Post by Les Brewer on Jul 28, 2012 10:17:58 GMT
John Wolf
Calvary's Cross Ministries
Preaching Christ Crucified
From the Pastor's desk.....
Good Saturday morning,Bless God and praise His holy name!
Facing Your Giant
I Samuel 17
Though we may not know what tomorrow holds,if we truly know the One who holds tomorrow,then we can face it with mercy,grace and faith.Most of the older generation remembers the story of David and Goliath,but it seems few in the younger generation are even vaguely familiar with it.
It is one of my favorite stories in all the Scriptures because it tells the story of what faith in God and in it's proper perspective can do.
David was a young man,and Goliath was a man of war from his youth.David slew a lion and a bear when they came out against his father Jesse's flocks of sheep.David is a type of Christ in this story.Goliath was a huge problem for David in his own eyes,by most measuring standards,a cubit is about 18" long.The Scriptures say Goliath was six cubits and a span.A span is approximately 9",the distance between the tip of the thumb to the tip of the little finger stretched out.So Goliath was about 9'-9" tall,no small man to be sure.No doubt a very muscular and very strong individual also.He wore a coat of mail (armor) that weigh about 200 pounds,the spear he carried had a head that weighed about 25 pounds,attached to a wooden stick the size of a weaver's beam.No small spear,I'd say!
So....David was a young man possibly a mid to late teen,when he encountered his giant.The scriptures say he was small and very handsome.But the most striking quality that David possessed was his confidence and faith that he had in God.The problem in the natural, was a big problem,but this is how the enemy will always present himself to us.He comes in like a roaring lion or a growling bear looking to devour the sheep of God's pasture.But praise the Lord,our heavenly David is still on the the throne! He defeated the giant Satan nearly two thousand years ago.And if we will let Him,He will still bring us the victory today in any giant we face.
The Bible says David picked five smooth stones from the brook,to us in his sling.This was the weapon of choice for sheep herders back in the day.This is what they used to protect their flocks,and could be mastered with great accuracy.I don't get into the numbers game in Scripture,because taken to far,will lead into error.but the number five is a significant number in Scripture.Faith,Grace and Mercy all have five letters in them.David was operating in faith and God granted him mercy and grace to defeat the enemy.God will do the same for us,when we trust Him and obey Him.
If David had taken his eyes off of the Lord and had gotten them on the problem,the outcome may have been quite different.Satan always stands ready to defy God and His plans for our lives by placing what seems to be insurmountable problems in our path.If we learn to stay focused on the Lord Jesus Christ and His plan for our lives,He will conquer the enemy for us,through Faith,Mercy and Grace,the five smooth stones of living for God.
We serve a wonderful God who loves us beyond anything we could ever imagine,it will take all of eternity to learn of all that He has prepared for those who love Him and obey Him.If we should fall in battle,get back up and keep fighting,with our faith in Him,and He will provide the mercy and grace it will take to see us through.
We can face our giants each day knowing that there is no giant too big for our God to defeat.All we have to do,is learn to walk in faith and not by sight.......I pray everyone will be blessed today and have a wonderful weekend.Until next time.....be blessed,J.W.
