Okey Dokey! (o:
When things don't seem to be going your way, first accept the fact that you are fine..... you are still in command of your choices.....and you are not afraid of change when that change will only make you better! (O:
Monday, August 29, 2011
Friday, August 19, 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011
FIVE SMOOTH STONES
There was nothing special or unique about the five smooth stones or the boy who picked them up that day. Just ordinary stones, without David's faith and God's direction would never have hit their mark. But, when David released them with his faith, they carried a message to God's enemy saying, "Don't mess with my anointed!
Faced off against any enemies lately? Here is what you need to know: David didn't waste his time with Goliath's army because he knew that they too were just small men, intimidated and motivated to serve their leader out of fear. He spoke straight to the one that they answered to! It is likely that none of them had the nerve to stand up to this giant, so David's courage and refusal to back down caught them all off guard. One small boy against their fearless champion....they watched in disbelief!
David brought down his giant in three steps. First, he invaded his space. Who had dared to come "into Goliath's face" like that before, so fearless and unafraid? David humiliated him, "defaced" him, in front of his brothers and men.
Stunned, yet still full of pride and arrogance, Goliath did not recognize the real threat before him. Foolishly, he let David make his move. Timing is everything! The giant was vulnerable and David's stone hit it's mark. This larger than life man fell hard!
Most importantly, it was what David had done earlier that decided which way this battle would go. What question did David ask Saul's men when he first came into camp? "...for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of The Living God? David knew who he was in God. He knew it when he took on the lion and the bear. That was simply practice for taking on Goliath, and taking on this giant was training for many other challenges that David would face in his life.
Jesus knew exactly who he was, the God Man. Being deity made him immortal but his man side made him vulnerable. How was he able to accomplish his mission to us? He understood a profound truth. We must begin with the end in mind! If we don't have a plan and don't know where we are going....how will we know when we get there? Life is full of random moments and events....that are not so random after all. They are training for something else! Something higher!
Jesus followed through. A man took on God's enemy and Satan fell hard. He was not afraid to live or die and when he descended down into hell, Jesus took Satan on his own turf. Amazed and defeated, Satan turned over the keys to death and hell. Jesus returned home to fill the empty seat beside His Father but before He left He said:
"Verily verily I say unto you, the works that I do he (you) shall do too and greater works than these shall he (you) do because I go to the Father....and I will pray the Father and He shall send you another comforter that He may abide with you forever...." John 14:16.
Now it is our turn to decide what we will do. We have heard the story of David and how, knowing who he was in His God, caused him to take on a giant and win. Even greater than David, is the Son of God, who beginning with the end in mind was able to carry out a terrible course here on earth for the sake of delivering us from the evil one. What was His greatest motivation? To finish His work and get home to His Father. Relationship. We must understand our need for relationship also. When we do, we will also see that:
"Our weapons are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." 2 Cor. 10: 4-5
What then is the force that drives us on as believers in Christ? Is it fear? No, it is love and love's purpose! Because we love Him, we put on the spiritual armor which he has given.... because He so loved us first! Our enemies most vulnerable point is exposed when we refuse to let fear control us and take a stand in the name of Jesus.
If David knew all he did while he was yet under the old covenant, how much more should we understand and know, being under the new covenant today? It is clearly superior to the old...but have we taken the time to study and learn everything God has given us through His Son, Jesus Christ? We have what David had, and much, much more!
Is your heart submitted to God? Don't just pray for greater faith, show it by offering yourself up to God daily as a living sacrifice, totally surrendered to Him. Don't say you can't do it, because you can. Ask Him to help you and He will!
In closing, please read second Samuel 22, versus 1-16. Verses 17 and 18 finish it off:
"He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters: He delivered me from my strong enemy and from them that hated me, for they were too strong for me....the Lord was my stay."
