Today, we're go
over a story that's
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very familiar to a lot of us.
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We've probably grown
up with stories like this.
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So we're gonna talk about
the story of David and Goliath.
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Now, let us all pray
that God may bless us
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as we open up His word.
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Father in Heaven, Lord, I just
ask you to please be with us
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and send your spirit to
give us understanding, Lord.
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Unlock the simple
messages in your story
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and help us understand you more
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and help this challenges to have
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a greater
relationship with You, Father.
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I pray all this in the
blessed name of Jesus, amen.
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Reading the stories
of the Bible growing up,
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greatly enriched my life.
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They're amazing, the
lessons that they teach
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topics like action,
drama, love, sorrow, all vary
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but they all have
a straight message.
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A God that loves his people,
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a God that's still in
with the rebellious people
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and a God that's
trying to redeem His name,
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He's trying to show His people
that He is a "God of Love."
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Now the Bible is
considered to be one of the most
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influential pieces of
literature in history.
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A word to bring
every Bible known to man
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we could go to the library
and we produce the same Bible,
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just from quotations, this
is one of most influential books
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that history has ever known.
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Now I don't think the
Bible is just inspiring,
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I truly believe in my heart
that the Bible is inspired,
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is the Word of God to my soul.
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Now the interesting thing
is that the Bible uses stories
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of historical events
of historical figures
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in order to be
blessing to our life.
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Now today we're gonna
take one of those stories,
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the story of David and Goliath.
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A story we're all
very well familiar with,
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we've heard it growing
up, we heard about David
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the young boy,
"Goliath the Giant."
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But we're gonna look at it,
we're gonna try to dissect it
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and find a blessing from
it, we're gonna try to see what
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God was trying to
communicate through His people
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by using this story to
be in His inspired book.
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So now we're gonna start with
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our story in
First Samuel Chapter 17.
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First Samuel Chapter 17, we're
gonna read verses 1 through 3.
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We're gonna start in verse 1.
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"Now the Philistines
gathered their armies
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together to battle, and
were gathered at Sochoh,
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which belongs to
Judah, they encamped between
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Sochoh and
Azekah, in Ephes Dammim.
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And Saul and the men of
Israel were gathered together,
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and they encamped
in the Valley of Elah,
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and drew up in battle
array against the Philistines.
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The Philistines stood on
the mountain on one side,
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and Israel stood on a
mountain on the other side,
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with a valley in between them."
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Now, I want to take
an imaginative trip,
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through the Atlantic Ocean,
through the Mediterranean Sea,
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to the Land of Israel,
the desert Land of Israel.
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Now, imagine the dry plains,
the dry plains of Israel,
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the sandy terrain,
the rocks, the shrubs,
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a very harsh environment,
a very harsh environment.
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Now these two
armies gathered for war,
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with the
philistines on one mountain
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and the Israelites
on another mountain.
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Now something very
interesting is that
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if we look into
the historical context
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of who the philistines were?
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They were more advanced in
weaponry and military skills.
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Although Israel was
able to defeat them,
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philistines were
more sophisticated,
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they had chariots,
which Israelites didn't,
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they had brass armor,
which Israelites could
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have had but they
didn't have till the extend
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that the philistines did.
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And they also
had advanced weaponry
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for their offensive purposes.
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For example, they had this sword
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it was called the "Sickle Sword"
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because it resembled the sickle.
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It was a one
sided blade with a curve
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and it was
mostly made out of brass
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and these swords
are really hard to make
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because the way that
the, the blacksmiths use iron,
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use iron, use brass
was very, very primitive.
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So it was hard for them
to make swords like this
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but they had
plenty to go around.
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Now the sickle sword
with one strong swipe
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could chop right
through someone's bone,
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so they were very advanced.
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Now the Israelites had
just regrouped from a time
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where they were just led
by God, now they had a king,
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they were grouped, they
were organized as an army
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and they were strong soldiers,
they were strong soldiers
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but they were soldiers
that fought on mountains.
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But the philistines
made a smart strategic move,
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if you notice,
they go on one mountain
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and they wait while Israel
stands on the other mountain.
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And then they try to
draw Israel to the valley
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because the
Israelites didn't have chariots,
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they did not have this
type of sophisticated weaponry
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that would help their speed
and they would be slaughtered
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if they went down
there and tried to
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challenge them
in this open plains
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but the
philistines were great fighters
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they were great
fighters amongst the hills.
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And they try to draw
the philistines up to them.
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So now we see these two armies
trying to use their strengths
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to take advantage of
the others weaknesses
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but neither are budging,
but then something happens,
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we get
introduced to the character,
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the arch nemesis of our
story, the famous Goliath.
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We're gonna start in verse 4,
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"And a champion
went out from the camp
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of the Philistines,
named Goliath from Gath,
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whose height was
six cubits and a span."
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Now, Israel was
above where Gath was,
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Gath was closer to the
Mediterranean,South of Israel
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And they attack from
the South part of the Israel
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going towards the west side.
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Now Goliath, is
said to be six cubits
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and a span, what does this mean?
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Six cubits, 1 cubit equals
18 inches. So we do the math,
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we have 18 inches
plus 18 is 36, 54, 72, 90,
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and 108 plus 9
inches that's a 117 inches.
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If we turned that
into feet that's 9½ feet,
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he was 9½ feet tall,
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his very size was
intimidating, his very size.
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I worked at this
restaurant back home,
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it's called Harris
Ranch and I was a busser,
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and I remember cleaning
the tables and looking over
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and someone telling me, look
that's the Sacramento Kings,
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they're the
basketball players, they're
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the Sacramento Kings,And I
thought oh, wow! They're here,
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well, that's pretty interesting.
