Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

November 28
Friday


AMANI

READ:
1 Samuel 16:14-23
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God has not given us
a spirit of fear, but of
power and of love and
of a sound mind.
__2 Timothy 1:7
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Amani, which means "peace: in Swahili, is the name of a Labrador retriever pup that has some special friends. Amani lives with two young cheetahs at the Dallas Zoo. Zoologists placed the animals together so the cheetahs could learn Amani's relaxed ways. Since dogs are generally at ease in public settings, the experts predict that Amani will be a "calming influence" in the cheetahs' lives as they grow up together.

David was a soothing influence in King Saul's life when a "distressing spirit" troubled him (1 Sam. 16:14). When Saul's servants learned of his problem, they thought music might ease his affliction. One servant summoned David, who was a skilled harpist. Whenever the king became troubled, David would play the harp. "Then Saul would become refreshed and well" (v.23).

We crave refreshment and well-being when we are plagued by anger, fear, or sadness. The God of the Bible is a "God of peace" (Heb. 13:20-21), One who gives His Holy Spirit to everyone who believes in Him. When we're agitated or anxious, we can remember that God's Spirit produces power, love, and self-control (2 Tim. 1:7). God's influence in our lives can create a calming effect__one that leads to comfort and wholeness. __Jennifer Benson Schuldt

````````````````We're grateful, Father, for the peace that You`````````````````
`````````````offer for our hearts. Nothing has the power to take```````````````
````````````````that away. Thank You that Your peace has````````````````````
``````````````````````````````come to stay.```````````````````````````````

************************************Today's Bible Reading __ 1 Samuel 16:14-23***********************************

14 But the Spirit of the
LORD departed from Saul,and
a distressing spirit from
the LORD troubled him.

15 And Saul's servants
said to him, "Surely, a
stressing spirit from God
is troubling you. 16 Let our
master now command your
servants, who are before
you, to seek out a man who
is a skillful player on the
harp. And it shall be that he
will play it with his hand
when the distressing spirit
from God is upon you, and
you shall be well."

17 So Saul said to his
servants, "Provide me now
a man who can play well,
and bring him to me."

18 Then one of the servants
answered and said, :Look, I
have seen a son of Jesse the
Bethlehemite, who is
skillful in playing, a mighty
man of valor, a man of war.
prudent in speech, a
handsome person; and the
LORD is with him."

19 Therefore Saul sent
messengers to Jesse, and
said, "send me your son
David, who is with the
sheep." 20 And Jesse took a
donkey loaded with bread, a
skin of wine, and a young
goat, and sent them by his
son David to Saul.

21 So David came to Saul
and stood before him. And
he loved him greatly, and
he became his armor bearer.

22 Then Saul sent to Jesse,
saying, "Please let David
stand before me, for he has
found favor in my sight."

23 And so it was, whenever

the spirit from God was
upon Saul, that David
would take a harp and play
it with his hand. Then Saul
would become refreshed
and well, and the
distressing spirit would
depart from him.