5-Day Devotional: Jesus Is Lord of All

A Journey Through 1 Samuel 15

DAY 1:  99% ISN’T 100%
Read: 1 Samuel 15:1–9
Additional Scripture: Luke 9:23

Saul received a clear command from God, but he only partially obeyed. He destroyed what seemed worthless but kept the best of the livestock and spared King Agag. From Saul’s perspective, he had accomplished most of what God asked. But partial obedience is still disobedience. It is easy for us to look at our lives and think, “I’m doing pretty well. I go to church. I read my Bible. I serve. I give. I pray.” Yet Jesus does not call us to give Him 99% of our lives. He calls us to follow Him completely. The question isn’t simply, “Am I mostly obedient?” The deeper question is, “Is Jesus truly Lord of every area of my life?” There may be places where we have surrendered almost everything while quietly keeping something for ourselves. Today, ask God to reveal those places. Complete surrender begins when we stop measuring our obedience against everyone else and allow God's Word to measure us.

Think About It:
If you divided your life into percentages, what percentage would you honestly say belongs completely to Jesus?
Is there an area where you know what God wants you to do but have chosen partial obedience?
What would complete surrender look like in that area?
What is one step of obedience God may be asking you to take today?

Prayer:
“Jesus, You are worthy of more than the parts of my life I am willing to give You. Show me where I am holding back, and give me the courage to surrender completely.”


DAY 2: YOU CAN’T HIDE IT FROM GOD
Read: 1 Samuel 15:10–19
Additional Scripture: Psalm 139:23–24

When Samuel confronted Saul, Saul confidently declared, “I have performed the commandment of the Lord.” But then Samuel asked the question Saul couldn't escape: “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears?” Saul was trying to cover his disobedience while standing in the middle of the evidence. We can laugh at how ridiculous Saul's excuse sounds, but we often do the same thing. We hide, we minimize, we make excuses, we blame other people, we convince ourselves that our sin isn't really that serious. Sometimes, we even try to cover our disobedience with religious activity, but God already knows. There is no sin we can hide from Him... and that's good news! The God who sees everything, is also the God who offers grace to sinners. We don't have to pretend before Him. We don't have to clean ourselves up before coming to Him. We can come honestly, confess our sin, and find mercy and grace.

Think About It:
What are you tempted to hide from God or from others?
Do you tend to minimize, justify, or blame others when confronted with your sin?
Why do you think we are sometimes more concerned about appearing righteous than actually being righteous?
What would it look like to bring your hidden sin honestly before Jesus?

Prayer:
“Father, You already know everything about me. Help me stop hiding and start confessing. Give me the humility to bring my sin into the light and trust Your grace.”

DAY 3: WHAT WILL YOU DO WHEN YOU’RE CAUGHT?
Read: 1 Samuel 15:20–25
Additional Scripture: 1 John 1:8–9

Saul was given opportunity after opportunity to repent. Instead, he blamed the people. Then he blamed his intentions. He claimed that the animals were being spared so they could be sacrificed to God. Eventually, Saul admitted, “I have sinned,” but even then his concern remained largely about what the people thought of him. Saul’s problem wasn't simply that he sinned. His deeper problem was that he refused to genuinely repent. We all sin. The question is not whether we will fail; the question is what we will do when we fail. When the Holy Spirit convicts us, we can harden our hearts, make excuses, shift blame, and protect our reputation... or we can fall at the feet of Jesus and say, “I have sinned.” Repentance isn't about pretending we didn't fail, It's about turning from our sin and turning toward Christ. The gospel doesn't invite us to hide our sin, rather, it invites us to bring it into the light because Jesus already paid for it.

Think About It:
How do you typically respond when someone confronts you about something you've done wrong?
Are there sins you've been explaining away instead of confessing?
Is there a difference between feeling guilty about sin and actually repenting of sin? What is it?
Is there something you need to confess to God today without making excuses?

Prayer:
“Jesus, give me a heart that is quick to repent. When I sin, keep me from making excuses or protecting my image. Help me run toward You instead of hiding from You.”

DAY 4: SEE YOURSELF THROUGH THE RIGHT LENS
Read: 1 Samuel 15:16–19
Additional Scripture: Ephesians 2:10

Samuel told Saul, “Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel?” Saul had a distorted view of himself. He was trying to make a name for himself, protect his reputation, and maintain his position. Yet underneath it all was an identity problem. We can have one too. Sometimes we see ourselves through the lens of our failures: I'm not good enough. I don't measure up. God couldn't really use me. Other times we see ourselves through the lens of our accomplishments: Look what I've done. Look how successful I've become. Look how much I know. Both lenses are distorted. The gospel gives us a better lens. If you belong to Christ, your identity isn't ultimately determined by your failures, accomplishments, reputation, career, possessions, or what other people think about you. You are someone created by God, redeemed by Christ, and given purpose in Him. You don't have to make a name for yourself. Your identity is found in Jesus.