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What really shocked me is
that I was the tallest person
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in this
restaurant, I'm about 6' 3"
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but when I see these guys
stand up, I was blown away,
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they had to
duck so they wouldn't
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hit their heads
to the door ways.
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And the door ways
were huge, they were tall,
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but these guys
would just walk around
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and the very
presence was intimidating,
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was very intimidating.
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Now Goliath was not 7 feet tall
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like most of the
basketball players.
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Goliath was 9½
feet tall, 9½ feet tall.
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He was two feet taller
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than most of these
basketball players,
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and these basketball
players were intimidating
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and can you imagine being in
the very presence of Goliath.
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Now that's not the only thing
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that was
intimidating about Goliath,
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let's keep on reading in verse,
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we're gonna pickup in verse 5.
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"He had a bronze
helmet on his head,
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and he, and he was
armed with a coat of mail,
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and the weight
of the coat of mail
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was five thousand
shekels of bronze."
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So now five
thousand shekels of bronze,
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a shekel is the way they would,
00:10:02.59\00:10:05.06
they would use
currency as a coin,
00:10:05.07\00:10:06.80
the weight of a coin,
now five thousand shekels,
00:10:06.81\00:10:09.20
a shekel is like about an ounce,
00:10:09.21\00:10:11.55
an ounce and a
half around there.
00:10:11.56\00:10:13.29
So we do the math correctly
00:10:13.30\00:10:15.10
five thousand
shekels equals a 125 pounds,
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125 pounds, I weigh 220 that's,
00:10:20.64\00:10:26.60
that's more than
half of my weight.
00:10:26.61\00:10:30.14
Now, when I'm in
school I carry a bag pack,
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full books that
weighs about 20 pounds
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and when I come home,
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I have a sore back
with just 20 pounds,
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now this guy Goliath
walks around with armor
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that weighs a 125 pounds,
can you imagine his strength?
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Now we're gonna
look at his weaponry.
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What kind of
weapons did Goliath have?
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We're going back to
Samuel, First Samuel 17,
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and we're gonna read verse 6.
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"And he had
bronze armor on his legs
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and a bronze javelin
between his shoulders.
00:11:15.29\00:11:18.91
Now the staff of his spear
was like the weaver's beam,
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and was iron
spearhead weighed about
00:11:22.27\00:11:24.56
six hundred shekels,
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and a
shield-bearer went before him."
00:11:26.39\00:11:30.46
Now he had this huge staff
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and on the head of the
staff was the spearhead,
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this spearhead
weighed 15 pounds,
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someone within a couple of feet
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could be pierced
through one, one javelin,
00:11:47.91\00:11:53.95
one throw of this spear
would appear him right through.
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This, a 15 pound
spearhead is no joke,
00:11:58.95\00:12:04.06
this could
really do some damage.
00:12:04.07\00:12:08.19
Now I'm, let's see what's,
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what Goliath did
as soon as he came.
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Now we got to remember that the,
00:12:16.75\00:12:18.20
that the
Israelites were on one hill
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and the philistines
were on another hill,
00:12:20.97\00:12:22.84
so there was a
valley in between them.
00:12:22.85\00:12:24.84
The Philistine
army could very well
00:12:24.85\00:12:27.10
see the whole terrain
from the top of the hill
00:12:27.11\00:12:29.57
that was in the valley.
00:12:29.58\00:12:30.73
Now the Israelite
army can look down
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and they could do the same.
00:12:32.58\00:12:34.01
Now the Bible says
00:12:34.02\00:12:36.15
in First Samuel
17 verses 8 and 10.
00:12:36.16\00:12:44.51
"Then he stood and cried
out to the armies of Israel,
00:12:44.52\00:12:47.59
he said to them,
why have you come out
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to line up for battle?
00:12:50.13\00:12:51.10
Am I not a Philistine,
and you the servants of Saul?
00:12:51.11\00:12:54.71
Choose a man for yourselves,
and let him come down to me."
00:12:54.72\00:13:00.50
Now more than
likely Goliath went down
00:13:00.51\00:13:02.99
to this valley where
everybody could see him,
00:13:03.00\00:13:06.63
he was challenging
everybody to bring one man
00:13:06.64\00:13:12.52
from the Israelite army.
00:13:12.53\00:13:17.24
Now notice, he even
goes as far to say this,
00:13:17.25\00:13:22.46
"I defy the armies
of Israel this day,
00:13:22.47\00:13:24.92
give me a man that
we may fight together."
00:13:24.93\00:13:28.46
Now he was to find
the very armies of Israel.
00:13:28.47\00:13:31.86
Now we had to
read back in the Bible,
00:13:31.87\00:13:34.67
the armies of
Israel were always led
00:13:34.68\00:13:36.67
by the "God of Abraham."
00:13:36.68\00:13:40.97
This same God that
defeated the whole armies,
00:13:40.98\00:13:46.03
the whole army of Egypt,
00:13:46.04\00:13:48.55
Pharaoh's army with
one swoop of the red sea,
00:13:48.56\00:13:54.37
just drowned them
all in one attack.
00:13:54.38\00:14:00.23
Now he was challenging them,
00:14:00.24\00:14:03.03
but did Goliath understand
who he was challenging?
00:14:03.04\00:14:07.82
Now from reading
this the context shows,
00:14:07.83\00:14:10.75
no, he really didn't understand,
00:14:10.76\00:14:14.66
most people don't attribute
00:14:14.67\00:14:15.64
Goliath to be a
military genius, which he was.
00:14:15.65\00:14:19.57
He was a military genius.
