1 Samuel 16:13-23 KJV
13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.
15 And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.
16 Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.
17 And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.
18 Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.
19 Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.
20 And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.
21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.
22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.
23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

This is the month of Halloween and all things evil? There is no better time to speak about evil in scripture then this month, because two things occur, the knowledge God always triumphs over evil. In God's presence evil spirit can only remain because God allows it. We must first remember Saul, a chapter or two over, desire to be great among the people so much that he sacrificed to the Lord before Samuel could arrive and by doing so disobeyed the Lord. We have to ask if one act of disobedience concerning sacrifices got Cain cast out of God's sight, that Saul disobedience would cause his soul to be plagued by evil spirit that lusted after greatness. Now Cain story is different because his casting out truly came because of his brother Abel death. However God spoke to Cain about his original sacrifice of the fruit of the ground. It anger Cain to the point he killed Abel. Sinning twice in the presence of God but not following in the ways of God. This alone should make us examine our own ways of worship.

God is strict about following his ways of doing things. What would be a big deal that Prophet Samuel was not the one to sacrifice? It has to do with God's choice to perform the sacrifice. Saul is after all a man of war. It has to do with Prophet Samuel call of holiness and Saul call as king. It be like our President if society was like Israel in its early days, he would have need to have a holyman perform sacrifices and such. They only thing our President needs is to pray himself, but spiritual advisers probably do go to him from time to time on matters he is dealing with. It does not mean that ministers are not praying for our President, it means he able to go to God first himself and then have minister perform any religious duties for that law of separation of church and state. President as religious leader can effect countries not like ourselves, and yet God can have them teach in our world today to minister to others. Former President Jimmy Carter is said to be a good Sunday School Teacher. I would not be surprised if a few republican presidents as well that are retired did not teach occasionally for a church or religious function. Just because these leaders choose the way of politics it does not mean they necessarily share their faith or not their faith in their world. Yet to keep peace sometimes one type of war is enough to handle, from politic wars or religious wars at a time. Saul was trying to do the work of the prophet and political at the same time. These two things can not mix. For ever politician lie on occasion. Speaking half truth or untruth to quiet the crowd or to hide the truth for a time. When it comes to the Gospel the truth must come forth with evidence of being true. Truth of a situation must be light to enable the hearer to understand it spiritually.

Evil spirit would come upon Saul because of his sin. David would be anointed King by Samuel who grieved about Saul, yet Samuel could do nothing to heal Saul. God showed the Prophet Samuel who would be the next king of Israel to help heal his hurt and had him anoint him to be king of Israel. One of Saul servants ministered to King Saul by telling him to go in search of a someone that could play the harp that for a time the evil spirit would perhaps depart from him. David the one anoint king was able to be a servant in the palace of the king as a harp player to calm and quiet the king. David was a man of many talents, the talent of war, the ability to be peacful, and the ability to care for his father's sheep, while killing wolves, bears and lions that would seek the sheep. David was also a man of faith, also dancing before the Lord undignified, humbly worshipping God and had the ark of God moved into Jerusalem. This story only shows the beginning days of David anointing and all this other would come later.

King Saul problem would haunt him through the rest of his reign as King until his death. King Saul desire was not to honor God but himself. We must be careful how we worship God, to do so with a humble heart and humble spirit. Seeking him not to be seen but to do so to honor God and his will in one's life. Political world is often self seeking, but David sought the will of God through out his reign, despite his own lust and sin. God knew David heart and knew the correction he gave David would humble him, but make him repentive of his sin. King Saul had no heart of repentance once corrected by Prophet Samuel. Saul went about choosing his own way, causing God to depart and turn him over to his own desires and lust.

When I worship God I perfer to be alone, When I share what God has for me to share, I do so online and sometimes with those I meet. If you alone with God you have not the crowd raging around you, your in the privacy of your own thoughts alone. Yet when people try and destroy your way of worshipping it not of God and their actions are not of God. If you corporate worshipping with people in church, is the person beside you distracting you with idle chatter, consider moving so you can worship God because that is why you are there. You can chit chat by phone or after or before church. Time to worship is not time to be better then the one in front of you, or to discuss who is more worthy to be on stage. It about God's appointment of the position. In a church or corporate worship you want those leaders that are humble before God ready to do his will and speak his word. It not unusual to be tempted with thoughts of power by the devil in the middle of worship, but God says to resist the devil and he will flee in James 4. To resist the need for power, strength but to seek God, God resisted the proud but he gives grace to the humble. Be humble in heart, and be ready to do the will of God in whatever direction he leads you in. Do not be like Saul and obey the spirit of pride, and power. It has no room in the heart of the children of God. Saul made his choice and he would rather obey his desire then God's word spoken to him by the Prophet Samuel.

Dear Heavenly Father, teach your children to have a humble heart before you, because the victory his yours, and the enemy must flee by your power and not the power of man. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: James 4:1-10 KJV
1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.