Think About It:
What tends to define your sense of worth? Your accomplishments or your failures?
Whose opinion of you are you most concerned about?
How would your life change if you genuinely believed your identity was rooted in Christ rather than your performance?
Where are you trying to “make a name for yourself”?

Prayer:
“Lord Jesus, help me see myself through the lens of the gospel. Keep me from defining myself by either my failures or my accomplishments. Remind me that my identity and worth are found in You.”

DAY 5: GOD DOESN’T WANT YOUR RELIGION; HE WANTS YOUR HEART
Read: 1 Samuel 15:22–23
Additional Scripture: Romans 12:1–2

Samuel gave Saul one of the clearest statements in the Old Testament: “To obey is better than sacrifice.” Saul wanted to offer something religious to God while refusing to give God what He actually wanted, obedience and surrender. We can fall into the same trap. We can attend church, sing the songs, give our money, serve in ministry, read our Bibles, and still hold back parts of our hearts from Jesus. But God isn't looking for religious activity that allows us to remain in control. He wants us. All of us. The gospel isn't an invitation to become better at looking like a Christian. Instead, It's an invitation to surrender our entire lives to Christ. Jesus is not simply supposed to be part of your life. He is Lord of your life. So what are you still holding back? What sin have you concealed? What area have you refused to surrender? What act of obedience have you been putting off? Bring it to Jesus. There is hope on the other side of repentance!  Jesus doesn't merely expose our sin... He died for it! He doesn't merely call us to surrender...He gives us grace to do it! Today, don't settle for almost. Give Him everything!

Think About It:
Have you ever substituted religious activity for genuine obedience?
What area of your life is hardest for you to surrender to Jesus?
What would “Jesus is Lord of all” look like practically in your life this week?
What is one specific thing you need to confess, surrender, or obey today?

Prayer:
“Jesus, I don't want to give You merely the religious parts of my life. I want You to be Lord of all. Take every area of my life, my desires, relationships, time, money, work, thoughts, future, and decisions, and teach me to surrender them completely to You. Thank You that when I fail, Your grace meets me there. Help me follow You wholeheartedly.”

5-Day Bible Reading Plan and Devotional Guide Based on the Sunday Sermon

Central Theme: True spiritual victory is not found in our own success, but in continually trusting, obeying, and worshiping the God who gives victory. God's people are sustained not by their achievements, but by God's grace. We must remember what he has done, turn from worthless things, and faithfully follow him.

Day 1: Remember What God Has Done

Reading: Deuteronomy 8:2-6 -- Moses calls Israel to remember how God led and provided for them in the wilderness, humbling them and testing their hearts, so they would learn to depend on him rather than themselves.

Devotional:

Memory is a spiritual discipline. Samuel's final address to Israel was not a motivational speech about what they were capable of achieving -- it was a call to remember what God had already done. The danger of spiritual drift rarely begins with a dramatic rebellion. It begins with forgetting. We forget the pit God pulled us out of. We forget the prayer he answered. We forget the moment grace found us. And when memory fades, self-reliance quietly moves in to fill the space. Today, take time to look back -- not with nostalgia, but with gratitude. What has God brought you through? What has he provided that you could not have provided for yourself? The antidote to drifting is remembering. Consider the great things he has done for you, and let that remembrance anchor your heart to him today.

Reflection Questions:

What is one specific moment in your life when God's faithfulness was undeniable?
How often do you deliberately return to that memory as an act of worship?
In what areas of your life have you begun to forget what God has done?
Practical Application: Write down three specific ways God has been faithful to you in the past year. Place that list somewhere visible this week as a daily reminder that your life is held in his hands, not your own.

Day 2: The Slow Fade -- Guarding Against Spiritual Drift

Reading: Hebrews 2:1-4 -- The writer of Hebrews warns that we must pay careful attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from the truth of salvation that was confirmed through signs and witnesses.

