Vince Miller Podcast Vince Miller

Have you had enough and want a change in our church and country?
Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.
This week, we are in 1 Samuel 7. I've titled this chapter "Stand Up And Make A Declaration."
After two decades had passed, Samuel called the nation to repent. He gathered them at Mizpah for national repentance. As they do, the Philistines surround to attack, and God responds with a mighty sound, and then the Israelites follow suit and drive the Philistines away. Let's listen to how they respond and God's reward for their return in 1 Samuel 7:12-17:
Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, “Till now the Lord has helped us.” So the Philistines were subdued and did not again enter the territory of Israel. And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. The cities that the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath, and Israel delivered their territory from the hand of the Philistines. There was peace also between Israel and the Amorites.
Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. And he went on a circuit year by year to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah. And he judged Israel in all these places. Then he would return to Ramah, for his home was there, and there also he judged Israel. And he built there an altar to the Lord. — 1 Samuel 7:12-17
Repentance Effects Everyone
The effect of this call to repentance is profound. It has a long-lasting impact on three groups of people. First, on the Philistines, who were subdued and restrained for the rest of Samuel's life. Second, on the Amorites (a.k.a. the Canaanites), who ceased to be a threat because of Israel's victory over their common enemy, the Philistines. Third, on the Israelites, who witnessed firsthand the deliverance by God in the most vulnerable of moments.
Don't forget that Israel was about to be wiped out. The entire nation was gathered in a valley unarmed, fasted, and emotionally vulnerable. Their enemy was armed and ready on every side. Their only hope was divine intervention, and God did intervene.
Repentance Is Personal & Corporate
I talk to many people in our time who want to see change happen in the church and our country. Based on what we have read in this chapter, I am convinced we think about the path to this change all wrong. The path to change is not with a better preacher, policy, politician, or president. The path to change is repentance, both personal and corporate. This means:
If you want change in your family, you need to repent and call your family to repentance.
If you want change in your church, your pastor needs to repent and call the church to repentance.
If you want change in your denomination, the head of your denomination needs to repent and then call the churches to repentance.
What happened in this moment can still happen today. It can happen right now with you.
Make Is Personal
I know someone reading this today who feels just like Israel felt here in the middle of Chapter 7. You feel hopeless. You feel alone. You feel surrounded by an enemy who is perched to annihilate you. If that is you, I am telling you, there is hope. Turn or return to God. Reject the meaningless ideologies and idols that have let you down and call upon the only God who saves.
Repentance is when we bring our sinful motivations, thoughts, and actions to God and ask God to take a stand. We are not taking a stand—we are going low—but asking God to take a stand. The benefits are great because those who repent will be rescued, freed from fear, and established in the Lord's territory. Eventually, you will see that your repentance will impact everyone around you.
#RepentanceAndRestoration
#DivineIntervention
#EbenezerStone
Ask This:
How can you personally apply the principle of repentance, both individually and within your community or family, to seek God's intervention in areas where you need His help?
Reflecting on

Are you surrounded by challenges with no way out?
Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.
This week, we are in 1 Samuel 7. I've titled this chapter "Stand Up And Make A Declaration."
Let's recap the story a bit. Israel, having lost and regained the Ark of God, defiled the Tabernacle and found themselves in a 20-year hiatus from worship and sacrifice. But after two decades had passed, Samuel called the nation to repent. He gathered them at Mizpah for national declaration and spiritual restoration. But right at this moment, the plot thickens. Let's listen to 1 Samuel 7:7-11:
Now when the Philistines heard that the people of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the people of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines. And the people of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the Lord our God for us, that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines.” So Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. And Samuel cried out to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord answered him. As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to attack Israel. But the Lord thundered with a mighty sound that day against the Philistines and threw them into confusion, and they were defeated before Israel. And the men of Israel went out from Mizpah and pursued the Philistines and struck them, as far as below Beth-car.  — 1 Samuel 7:7-11
An Intense Battle
This is quite an intense moment.
