The Angels are Cheering You On

Imagine standing in the ranks of the Israelites, hearing the booming voice of Goliath day after day. Wouldn't that be terrible? It's painful to think about, but it happens every day and we don't even know it. As you know by now, I have a very tender heart toward those who are in pain or have been abused. I want to remind us all that we have been listening to Goliath’s speeches for far too long. Our friends have been beaten down by the enemy’s lies and most of the time we don't take the time to notice. Our time is at such a premium in our busy lives that we don’t even notice the pain our friend is feeling. You may be called to kill a giant and capable of doing so, but if you’re too busy, you will be ineffective. It's not enough to be willing to slay a giant, not enough to be trained in the art and science of giant killing, and it's not enough to write a blog describing the latest and greatest strategies of giant management and psychology. Sooner or later, your heart and mine will have to burn with a fiery passion to tell a giant to shut his filthy mouth! That's how you pick a fight with a giant!

So I ask you today, are you getting angry at your giant? Are you tired of his taunts and lies and the fears that those lies bring? Are you ready to say, “Enough is enough and I'm not going to take it anymore!”? Are you tired of the devastation caused by a foul-mouthed giant? Are you getting angry enough to do something about it? I am, and so was young David.

One of the greatest opportunities of my life and one that I dearly miss was the opportunity to touch the lives of my employees. I came to love the interview process because I learned so much about a person by listening to them tell me about their abilities, their strengths, and their passions. What far outweighed anything else was passion. I learned that if a man or woman had passion, they would find a way to succeed at anything they tried to accomplish.

Saul had been looking for someone who had the courage to take on Goliath. David walks up to him and says in 1 Samuel 17:32 NIV “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.” That begins David’s battlefield interview. David had the attitude of a giant killer, and King Saul was listening—listening to the heart of young boy who couldn't even wear the king's armor but who would one day pick up his crown.

                                                                                    

So David stood before the king and laid out his resume. Graves are filled with men who even dared to speak to a king, yet David, bold but respectful of the king and his authority, approached him with wisdom and laid out a record of fearless capability. 1 Samuel 17:34-37 tells us, “But David said to Saul, ‘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, struck 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; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.’ Saul said to David, ‘Go, and the LORD be with you.’ ”

David's attitude got him the job, but it’s his humility that should impress and instruct those of us who wish to slay giants. David doesn't seem to be bragging to the king but is simply telling the story that occurred, showing the king that he is fearless and able to take on the giant. I love these words of David because they teach us so much about faith. David had faith that had been tested, and a man who has faith is a man who is worthy to be listened to.

It was clear to the king that David had the most important qualification for giant killing. In reading between the lines, this is what I see: that David was resourceful, brave, and fearless. David could think on his feet and adjust his strategy until he found a way to kill the giant. Check it out and see if you agree.

David speaks with such capability that you trust him. And trust him is exactly what King Saul did. Then 1 Samuel 17:38 tells us that Saul bestowed great honor upon David, “Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head.” David fastened a sword over the tunic and tried to get comfortable in the king’s clothes and armor. But remember what David said to Saul just a few minutes before? He talked about his experiences in going after a lion and a bear. But he had no experience in how to dress for war. Thus verse 39 tells us, “ ‘I cannot go in these,’ he said to Saul, ‘because I am not used to them.’ So he took them off.”

Wearing that armor just didn't feel right to David. And if you don't feel right, you're not able to kill giants. David knew this and delicately explained this to the king knowing that refusing to wear the king’s armor without adequate explanation would insult him. People had died doing that! Yet the king accepted his explanation and once again placed his confidence in David. And once again, David demonstrated humility before the king in verse 40, “Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.”

I want to explain to you why David was not being foolhardy, but I can't. You can’t explain faith. You have to see it. You have to live around people that exude faith. So, as David was walking away from the king, I wonder what those standing and watching said? Were there taunts from some of the men? Could David hear the well-wishers’ voices or were they drowned out by those who thought he was a fool? Did the Israelites realize that they were watching history? Can you imagine in your mind’s eye that you are there? Can you feel the moment?

I want to share with you what I feel is so valuable; something that I think could change your life. No movie director has ever been able to capture what I'm going to share with you and if you don't pay close attention, it’s possible that you will miss this moment.

Imagine that you are David and that you are leaving the front line of the Israelites. Imagine hearing the well-wishers and the taunts of those as you pass by. As you begin to enter the valley, the winds shift and you realize the angels of heaven are with you every time you step out in faith and walk toward the giants of hell itself. The angels of heaven see and rejoice when faith stomps out fear, when hope destroys discouragement, when possibility destroys hopelessness, and when men and women take their first steps toward their destiny.

