B. A. D. (Be A Disciple) Student Ministries

The Story of David Don't Overlook the Little Guy! Today's reading began with Samuel. After realizing Saul was not fit to rule Egypt, he sets off to anoint a new ruler, to find one who will place God before himself. God sends him on a mission to select one of the sons of Jesse; when Samuel meets them, God doesn't point out any of them. So Samuel asks if there are any others, lo and behold, David, the youngest and smallest, is at home tending to the sheep. And God chose him. Why?? 1 Samuel 16:7: "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."  So David becomes Saul's helper. Saul is no longer with the Spirit of God, and is filled with Evil. Whenever evil overcomes Saul, David plays the harp to calm him down.  A Philistine man named Goliath comes to Israel to over take it. He wants a one on one battle to the death, winner takes all. David goes forward to fight him, and...

Stay Humble, Hustle Hard God Distributes Power Today's reading felt like a lesson we all needed to hear, right? God placed power in today's reading into the hands of two men who were young when they came into power (Samuel and Saul).  Following Eli's death after the wickedness of his sons had consumed Israel, God leaves Samuel, who was quite literally "brought up in the church," to be the judge of Israel.  Things are going good for a few years (aside from the ark being stolen, but eventually returned) until the Israelites revolt and demand a king. They no longer recognize God as King, and want a human king like the secular tribes that surround them. (You know, the wicked, sinful tribes that are always causing problems.) Samuel implores them not to, but eventually God's like, "You know what, give them what they want." And Saul, another young man, is put into the position as King of Israel. He doesn't really want to do it at fi...

Three Books--One Day One of the busiest readings yet! Okay, can we just talk about how our reading starts out with Samson being handed over to the Philistines, then striking down ONE THOUSAND MEN WITH A DONKEY'S JAWBONE, then stayed the night with a prostitute, then married a woman who betrayed him to the Philistines for some silver. You better believe that the Philistines cut off all the hair on Samson's head to weaken him (that was, of course, his weakness--getting his hair cut) before throwing him into prison forever. That all happened in the first chapter and a half!  (Just look at all those braids!!) This is how the reading continues:  The Philistines brought Samson out when he was close to his death, to entertain them. When Samson was brought out, weak and blind, he called upon the Lord to provide him with strength, and he brought the entire temple down with his hands, killing both himself and all the Philistines with him.  A man named Micah ma...

The Israelites Continue to Miss the Point  Disobedience Ravages Israel Does it feel crazy to anyone else that Israel continues to turn from God every. single. time?   Have they not learned by now that God is for them, and worshiping false gods and leading a life of sin brings nothing but bad things on the Israelites? (including famine and plague...)  It's like as soon as one judge dies, the Israelites are like "Yay! We were good, so now God will be good to us while we're bad!" And then God just sort of lets his head sink into his hands thinking T hat is so not how it works. Better send another judge. Our reading continues with some serious girl power! The first female judge is appointed to lead the Israelites--Deborah. She leads the Israelites to attack Jabin's army, where all are defeated except for Sisera, the general. He dies later, when Jael, another woman, allows him into her tent and then proceeds to stab him with a tent post. Girl power! Aft...

Beginning the Book of Judges God's Promised Fulfilled, and the Israelites' Next Step Remember the Promise God made to Moses, the covenant? Remember when God said "Every time you see a rainbow, remember the promise I made to you, to never destroy the Earth with floods again,"?  Remember the Promise God made to the descendants of Jacob? Remember when He said that He would deliver the Israelites from their brutal slavery in Egypt? The first eight chapters of today's reading are dedicated to the final step in God fulfilling his promise to the Israelites in delivering them to the Promise Land. They're all about how the land is to be divided up among them! They've done it! They made it through the trials of the desert, they were victorious in war, and they've been delivered to the Promise Land. Why? Because God said He would make it so! Because God PROMISED to bring them out of Egypt, to make many nations of them, and  to deliver the...

Beginning the Book of Joshua An Emerging Leader for the Israelites Finally! The moment we've been waiting for since Exodus! The Israelites have arrived to the Promised Land!  Right from the beginning, in Joshua 1:9, we see God provide comfort to Joshua as he begins to lead the Israelites. "Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." And so God commands the Israelites to invade Jericho.  Several spies are sent into Jericho, but they were expecting them. So, the Israelites spies stayed with a woman named Rahab, who invited them in and provided refuge (she was either a prostitute or  an innkeeper; this point is unclear). The spies, in return, vow to save Rahab and her family when the Israelites invade Jericho.  The Israelites cross the Jordan River to get to Jericho, and upon successful crossing, all the males are circumcised (all the males who were already circumcised we...

Have No Fear Beginning Week 3 and Ending Book 5 The Israelites have done it! They've come to the end of their journey and are about to cross the Jordan River into the Promised Land! We've had some ups and some downs in this reading, so let's go through them!  Chapters 23-26 continue to reiterate the laws the Israelites are to follow. God wanted an obedient, holy nation of people to be chosen as His followers. Chapters 27-30 talk about some of the blessings and curses the Israelites will face, as well as the reward for worshiping God and following His commands. It even says in Deuteronomy 29:9 that the Israelites are to "Carefully follow the terms of the covenant, so that you may prosper in everything you do." I'd also like to draw attention to Deuteronomy 29:18--Do not let negativity and distractions draw you away from God, "make sure there is no root among you that produces such bitter poison." Also, you may want to consider givi...