Imagine for a moment you are the people of Israel. You and your entire family are gathered with the rest of the nation. You are unarmed, fasted, and in a vulnerable emotional state. In the middle of this event, word spreads that the five lords of the Philistines with their armies are gathered around you. You look up to the surrounding territory to see they have you surrounded. Logically, you face destruction.
Surrounded & Vulnerable
Completely vulnerable, there is only one possibility—salvation by the Lord.
Therefore, the people beg Samuel to pray for their salvation, so he does. With the enemy within sight, Samuel responds with prayer and sacrifice, something he has not done in twenty years. Then God makes a mighty thundering sound that throws the Philistines into confusion.
I should stop and make a note here. The people of this time had a unique understanding of military combat. They believed every military conflict (victory or defeat) played out on two planes: the natural and the supernatural. Therefore, any unusual phenomenon during a military operation would be interpreted as evidence of a deity at work (Joshua 10:11; Judges 5:4, 20–21). In this case, the loud and unexpected thunder, whatever it was, was immediately understood by the Philistines as a bad omen, which was supported by the fact they were attacking them in the middle of the worship of their God, causing mass panic. Israel immediately understood this as an answer from the Lord from Samuel's prayer and sacrifice and took advantage of the mass hysteria.
So let me make three points of application.
One | Grasp The Battle
First, the enemy always strikes when you are weakest and most vulnerable. This is what he always does in my life. The enemy loves to wear down believers; he is relentless. He knows your weaknesses, vulnerable moments, fears, and failures. If he sees you are about to turn to God, he will send the full force of his armies against you to defeat you.
Two | Gird Your Mind
Second, when the enemy strikes at these vulnerable moments, you get to make a strategic choice. You can look at the situation from a natural or supernatural perspective. This mindset you adopt will change how you view this situation and will impact your next decision. The choice is either the enemy and natural forces are in control, or God and his supernatural force are in control.
Three | Get Out And Fight
Third, when you surrender to God, assuming you do, y

Is it time for us to gather for a day of repentance?
Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.
This week, we are in 1 Samuel 7. I've titled this chapter "Stand Up And Make A Declaration."
As I have been reading Chapter 7, the thought has been gnawing at me. Is it time for the church to usher in a day of repentance? Listen as I read 1 Samuel 7:3-6:
And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” So the people of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and they served the Lord only.
Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.” So they gathered at Mizpah and drew water and poured it out before the Lord and fasted on that day and said there, “We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the people of Israel at Mizpah.  — 1 Samuel 7:3-6
If you've followed me through this book, you've witnessed a narrative unfold. It's the tale of a nation liberated by God from Egypt, who meandered through the desert and was guided into the Promised Land. However, God's nation gradually strays over the next 400 years. The religious leaders become so corrupt and wicked that they lose the Ark and drift far from God. The nation, enduring a twenty-year lament, finds itself without a means to worship or offer sacrifices to God.
But in this moment of national despair, a beacon of hope emerges. Samuel, the final judge of Israel, steps forward. It's important to note that a man of God will guide Israel back, not a policy, president, power, or politician. It's a righteous man with a righteous plan, ready to rally the nation to repentance.
I have read these verses many times this week, and they stir something in me: a desire to call believers in our time to repentance. But before you and I go and get too excited about this, the message that must be delivered is not easy. It's a stern message. It's a divisive message. It's a clarifying message. It's a personal message. It's a message that requires us to declare we stand against the idols of our time, like the:
Idol of Relativism: that rejects absolute truth and exchanges the truth of God for a lie. Idol of Gender Fluidity: that rejects biblical views of God's created order and gender as (binary) male and female. Idol of Critical Race Theory: that rejects biblical reconciliation by resurrecting past sins against races, promoting division. Idol of Abortion: that rejects the sanctity of life at conception and elevates our rights and us as a god. Idol of LGBTQ+ Rights: that rejects biblical teachings on sexuality and marriage. Idol of Secularism: that rejects biblical faith and values and marginalizes believers in the marketplace. But here is the problem with all these idols and ideologies. It's more than just the culture that has welcomed them. It's the church. All of these idols have found their way into the church. Therefore, what Samuel does here is not only courageous but also hard, divisive, clarifying, and personal. It's a call to reject and rid themselves of specific idols, repent, and return to the Lord.
