal printers at the time were Robert Barker and Martin Lucas, commissioned by King Charles I to produce the 1631 edition of the KJV. They printed about 1,000 copies, but then someone found an error: Exodus 20:14, part of the Ten Commandments, read, “Thou shalt commit adultery.” The word “not” may be a little word, but it is quite necessary in Exodus 20:14. For their misprint in what is now called the Wicked Bible, Barker and Lucas were fined £300, and King Charles revoked their printing license. Bankrupt and disgraced, the printers discovered too late that the devil is in the details.

— This Wisdom Goes WAY Back —

Attention to detail is commendable. In the Bible, Noah set an example of thoroughness and precision in the building of the ark: “Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him” (Genesis 6:22, NLT). For Noah and his family, attention to detail was literally a matter of life and death.

In giving the law, God warned Moses to “make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you” (Exodus 25:9; cf. Hebrews 8:5). Moses obeyed, but, later, two of Aaron’s sons neglected to follow some details regarding their service in the tabernacle, and “they died before the Lord” (Leviticus 10:2). Before entering the Promised Land, God cautioned all the Israelites, “Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you” (Deuteronomy 4:2).

Knowing that the devil and a herd of pesky little foxes are in the tiny details of our best laid plans and projects, we should not allow overconfidence, complacency, or haste to blind us to our need to exercise care. # #

08/31/2026

WHAT IS THE FAITH TO MOVE MOUNTAINS?
Understanding True The Meaning of Mark 11:23

Jesus makes a mind-bending statement in Mark 11:23: “For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says” (NKJV). This one Bible verse contributed largely to the “name it and claim it” movement within the charismatic Christian community that began in the 1960’s and 70’s. Many misguided preachers took this passage out of context to create a “proof text” for believers possessing Godlike powers that could be unleashed by our personal faith. This is how most false doctrines are born these days. Folks lost their fortunes, their families, their lives, and many, sadly, their faith as a result of embracing this erroneous interpretation of scripture.

Does Mark 11:23 infer that Christians can literally move mountains with their words? Is it true that we can have whatever we wish simply by speaking it into existence?

First of all, no, Jesus is not teaching that our words of faith can move actual mountains or that we can have whatever we want if we just believe. Rather, Jesus is teaching an important lesson on faith and prayer and the power of God.

Let’s back up and take a look at the context. The day before His statement about “whoever says to this mountain,” Jesus had approached a fig tree, expecting to find fruit. To His dismay, the tree had no figs (Mark 11:13). Jesus cursed the fig tree, saying, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again” (Mark 11:14). The next day, as they were passing the same fig tree, the disciples “saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, ‘Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!’” (Mark 11:20–21). The disciples were amazed by two things: the power of Jesus’ word and the speed of the withering.

It’s at this juncture that Jesus says, “Have faith in God. . . . Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea, and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:22–24).

Is this passage applicable to the believer in Christ today? Yes, all of Mark 11 is applicable to believers today. In Mark 11:24 and again in verse 25, Jesus makes clear that He is speaking of prayer, and we are all to pray (1 Thessalonians 5:17). In this passage following the fig tree lesson, Jesus teaches two things about prayer:

1) We are to pray believing, without doubting, a truth taught elsewhere, too: “When you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do” (James 1:6–8). Our prayers should be wholehearted.

2) We are to pray boldly; we are to be courageous, even when the situation seems impossible. God is the God of the impossible (Luke 1:37), and nothing stands in His way.

The mountain referenced in Jesus’ words is the Mount of Olives. The imagery Jesus uses, of a mountain uprooting itself and casting itself into the sea, is hyperbolic, but there is more to it than that. The phrase mover of mountains seems to have been a commonplace idiom at one time. One, Rabbah Bar Nachmani, was called “a remover of mountains” because of his great learning and ability to overcome great doctrinal difficulties (Lightfoot, J., The Harmony, Chronicle, and Order of the New Testament, 1655, § LXXIV, p. 57). Interestingly, the Mount of Olives is the site of Jesus’ future return, at which time the mountain will literally move: “The Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south” (Zechariah 14:4).