00:14:19.58\00:14:21.84
Goliath was a
genius, he was smart,
00:14:21.85\00:14:24.91
he knew doing
exactly what he was doing,
00:14:24.92\00:14:26.61
notice something
very interesting.
00:14:26.62\00:14:29.63
Goliath not only was
intimidating with his size,
00:14:29.64\00:14:34.92
his amour, his weaponry,
00:14:34.93\00:14:37.86
but Goliath knew
something about the Israelites,
00:14:37.87\00:14:42.29
that he used to his
advantage to defeat them,
00:14:42.30\00:14:48.32
to scare them,
to intimidate them.
00:14:48.33\00:14:52.53
We're gonna read about
00:14:52.54\00:14:53.52
this in First
Samuel 17 verse 16,
00:14:53.53\00:14:56.27
notice this, pay
very close attention
00:14:56.28\00:14:58.79
to what the Bible says,
00:14:58.80\00:15:01.34
"And the Philistine junior
00:15:01.35\00:15:04.03
had presented
himself forty days,
00:15:04.04\00:15:07.10
morning and evening."
00:15:07.11\00:15:10.35
There you go, do you see it?
00:15:10.36\00:15:13.14
Goliath was a military genius,
00:15:13.15\00:15:15.13
isn't that amazing?
00:15:15.14\00:15:16.84
Do you see it, maybe an
explanation is in order.
00:15:16.85\00:15:23.35
Well, you have to understand
00:15:23.36\00:15:25.04
that Goliath could
have intimidated them,
00:15:25.05\00:15:29.41
could have mocked
them in the afternoon
00:15:29.42\00:15:31.13
and he could have slept in late.
00:15:31.14\00:15:34.77
He could have mocked
them in the afternoon
00:15:34.78\00:15:37.31
and went to bed early,
he could have left them
00:15:37.32\00:15:39.70
shaking in the boots
but he chose to mock them
00:15:39.71\00:15:42.76
in the mornings
and in the evenings.
00:15:42.77\00:15:47.82
What happens in the
mornings and the evenings
00:15:47.83\00:15:50.66
in the Israelite Community?
00:15:50.67\00:15:54.76
Let's turn our Bibles
to Psalms 55 verse 17,
00:15:54.77\00:15:59.11
that's Psalms 55 verse 17.
00:15:59.12\00:16:02.50
Now the psalmist
says, "Evening, and morning,
00:16:06.45\00:16:08.93
and noon I
pray, and I cry aloud,
00:16:08.94\00:16:12.22
and he shall hear my voice."
00:16:12.23\00:16:14.01
So the psalmist
is saying that he
00:16:14.02\00:16:15.61
has his connection with
God every morning and evening.
00:16:15.62\00:16:18.94
Now notice
this, this is thematic
00:16:18.95\00:16:21.17
throughout the whole Bible.
00:16:21.18\00:16:22.84
Notice in the times of Hezekiah
00:16:22.85\00:16:26.72
in Second
Chronicles, Second Chronicles 2,
00:16:26.73\00:16:33.76
Second Chronicles
29:20, so we're turning
00:16:33.77\00:16:36.48
Second Chronicles 29:20.
00:16:36.49\00:16:38.91
"Then Hezekiah rose up early,
00:16:43.32\00:16:45.45
gathered the rulers of the city,
00:16:45.46\00:16:47.43
and went up to the
house of the Lord."
00:16:47.44\00:16:50.70
He got up early
00:16:50.71\00:16:51.93
and then went to
the house of the Lord.
00:16:51.94\00:16:54.94
What do people do in
the house of the Lord?
00:16:54.95\00:16:57.90
They practice religious rituals,
00:16:57.91\00:17:01.38
and they maintain
the connection with God
00:17:01.39\00:17:03.27
he did this
early in the morning.
00:17:03.28\00:17:05.10
Now notice from
the time of Hezekiah,
00:17:05.11\00:17:06.93
all the way to
the time of Jesus.
00:17:06.94\00:17:08.38
Let's go to Mark Chapter 1,
00:17:08.39\00:17:10.48
that's Mark Chapter 1, verse 35,
00:17:14.10\00:17:22.78
"Now in the
morning, having risen a long
00:17:22.79\00:17:25.15
while before daylight,
He went out and departed
00:17:25.16\00:17:28.27
to a solitary
place and He prayed."
00:17:28.28\00:17:32.12
Now before day light,
00:17:32.13\00:17:34.94
before the sun had risen,
00:17:34.95\00:17:37.35
we see Jesus go out
and spend time with God.
00:17:37.36\00:17:43.48
Now, in First Samuel 15:11,
00:17:43.49\00:17:49.67
we see Saul
being rejected as King
00:17:49.68\00:17:53.29
and Samuel mourns
for him all night.
00:17:53.30\00:17:58.23
Now we go to Luke
6:12, we see Jesus
00:17:58.24\00:18:02.98
pray for His
disciples all night.
00:18:02.99\00:18:07.21
Now every morning and
evening in the Jewish community
00:18:07.22\00:18:11.08
they maintain the
relationship with God,
00:18:11.09\00:18:13.89
that's exactly
what they would do,
00:18:13.90\00:18:15.46
that's exactly what Goliath
was distracting them from,
00:18:15.47\00:18:18.66
they had fought the
Israelite army before,
00:18:18.67\00:18:21.35
they had challenged them before.
00:18:21.36\00:18:23.85
But this time it was different,
00:18:23.86\00:18:25.75
this time they were scared.
00:18:25.76\00:18:27.59
Goliath, the military
genius had pulled it off,
00:18:27.60\00:18:33.31
he had distracted
the Israelite army
00:18:33.32\00:18:35.61
from the source
of their strength,
00:18:35.62\00:18:38.16
the God of Israel.