Devotional:

No one plans to drift. Saul did not wake up one morning and decide to abandon God. He experienced genuine victory, gave God credit for it, and led his people well -- at first. But somewhere in the three years between chapters 11 and 13, something shifted. Small compromises accumulated. Self-reliance quietly replaced surrender. By the time the crisis arrived, his instinct was not to seek God but to act on his own terms. The writer of Hebrews uses the image of a boat slowly carried off course by a subtle current. The boat is not steering toward destruction -- it is simply not steering at all. Spiritual drift is passive. It does not require a decision to walk away. It only requires the absence of a decision to stay close. Guard your heart. Stay anchored to the Word. Do not let the current of comfort and complacency carry you somewhere you never intended to go.

Reflection Questions:

Are there any areas of your spiritual life that have quietly grown cold without a single dramatic turning point?
What habits or disciplines have kept you anchored in seasons of spiritual health?
What small compromises have you been tolerating that could be the beginning of a larger drift?
Practical Application: Identify one spiritual discipline -- prayer, Scripture reading, community, worship -- that has grown inconsistent in your life. Commit to reinstating it this week, not out of guilt, but out of a genuine desire to stay close to God.

Day 3: The Danger of an Outward Faith Without Inward Devotion

Reading: 2 Timothy 3:1-5 -- Paul warns Timothy that in difficult times, people will hold to an outward form of godliness while denying the power that genuine faith produces, and he urges Timothy to turn away from such people.

Devotional:

Saul offered the sacrifice. He went through the motions of worship. He used the language of devotion. But there was no genuine surrender beneath it. He was not seeking God's glory -- he was managing a crisis on his own terms and dressing it in religious clothing. This is one of the most dangerous forms of spiritual failure because it is invisible to those around us and, over time, even to ourselves. When faith becomes a performance rather than a posture, when Sunday morning worship is disconnected from Monday morning obedience, when we use the things of God to build our own name rather than his -- that is the pattern of Saul. True faith is not merely what we do in a church building. It is the orientation of the whole heart toward God in every moment, in every decision, in every season.

Reflection Questions:

Are there areas of your spiritual life that have become more about appearance than authentic devotion?
Is there a gap between the faith you display publicly and the condition of your heart privately?
What would it look like for your worship on Sunday to be a genuine overflow of your walk with God throughout the week?
Practical Application: Choose one area of your daily life -- your work, your relationships, your finances -- and intentionally ask God how your faith should shape the way you approach it this week. Let your devotion move beyond Sunday.

Day 4: Do Not Chase Empty Things

Reading: 1 John 2:15-17 -- The apostle John instructs believers not to love the world or the things of the world, describing three patterns of worldly desire -- the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life -- and affirming that only the one who does the will of God endures forever.

Devotional:

Samuel's warning to Israel in 1 Samuel 12 was direct and urgent: do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver. The world makes extraordinary promises. It promises that achievement will satisfy, that comfort will sustain, that recognition will fulfill. But these are empty promises. They cannot deliver what they advertise. John identifies three channels through which the world draws our hearts away from God -- the desires of the body, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life. These are not new temptations. They are ancient ones. And they are effective not because they offer something terrible, but because they offer something that looks good and feels real while quietly replacing the only thing that is truly lasting. What has the world promised you that God alone can actually provide? Do not chase what cannot deliver. Turn to the one who already has.

Reflection Questions:

What empty things are you most tempted to pursue in this season of your life?
How have past pursuits of worldly satisfaction left you wanting more rather than truly fulfilled?
In what ways does the pride of life -- the desire to build your own name and legacy -- compete with your desire to glorify God?
Practical Application: Spend fifteen minutes in honest prayer today, surrendering to God one specific thing you have been pursuing for your own glory or comfort rather than for his. Ask him to reorient your desires toward what is lasting.

Day 5: God's Faithfulness in the Midst of Our Failure

Reading: Lamentations 3:22-23 -- The prophet reflects in the midst of devastation that the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases and his mercies are new every morning, declaring that great is his faithfulness.

Devotional:

The story of Saul is not ultimately a story about Saul. It is a story about a faithful God who works his purposes even through human failure. Israel demanded a king when God himself was their king. They got what they asked for, and it led to disappointment. And yet God did not abandon his people. He was already preparing the one who would come after Saul -- a man after his own heart. The same is true for us. Our failures are real, and their consequences are real. But they do not have the final word. God's mercies are new every morning. His faithfulness does not depend on ours. While we were still in our failure, Christ died for us. No matter how far you have drifted, no matter how many times the same sin has pulled you back, the cross stands as the ultimate declaration that God's love for you has not wavered. Return to him. He has not moved.

