MEMORISE:

Submitting yourselves one to another iri the fear of God. Ephesians 5:21

READ:  1 Samuel 25:4-20

4 And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep.

5 And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name:

6 And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast.

7 And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel.

8 Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David.

9 And when David's young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased.

10 And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master.

11 Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be?

12 So David's young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all those sayings.

13 And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff.

14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he railed on them.

15 But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing, as long as we were conversant with them, when we were in the fields:

16 They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.

17 Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him.

18 Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.

19 And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she told not her husband Nabal.

20 And it was so, as she rode on the ass, that she came down by the covert on the hill, and, behold, David and his men came down against her; and she met them.

MESSAGE:

The meaning of the name Nabal is fool and he did many foolish things, as recorded in the Bible. We will however only focus on those foolish acts pertaining to his marriage.

Nabal always did things without carrying his wife along. A good husband will always be open with his wife. She should know what he is up to all the time. A man should never leave his wife in the dark.

In our Bible reading for today, Nabal got a request from David for food supplies and did not tell his wife who ordinarily should have been in charge of that. Even after he had responded, it was his servant who went to tell his wife Abigail. He clearly didn't involve her in his affairs. Husband, ask your wife for advice every now and then. When she gives you advice, at least consider it. Indeed, if you always consider her advice, you will definitely adopt it from time to time. Even Nabal's servant attested to the fact that Nabal never listened to advice.

“Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak  to him."                                     1 Samuel 25:17

Put your wife in charge of things or tasks she is particularly skilled or gifted in and don't interfere except with her permission, after all, she is better at that thing than you are.

If Nabal had put food affairs in the hands of his wife, when David sent him a message, he would have just referred the messenger to his wife, and she would have handled it well. At the end of the day, Nabal would have gotten the praise. When people are saying "Thank you" to me for the hospitality they receive at our programmes, many of them don't know that I had no hand in it at all, it was all my wife. Even up to the feeding of the entire crowd at the Convention, it  is her area of strength; why should I bother myself with it when I should be focusing on my own areas of strength?

Husband, don't be like Nabal. Listen to your wife's advice, put her in charge of certain things for which she is better skilled than you.

Wife, support your husband; pray for him, give him godly counsel, encourage him. A husband and his wife are a team; neither should ever work alone.

ACTION POINT:

Husband, apologize to your wife if you have not been listening to her advice and promise her that you will change henceforth. Wife, ensure you give your husband godly counsel.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 23-25

HYMN 5:  GOD GIVE US CHRISTIAN HOMES

1.       God give us Christian homes!

Homes where the Bible is loved and taught,

Homes where the Master’s will is sought,

Homes crowned with beauty Your love has wrought;

God give us Christian homes;

God give us Christian homes!

2.       God give us Christian homes!

Homes where the father is true and strong,

Homes that are free from the blight of wrong,

Homes that are joyous with love and song;

God give us Christian homes;

God give us Christian homes!

3.       God give us Christian homes!

Homes where the mother, in caring quest,

Strives to show others Your way is best,

Homes where the Lord is an honored guest;

God give us Christian homes;

God give us Christian homes

4.       God give us Christian homes!

Homes where the children are led to know

Christ in His beauty who loves them so,

Homes where the altar fires burn and glow;

God give us Christian homes;

God give us Christian homes!