Vince Miller Podcast Vince Miller

Are you just moving your problems around?
Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.
This week, we are reading 1 Samuel 5. I've titled this chapter "Clearing The Path To Glory."
So far, in Chapter 5, we've discovered that the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant and took it back to Ashdod, and now it's given everyone in the land a bad case of hemorrhoids, and here is what happens next in verses 8-10:
So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” They answered, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath.” So they brought the ark of the God of Israel there. But after they had brought it around, the hand of the Lord was against the city, causing a very great panic, and he afflicted the men of the city, both young and old, so that tumors broke out on them. So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. But as soon as the ark of God came to Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought around to us the ark of the God of Israel to kill us and our people.” — 1 Samuel 5:8-10
When we began this chapter, we said five different lords governed five Philistine cities. What is happening here is one lord is passing it to the next until they finally concur that one lord is using the box to kill off another lord and his people. The irreverent capture of the Ark of the Covenant has led to disease, death, disorder, conspiracy, and conflict. God has worked the Philistines over without Israel needing to lift a finger. If they only would have just trusted the Lord!
But there is an excellent lesson in this.
We are all prone to move our problems around. I know I do this. You do, too. When we encounter problems, we instinctively look first for natural solutions. We find ways to rectify the situation by making corrections and adjustments. Once in a while, it works, but that does not necessarily mean it worked. It might have only been a temporary solution to a larger problem that we have moved around or moved for someone else to deal with.
The people of Ashdod and Gath rid themselves of a problem, but they have not rectified it. They have merely moved it from themselves to someone else, and the people of Ekron are wise to this. They don't want to inherit a problem that demands a divine solution they are unwilling to accept. Had they just acknowledged God and accepted their wrong, they might have dealt with the situation and resolved it. But they were unwilling to acknowledge God or their sin, so instead, they moved the problem around.
Today, when you face a problem, instead of looking at every problem as a natural issue needing your incredible solution, consider the potential for a divine problem and divine solution. Look at the situation in the same way God would. Most of the time, the issue arises because of some sin (personal or corporate), causing a problem you haven't yet identified. Look first for that, diagnose it, and then respond to it. You will get to the heart of the core issue much faster, and it's far better than continually moving it around.
#TrustGod, #DivineSolutions, #BiblicalWisdom
Ask This: In what areas of your life are you tempted to seek natural solutions instead of seeking God's divine intervention? How can you start inviting God into these situations today?  
Reflect on a time when you moved a problem around instead of addressing the root issue. What steps can you take to ensure you confront and resolve issues with God's guidance in the future? Do This: Look for a divine solution first.
Pray This: Father, help me recognize when I rely on my solutions instead of seeking Your divine guidance. Grant me the wisdom to address the root of my problems and the faith to trust in Your perfect plan. Amen.
Play This: God Of Miracles.

 BUY THE 1 SAMUEL JOURNAL





Is God punishing you or preparing you?
Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.
This week, we are reading 1 Samuel 5. I've titled this chapter "Clearing The Path To Glory."
So far, in Chapter 5, we've discovered that the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant and took it back to Ashdod, setting it up in the temple of Dagon. The following day, the people awoke to find that Dagon had fallen prostrate before the Ark. Despite their shock, they propped him back up. The next morning, they discovered Dagon had fallen again with his head and hands cut off, which terrified them. Then we read verses 6-7:
The hand of the Lord was heavy against the people of Ashdod, and he terrified and afflicted them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory. And when the men of Ashdod saw how things were, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for his hand is hard against us and against Dagon our god.” — 1 Samuel 5:6-7
There are a couple of choices as to what disease this was, and we are not sure. Some think it was the Bubonic Plague transmitted by fleas and rats that spread to humans. Or it could have also been a massive break of hemorrhoids that afflicted the people. Either way, this outbreak was a major pain in the butt, so much so that they associated the affliction with the recent capture of the Ark.
What is fascinating about this situation is that people who believed that they just defeated God now believe God was defeating them. They have seen enough occurrences to believe God is punishing them.
At some point, we are all disciplined by God. Most of the time, discipline by God comes in the form of natural consequences stemming from disobedience to him or his authority in this life. These consequences inflict pain and compel us to pay attention, thus driving us to pay attention to God.
For instance, if you are intoxicated and drive a vehicle and then get pulled over, there are numerous consequences. You will be arrested, ticketed, lose driving privileges, incur legal fees, face probation, and insurance increases. In this example, it is relatively easy to see the connection between our human defiance and God's divine punishment. It is even easier to see you have a biblical worldview that assumes God is the divine judge who governs all things and operates through human government to administer judgment for human defiance.
But in the case of the Philistines, they did not have a biblical worldview. They held polytheistic views, but they were right in this situation to establish a divine connection. The "heavy hand of God's judgment" was afflicting them. Through natural circumstances, he was trying to get their attention, and they made the connection. What they neglected to do was worship him. Instead, they would dispose of him by sending the Ark of God to another town.
Here is what you need to see today.
When you experience affliction and discipline in life, you should pause and assess the divine signs. Afflictions by God are meant to get our attention. Take time to pause, reflect, and assess. Go to God in prayer and ask God to show you why this is happening in your life. Discern if God is afflicting you for disobedience or to drive you toward deeper obedience. Either way, God will likely show you something that he wants you to see.
Remember, there are moments when we experience affliction without seeing the act of disobedience. For example, consider the stories of Job or even Jesus. Afflictions in both cases did not stem from disobedience but were designed to stretch their obedience. Both types of discipline and affliction have occurred in this story. Some people in Israel were not disobedient to God and yet were being disciplined, like Samuel and his family. On the other hand, God was directly disciplining others, like Eli and his family who had been blatantly disobedient.
Either way, the right response is always to bow and worship the Lor