00:18:38.17\00:18:40.30
They had lost their
connection with God,
00:18:40.31\00:18:45.66
so they were scared.
00:18:45.67\00:18:47.50
Now notice this,
Dr. Alfred Edersheim
00:18:47.51\00:18:53.77
in the sketches of the
Jewish social life says this,
00:18:53.78\00:18:57.12
"Public worship
commenced in ordinary
00:18:57.13\00:18:59.00
occasions with
the so-called "Shema,
00:18:59.01\00:19:01.29
" which was preceded
in the morning and evening
00:19:01.30\00:19:04.81
by two benedictions,
00:19:04.82\00:19:05.82
and succeeded in
the morning by one,
00:19:05.83\00:19:07.84
and the evening
by two benedictions,
00:19:07.85\00:19:10.29
the second being
strictly, an evening prayer."
00:19:10.30\00:19:14.35
So now mornings and evenings
00:19:14.36\00:19:16.79
were vital for the
connection with God.
00:19:16.80\00:19:21.13
So what Goliath did
was distracting from God.
00:19:21.14\00:19:25.43
They were scared because
they were distracted from God,
00:19:25.44\00:19:28.26
they were distracted from
the source of their strength.
00:19:28.27\00:19:30.14
Notice now we turned to
First Samuel 17 verse 11,
00:19:30.15\00:19:34.12
this is how they reacted when,
00:19:34.13\00:19:35.43
when ever Goliath mock them.
00:19:35.44\00:19:38.51
"When Saul and Israel heard
00:19:38.52\00:19:40.12
these words of the Philistine,
00:19:40.13\00:19:41.89
they were dismayed
and greatly afraid."
00:19:41.90\00:19:45.81
So, they were
dismayed and greatly afraid
00:19:45.82\00:19:48.14
because they had lost
their connection with God.
00:19:48.15\00:19:51.60
Now we can also
hear and think okay,
00:19:51.61\00:19:55.43
what is my Goliath?
00:19:55.44\00:19:59.54
What is keeping me
from my connection with God
00:19:59.55\00:20:02.86
early in the morning?
00:20:02.87\00:20:05.16
What is keeping me
00:20:05.17\00:20:06.97
from my connection
with God in the evening?
00:20:06.98\00:20:10.36
Now we're gonna see
the importance of this,
00:20:14.11\00:20:16.70
a little bit later but
I want to make one point.
00:20:20.91\00:20:24.76
There's this
older man he would sit
00:20:24.77\00:20:27.58
and watch the little
boys play in the street
00:20:27.59\00:20:31.88
and he'd sit in his
rocking chair and look at him.
00:20:31.89\00:20:34.51
And every once in a
while he would start
00:20:34.52\00:20:36.18
mocking the boys
that would play cowboy.
00:20:36.19\00:20:39.19
He'd look at them and
say, little boy, little boy,
00:20:39.20\00:20:43.21
don't you understand,
00:20:43.22\00:20:45.68
little boy,
don't you understand?
00:20:45.69\00:20:48.26
Your horse is not carrying you,
00:20:48.27\00:20:50.92
you're carrying your horse,
00:20:50.93\00:20:53.28
little boy,
don't you understand?
00:20:53.29\00:20:56.96
And that sounds very silly
00:20:56.97\00:20:58.23
but we could be
just like that old man
00:20:58.24\00:20:59.63
and sit back and look
at the Christians and say,
00:20:59.64\00:21:06.01
Christian,
Christian, brother, sister,
00:21:06.02\00:21:08.11
don't you understand?
00:21:08.12\00:21:09.16
When you're
pretending to be a Christian
00:21:11.58\00:21:14.05
and you don't have that
vital connection with God.
00:21:14.06\00:21:16.92
Your Christianity
isn't carrying you,
00:21:16.93\00:21:19.50
you're carrying
your Christianity.
00:21:19.51\00:21:21.23
Now when you try to
carry your Christianity,
00:21:24.85\00:21:26.70
you're carrying the
infinite on your back.
00:21:26.71\00:21:28.42
And in case you haven't noticed
00:21:30.18\00:21:32.64
we're not infinitely strong,
00:21:32.65\00:21:35.57
you eventually be
crushed or you'll give up.
00:21:35.58\00:21:42.01
You can't carry the infinite,
00:21:42.02\00:21:45.20
you need to maintain
a connection with God,
00:21:45.21\00:21:48.82
you need to let your
Christianity carry you
00:21:48.83\00:21:51.53
through a connection with God
00:21:51.54\00:21:52.54
and that is the
only way, the only way.
00:21:52.55\00:21:55.61
Now let's introduce
the hero of our story.
00:21:59.15\00:22:02.33
We're gonna introduce David,
00:22:02.34\00:22:04.96
we're going to
Samuel verse 13 and 14.
00:22:04.97\00:22:10.43
"The three eldest sons of Jesse
00:22:11.52\00:22:14.00
had gone to
follow Saul to battle.
00:22:14.01\00:22:15.96
The names of his three sons
00:22:15.97\00:22:17.43
who went out to the
battle were Eliab the firstborn,
00:22:17.44\00:22:19.50
next one
Abinadab, the third Shammah.
00:22:19.51\00:22:24.24
David was the youngest
00:22:24.25\00:22:25.72
and the three
eldest followed Saul."
00:22:25.73\00:22:27.96
Now, the three
eldest followed Saul,
00:22:27.97\00:22:29.77
they followed Saul because
Saul was the King of Israel
00:22:29.78\00:22:32.17
and the King of
Israel was at war.