Yes, by the time Second Samuel 22 was written,God had delivered David from enemies he didn't even know he had. Either David had a very vivid and wild imagination, or such great love and respect for Him, that God could not just sit idly by and do nothing while His servant David was in need. Maybe both, but God and David made it through many more battles together. God and you will too. Just remember:
Jesus has already invaded the enemy's space for you. The enemy's fortress has already been spoiled! Speak the name of Jesus, the Words of Jesus often. This creates instability in the enemy's camp throwing them off guard. Pray to The Father in Jesus name, you have a direct line to the throne room of God. Develop that relationship as David did and watch the giants drop one by one. It's target practice for you. It's curtains for them, because even the strong man's strong man can't stand against the name of Jesus!
David brought down his giant in three steps. First, he invaded his space. Who had dared to come "into Goliath's face" like that before, so fearless and unafraid? David humiliated him, "defaced" him, in front of his brothers and men.
Stunned, yet still full of pride and arrogance, Goliath did not recognize the real threat before him. Foolishly, he let David make his move. Timing is everything! The giant was vulnerable and David's stone hit it's mark. This larger than life man fell hard!
Most importantly, it was what David had done earlier that decided which way this battle would go. What question did David ask Saul's men when he first came into camp? "...for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of The Living God? David knew who he was in God. He knew it when he took on the lion and the bear. That was simply practice for taking on Goliath, and taking on this giant was training for many other challenges that David would face in his life.
Jesus knew exactly who he was, the God Man. Being deity made him immortal but his man side made him vulnerable. How was he able to accomplish his mission to us? He understood a profound truth. We must begin with the end in mind! If we don't have a plan and don't know where we are going....how will we know when we get there? Life is full of random moments and events....that are not so random after all. They are training for something else! Something higher!
Jesus followed through. A man took on God's enemy and Satan fell hard. He was not afraid to live or die and when he descended down into hell, Jesus took Satan on his own turf. Amazed and defeated, Satan turned over the keys to death and hell. Jesus returned home to fill the empty seat beside His Father but before He left He said:
"Verily verily I say unto you, the works that I do he (you) shall do too and greater works than these shall he (you) do because I go to the Father....and I will pray the Father and He shall send you another comforter that He may abide with you forever...." John 14:16.
Now it is our turn to decide what we will do. We have heard the story of David and how, knowing who he was in His God, caused him to take on a giant and win. Even greater than David, is the Son of God, who beginning with the end in mind was able to carry out a terrible course here on earth for the sake of delivering us from the evil one. What was His greatest motivation? To finish His work and get home to His Father. Relationship. We must understand our need for relationship also. When we do, we will also see that:
"Our weapons are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." 2 Cor. 10: 4-5
What then is the force that drives us on as believers in Christ? Is it fear? No, it is love and love's purpose! Because we love Him, we put on the spiritual armor which he has given.... because He so loved us first! Our enemies most vulnerable point is exposed when we refuse to let fear control us and take a stand in the name of Jesus.
If David knew all he did while he was yet under the old covenant, how much more should we understand and know, being under the new covenant today? It is clearly superior to the old...but have we taken the time to study and learn everything God has given us through His Son, Jesus Christ? We have what David had, and much, much more!
Is your heart submitted to God? Don't just pray for greater faith, show it by offering yourself up to God daily as a living sacrifice, totally surrendered to Him. Don't say you can't do it, because you can. Ask Him to help you and He will!
In closing, please read second Samuel 22, versus 1-16. Verses 17 and 18 finish it off:
"He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters: He delivered me from my strong enemy and from them that hated me, for they were too strong for me....the Lord was my stay."
Yes, by the time Second Samuel 22 was written,God had delivered David from enemies he didn't even know he had. Either David had a very vivid and wild imagination, or such great love and respect for Him, that God could not just sit idly by and do nothing while His servant David was in need. Maybe both, but God and David made it through many more battles together. God and you will too. Just remember:
Jesus has already invaded the enemy's space for you. The enemy's fortress has already been spoiled! Speak the name of Jesus, the Words of Jesus often. This creates instability in the enemy's camp throwing them off guard. Pray to The Father in Jesus name, you have a direct line to the throne room of God. Develop that relationship as David did and watch the giants drop one by one. It's target practice for you. It's curtains for them, because even the strong man's strong man can't stand against the name of Jesus!
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