What idol do you fear?
Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.
This week, we are reading 1 Samuel 5. I've titled this chapter "Clearing The Path To Glory."
So far, in Chapter 5, we've discovered that the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant and took it back to Ashdod, setting it up in the temple of Dagon. The following day, the people awoke to find that Dagon had fallen prostrate before the Ark. Despite their shock, they propped him back up. The next morning, they discovered Dagon had fallen again with his head and hands cut off. We read this in verses 4-5:
Only the trunk of Dagon was left to him. This is why the priests of Dagon and all who enter the house of Dagon do not tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day. — 1 Samuel 5:4-5
This event created a lasting fear for the priests of Dagon and the Philistines. Many suggest this letter was written about three centuries later, indicating that God's intervention in the temple of Dagon lingered in the people's collective memory for an extended period.
This moment clarifies that wooden or stone idols are not what terrifies mankind. Rather, what we fear are the idols we build in the construct of our minds. In fear of being nothing, we construct idols that make something of us. These idols aren't statues; they are ideologies founded on things that give us confidence in the flesh—our professions, possessions, and personal success. When these idols are threatened or fall, they generate fear and insecurity.
For the Philistines, the fall of Dagon was a direct confrontation with the one thing they truly feared—powerlessness. Their idol, which they believed held power and protection, was shown to be powerless before the Almighty God. This left them fearful and uncertain, propping up their idol desperately trying to regain control and security. This attempt would never succeed. God instilled in them a terror that would never dissipate.
What is interesting is that the Philistines never changed their minds about this fear. Instead of turning to the God of all Power, they continued in fear for hundreds of years. Unwilling to face their powerlessness, they were led into an endless cycle of fear and frustration.
In contrast, a believer is called to recognize these moments as opportunities to trust more deeply in God. When our idols fall, it's a call to a new way and path. Instead of living in human fear, we should respond with holy reference, fearing the God with whom there is nothing to fear.
So stop living in endless cycles of fear today, trusting only in ideologies based in the flesh. Fear the Almighty God, with whom there is nothing to fear—before him, all the other idols bow and are cut down.
#TrustInGod, #OvercomeFear, #BreakIdols
Ask This: What are some modern-day idols in your life that you rely on for security and confidence? How can you dismantle these idols and place your trust more fully in God? How does recognizing and facing your fears lead to a deeper faith and reliance on God? Share a time when confronting a personal fear helped you grow spiritually. Do This: Fear God, not idols.
Pray This: Father, help me to recognize and dismantle the idols in my life that I have placed above You. Grant me the courage to trust in Your power and sovereignty, knowing that in You alone, I find true security and peace. Amen.
Play This: Fear Is Not My Future.

