1 Samuel 17:45-51 (NLT) ^17:45 David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. ⁴⁶ Today the LORD will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! ⁴⁷ And everyone assembled here will know that the LORD rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the LORD’s battle, and he will give you to us!” ⁴⁸ As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him. ⁴⁹ Reaching into his shepherd’s bag and taking out a stone, he hurled it with his sling and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank in, and Goliath stumbled and fell face down on the ground. ⁵⁰ So David triumphed over the Philistine with only a sling and a stone, for he had no sword. ⁵¹ Then David ran over and pulled Goliath’s sword from its sheath. David used it to kill him and cut off his head. Israel Routs the Philistines When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they turned and ran.

Goliath had been taunting the Israeli army for a long time.  No one seemed confident enough to take him on in battle.  David didn’t see it that way.  He knew his God and he knew what his God had done for him in the past.  Brazenly he took Goliath on knowing that it wasn’t with his strength that he battled him but with the strength of the Lord.  David relied on that and God gave him a great victory over Goliath.  I wonder how often we try to fight our battles on our own strength and how often we move into enemy territory without the strength or hand of the Lord.  Every battle that we face, whether big or small, needs to rely on the strength of the Lord.  It is only then that our battle will be complete and victorious.

1 Samuel 16:7 (NLT) But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

I have to admit that I’m guilty in regards to this.  I have often judged people before getting to know them.  I think that over the years I’ve gotten better at not doing this but I still slip every once in a while.  It’s disgusting.  It’s shameful.  I don’t want people doing that to me and I don’t want to do it to others.  I’m so glad that God sees beyond that and sees us through His eyes and not my own.  I am so blessed to be surrounded by people who love me just for who I am and I want to do the same for others.  There are so many awesome people that have such good and huge hearts.  It’s not about the appearance – contrary to worldly standards.  It’s about the heart that is right with God and loving toward others.  I want that heart in my life and I want to develop that heart toward others.

2 Corinthians 13:11-14 (NLT) ^13:11 Dear brothers and sisters, I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you. ¹² Greet each other with Christian love. ¹³ All of God’s people here send you their greetings. ¹⁴ May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

What would you say to someone knowing that it would be your last words to them?  We might say, “Hang in there” or “Good Luck” or “I’m praying for you,” etc.  Those are all good but notice what Paul tells the Corinthians:1- Choose Joy 2- Keep growing 3- Be an encourager 4- Live in peace.  In doing these things he gives a promise that the God of love and peace would be with them.  We all make choices in our lives whether good or bad.  It’s interesting though that Paul tells us that Joy is a choice that we make for ourselves. Life might be hard or perhaps life has thrown you a lot of curves.  Choose joy.  Decide to keep growing in the Lord.  Keep giving of yourself to others.  Make it your highest priority to live in peace.  Finally – Paul says… “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 (NLT) ^12:8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. ⁹ Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. ¹⁰ That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Let’s be honest – there are trials and difficult situations that don’t go away just because you pray.  We are often praying for smoother paths when God is desiring for us to pray for stronger shoes. There are some things that God has designed for our growth personally and with the Lord.  We pray for deliverance but God tells us that we need to pray for His grace to help us.  It is what we need in order to be the man or woman that God wants us to be.  Paul knew this.  He began to rejoice in “trials.”  He took pleasure in his weaknesses, insults, troubles, etc. because he knew that it would bring growth in him to make him more like Christ.  Instead of being mad at God – perhaps we need to start rejoicing in the fact that He loved us enough to allow us to go through these seasons and times in order for us to grow spiritually.  Yes, it can be hard at times but keep looking to Christ who is the author and finisher of our faith.  His grace is “enough” for you today.

1 Samuel 3:1-10 (NLT) ^3:1 Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the LORD by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the LORD were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon. ² One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed. ³ The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God. ⁴ Suddenly the LORD called out, “Samuel!” “Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?” ⁵ He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” “I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So he did. ⁶ Then the LORD called out again, “Samuel!” Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” “I didn’t call you, my son,” Eli said. “Go back to bed.” ⁷ Samuel did not yet know the LORD because he had never had a message from the LORD before. ⁸ So the LORD called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” Then Eli realized it was the LORD who was calling the boy. ⁹ So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, LORD, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed. ¹⁰ And the LORD came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

I think most people identify with this story in one way or another.  We have all found ourselves in a place where God was trying to speak to us but we weren’t listening.  Sometimes we are distracted with other things.  Perhaps, it could be that we, like Samuel, have not trained ourselves to hear the voice of the Lord.  It also might be because of sin in our life that we don’t want to deal with.  Whatever the reason – we should know that God is wanting to speak to us and wanting us to hear his voice.  It’s interesting – when Samuel final said, “Speak, your servant is listening” that God actually had something to say to Him.  I am praying for God to speak to me in a fresh and new way and that I wouldn’t do anything to hinder his voice in my life, however quiet it might be.  Speak Lord, your servant is listening.