Reflection Questions:

Do you believe that God's faithfulness toward you is truly unconditional, or do you secretly feel that your failures have exhausted his patience?
What failure in your life do you need to surrender to God today, trusting that his grace is greater than your sin?
How does the reality of the cross change the way you view your own spiritual shortcomings?
Practical Application: Read Romans 8:38-39, which declares that nothing in all creation is able to separate us from the love of God. Memorize one phrase from that passage this week and return to it every time guilt or discouragement tempts you to believe that your failure has placed you beyond God's reach.

Closing Reflection for the Week:

The life of King Saul is a sobering portrait of what happens when outward success outpaces inward devotion, when charisma replaces character, and when the glory that belongs to God is quietly redirected toward ourselves. But the greater story running beneath Saul's failure is the story of a God who remains faithful, who does not abandon his people, and who ultimately provides what no earthly king ever could. Do not let your personality outpace your pursuit of God. Do not let your victories make you forget the one who gave them. Remember, turn from empty things, serve him faithfully with all your heart, and consider the great things he has done for you.

Luke 2:8-15 - And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”  

The most discouraging, and also the most encouraging response I have received from someone while inviting them to church is something along the lines of: “Church isn’t for me, man… Look at me, I’m not what you’d expect to see in church. There are some things in my life I need to fix up first before I step through the doors of a church.” It’s discouraging to hear because it proves how little the world understands about church, God, and the good news of Jesus. However, it’s encouraging because we know, people like that tend to meet the standards and criteria that God demands in order to choose, save, and use someone to accomplish his will.

That’s right, God didn’t send an angel to appear to a king, dictator, president, wealthy or influential persons. Instead, they were shepherds - In their fields, too unclean to meet the religious and ceremonial demands because of the nature of their jobs. Their hands and bodies were always defiled and dirty. Poor, low class, and unable to meet the expectations of the world around them. That’s who God chose. To some lowly shepherds an angel appeared, the glory of God shone around, and a message of good news and great joy for ALL people was brought.

To those feeling less than significant this holiday season. To the hurting and broken. To those that feel beyond the reach of God. To those overwhelmed by the weight of their own sin. To those that feel they need to clean themselves up before they come to Christ…Christ came for you. Right where you’re at, with all the weight and baggage you think you’re carrying, he has come to you! Not with a message of judgement or rejection, but one of hope, peace, and great joy!

The chances are, that these shepherds were keeping a flock of sheep that would be used for temple sacrifices. They kept the lambs that would be regularly offered for the sins of some people… But here, the angels invited these shepherds to greet a different lamb, to welcome into the world the true lamb, the Lamb of God that would take away the sins of the world. (Jn 1:36). When the angels left, these shepherds didn’t stop to wash, change their clothes, or put on the best version of themselves. They went to see the swaddled savior just as they were. So, wherever you find yourself today, come and see the savior just as you are. You don’t have to be perfect, you don’t have to fix any glaring issues in your life, there is no cleaning or washing that will make you more presentable, because Jesus saves us just as we are.

Week 1: Holding Onto Hope

All of us, sooner or later, find ourselves walking through dark and difficult seasons. You might even be in one right now. Maybe you've felt the weight of grief, received news that knocked the wind out of you, watched a son or daughter drift far from the faith and want nothing to do with God or the church, or endured betrayal from someone you deeply trusted. Whatever the specifics, darkness tends to show up in familiar ways. It leaves us shaken and disoriented, unsure of which direction to turn. Fear settles in as we wonder what’s waiting beyond the next wave… will there be shelter, or another blow? We feel lonely, abandoned, and left to navigate the storm on our own…

So this Christmas season, we look back to live ahead. We look back to the people of God waiting in silence and seemingly stuck. We also look back to the promises that God had made and that God had kept. Promises for those stuck in the prison, wandering in the wilderness, or enduring an exile. Promises that mean even more for us today. The hope we have in Christ, a peace that is incomprehensible, a joy that is superior to our circumstances, a love that we can’t outrun, and a Gospel that stands as a light in the darkness. This week, we look to the hope we have. A hope which proves to be an anchor for our soul in the midst of the storms of this life:

Hebrews 6:13-20 “When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” u 15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. 16 People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. 17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”

Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”

There is no one higher, there is no one greater, there is no one like our God. There is only one who is worthy of more honor, who is far more precious, holds greater beauty, extravagance, and splendor than all of the other values of the world combined, a billion times over. So, what greater things are there to swear by or make a promise on? Absolutely nothing and nobody, which is why we see God swear by himself, reaching as high as possible, making a promise that only he can keep! But why, why does God need to reach so high in making a promise that only he can make and only he can keep? It’s to bring us hope, hope in an unshakeable, immoveable, unchanging God. An anchor for our souls, a refuge, a place to turn amid the faulty and fleeting hopes of this world.

