Consider this

           For 40 days the Philistine giant Goliath challenged the people of God and no one did anything.   In fact, the Bible says that, as the people looked at Goliath, they became “dismayed and terrified” (verse 11).               Then David came along.   He ran out onto the battlefield and with the help of God, a sling and a few smooth stones, he knocked the giant out and killed him with his own sword.   Then something amazing happened.             1 Samuel 17:51-52 says, “When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran. Then the men of Israel and Judah surged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines”.             Did you get that?             The once scared people of God suddenly found their courage.   In fact, they became so brave and fought so well that they drove the Philistines back to their homeland and won a great victory.               All they needed was someone to go first.   All they needed was someone to be an exam

              We all know how the story of David and Goliath ended, but do we remember how it started?            1 Samuel 17 says that God’s people drew up battle lines against the Philistines in the Valley of Elah (verse 2).   However, instead of fighting one another, the Philistines sent out a giant of a man – a man that was more than 9 feet tall – a man named Goliath and he challenged the people of God with these words: “Choose a man and have him come down to me.   If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us”.   Not surprisingly, no one wanted to fight him.            For 40 days, every morning and every evening Goliath went out on the battlefield and every morning and every evening the people of God became more and more “dismayed and terrified” (verse 11).    That is until a young man name David showed up.            When he arrived in the camp, he heard the challenge

              Most people know the basic story of “David and Goliath”, but do you remember one of the most important lessons from that event?             When David volunteers to take on the giant, King Saul states, “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 since his youth” (1 Samuel 17:33).             David admits his youth, but he argues that he has experience and help.   “[I have] been keeping my 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…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” (verses 34-37a).             Eventually, Saul agrees and says, “Go, and the Lord be with you” (37b).   However, before he sends David out, he does one more thi

            While pointing out how failure often precedes success, a recent newspaper article noted that… 1.     Harland David Sanders (1890-1980), the famous KFC 'Colonel,' had more than 1,000 restaurants reject him and his chicken recipe before he found one that would give him a chance. 2.     Theodor Seuss Geisel's (1904-1991) first book was rejected by 27 different publishers. He's now one of the most popular children's book authors ever. 3.     Thomas Edison's (1847-1931) teachers told him he was 'too stupid to learn anything.' He also famously invented 1,000 light bulbs before creating one that  worked. 4.     Walt Disney (1901-1966) was fired by a newspaper editor because he 'lacked  imagination and had no good ideas.' Several more of his businesses failed before the premiere of his movie 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.' Today, most childhoods wouldn't be the same without his ideas. 5.     Op