I've not heard of one Theologian who thinks Jesus meant that mountains will literally throw themselves into the sea at our bidding. Could you imagine what the world would look like if humans, redeemed or not, had that level of personal power at their command? The Mount of Olives that Jesus pointed out was representative of huge obstacles and impossible situations, not big rocks being telekinetically tossed around by goobers in domestic disputes and road-rage incidents.

We seek spiritual applications. Matthew Henry has a good word on this: “Christ taught them from hence to pray in faith. It may be applied to that mighty faith with which all true Christians are endued, and which does wonders in spiritual things. It justifies us, and so removes mountains of guilt, never to rise up in judgment against us. It purifies the heart, and so removes mountains of corruption, and makes them plain before the grace of God” (Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible, 1706, entry for Mark 11:19–26).

How should the believer apply the truth of this passage today? We apply the truth of Mark 11:23 every time we pray for an errant son or daughter who is living in rebellion. Every time we pray for the salvation of the curmudgeonly atheist down the street. Every time we pray for the gospel to make inroads into a historically resistant community. Every time we pray for hard hearts to be softened, closed minds to be opened, and wagging tongues to be stilled. Jesus’ words are not a guarantee that our prayers will remove cancer, prevent tornadoes, or give us riches. But, if God wants the mountain to be moved, it will move. We should pray boldly, in faith. # #

08/27/2026

WHEN TO SAY “NO”
Drawing The Line Between Helping Someone and Allowing Them To Advantage Of You

Benevolence and generosity are defining Christian virtues, and our help will always be needed by others. Jesus further emphasized that the poor, for instance, will always be with us. (Matthew 26:11; Mark 14:7; John 12:8), and He equips us to handle it.

-- Be Generous --
Luke 6:30, 35-36 tells us to “give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back…But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (NASB). These verses and many others in the Bible teach us that Christians are to be loving, merciful, and self-sacrificing. As we see the needs of people all around us, our hearts should be full of compassion just as our Heavenly Father has compassion towards all people. "The LORD is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made" (Psalm 145:9). So yes, it is right to have a heart that would continually give to others, and it pleases God to see this wonderful characteristic in our lives.

-- BUT, Be Generous, Not Gullible --
HOWEVER, in this area of giving and helping, the Bible also teaches that we must have wise discernment (Matthew 10:16). God gives us certain standards that we must take into account when it comes to giving our time and money to others. When the Bible tells us we are to help others, the purpose is never for us to do this to the point where it becomes detrimental. It’s good to do what we’re able to do, but 2 Thessalonians 3:10 also reminds us, "If a man will not work, he shall not eat." There are people who want to live an irresponsible lifestyle with absolutely no accountability. So there must be limits; we will help someone with a need, but if we see that it’s become a chronic life pattern, it’s wrong for us to continue to encourage that. It’s very harmful to others to contribute to their indolence, laziness, and lack of effort. The old saying "Give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach him to fish and he eats for a lifetime" is very true. As long as we see that someone is sincerely making an effort, we should be there to support him in whatever way God leads.

Often, a much more effective way to help others is to come alongside them to give biblical counsel, principles, and encouragement. If they are willing to listen and try, they should be able, through the power of the Holy Spirit within them, to reverse this pattern of dependency on others. This begins, of course, with a clear presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, without whose empowerment, lifestyle changes of this magnitude are not possible.

We are also to take into consideration what the Bible tells us about being good stewards. As we put our trust in God and walk with Him, He promises to supply our needs (Philippians 4:19). What the Lord provides for us, we must use wisely. We are to give back to the Lord a portion of what He gives us; we are to provide for the needs of our families; and we are to pay our bills. How we spend our time is also involved in stewardship; a balance of worship, work, and family is important. These are all principal aspects of stewardship and cannot be neglected, so they must be considered in the decision of how and what we can do in helping others. If, by helping someone else financially, we are unable to take care of our own debts and responsibilities, then we are not doing right in our efforts to help.

