The true church is a demonstration to the world of God's glory. Human nature prefers to vaunt personalities, preachers, even musicians and their produce, but our God given role is to show the fruits of the converting and sanctifying work within us. 

The struggle for the soul, says the Bible, is like an Olympic wrestling match, yet many do not even begin the search for God, and opposing influences win the day. Here is how God enables us to come through all resistance to find His pardon and love.

What accounts for Saul's resistance to God? But there are the same tendencies even in us as believers. Supremely, in these chapters, are the four arguments of Abigail to deter David from sin, the same arguments so useful to us in restraining ourselves from temptation.

The apostle prays that believers will have Christ in their hearts (here explained), and rooted and grounded in love for Him, we will know more of His for us. Here is the scope of the breadth, length, depth and height of that love.

Just as we came into the world with nothing, so we shall leave it. When we appear as souls before our Maker, how will we be provided for? Will we have a Saviour, a pardon for all sin, and eternal life?

Beginning with the erosion of David's trust in his subterfuge at Nob, proceeding to the total collapse of trust in his flight to Gath, and then the repair of faith in Psalms 34 and 56, and the token of future blessing in the rescue of Keilah.