Are you propping up an idol?
Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.
This week, we are reading 1 Samuel 5. I've titled this chapter "Clearing The Path To Glory."
Yesterday, we discovered that the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant and took it back to Ashdod, setting it up in the temple of Dagon. The following day, the people awoke to find that Dagon had fallen prostrate before the Ark. Despite their shock, they propped him back up. They then discovered this in verses 3-4:
So they took Dagon and put him back in his place. But when they rose early on the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the Lord, and the head of Dagon and both his hands were lying cut off on the threshold. Only the trunk of Dagon was left to him. — 1 Samuel 5:3-4
A Battle of Gods So, the same mysterious event occurs overnight, but this time, his head and hands are chopped off. The picture that plays in my mind is of two deities battling in this temple, and God takes a sword and chops off Dagon's head and hands.
I know that in our time and our country, we don't prop up idols in the same way. Our idols are not man-made objects of stone and wood but are just as consuming.
Propped-Up Idols More often than not, our idols are the ideologies we prop up in our minds. We prop up ideas, beliefs, and pursuits that consume our thoughts, time, and energy. Eventually, these propped-up idols establish strongholds of worship within our minds. Eventually, the pursuit of wealth, success, titles, and fame becomes our primary focus in thought and conversation. Possessions, achievements, and conquests dominate every conversation. Consequently, we become enslaved to our idolatrous ideology and its need for approval, validation, and acceptance from others. We mold our lives and identities around these propped-up ideas until they are abandoned on the threshing floor with their head and hands lopped off.
Cutting Down Idols This is the hard-learned lesson of propped-up idols. If we have propped up an idol in our minds for too long, challenging it will require us to rethink everything. When they fall, we are prone to prop them up because we have become accustomed to them. Dealing with them is too much work when we have constructed our lives based on them. Only when the idol is cut down and chopped up do we face the fact that they can no longer be propped up, and we need to rethink the idols we have made in our minds.
This is what the people of Ashdod were probably thinking to themselves—who is this God, and what will we do with him now that he has slaughtered Dagon?
Stop Propping; Start Cutting But let's get practical: What idol do you need to stop propping up today? What idol stands between you and God? Tracing it back should be easy. You talk about it a lot. You think about it all the time. If you lost it, you would lose yourself. So what is it? Can you name it? If you know it, remember that you don't merely need to stop propping it up. You need to cut off its head and hands and come to the Lord before who stands no idol.
#IdolsExposed, #ClearingThePath, #SeekingGod'sGlory
Ask This: Reflect on the idols in your life: What beliefs, pursuits, or ideologies consume your thoughts, time, and energy? How can you start acknowledging and confronting these idols in your life?  
Consider the implications of propping up idols: What practical steps can you take today to confront and dismantle the idols that stand between you and a deeper relationship with God? How can you refocus your thoughts and actions on seeking God's glory above all else? Do This: Cut down an idol today.
Pray This: Lord, help me identify and confront the idols in my life, surrendering them to You completely. Guide me in prioritizing Your glory above all else as I seek to align my thoughts and actions with Your will. Amen.
Play This: No One Else (Tear Down The Idols).

Is God sitting in second place in your life?
Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.
This week, we are reading 1 Samuel 5. I've titled this chapter "Clearing The Path To Glory."
Today, I am reading verses 1-3:
When the Philistines captured the ark of God, they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it up beside Dagon. And when the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the Lord. — 1 Samuel 5:1-3
God Set Second The Philistines did with the ark what they would've done with any trophy taken in war. Notice the arrogance of the narrating verbs: they captured it, took it, brought it, and set it in the house of their idol god, Dagon. For the enemy, there could be no more powerful expression of victory. The Philistines, with Dagon, had triumphed over the God who defeated the powers of Egypt.
However, overnight, something happened in their temple. We are not told what happened, only that the next day when the people enter the temple, they discover that Dagon has fallen to the ground. Dagon is found prostrate before the Ark of God. This surely frightened the people of Ashdod.
God Never Sits Second The lesson is this: The Almighty will not sit in second place. He will not be used by his creation for his power or bow to the carvings that man constructs from his imagination. Both the Israelites and the Philistines were guilty of wrong treatment. Israel treated the Ark of God like a good luck charm and the Philistines like an inferior trophy of war. Because they fail to comprehend God's might, he smites them both and makes his own path back to Shiloh.
So, let's apply this practically because most of you will not fight an actual war today.
Put God First Let's say today, you claim a small victory in your life. Let's also assume that you claim this victory without a thought of God. Your pride takes hold, and you think, "I did it." Because you were successful this time, you repeat the same thing. If you meet with success again, this will train you to believe that you did it, you can do it on your own, and there is no need for God. Eventually, pride combined with the power of human effort takes over until you see no need to pray, consult the Spirit, or call on God. And this keeps going until you encounter a battle that is beyond your power or ability. Then, like Israel, you finally bring God into battle, but all you are doing is using his power to win your battle to get your victory. You will lose if you fail to see that you set yourself first and God sits second.
It is interesting that this pride is evident in the actions of the Philistines, while it is less apparent in the conduct of the Israelites. However, it is the same pride that ultimately results in defeat.
Stop putting God in second place in your life. God will not be satisfied with being a periodic part of your life. God demands to be at the center of everything. When you place God in second place, you put yourself in first place, and like Dagon, you will inevitably bow before the Almighty Lord, who can clear his path to glory with or without you.
#PutGodFirst, #PriorityOfFaith, #ClearPathToGlory
Ask This: Reflect on a recent victory or success in your life. How did you acknowledge God's role in that achievement, or did you attribute it solely to your efforts? How can you ensure that God remains at the center of your victories moving forward?  Consider areas in your life where you may inadvertently place God in second place. What steps can you take to realign your priorities and ensure that God holds the primary position in every aspect of your life? Do This: Give God first place.
Pray This: Lord, forgive me for the times I have placed myself before You and help me recenter my life around Your sovereignty, acknowledging Your presence in every victory and trial. Guide me to continually seek Your wil