The reason most people never move away from the grand ole State of Michigan is for the same reasons: Michigan summers. There is nothing quite like it. For me, it’s because of going “up-north” and settling into a cottage, beach, campground, or roadside park with spectacular views of the Great Lakes. Growing up on Lake Huron, piling onto the boat with the six in our family and the dog, voyaging for weeks at a time across the open water north to the quaint, quiet, and beautiful coastal towns. Even now we spend time along Lake Huron with the family. There is a nostalgia associated with it along with the rest and quality family times these trips currently provide. Every harbor and most public beaches along the way have one of those massive old rusty anchors with the chain that is welded to form a monument. I have memories of the marina we harbored our boat at in my childhood, climbing the anchor and the sensation of grabbing it with my hand or scraping my shins alongside it. Maybe your only memories or experiences with anchors is a nautical themed bathroom decorated with anchors and lighthouses or a night out at Red Lobster, but for me, the anchor is a landmark that triggers meaningful emotion and memory in my life.

 An anchor is an object with great power and significant value. An anchor can steady a ship in the eye of a storm, holding it firmly rooted to its position no matter what waves or tempest may come. Though for me the anchor brings about a certain sentiment, it is also seen as a symbol of hope, especially in the ancient world. “The Stoic philosopher Epictetus says: ‘A ship should never depend on one anchor, or a life on one hope.’ Pythagoras the mathematician said: ‘Wealth is a weak anchor; fame is still weaker. What then are the anchors which are strong? Wisdom, great-heartedness, courage—these are the anchors which no storm can shake.’ The writer to the Hebrews insists that Christians possess the greatest hope in the world.”  That’s right, we have the greatest hope of all, the hope that the promises of God have been kept, the hope we have in Jesus! The world will prove empty in a search for hope. There is no wealth, fame, wisdom, courage, or great-heartedness that will be a strong enough anchor for our soul when the storms of life crash against the boat. Only Jesus, only the promises of God, that he has made upon himself and he has kept in Christ. So, a you may feel empty and left without hope, or as you live among a world searching for hope this season… Give them a reason, and be reminded of the anchor we can firmly take hold of.

1 Peter 3:15 “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect”.

The God Who Saves

Read: Exodus 3:8; Ephesians 2:1-10

"I have come down to deliver them." God didn't just sympathize with Israel's bondage, he acted to save them. This foreshadows the greatest rescue mission in history: God sending Jesus to deliver us from slavery to sin. Just as the Israelites couldn't free themselves from Egypt, we cannot save ourselves from sin's bondage. We need a deliverer. God is rich in mercy and great in love. Through Christ's death and resurrection, he breaks the chains that bind us and offers freedom. Perhaps you're still enslaved to guilt, shame, addiction, or fear. The God who saves is calling you to freedom today. Salvation isn't about your strength, it's about his grace. When you are not able, He is.

Reflection: Have you accepted God's deliverance through Christ? If so, have you remembered and reflected upon that lately?

The God Who Sees and Hears

Read: Exodus 3:7-9; Psalm 130:1-2

"I have surely seen the affliction of my people... I have heard their cry... I know their sufferings." What powerful words for hurting hearts! God doesn't merely observe our pain from a distance, he sees it fully, hears our desperate cries, and knows our suffering intimately. The Israelites didn't articulate eloquent prayers; they groaned and cried out. Sometimes that's all we can manage. Good news: God doesn't need polished prayers. He hears the groanings too deep for words. Whether you're facing a difficult diagnosis, financial crisis, broken relationship, or crushing disappointment, know that God's eyes are upon you and His ears are attentive to your cry. You are not alone in your affliction. The God of heaven sees you right where you are.

Reflection: What burden are you carrying that you need to cry out to God about today? Will you trust that He truly sees and hears?

The God Who Remembers

Read: Exodus 2:23-25; Psalm 34:15-18

In the depths of Egyptian slavery, God's people groaned under oppression for over 400 years. Yet Scripture tells us "God remembered His covenant." This doesn't mean God had forgotten, rather, he remained faithful to his promises even when his people felt abandoned. Perhaps you're in a season where God feels distant, where prayers seem unanswered, where circumstances overwhelm. Take heart: God has not forgotten you. His covenant love never wavers. The same God who remembered Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob remembers you today. Your name is engraved on His hands. Your tears are not overlooked. When you feel forgotten, remember this truth: God's faithfulness doesn't depend on our feelings or faithfulness (or lack-thereof), it rests on his unchanging character!

Reflection: What situation in your life makes you feel forgotten? How does knowing God remembers, change your perspective?