WHO/WHAT IS YOUR GOLIATH?

I Samuel 17 tells the story of David & Goliath. Stop, get your Bible, and read this true-life tale of how a young man slay a giant because He knew and believed His Friend, God. In particular, focus on verses 45-47. This story is one you and I have heard so many times, we miss the jewels that are hidden in these verses. We go, “Yeah, yeah, yeah.  This little runt of a man comes up and against this giant and kills him with only a rock and a slingshot.” Then we say to ourselves, “I know it’s a story about the weak overcoming the strong.”
However, take a really intense look at chapter 17 and discover the pearls hidden in these verses.  Before we get started, we must look at some solid facts. Goliath, according to Scripture is between 9 and 11 feet tall. The American Standard Version states he is 11’3″. His armor weighed 5,000 shekels or  approximately 125 pounds. The iron point on his spear alone weighed 600 shekels or about 15 pounds. While David’s height and weight are not revealed, historians place him to be about 17 years so they feel he was around 5′ tall give or take a few inches. In all probability, David probably didn’t weigh anymore than Goliath’s armor and spearhead!! One of Goliath’s legs more than likely equaled the person of David in height and weight. None believed David could defeat this giant. His own brother thought he was being a conceited braggart. The king even questioned his ability to slay this giant. Finally, in the 40 days this Philistine taunted the Israelites army, there is not one mention of anyone consulting God. No priest, no prophet, no sacrifices were made to receive God’s instructions. How many times, as we are facing our Goliath, do we not even think to talk with God?
God has given us six steps to slay our Goliath. First, David knew his God. It is 
easy to say “Duh!” at this point but for 40 days several thousand men faced this giant and quaked in their boots. They cowered in fear. Why? They looked at Goliath with their physical eyes and not their spiritual eyes. What is your Goliath? Who is your God? David’s God was all-powerful. This giant was nothing in comparison to God. Is your Goliath more powerful than God?
Second, David believed God could do exactly what God says He can do. “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of The Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day The Lord will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth….” David knew what God would do for his children, the Israelites. Too many times, we forget our Father is the all-powerful God What is your Goliath? Who is your God?
Third, David remembered his past experiences with God. When asked by Saul if he could slay this giant; David replied, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep.  When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear.” David knew God had given him the means to kill these animals. This gave David the confidence to know God was going to give him the means to slay this giant. What is your Goliath? Who is your God?
Fourth, David knew God worked in unconventional ways and was willing to be obedient. David had probably heard how a farmer named Noah had built an ark on his property even though there was no water anywhere in the vicinity. Why? Because God told him to. The result, Noah became the second father to the human race. David, every Passover, learned how a prince of Egypt had murdered an Egyptian official, fled to the wilderness, listened to a burning bush, and eventually led the Israelite people to freedom. Are you willing to do whatever God tells you, even if it doesn’t make sense? What is your Goliath? Who is your God?
Fifth, David had the right perspective. Everyone looked at this giant and said he was too big to defeat. David looked at this giant and said he was too big to miss. Too many times we look at our Goliath with our physical eyes rather than our spiritual eyes. What is your Goliath? Who is your God?
Finally, and most importantly, David was not killing this giant for his own personal gain. David was killing this giant for God’s glory. David states, “All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that The Lord saves, for the battle is the Lord’s and he will give all of you into our hands.” Why are you wanting to overcome your Goliath? For your own personal benefits or to show others what a great, loving, caring God we have?
God has given us in these verses our own personal plan in overcoming our Goliath:
1. Know your God. Study your Bible daily.
2. Believe your God is who He says He is and will do what He says He will do.
3. Remember  those times you’ve seen God work in your life.
4. Keep your focus on God. Stop looking with your physical eyes and start looking with your spiritual eyes. Is Goliath stronger than God?
5. Ask yourself, “Is this for my  glory or will  I  tell others how God has slay my  Goliath?
Look at your Goliath and tell him you “come against him in the name of The Lord Almighty…This day The Lord will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head.” 