— Compassion Without Credulity —
Nothing is new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9), including talented n’er-do-wells (sadly, including many preachers) who are on the constant hunt for “suckers”, “chumps”, “doormats”, “pushovers”, “marks”, “saps”, “patsies’, and “rubes” to victimize and take advantage of for their own greedy purposes. This creates a problem for Christian givers and servants who would love to help people without being taken advantage of. What can they do short of curtailing or even cutting off their benevolence altogether?

It’s important that we make this a matter of prayer, asking the Lord to show us what He wants us to do. He will give us wisdom to recognize genuine need and discern between an opportunity and a distraction (James 1:5). Sometimes, people are so beaten down by life’s trials and failures that they need someone who is willing to be a long-term friend to them. This can be a trying relationship, but it can also be a very rewarding one. Local churches can be a tremendous help to those with a burden for those in need. However, trying to help someone who is just not willing to take any steps towards a solution in the matter may be a hopeless cause. Again, praying for God’s wisdom and exercising the discernment He gives are crucial in these situations. # #

08/25/2026

THE WITCH OF ENDOR
Did She Really Summon Samuel From the Dead?

I’ll begin by saying the more people study the ways and mysteries of the Lord, the more they realize the immensity of what they don’t know. That isn’t to say what we have learned from the Bible is incorrect in any way; it's only that, as Shakespeare once said, “There are more things in heaven earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy”. This story about Israel’s King Saul and the Witch of Endor is just one of many accounts in Scripture to broach a supernatural phenomena that can’t just be refuted or explained away to mean something different with our best exegetical tools.

The account of the witch of Endor summoning Samuel from the dead is recorded in 1 Samuel 28:7–20. It is the only account of what amounts to a séance in the Bible. There are differences of opinion regarding the story: did Samuel himself truly appear, was this an illusion perpetrated by the witch, or was it a demonic deception? Sometimes, scholars tend to interpret mysterious Bible accounts by way of the Occam’s Razor principle, stating that the simplest explanation or the one requiring fewest assumptions is usually the correct one (not always a wise assumption in Theology).

King Saul’s encounter with the witch of Endor took place at the very end of his reign as king. The Philistines had arrayed themselves for battle against Israel, and Saul “was afraid; terror filled his heart” (1 Samuel 28:5). Samuel was dead, so Saul sought direction from the Lord through other means, “but the Lord did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets.” God’s silence was a consequence of Saul’s disobedience against God (verse 6).

Having no word from God, Saul sent his servants to find a spirit medium, and they told him of one in the town of Endor (1 Samuel 28:7). Saul had previously expelled all the spiritists and mediums from the land (verse 3), but obviously some remained. By divine law, mediums and spiritists were banned from Israel (Deuteronomy 18:11). That the king, in panicked desperation, would seek wisdom from an occult source that he himself had outlawed shows his hypocrisy and indicates how far he had fallen from God’s grace.

King Saul fasted all day, disguised himself, and visited the witch of Endor with two of his servants. Saul told her, “Consult a spirit for me, . . . and bring up for me the one I name” (1 Samuel 28:8). The woman, wary of a trap, balked at the request. Saul swore an oath that she would not be punished (verse 10), and he indicated that he wished to speak to Samuel. During the séance the prophet appeared: “When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out at the top of her voice and said to Saul, ‘Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!’” (verse 12).

Saul, who did not see what the woman saw, told her not to be afraid and to describe what she saw (1 Samuel 28:13). The witch said, “I see a ghostly figure a coming up out of the earth,” further describing him as “an old man wearing a robe” (verses 13–14). “Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground” (verse 14).