Spiritual change can happen. But it will only occur when a righteous man leads the way. This means we have to repent first and lead the way. It means we must draw some defining lines for ourselves, our families, and the church.
#RepentanceRevival, #ReturnToGod, #SpiritualAwakening
Ask This: How can we identify and confront the idols in our own lives and in our church community? What practical steps can we take today to initiate a personal or communal day of repentance and spiritual renewal? Do This: Repent and rid yourselves of idols.
Pray This: Father, I humbly come before You, seeking Your guidance and strength to identify and remove any idols that have crept into my heart and communit

Do we need a move by God or a move by man?
Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.
This week, we are in 1 Samuel 7. I've titled this chapter "Stand Up And Make A Declaration."
Yesterday, we left off with a stark truth: If you choose moral flexibility, God will allow it. But be warned, you will be living without God. This lifestyle, devoid of God's presence, carries significant spiritual and national implications. I believe this is the critical juncture we find ourselves in today. Then we read this in 1 Samuel 7:3-4:
And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” So the people of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and they served the Lord only. — 1 Samuel 7:3-4
For me, the pivotal moments of Chapter 7 are both in verse 3, "And Samuel..." and "If you..."
After twenty long years, a man of God, Samuel, rises to the moment. Scripture is silent here on why it takes twenty years. But I know that when we are left to our sin, we have to get well beyond the short-lived rewards of sin to see the consequences before a person or a nation turns back. Some see it sooner than others only because they have seen the cycle before. But most of the time, it takes us a while to see the devastating consequence of sin.
Yet, amid this national and spiritual crisis, our leading man, Samuel, stands up and proclaims a return. It's not a return of the Ark of God but a return of Israel’s wayward heart to God. Moving the Ark of God around is not going to help. What is needed is a movement of their hearts to God. And Samuel declares this movement has three features:
First, they need to “put away” the beliefs and practices they have adopted over the last twenty years. Second, they need to "return to the Lord,” which is not a show of sadness and worldly regret but of turning back to God and away from the lifestyle they have adopted. Third, the need to do it “with all their heart” demands a single-minded, wholehearted commitment to God. I think our culture and time long for a fresh move by God. But too many believers wrongly assume that God needs to spark this movement. Instead, Samuel clarifies that God has not moved. It's the nation that has moved. What they need to do is return to the God they have moved away from. It's a return that must be characterized by the features listed here.
The way to start is by making a move. Is there a belief or practice you need to let go of to fully return to the Lord with all your heart? What is the practice that has become an idol? What steps will you take today to rid your thoughts, attitudes, and actions of it? And what new thoughts, attitudes, and actions are you committed to bringing to the Lord? After you do this, share it with others and invite your family, church, and community to join in.
#RepentanceRevival, #ReturnToGod, #SpiritualRenewal
Ask This: What beliefs or practices in your life have subtly taken the place of God's rightful place in your heart? How can you actively "put away" these distractions to return wholeheartedly to God?  
Reflecting on Samuel's bold stand and call for national repentance, what steps can you take today to lead others in your influence toward a more profound commitment to God?

Do you want to live with the Lord or without the Lord?
Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.
This week, we are in 1 Samuel 7. I've titled this chapter "Stand Up And Make A Declaration."
Today's scripture is 1 Samuel 7:2, it reads:
From the day that the ark was lodged at Kiriath-jearim, a long time passed, some twenty years, and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord. — 1 Samuel 7:2
After the Ark of God was taken from Shiloh, it never returned. This verse chronicles a sad moment because the Ark of God will remain in this location for almost 50 years, not just for the next 20 years. It will stay here until King David requests that It be paraded up to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6).