00:22:32.18\00:22:34.84
So the brothers
were at war with Saul,
00:22:34.85\00:22:37.55
so now David
stayed behind if you read,
00:22:37.56\00:22:40.66
David stayed behind to
take care of the sheep.
00:22:40.67\00:22:43.14
Now there is a reason why,
00:22:43.15\00:22:44.23
why David couldn't go out
and fight with his brothers.
00:22:44.24\00:22:47.12
He wasn't old enough
yet, he was just a boy,
00:22:49.16\00:22:53.88
he had to be younger than 18,
00:22:53.89\00:22:56.41
he must been like
16, 13 around there,
00:22:56.42\00:22:59.21
he wasn't old
enough to fight yet,
00:22:59.22\00:23:01.13
he was just a little boy.
00:23:01.14\00:23:02.27
Now notice what
his original duty was?
00:23:04.97\00:23:06.57
Notice what his father sent
him to the battle lines for?
00:23:06.58\00:23:12.35
"Then Jesse said
to his son David,
00:23:12.36\00:23:14.49
Take now your brothers
an ephah of this dry grain
00:23:14.50\00:23:18.02
and these ten loaves and
run to your brothers at camp
00:23:18.03\00:23:21.14
and carry these ten cheeses
00:23:21.15\00:23:22.86
to the captain of
the, of their thousand,
00:23:22.87\00:23:25.49
and see how your brothers fare
00:23:25.50\00:23:27.58
and bring back news of them."
00:23:27.59\00:23:29.52
So now David went at
first to take his brothers food
00:23:29.53\00:23:36.15
and to take
cheese to the commanders.
00:23:36.16\00:23:37.79
And to talk to them and
bring back news from him.
00:23:40.08\00:23:44.07
That was David's original duty
00:23:44.08\00:23:46.83
but then something happened,
00:23:46.84\00:23:48.86
something happened
in verse 22 and 23.
00:23:48.87\00:23:51.75
"David left his supplies in
the hand of the supply keeper
00:23:54.92\00:23:57.37
and ran to the army
and greeted his brothers.
00:23:57.38\00:24:01.39
Then he talked with
him, there was a champion,
00:24:01.40\00:24:06.36
a Philistine of Gath,
Goliath by name coming up
00:24:06.37\00:24:10.70
from the armies
of the Philistines
00:24:10.71\00:24:12.27
and spoke
according to the same words."
00:24:12.28\00:24:14.21
So David heard.
00:24:14.22\00:24:17.04
Now notice,
David came to the camp,
00:24:17.05\00:24:20.13
he was about a day's
trip away from the camp,
00:24:20.14\00:24:22.16
so he came to the camp
00:24:22.17\00:24:23.82
and for the first
time he hears Goliath.
00:24:23.83\00:24:26.71
Notice how the
Israelites react in verse 24.
00:24:28.94\00:24:31.97
"And all the men of Israel,
00:24:31.98\00:24:33.25
when they saw the
man, fled from him,
00:24:33.26\00:24:35.58
and were deadly afraid."
00:24:35.59\00:24:38.36
Now notice the difference,
00:24:38.37\00:24:40.10
solders were deadly afraid
of this Intimidating Giant
00:24:40.11\00:24:44.43
with the immense strength,
they were afraid of him.
00:24:44.44\00:24:46.42
But how does David react?
00:24:48.27\00:24:49.48
He was outside of
the camp he wasn't
00:24:49.49\00:24:51.37
distracted every
morning and evening.
00:24:51.38\00:24:53.98
So how did David
react when he hadn't lost
00:24:53.99\00:24:58.27
his connection with God?
00:24:58.28\00:24:59.64
Let's turn in our Bibles
00:25:05.97\00:25:09.05
to verse 32. David
is talking to Saul here.
00:25:09.06\00:25:17.53
Then David said to Saul
00:25:21.64\00:25:23.51
"Let no man's heart
fail because of him,
00:25:23.52\00:25:27.73
your servant will
go out and fight him."
00:25:27.74\00:25:29.50
Now this little
boy is telling the,
00:25:31.17\00:25:33.56
the king of Israel,
the general of Israel.
00:25:33.57\00:25:37.78
You guys don't
have to be afraid,
00:25:37.79\00:25:38.86
you guys don't
have to be afraid.
00:25:38.87\00:25:40.81
I'll fight this giant
for you, I'll take him.
00:25:40.82\00:25:43.46
Now, of course, Saul
doubted, notice Saul's reaction.
00:25:45.56\00:25:49.08
"You're not able to
fight against this Philistine.
00:25:51.07\00:25:55.13
You are a youth, and he a
man of war from his youth."
00:25:55.14\00:25:59.54
So now, Saul
looks at this young man
00:26:01.76\00:26:07.33
and he discourages him
from going out and fight
00:26:09.35\00:26:15.20
because he knew
he was a young boy.
00:26:15.21\00:26:16.79
But Saul was a
coward, he was scared.
00:26:19.22\00:26:22.33
We see this more as we read.
00:26:25.21\00:26:27.31
Notice what he does
with David eventually.
00:26:27.32\00:26:29.22
In verse 38, "Saul
clothed David with his armor
00:26:35.51\00:26:41.36
and put a bronze
helmet on his head
00:26:41.37\00:26:44.31
and he also clothed
him with a coat of mail."
00:26:44.32\00:26:48.34
So now Saul just said, okay.
00:26:48.35\00:26:52.31
You're a little boy,
you can't fight this giant.
00:26:52.32\00:26:55.19
You can't fight this giant.
00:26:55.20\00:26:56.34
You're just a little boy.