In the ensuing conversation, “Samuel said to Saul, ‘Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?’” (1 Samuel 28:15). The king explained about the Philistines and how God was no longer answering him (verse 16). Samuel then gave Saul a chilling message:

“Why do you consult me, now that the Lord has departed from you and become your enemy? The Lord has done what He predicted through me. The Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors—to David. Because you did not obey the Lord or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the Lord has done this to you today. The Lord will deliver both Israel and you into the hands of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will also give the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.”
(1 Samuel 28:16–19)

Upon hearing of his fate, Saul was very afraid. The witch prepared a meal for Saul, who had not eaten all day, and she and Saul’s two servants prevailed upon to partake of what was probably his last meal (1 Samuel 28:20–25). The next day, in battle, Saul and his sons died (chapter 31).

The passage does not give any indication that the apparition the witch of Endor saw was anything other than Samuel himself. We know that the medium was not producing an illusion because she screams in surprise when she sees Samuel (1 Samuel 28:12). Also, the spirit rising from the earth is called “Samuel.” The text does not say that the spirit “appeared to be Samuel” or that the medium “thought it was Samuel”; the text directly refers to the spirit as “Samuel.” Further, the spirit spoke the truth; the message Saul received was accurate.

The witch of Endor was likely expecting to hear from her “familiar spirit” (a demon) during the séance, and that explains her startled reaction to seeing Samuel. It seems that, in this case, God allowed Samuel to return in order to give King Saul the news of his coming defeat and death.

The story of the witch of Endor summoning Samuel does not imply that séances are effective in conjuring the dead or that witches or mediums genuinely speak with the spirits of dead individuals. When a person dies, his or her soul is taken to either heaven or hell. There is no wandering the earth, conveying messages to the living, or making return visits (see Luke 16:19–31). Any claim of contact with departed loved ones is a demonic deception (see 2 Corinthians 11:14–15).

God condemned necromancy, channeling, and the work of mediums, and those who practiced such things in ancient Israel were to be put to death (Leviticus 20:27; Deuteronomy 18:10–12). In Saul’s case, God allowed Samuel to return to pronounce a final judgment on the disobedient king. Saul, who had refused to listen to Samuel when the prophet was alive, sinfully sought a word from Samuel after he was dead. And that was part of why Saul was judged (1 Chronicles 10:13–14). # #

08/24/2026

“PRE-TRIB DERANGEMENT SYNDROME”
Why Some Christians HATE the Pre-Tribulation Rapture View

I frequently write articles about the rapture. This doctrine is universally embraced by most Christians, but it’s the timing of it that folks can seriously disagree about. Here is where I’ll explain a new word for the cultural dictionary, calling it “PTDS” (Pre-Tribulation Derangement Syndrome). This is real. There are decent Christians, including some Theologically-trained ministers with advanced degrees, who, without notice, will instantly go from “sweet little Bible-quoting sugar-bunny” to full-on werewolf if someone even whispers the term, “Pre-Tribulation Rapture”. Churches and families have split over this single schism before, so I’d like to stretch our comfort zones a bit to clarify why I believe the Pre-Trib position to be correct as opposed to dissenting views, explained below.

— WHAT IS THE PRE-TRIB POSITION?—
Pretribulationism is one of the viewpoints that contends the event described in 1 Corinthians 15:50-54 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, referred to by many as the rapture is a separate event from the second coming of Jesus Christ. Those who hold to a premillennial (or dispensational) interpretation of the end times believe there will be a seven year tribulation period before the second coming. Some place the rapture before the tribulation (pretribulationism). Some place the rapture at the mid-point of the tribulation (midtribulationism) or just prior to when God begins pouring out His wrath towards the end of the tribulation (pre-wrath). Some place the rapture at the very end of the tribulation (posttribulationism), essentially making the rapture and the second coming the exact same event (easier to envision, not having to deal with so many “moving parts”).

Speaking Biblically, 1 Thessalonians 5:9 declares, “For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” If the tribulation is the time period of God’s wrath, why would Christians be included among those who will receive God’s wrath in the end times? Further, Revelation 3:10 indicates that God will keep believers from the time period of testing that is coming on the whole world, “Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.”