Is God calling you toward your destiny? Is the spirit of the living God drawing you closer and closer to a rendezvous with the giant? Are you getting angry enough to take the steps of faith that are needed to bring hope to the hopeless? Are you? Because if you are, the angels are cheering you on!

Are You Ready to Kill the Giant?

David was anointed king by the prophet Samuel, but as far as his father Jesse was concerned, David still occupied errand-boy status. Jesse sent David out with food in hopes of getting information as to the welfare of his older sons. In 1 Samuel 17:19 NIV, Jesse informs David, "They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines." But they weren’t “fighting with the Philistines.” No, they were in the Valley of Elah listening to the Philistines’ propaganda.

Just as David arrived on the scene, Goliath began shouting and the Israelites ran in fear. Imagine David, this young boy, watching the armies of God—which included his older brothers—running away in fear! David’s father had told him that the Israelites were fighting the Philistines, yet instead what David finds is them cowering in fear! Didn’t they recognize this is an opportunity to gain the respect of the king?

                                                                                

Okay, okay, I can hear you saying, “Are you crazy? His brothers were no match for the giant even if they ganged up on him!” I know, but that's not the point. The point is that David thought like a teenager, not like a grown man. He was wondering why his brothers, who he most likely had up on a pedestal, were so scared of this giant. Suddenly David sees his brothers as cowardly. From David's perspective, this giant was an affront to God and he needed to be destroyed immediately. So why were his brothers just standing around doing nothing? Why weren't they seizing the opportunity to go after this giant?

In 1 Samuel 17:26, David asks the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” David gets it! And anger begins to boil within him, righteous anger! David was angry at Goliath’s bullying and I believe angry at the Israelites’ cowardice. David stirred up such a ruckus that his eldest brother, Eliab, put him in his place in verse 28, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.”

But the youngest son of Jesse, this mere errand boy who was anointed to be king, was enraged and ready to become engaged—in battle! David had righteous rage at the enemy of God who dared to defy Him in such a public manner by yelling in the faces of the Israelites day after day! I think David was in shock at witnessing God's army cowering in fear.

1 Samuel 17:30-31 says, “He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before. What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for him.”

Saul expected a warrior but what stood before him was nothing more than an errand boy. An errand boy who had just gotten chewed out by his big brother! But that's not how David saw himself, even though that's what his brothers called him and what Jesse inferred when Samuel came to anoint him as king. 1 Samuel 17:32 tells us, “And David said to Saul, ‘Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.’ ”

Do you think there was some jovial skepticism? Some snickering? Some outright laughter? Maybe even some taunts and jeers? In verse 33, Saul said to David, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth.”

I encourage both young and old to listen to what I have to say. If God chooses you, you are not too small, too old, too ugly, too stupid, or too anything to do what God has told you to do. Even if a worldly king himself stands before you and tells you that you need to pack your bags and go home, if God has called you and has put His Holy Spirit within you to accomplish a task then pursue it with all of your heart. If God has called you to do something, then it’s God’s responsibility to prepare and train you. Your responsibility is to receive God's preparation and training. But there will come a time when you must finally decide to act on the calling that God has placed within you. And, as with David, there will be those who stand around, mock, and criticize. That's okay! In fact, sometimes being mocked simply indicates that you are no longer willing to listen to your stinking giant!!

Do you have righteous anger burning within you? When there is a giant shouting at you from across the canyon, defying you and your God, are you angry? Are you indignant when this giant torments you or your brother or sister in Christ? David saw things in terms of right and wrong. What about you? Are you ready to make a difference in the world? Are you ready to kill the giant?

The Giants in Your Life

The Israelites saw Goliath as he came out of his tent, a terrifying sight to behold. Have you ever been terrified? I certainly have been! Many times! Now the standard method of warfare in their time was to fight by proxy, and Goliath proposed just that. He basically said, “You pick your strongest guy. If he wins, we will serve you. If I win, you will serve us.” This type of warfare reduced the casualties.

1 Samuel 17:11 NIV says, “On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.” Wouldn't you have been if you were in their shoes? Imagine that your enemy is nine feet tall and standing on the opposing hill, shouting at and mocking you. Are you scared? Now how would you like to serve a king who was just as afraid? You see, the Israelites had forgotten who their giant really was. Somehow they had gotten the idea that their king would protect them. As they stood in the ranks on Day One and shook in fear, they saw their king and his generals also quake with fear. They knew then that they were in trouble.