2 Corinthians 6:11-13 (NLT) ^6:11 Oh, dear Corinthian friends! We have spoken honestly with you, and our hearts are open to you. ¹² There is no lack of love on our part, but you have withheld your love from us. ¹³ I am asking you to respond as if you were my own children. Open your hearts to us!

I love my job but it can at times be a little frustrating.  I believe that God has given me a big heart to love others but oftentimes people don’t want to be loved.  Instead they push you away.  Past hurts, past trust issues, and sin all become factors in this.  I try to reach out in love to everyone I come in contact with.  There are those who respond back and there are those who push you away.  It’s absolutely amazing when people let their walls down and let you into their “space.” It breaks my heart to see people pull back and not want any relationship or help.  I see the hurt that they are in but feel helpless because they are so closed down.  Paul’s plead – “Open your hearts to us” is often my cry.  I pray that people would drop their walls and let others in so they can be made whole.

Psalms 61:1-4 (NLT) ^61:1 O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer! ² From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, ³ for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me. ⁴ Let me live forever in your sanctuary, safe beneath the shelter of your wings! Interlude

Have you ever felt overwhelmed?  Have you ever felt like you just wanted to get away from everything and from every body?  David felt this and knew that his only help was from God.  He knew that God was the only one who could answer him and the only one who could guarantee his safety.  He knew that his safety was in the shelter of God’s wings – in God’s sanctuary.  Like David we have often felt overwhelmed.  God hears our cries.  He hears our prayers. He is your fortress today.  Run to Him with all your heart.  Let Him surround you and protect you today.  Let His love be your strength and let it give you courage.  God is your rock today.  Trust in Him.

2 Corinthians 4:14 (NLT) We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you.

We know.  When we accepted Christ Jesus into our hearts the Holy Spirit was released to remind us that the same resurrection power of Jesus resides in each of us.  We know.  We have a hope that we didn’t use to have.  We have a wonderful future in store for us ahead.  We know.  As we enter into this Easter season – we know.  The same power that lifted Christ is the same power that has been released into our lives.  We can rest assured and be blessed today because We know.

2 Corinthians 1:3-11 (NLT) ^1:3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. ⁴ He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. ⁵ For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. ⁶ Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. ⁷ We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us. ⁸ We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. ⁹ In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. ¹⁰ And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us. ¹¹ And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety.

No one is exempt from trials.  Everyone has their share of difficulties as they walk through life.  I was pondering over this verse this morning and thought how I’ve changed in my thinking over the years.  I remember at one time thinking that I didn’t have very many trials and couldn’t figure out what the big deal was with some people in regards to their trials.  How very wrong I was.  I also remember the advice my father gave me just before I entered my first pastorate.   He said, “Bill, God won’t allow you to cut any corners just because you’re a pastor’s kid.  You will have to go around every corner and wont’ be allowed to make take any shortcuts.”  I thought my dad was nuts.  I thought of myself as the “golden child” who was going out to win the world for Jesus.  “Watch out Billy Graham, here I come.”  Again… how wrong I was.  I used to be cocky, confident and very full of myself.  God had to break me over and over again.  I was like the little lamb with whom the shepherd had to finally break his leg in order to keep him from going off and doing his own thing. I’ve had to take every corner in life in a hard way and have had to deal with much sorrow.  I stand before God today not as some confident person but as a man that has experienced the sovereignty and mercy of God.  I know that I can’t do anything unless I have God’s power in my life.  God has allowed me to experience sorrow and difficulty so that I would depend on Him and not myself.  It is true that I have brokenness in my life, but I’ve been put back together again with God’s Holy Spirit.  I don’t take the grace of God lightly.  I know that with what God has given me – I now need to give it to others.  I know that I’m a blessed man.

Psalms 42:1-11 (NLT) ^42:1 As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. ² I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him? ³ Day and night I have only tears for food, while my enemies continually taunt me, saying, “Where is this God of yours?” ⁴ My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be: I walked among the crowds of worshipers, leading a great procession to the house of God, singing for joy and giving thanks amid the sound of a great celebration! ⁵ Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and ⁶ my God! Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember you— even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan, from the land of Mount Mizar. ⁷ I hear the tumult of the raging seas as your waves and surging tides sweep over me. ⁸ But each day the LORD pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life. ⁹ “O God my rock,” I cry, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies?” ¹⁰ Their taunts break my bones. They scoff, “Where is this God of yours?” ¹¹ Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!

Sometimes… life just doesn’t make sense.  You are going along just great and then something happens to shatters your world.  You feel as if you’re the only person going through that difficulty and that no one else understands.  Even God seems to be distant and far away.  David felt like this.  He had questions about life and about God.  He had to dig deep into his belief systems and values about what he had been taught about God in the past.  He reminded himself that God hadn’t left him and that God was not going to leave him or abandon him.  He put what little hope he had into God and His ability to put things back into place.  He knew that although He didn’t see the answers – God would not fail him.  He knew that God would be victorious and that he would give praise to God.  Its at time like these that we all need to stay God-centered and place our hope and our focus on who God is and what He’s doing in our lives.  God will take care of His kids!