00:26:56.35\00:26:57.43
But wait, wait, wait.
00:26:59.74\00:27:02.57
You know, I don't want
to go fight this giant.
00:27:02.58\00:27:05.23
Why don't you take my armor,
let's see what you could do.
00:27:05.24\00:27:09.35
So now Saul, who the Bible says,
00:27:09.36\00:27:11.51
he was a head
taller than everybody else,
00:27:11.52\00:27:13.98
is sending a boy, a
little boy to fight his battle
00:27:13.99\00:27:21.45
because he was scared.
00:27:21.46\00:27:23.40
He was distracted
every morning and evening
00:27:23.41\00:27:25.89
from his connection with God.
00:27:25.90\00:27:27.56
He was cut off
00:27:27.57\00:27:28.76
because he was
distracted by the Philistine,
00:27:28.77\00:27:32.99
and he sents a little
boy to do a man's job.
00:27:33.00\00:27:37.97
What a rebuke it must have been
00:27:37.98\00:27:39.40
to see a little boy be
willing to fight a giant,
00:27:39.41\00:27:43.00
when you the king of
Israel are terrified.
00:27:43.01\00:27:47.05
But now notice he sends
this little boy to his death,
00:27:47.06\00:27:50.25
to his apparent death.
00:27:50.26\00:27:51.75
But how does David react?
00:27:58.64\00:28:02.73
How does David
react? Was he really scared?
00:28:02.74\00:28:05.60
Notice how he
responds to Goliath.
00:28:05.61\00:28:07.64
Notice how he responds to him.
00:28:09.13\00:28:10.63
It says, in verse
34, "Your servant used
00:28:16.56\00:28:21.99
to keep his
father's sheep when a lion,
00:28:22.00\00:28:24.84
or a bear came and
took a lamb of the flock,
00:28:24.85\00:28:27.63
I went out after
it and struck it,
00:28:27.64\00:28:29.67
and delivered the lamb from it,
00:28:29.68\00:28:32.30
and when it arose against
me, I caught it by its beard,
00:28:32.31\00:28:35.80
and struck it and killed it.
00:28:35.81\00:28:38.52
Your servant has
killed both lion and bear,
00:28:40.45\00:28:42.57
and this uncircumcised
00:28:42.58\00:28:43.60
Philistine will
be like one of them,
00:28:43.61\00:28:46.05
seeing he hath defied the
armies of the living God."
00:28:46.06\00:28:49.76
He said, he had defied
the armies of the living God.
00:28:52.40\00:28:56.45
He knew who was going
to do the fighting for him.
00:28:56.46\00:28:59.20
It was a living God.
00:29:00.94\00:29:04.13
See, to the rest of
the army the God of Israel
00:29:04.14\00:29:09.56
do not seem to be
stronger than this Goliath,
00:29:09.57\00:29:13.68
because they didn't
focus on the God of Israel,
00:29:13.69\00:29:15.52
they focused on the
strength of Goliath.
00:29:15.53\00:29:18.44
Nine and half feet
tall, immensely strong,
00:29:20.86\00:29:28.15
they focused on him
00:29:28.16\00:29:30.45
and they got
distracted from God.
00:29:30.46\00:29:33.67
So they forgot
how strong God was.
00:29:33.68\00:29:35.65
They forgot that God
had saved them from Egypt,
00:29:35.66\00:29:38.69
from slavery, from bondage,
00:29:38.70\00:29:40.44
and they looked at Goliath,
00:29:44.13\00:29:46.05
a man that was
stronger than them,
00:29:46.06\00:29:49.25
and they were scared.
00:29:49.26\00:29:50.70
But now notice
the big difference.
00:29:50.71\00:29:52.56
David, the little boy
who was not distracted,
00:29:56.79\00:29:59.87
was able to say, I
will take this challenge,
00:30:04.08\00:30:08.88
I will fight this
giant, I will take him down
00:30:08.89\00:30:14.87
just like I took down a
lion and a bear in the past.
00:30:14.88\00:30:20.58
It's amazing. It's
amazing what happens
00:30:20.59\00:30:23.25
whenever you have a
connection with God,
00:30:23.26\00:30:24.48
notice a big difference.
00:30:24.49\00:30:27.07
A man, that was
a trained soldier,
00:30:27.08\00:30:29.53
was scared when he lost
the connection with God.
00:30:29.54\00:30:32.82
A young boy who maintained
the connection with God
00:30:32.83\00:30:36.13
and was not a
soldier by any means,
00:30:36.14\00:30:38.77
he was shepherd,
was willing to fight,
00:30:38.78\00:30:43.00
because he understood
that his God was a living God.
00:30:43.01\00:30:46.74
Now, you might think
this is just one account
00:30:50.98\00:30:56.56
where someone
shows their courage
00:30:56.57\00:30:58.28
because they maintain
their connection with God.
00:30:58.29\00:31:01.13
But turn in your
Bibles to Daniel 6.
00:31:01.14\00:31:06.94
We're going to Daniel 6
to the account of David,
00:31:06.95\00:31:12.10
I mean, Daniel
in the lion's den.
00:31:12.11\00:31:15.71
It's Daniel 6, and we're gonna
00:31:15.72\00:31:19.59
read verses 8 through 12.
00:31:19.60\00:31:21.70
"Now, O king,
establish the decree,
00:31:27.87\00:31:30.60
and sign the writing,
so that it be not changed,
00:31:30.61\00:31:33.50
according to the law
of the Medes and Persians,
00:31:33.51\00:31:35.34
which is not matter."
00:31:35.35\00:31:36.32
Now Daniel's enemies were trying
00:31:36.33\00:31:38.48
to set up a trap for him.