How do you respond to God's discipline?
Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.
This week, we are reading 1 Samuel 5. This chapter recounts the Philistines' capture of the Ark and the subsequent divine intervention that led it back to its rightful place. I've titled this chapter "Clearing The Path To Glory."
At the end of the last chapter and the beginning of this chapter, Israel has sustained severe losses. The wife of Phinehas summarized it well:
The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured. — 1 Samuel 4:22
The sad ending in Chapter 4 marks an abrupt conclusion to a once glorious period for Israel. It represents a dark time of profound loss for God's people. If you have experienced a similar moment in your life, you understand the feeling it brings. These moments are characterized by darkness and overwhelming despair, often leaving one uncertain of how to react.
But then we come upon the key verse of Chapter 5. Verse 6 reads:
The hand of the Lord was heavy against the people of Ashdod, and he terrified and afflicted them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory. — 1 Samuel 5:6
The "heavy hand of God" is the great metaphor of this chapter. It describes God's tangible involvement in human affairs in profound and mysterious ways. But this metaphor takes us back to another place where similar language was used—Egypt. In the book of Exodus, God's "heavy hand" is displayed numerous times through mighty plaques against the Pharaoh that deliver his people from bondage (Exodus 3:19-20; 6:1; 9:3; 15:6-7). God's "heavy hand" had been an image of the forceful discipline he used to bring about his glory.
Thus, in the previous chapter, we witness God's "heavy hand" against Israel. Then, in this chapter, we witness His "heavy hand" against the Philistines. I couldn't help but notice that Israel regrets God's "heavy hand" against them but then relishes His "heavy hand" against others.
God disciplines us all. Sometimes, his hand is heavy, and other times, it is light. He disciplines us in public or private, great or small, and it always has a purpose. His discipline directs us to his glory. You see, God's glory never fades, but we fail to reflect it. He does not need us to sustain it, but he does want us to know it, enjoy it, celebrate it, praise it, never abuse it, use it, misuse it, and defame it. The key is submitting to his discipline.
In Chapter 5, we will see the Ark of God move from Philistine town to town until it returns to Shiloh. (There is a map in the video today illustrating the journey). It is carried from Shiloh to battle at Ebenezer. Then, it is captured and taken into Philistine territory in Ashdod. Then, it is carried down to Gath, next to Ekron, and finally returned to Shiloh. Some mysterious "heavy-handed" events occur that hold fascinating lessons for us.
And you will have to join us for the next six days to discover them.
God Never Sits Second Chair.
When Idols Fall, Don’t Prop Them Up.
What Idol Do You Fear?
When God Becomes a Pain in Your Butt.
Don’t Move Your Problem Around.
The Return of The Lord.
#GodsDiscipline, #SpiritualGrowth, #DivineIntervention
Ask This:
How do you typically respond when faced with challenges or discipline, whether from God or otherwise?
Reflecting on Israel's journey with the Ark in 1 Samuel 5, what lessons can you apply to your life regarding embracing God's discipline and seeking His glory?
Do This:
Submit to God's discipline and know his Glory.
Pray This:
Lord, help me to embrace Your discipline with humility and trust, knowing that Your guiding hand leads me closer to Your glory each day. Grant me the wisdom and strength to learn from Your lessons and reflect Your love to those around me. Amen.
Play This:
The Heart of Worship.