Speaking Theologically, if the tribulation is the time period during which God especially refocuses His attention on the nation of Israel, fulfilling the last seven of Daniel’s seventy sevens prophecy, what would be the purpose of the church being present during that time period? Revelation chapters 6—18, which many Bible prophecy experts believe describes the tribulation, nowhere mentions the church.

That tracks great to me, but with the pretribulationism interpretation being (at the very least) biblically plausible, why are some Christians so strongly opposed to that theory?

-- HERE ARE FOUR REASONS --
First, some reject pretribulationism because it is a relatively recent development in Christian theology. No one explicitly taught pretribulationism until the 1800’s. While we should always take Christian history into account, this argument is woefully unconvincing. After all, until the Reformation, it could be said that no one had been teaching salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone for nearly 1500 years. Ultimately, doctrines stand and fall with the question “Is it biblical?”, not by “Has it been popular historically?”

Second, some reject pretribulationism because they believe that, if it is wrong, Christians who believed in it would be woefully unprepared for the tribulation. Nice of people to show concern, but that’s like the kid in that Christmas Story movie being told that he’s not getting a Red Ryder air rifle because he’d shoot his own eye out”. Pretribulationism should be accepted or rejected based on whether it is biblical, not based on possible repercussions if it is wrong.

Third, some reject pretribulationism because they view it as escapism. I realize that we will forever have some believers who get off on being “hardcore” for Christ. Some need that level of self-discipline to stay on track, and they view any lesser attitude as compromise, To some, they see pre-tribbers as not caring about this world, not striving to impact the world for Christ, not being active in sharing the gospel, and not recognizing the urgency for Christians to stand firm in their faith—and they blame it on a supposed “I’m out of here, so who cares?” attitude. While I would agree that this unbiblical (and ungodly) attitude is present in some pre-trib folks, the fact that pretribulationism is often misapplied and not an argument against pretribulationism itself.

Fourth, some reject pretribulationism because of repeated failed predictions regarding the timing of the rapture by pre-tribbers. Yes, it is true that numerous pretribulational teachers have predicted that the rapture will occur on a certain date. Armed with bogus titles, vast misinformation, a gift to gab and a YouTube channel, these false teachers have led millions of people astray. It is crucial to remember that anyone who predicts the timing of the rapture does so in direct violation of Mark 13:32, “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Pretribulationism should not be rejected due to some in the movement directly violating Scripture by participating in date-setting for the rapture.

I, personally, take the pre-trib position because I feel that it is the most biblically plausible viewpoint; it’s compatible with 1 Thessalonians 5:9 and Revelation 3:10; and, it corresponds to the eschatological timeline the Bible presents. Additionally, I believe it would be consistent with God’s character to protect His people from His wrath.

Let’s wrap it up by agreeing that the rapture doctrine is by no means essential or salvific to believe. Irregardless of whether someone has a pre-trib, mid-trib, pre-wrath or post-trib view, God is going to take care of all His people, no matter what. # #.

08/23/2026

THE 144,000 OF REVELATION
Who Are They?

Global crises, such as growing conflicts in the Middle East, rapid tech shifts like AI, post-pandemic stress, and society’s growing attraction to evil and aversion to good, are triggering growing curiosity about the Biblical book of Revelation. One topic of particular interest to Christians there is the “144,000 in Revelation 7”, affirming how God protects His people, fulfills Biblical promises, and completes His redemptive plan.

First mentioned in Revelation 7:4, we read. “Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.” This passage comes in an interlude between the judgment of the sixth seal of the tribulation (Revelation 6:12–17) and the opening of the seventh seal (Revelation 8:1).

So, “who are the144,000 people?” The futurist approach, which is considered the most scholarly, interprets the 144,000 literally. When taken at face value, Revelation 7:4 seems to speak of 144,000 actual people living during the end-times tribulation. Nothing in the passage leads to interpreting the 144,000 as anything but a literal number of Jews—12,000 taken from every tribe of the children of Israel, according to verses 5–8.