00:31:38.49\00:31:39.58
They just convinced
the king to set up a law
00:31:39.59\00:31:42.86
where only the king could
be worshiped, and no one else.
00:31:42.87\00:31:47.16
And verse 9 says,
00:31:50.39\00:31:51.36
"Therefore king
signed the written decree."
00:31:51.37\00:31:54.53
So the king was convinced.
He said, yeah, that's good.
00:31:54.54\00:31:57.72
I want people to worship me.
00:31:57.73\00:32:00.02
Uh! Signed his decree.
00:32:00.03\00:32:04.10
And only you could be worshiped
00:32:04.11\00:32:06.75
this period of
time, this length of time,
00:32:06.76\00:32:10.53
this period of time.
00:32:10.54\00:32:12.73
So notice what
Daniel does in verse 10,
00:32:12.74\00:32:17.57
"Now when Daniel knew
that the writing was signed,
00:32:17.58\00:32:20.11
he went home, and
in his upper room,
00:32:20.12\00:32:22.79
with his windows
open toward Jerusalem,
00:32:22.80\00:32:25.68
he knelt down on his
knees three times that day
00:32:25.69\00:32:29.25
and prayed and gave
thanks before his God,
00:32:29.26\00:32:32.85
as was his custom."
00:32:32.86\00:32:36.27
So now Daniel hears
that this decree was signed
00:32:36.28\00:32:43.08
and it was established
that you could only pray
00:32:43.09\00:32:46.01
to the king of
Medes and Persians,
00:32:46.02\00:32:49.29
but he goes into his
room, opens up a window,
00:32:49.30\00:32:53.62
doesn't do it in
secret, and prays to God.
00:32:53.63\00:32:58.28
Now we all know
what happens later on.
00:32:58.29\00:33:02.57
The king cannot rebuke the law.
00:33:02.58\00:33:05.75
So though Daniel is
his beloved companion,
00:33:05.76\00:33:09.58
he throws him in the lion's den.
00:33:09.59\00:33:13.71
Now Daniel bravely
takes the consequence.
00:33:13.72\00:33:17.00
And we see God rescue
him from the lion's den.
00:33:17.01\00:33:21.71
He was able to
face this courageously
00:33:21.72\00:33:24.47
because of his
connection with God.
00:33:24.48\00:33:28.07
He had a vital
connection with God.
00:33:28.08\00:33:30.60
It wasn't just David,
00:33:30.61\00:33:32.31
we see this throughout the Bible
00:33:32.32\00:33:33.71
when people keep
the connection with God,
00:33:33.72\00:33:35.91
their courage
supersedes that which normally
00:33:35.92\00:33:40.98
would be there
because they understand
00:33:40.99\00:33:43.76
that they worship a
living God. It's amazing.
00:33:43.77\00:33:48.81
So now this is
the key to courage.
00:33:48.82\00:33:52.06
Have a relationship with God.
00:33:52.07\00:33:55.63
Now try to understand this,
00:33:55.64\00:33:56.61
what does this mean
in our everyday lives.
00:33:56.62\00:34:02.81
If we maintain a
connection with God,
00:34:02.82\00:34:06.92
we could overcome things
that normally seem impossible,
00:34:06.93\00:34:12.97
whether it be a smoking habit,
00:34:12.98\00:34:17.76
whether it be a personal sin.
00:34:17.77\00:34:21.79
Where you're
addicted, certain things
00:34:21.80\00:34:23.73
that are keeping you from
your relationship with God.
00:34:23.74\00:34:27.93
Now, we know that the Bible says
00:34:27.94\00:34:30.04
that God is all powerful.
00:34:30.05\00:34:33.52
So if He's all powerful,
He destroys any obstacle
00:34:33.53\00:34:37.14
that keeps a connection with Him
00:34:37.15\00:34:39.90
if we make the afford,
00:34:39.91\00:34:43.85
if we make the afford.
00:34:43.86\00:34:47.61
God does not encroach
in our freedom of will.
00:34:47.62\00:34:52.71
We need to do our half to form
00:34:52.72\00:34:56.63
this connection with God.
00:34:56.64\00:34:59.33
We need to form a
connection with God
00:34:59.34\00:35:02.05
and He will overcome for
us, He will overcome for us.
00:35:02.06\00:35:06.61
I was watching Dr. Menachery,
"The Conscientious Objector."
00:35:10.03\00:35:17.14
And I was really
inspired by the way
00:35:17.15\00:35:20.48
Desmond Doss'
peers talked about him.
00:35:20.49\00:35:27.08
When they would talk about him,
00:35:27.09\00:35:29.25
they'd recount their stories
of how they remember him.
00:35:29.26\00:35:33.79
They'd cry when
they remembered him.
00:35:33.80\00:35:37.08
They considered
them his close companion.
00:35:37.09\00:35:41.63
But at the
beginning of documentary,
00:35:41.64\00:35:43.15
this was not the case.
00:35:43.16\00:35:47.59
You see Desmond
Doss was ridiculed.
00:35:47.60\00:35:51.92
He was ostracised because
of his religious inclination.
00:35:51.93\00:36:00.39
He refused to do
things on the Sabbath.
00:36:00.40\00:36:03.70
He refused to carry a
weapon. He refused to kill.
00:36:03.71\00:36:10.29
So now everybody ostracised him.
00:36:10.30\00:36:14.56
There is even an account where
they threw a boot at his head
00:36:14.57\00:36:16.70
while he was praying at night.
00:36:16.71\00:36:19.05
He had no
friends in the beginning.