Day One ended as it began with more taunts from the giant. Day Two was no different. Day Three was more of the same. Morning and night, the giant taunted and mocked them. Day after day it continued for 40 days. Day after day, Goliath came out of the camp, stood on the opposite hill, and shouted down at them, shaming their leaders, shaming their soldiers. He probably shamed the soldiers' families, relatives, friends, and ancestors as well.

Day 40 dawned and God was ready to act. David's father Jesse was worried about his adult sons who were at war so he sent David, his youngest son who was a shepherd, to find his brothers and see how they were doing. God had an elegant plan, which involved this young boy, a slingshot, and a stone, to teach the Israelites about His power. God had a plan to prove that there was no one more powerful than He. God had a plan to prove that He had power over giants. When Jesse asked David, who had been anointed king by the prophet Samuel, to deliver a sack lunch to his older brothers, little did he know that he was sending his youngest son on an adventure where he would collide with a king. David's day began as an obscure delivery boy and ended with him becoming the most famous warrior of all time.

But Day 40 was just another day for Goliath. He got dressed, brushed his teeth, and strode out, never suspecting that he would not return. When he got to the edge of the hill, he didn't have to think about what he was going to say. His taunts were working; each day the Israelites were growing more and more discouraged. Each day their hearts grew sick; each day they looked around the ranks hoping that someone would have the courage to fight the giant. There was no reason for Goliath to stray from his script. The discouragement was evident in the Israelites’ faces and body language. Have you ever seen somebody who is discouraged? It affects their facial features, their shoulders, their overall posture, and their walk. Discouragement is deadly. And discouragement was taking its toll on the Israelites. When King Saul woke up that morning, there was no reason for him to hope that help was on the way. He knew that he did not have the courage to face the giant nor did any of his men. This was the price Saul paid for going to war without God’s blessing.

Giants mock and shame us. But God has power far greater than the giants in our lives. There are days when we get discouraged. There are times when it doesn't look like there's any help on the horizon. I know these things because I've cried myself to sleep as I prayed for God to act against the giants in my life.

I know about giants!

Tune in for Part Three tomorrow!

Don't Forget Your Giant!

The story that grabbed me, shook me, and would not let me loose today came from the book of I Samuel in the Bible: the story of David and Goliath. This story is so easy to skip over that a lot of people miss it. I'd like you to read and experience 1 Samuel 17:1-3 NIV, which sets the stage:

“Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Socoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammin, between Socoh and Azekah. Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines. The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them."

When I was a boy, I made guns or swords out of every stick I came across. Since guns in my home were outlawed, I used my fingers, twigs, and tools and let my imagination run wild. I imagined that cowboys and Indians roamed the streets and lived in the bushes ready to attack. I envisioned that the cavalry that might someday rescue me was really not that far away.

It is because of this hunger for adventure and heroism that when I read 1 Samuel 17, I can feel the thunder of hooves as the horses draw near. I can hear the shouts of men, the barks of orders, the excitement of being at the brink of war. I can see the columns of men and horses and carts and all the other implements of warfare. I can hear the rumor spreading through the land that the Philistines are coming as residents look to the distant cloud of dust to confirm the news.

Can you see the dust in the high hills? Can you smell the adrenaline of man and beast? Can you taste the dust of centuries of battle? Can you hear the echo of war cries? Can you see the carts loaded with food and provisions? Can you smell the horses, the food cooking, and the sweat from hard work? Can you feel the unspoken fears of the men?

Do you feel like you are there?

Excitement hung in the air. The Philistines had swords, horses, carts, and food; everything they needed for war. The Israelites also had swords, horses, carts, and food; everything they needed for war. The stage was set, everything was ready. Let's continue with 1 Samuel 17:4-5:

“A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. He was over nine feet tall. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels.”

  

These verses have an understated elegance. This champion named Goliath was over nine feet tall! Now that'll get your attention. It sure got mine. But you are probably saying that you knew this story already. You’re hoping that I might tell you something you don’t already know, right? Okay, let's review. The Philistines are well-equipped and the Israelites are well-equipped. The Philistines are well-trained and the Israelites are well-trained.

But there’s just one thing: Although each of these armies is ready, equipped, and trained, one of them has trusted in a giant made of flesh and blood while the other has trusted a king who has lost the right to lead.

Tune in tomorrow for Part Two of this important story!

The Real Question

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39, NIV.

Sometimes we miss the real question. Life may have had us on simmer for so long that our faith has slowly evaporated.