These 144,000 Jews are “sealed,” which means they have the special protection of God. They are kept safe from both the divine judgments and the wrath of the Antichrist happening in realtime around them. They can freely perform their mission during the tribulation. It had been previously prophesied that Israel would repent and turn back to God (Zechariah 12:10; Romans 11:25–27), and the 144,000 Jews appear to be a sort of “first fruits” (Revelation 14:4) of that redeemed Israel. Their mission seems to be to evangelize the post-rapture world and proclaim the gospel during the tribulation period. As a result of their ministry, millions—“a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language” (Revelation 7:9)—will come to faith in Christ.

— HOWEVER. . . .—
Like many orthodox Christian principles that are twisted by loony preachers and cults, the confusion regarding the 144,000 is from a false doctrine of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. The Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW’s) claim that 144,000 is a limit to the number of people who will reign with Christ in heaven and spend eternity with God. The 144,000 have what the JW’s call the “heavenly hope.” Those who are not among the 144,000 will enjoy what they call the “earthly hope”—a paradise on earth ruled by Christ and the 144,000.

It is true that there will be people ruling in the millennium with Christ. These people will be comprised of the church (believers in Jesus Christ, 1 Corinthians 6:2), Old Testament saints (believers who died before Christ’s first advent, Daniel 7:27), and tribulation saints (those who accept Christ during the tribulation, Revelation 20:4). Yet the Bible places no numerical limit on this group of people. Furthermore, the millennium is different from the eternal state, which will be established at the completion of the millennial period. At that time, God will dwell with us in the New Jerusalem. He will be our God, and we will be His people (Revelation 21:3). The inheritance promised to us in Christ and sealed by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13–14) will become ours, and we will be co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). # #

08/21/2026

THE FALL OF SAUL
Why God Rejected The King He Selected

God chooses our human leaders. Scripture tells us that “He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings” (Daniel 2:21). This story details the most prominent Biblical example of a King whose reign ended due to disobedience and lack of character.

— The Backstory —
Israel had demanded of God a human king (I Samuel 8). Yet, the candidate they wanted had to meet a very stringent set of criteria. I kid you not, the most important qualifications people insisted on for their future king were that he be physically handsome, have an imposing stature, come from a humble family, and.(of course) be taller than anyone else in Israel. Hence, the winner God chose to be Israel’s first king was a man named Saul, who fit that bill perfectly. Not to be stuck with a good looking incompetent in an empty robe, however, the Lord imbued Saul with His Spirit, along with a knack for capability and restraint. Saul initially did great things as King, such as leading Israel to military victories and uniting the people under his rule.

— The Slippery Slope —
Everything was looking up for the new King, until one single act of disobedience at GIlgal (Israel’s historic first campsight after crossing the Jordan River into the Promised Land). Saul had been commanded by God to wait seven days for Samuel to get there and offer sacrifices before battle. but with Samuel still running late and the army beginning to scatter, Saul, fearing for his people, took it upon himself to offer the burnt offering — a priestly duty Saul had no authority to perform. Samuel’ finally did show up and his stinging rebuke was immediate: “You have done foolishly… You have not kept the command of the LORD” (1 Samuel 13:13)

Certainly, that was a major ding on the king’s fitness report, but it wasn’t the most serious issue here. Saul’s fatal error was accelerating a pattern of choosing his own judgment over God’s commands. This made him behave in ways that looked “religious” on the outside, but inwardly he was way off the reservation.

— Over and Out —
Samuel told Saul: “Your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14). This marked the beginning of God’s removal of Saul as king. His reign continued, but his dynasty was doomed. Later, Saul’s disobedience grew — including his refusal to destroy the Amalekites completely along with his idolatry — further alienating him from God. Saul ultimately lost God’s favor, his kingdom, and his family. In the end, he died by su***de on Mount Gilboa after being wounded in battle against the Philistines, but his spiritual death came long before, Saul’s life shows that true leadership requires not just authority, but integrity, humility, and unwavering obedience to God’s commands — qualities that are essential for lasting influence and divine approval

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