As modern readers, we often fail to see the effects of what has happened. The wicked sons of Eli removed the Ark of God, defiling the Tabernacle. This meant there was no longer a holy place for worship and sacrifice. Failed spiritual leadership caused a rift and drift from God, and the consequences devastated the religious nation. Thus, there is a long two decades of lament for these actions.
This concerns me about our time and our nation. If we want to live without the Lord, the Lord will allow us to live without him. If we turn to the New Testament book of Romans, Paul has something to say about this. This is a reading from Romans 1:21-32
For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. — Romans 1:21-32
If you want moral flexibility, God will let you have it. But here's the deal, you will live without God. A life lived this way, without God, has all kinds of national and individual spiritual consequences. I believe this is the time in which we live.
But there is a way back, and to see that you will have to show up tomorrow.
But for now, reflect on this question: Do you want to live with the Lord or without the Lord?
#ChooseGod
#ReturnToGod
#SpiritualConsequences
Ask This: How can we recognize areas in our lives where we may be drifting away from God's presence, similar to the Israelites during the time of 1 Samuel 7? In what practical ways can we ensure that our worship and devotion to God remain sincere and faithful, even amidst the distractions and temptations of modern life? Do This: Ask this and answer honestly: Do you want to live with the Lord or without the Lord?
Pray This: Father, help me to discern when I am drifting from Your presence and guide me back into a deeper relationship with You. Strengthen my resolve to honor You in all aspects of my life, reflecting

Are you aware of God's presence in your life?
Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.
This week, we are reading 1 Samuel 7. I've titled this chapter "Stand Up And Make A Declaration."
We begin this chapter with 1 Samuel 7:1 reads:
And the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took up the ark of the Lord and brought it to the house of Abinadab on the hill. And they consecrated his son Eleazar to have charge of the ark of the Lord. — 1 Samuel 7:1
First, I think it's crucial, as it relates to this text, to recall the journey of the Ark of God for the last few chapters. First, the Ark was in Shiloh. This was where it was supposed to be, inside the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle. But the wicked sons of Eli removed the Ark of God and brought it into battle using it like a good luck charm and then lost it to the Philistines. Then the Philistines take it, assuming a victory over God. But God strikes them with a plague and hemorrhoids, and they pass it from town to town until they are ready to be rid of it. Then it ends up in Beth-Shemesh. But the priest inappropriately handled it, and God struck 70 of them dead, which may have been the whole lot of them. Now, like the Philistines, the Israelites are frightened of it.
So this is where we pick up in verse one. Israel had to decide what to do with it. They don't take it back to Shiloh, which is pretty close, and we are not told why. There could be many reasons, one of which might be the desecration of the Tabernacle by Eli's sons. But they take it about 15 miles up the road to Abinadab's house (who was one of the remaining priests) and consecrate his son (Eleazar), and they keep the Ark of God in their house.
Here's a thought for you.
Imagine that the Ark of God appeared at your doorstep today. How would your thoughts, attitudes, and actions change?
I bet the way you lead would shift. I bet how you care for your wife, the words you choose, and even the media you consume would change. I assume your thoughts and attitudes would transform, as well.
But this is not a hypothetical thought. God's presence is not confined to a box. His Spirit lives within every believer. The power of the Holy God is with us wherever we go. We are a temple of the Holy Spirit. So, if this is the case, we should live with each moment of every day with a healthy awareness of holy reverence and divine dread in us, consecrating every thought, attitude, and action.
Dwell on that today, and live like it.
#GodsPresence
#DailyDevotional
#LiveInHisLight
Ask This: How can you cultivate a greater awareness of God's presence in your daily routines and interactions?  
Reflecting on today's message, what practical steps can you take to consecrate your thoughts, attitudes, and actions to honor God's presence in your life? Do This: Dwell on the presence of God in you, and act like it.
Pray This: Father, help me to live each day with a deep awareness of Your presence within me. Guide my thoughts, words, and actions to reflect Your holiness and grace to those around me. Amen.
Play This: Here in the Presence.