So before we take another step today, before we butter our toast, smear our bagel, spread our jelly, or pour our cereal, let’s ask ourselves two questions: What do I really believe? Do I act like it?

Father, help me to examine what I really believe. Give me the courage to act like I really believe it!

I Know Pain but I Also Know the King

It is late in the evening and the sun has long since tucked itself into bed. I have not. My heart aches for the brokenhearted, for those whose prayers are yet unanswered, for those whose hope has melted into mist. It is for the brokenhearted and for the forgotten that I pray. It is for the ones who feel hopeless that I intercede. If this sounds like you, then read on. If this sounds like someone you know, then tell them about this blog.

                                              
I have spent a good portion of my life in severe emotional pain due to persistent sexual abuse, emotional torture, and death threats as a child. For years I have lived in unspeakable pain and unbearable sadness. I suffered from migraines since I was eight years old; only recently has the pain become treatable. That treatment came due to a rare double stroke which I suffered as a complication of a migraine. But despite the pain, I loved God and I knew He loved me.

Then I got cancer and life got even tougher. I prayed for death but God had a different idea. He gave me a pastor who loved me and a therapist who understood sexual abuse and emotional torture. He gave me two friends who spared no expense to see me heal. It took a lot of hard work and prayer to heal. It took time and faith and it was a slow process indeed. I have shared these things with you so that you can know deep in your heart that I have a right to speak about these issues. I have been there.

I know pain but I also know the King.

Psalm 31:7, NIV states, “I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul.” God has considered your trouble and mine. Isn't that exciting? God has considered our trouble and He knows our soul! The Creator Himself knows our soul and He knows our heart!

The thing that we don't understand is that God can take the worst times of our lives, mold them in His hands, and transform them into something beautiful. Not only does He know our soul, He knows our soul's adversities. He knows how we react, He knows the depths of our grief, and He knows the fullness of the ache in our heart. He knows because He feels our pain.

Not only does God know and understand, but He has taken the time to consider our trouble. I picture the word considered and see a loving father who looks at our trouble from all different angles. He looks at our emotional reservoir, He looks at our faith and our hopes. He considers our dreams as He looks at what is best for us. He puts the universe on hold and considers us and our situation. Then He takes all of this pain and talks to the Father about us. He talks about you! He talks about me! By name! He confers with the Father about us! And the Father listens because Jesus has paid the price for sin, pain, even death itself. No wonder the psalmist says, “I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy”!

If you are going through times of trouble, rejoice, because you are not alone. The Father and Son are having a conversation about you! Rejoice and be glad! Use this time of pain and suffering to draw closer to the Father and get to know Him. Remember that God is considering your situation and that Jesus is interceding day and night for you.

It is nearly morning! A new day is coming! And God is in conference with the Son about you! It’s time to rejoice!!!!!!!

It's a Brand New Day!

To begin again isn't hard—all it requires is hope. Hope is a gift from God and is the very foundation upon which all human triumph is built.

So if you are ready to begin again, why not join me in declaring, “Today is a brand new day!” If, like me, yesterday's best is just not good enough for you any more, let’s ask Jesus Christ to fix us!

God wants to create something new in your life! Join me in saying, “It’s a brand new day!”

Look! The first rays of sun are exploding over the horizon. The morning birds are taking flight as they stretch their wings in joy. It's a brand new day! One filled with possibilities and inhabited with God’s promises! Once again I say, “It's a brand new day!!!”

Begin Again for the Very First Time

There are moments when you know you are being asked to begin again. There are times when you know that after this day, nothing will remain the same.

There are times when God says that the gifts that we have brought Him no longer bring Him joy. There are times when God says, “I want you to walk closer to Me than you have before. I want more of you than you have been willing to give.” There are times when He says, “I cannot live without you. I want you to never want to live without Me.”

It is at these times that you realize you must begin again. The leaves of yesterday's dreams may crunch beneath your feet. Sadness may be in your gait because of the dreams that you are leaving behind. But springtime is just around the corner, and as the sap within the tree brings new life, so is life within you through God. You may hear the crunch of dried leaves, but God sees the beginning of a brand new season, a season of hope and faith and joy.

Are you ready to begin again with God? I am and hope that you will join me. I dedicate myself to share a few moments with you each day. These moments will be filled with honesty and hope, reflection and joy. I will share my faith in the One Who has never turned away from me.

This journey will not be easy, but good things never are. Nor will it be simple; living for God is never simple. But it will be worth it for God rewards those who seek Him.