LESSONS OF CHRISTMAS--MAGI & KING HEROD

Before starting this lesson, it's necessary to clarify information regarding the presentation of Jesus. Jesus's circumcision and naming occurred on the 8th day. Jesus's presentation at the temple and Mary's purification happened 41 days after his birth in accordance with the Laws of Moses. When the wise men came they found Jesus in a house in Nazareth at some point within his first two years of life.
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It was my initial intent to address the wise men and King Herod, chief priests, and lawmakers (Matthew 2:1-14) in two separate lessons. However, what these two groups teach us is so closely intertwined they really can't be separated.The wise men were seeking Jesus with there hearts. The note in THE COMPANION BIBLE for Matthew 2:6 gives us our first insight into today's lesson: "This incident shows that intellectual knowledge of the Scriptures without experimental delight in them is useless.....The scribes had no desire toward the person of this 'Governor' whereas the wise men were truly wise, in that they sought the person of Him of Whom the Scriptures spoke and were soon found at His feet. HEAD KNOWLEDGE WITHOUT HEART LOVE MAY BE USED AGAINST CHRIST (my emphasis as this is point 1 of today's lesson). When we are seeking this person Jesus of Him of Whom the Scriptures spoke whether it be the first time or several, it is with our heart that we must seek. According to Charles Spurgeon "true friendship...means identifying with someone in thought, heart, and spirit". POINT 1: It is at the feet of Jesus we will find our answers if we come with a sincere heart.
In this event we see the who, what, why, where, when, and how of the reason Jesus came to earth. The who is the Holy Spirit that guided the wise men to Jesus just as the Holy Spirit guides us to Jesus. The what is the desire in which we seek Him; is it with our head or with our heart? The why is the reason we seek Him; are we seeking Jesus to crucify him or are we seeking Jesus as our Savior? The where is where we will find the answer to our quest; we will find the answer to this quest at the feet of Him of Whom the Scriptures spoke. The when is when the Holy Spirit speaks to your heart to seek out this One called Jesus, Savior, Immanuel, Prince of Peace. The how is the manner in which we seek this Babe; is it to crucify or is it to "love with all your heart, your soul, and your mind" Him who offers you abundant life? POINT 2:It is at the feet of Jesus we will find our answers if we come with a a sincere heart.
The wise men came to the feet of Christ for no other reason than to bestow gifts on Him. It is important we bring gifts of thanksgiving, of praise, and of rejoicing to Him of Whom the Scriptures spoke on a regular basis. All to often we come to Him with our petitions and we forget our gifts. For  the same reason we enjoy hearing thanks from our parents, children, friends, superiors; our Savior enjoys it. POINT 3: Bring our gifts of thanksgiving, of praise, and of rejoicing to the Him of Whom the Scriptures spoke.

LESSONS OF CHRISTMAS--SIMEION & ANNA

Joseph and Mary were going to the temple in obedience to the law of Moses--for Mary to be purified and Jesus to be dedicated--on the eighth day after the birth of Jesus. The Holy Spirit spoke to Simeon and told him to go to the temple, the one he has been waiting for was there. Anna lived at the temple and was also touched by the Holy Spirit and told to go to the courts because the one she was waiting for was there. It was there obedience to the Holy Spirir that enabled them to see the Messiah, God's salvation of Israel. For each person, it had been years of waiting for this moment. Days, months, years of waiting, probably wondering, and waiting, trusting God, knowing God would do as He said, holding fast and tightly to God's promise. Yes, we can learn to be patient, to trust, to believe God will do what He says He will do; but, if we look closer there is something else we can learn from Simeon and Anna.
Mary and Joseph were approached by two strangers, two people in the courts (the edge) of the synagogue (the church) that spoke prophesy to them. Simeon and Anna opened themselves to speak God's message about Jesus and God's warning to Mary. In this brief encounter much has happened: 1) Simeon and Anna saw their Salvation, 2) both gave God's message to Mary and Joseph, and 3) Mary and Joseph were open to receive the message being spoken even if they didn't understand it.
On New Years Day my daughter and I watched the movie, MOTHER'S NIGHT OUT. It was about a young mother who was attempting to be the perfect mother, the perfect Christian, the perfect daughter, the perfect wife.....You get the picture, the perfect everything all in her own self. Does this sound familiar? It was a biker, a tattoo artist, a big, mean looking dude that spoke God's message to the woman. The one you would never expect to hear comments like this to come from. Was this how Simeon and Anna appeared to Mary and Joseph?
Both Mary and Joseph and the young wife and mother in the movie received messages from the least likely of people at the least likely of times in the least likely of places. Are we open enough to hear God talking to us no matter who speaks it or where we are when it's spoken to us whether it be in the courts of the synagogue, the narthex of the church, in a hospital, in your living room....? Will we shake it off or will we accept the message?