00:36:19.06\00:36:21.17
No one became
his close companion,
00:36:21.18\00:36:23.39
his close friend,
they all rejected him.
00:36:23.40\00:36:28.51
Even when they were
training in the desert,
00:36:28.52\00:36:31.40
he tried his hardest
to win his companions'
00:36:31.41\00:36:34.14
hearts by being their medic,
00:36:34.15\00:36:38.35
by helping them out
when they had bloody feet,
00:36:38.36\00:36:41.98
by trying his hardest to make
them feel comfortable and loved.
00:36:41.99\00:36:47.92
But this didn't do anything
00:36:47.93\00:36:49.04
to affect their
relationship with him.
00:36:49.05\00:36:51.84
That actually made some
generals bitter towards him
00:36:51.85\00:36:56.68
because of the fact that
he would not follow orders.
00:36:56.69\00:37:01.79
Now something very interesting
00:37:01.80\00:37:03.74
is that the same general
that tried to kick him out,
00:37:03.75\00:37:06.87
that tried to have
him court-marshaled,
00:37:06.88\00:37:10.45
went out to war the
same time Desmond Doss did,
00:37:10.46\00:37:17.20
and the general ran away
00:37:17.21\00:37:19.29
because he was
afraid, he was scared.
00:37:19.30\00:37:24.84
This very general
that tried to kick out
00:37:24.85\00:37:27.07
this man for his
religious inclination ran away
00:37:27.08\00:37:29.79
scared while this
religious man that took
00:37:29.80\00:37:32.67
all this ridicule
stood bravely in war.
00:37:32.68\00:37:39.30
Now there's to it than
this, Desmond Doss is famous
00:37:39.31\00:37:48.52
because of what he
did during the war.
00:37:48.53\00:37:52.45
There is actually a
time where the whole regime
00:37:52.46\00:37:58.62
wouldn't go out to
war because Desmond Doss
00:37:58.63\00:38:01.09
hadn't finished
reading his Bible,
00:38:01.10\00:38:03.17
because at that point
he had gained the respect
00:38:03.18\00:38:04.81
already because he
showed his courage.
00:38:04.82\00:38:09.12
Now, I remember something
00:38:09.13\00:38:12.05
very particular about the story.
00:38:12.06\00:38:13.59
As he sat there,
his companions sat,
00:38:18.10\00:38:20.36
there were three of them,
00:38:20.37\00:38:21.34
they were
sitting around the table,
00:38:21.35\00:38:22.32
they were all men,
they were older men
00:38:22.33\00:38:26.10
and they started
talking about Desmond Doss.
00:38:26.11\00:38:28.47
They said, Desmond
Doss was a great man,
00:38:28.48\00:38:31.15
Desmond Doss did this. He
saved like seventy people.
00:38:31.16\00:38:33.35
He was just a skinny
guy and he would go out
00:38:33.36\00:38:35.96
when bullets were
raining, and he'd saved people.
00:38:35.97\00:38:39.78
This skinny guy would
save people. He was brave.
00:38:39.79\00:38:42.63
He was braver than
any man I've ever known.
00:38:42.64\00:38:45.73
And then what really caught
00:38:45.74\00:38:47.47
my attention was one
of his fellow soldiers,
00:38:47.48\00:38:52.21
his fellow companions,
his fellow veteran said this,
00:38:52.22\00:38:57.04
you know, Desmond
Doss was a great man,
00:38:57.05\00:39:00.89
he was brave, he was
really brave but you know,
00:39:00.90\00:39:06.31
without his
religion, he would have,
00:39:06.32\00:39:09.03
he would have, he statures
00:39:09.04\00:39:12.46
and then the guy next
one finishes his sentence,
00:39:12.47\00:39:16.24
and says, he would
have been just like us.
00:39:16.25\00:39:21.61
He would have been just
like us, without his religion.
00:39:21.62\00:39:26.81
So now his peers understood,
what made Desmond Doss brave
00:39:26.82\00:39:31.65
was his connection with God.
00:39:31.66\00:39:33.85
Do you understood, he
would have been just like
00:39:33.86\00:39:35.10
them without his
connection with God.
00:39:35.11\00:39:37.99
But because he maintained
his connection with God,
00:39:38.00\00:39:44.30
he's gonna be remembered
00:39:44.31\00:39:46.68
as one of the
bravest men in that regime
00:39:46.69\00:39:50.61
because of his
connection with God.
00:39:50.62\00:39:55.25
Now there is also this other
story of an unknown solider.
00:39:55.26\00:40:00.81
This happened in the Korean war.
00:40:00.82\00:40:03.23
He was also a medic.
00:40:03.24\00:40:06.16
But this soldier
was actually an atheist.
00:40:06.17\00:40:11.25
This soldier was in a fox hole.
00:40:11.26\00:40:15.05
During the one of
the heaviest attacks
00:40:15.06\00:40:21.07
and the person higher in
command went up to him and said,
00:40:21.08\00:40:23.83
you need to go out
and help the wounded.
00:40:23.84\00:40:26.97
You need to go out
and help the wounded, go.
00:40:26.98\00:40:29.66
And as soon as the
one higher in command
00:40:29.67\00:40:31.50
would tell him that
he'd get up and be like okay.
00:40:31.51\00:40:33.36
But as soon as
he would walk away,
00:40:33.37\00:40:34.46
he'd hide back in his foxhole.
00:40:34.47\00:40:36.54
The guy that was higher
in command would come again
00:40:41.20\00:40:42.49
and he would
like, what are you doing
00:40:42.50\00:40:43.47
hiding in your
foxhole, go help them,
00:40:43.48\00:40:45.26
go help them,
what are you doing?
00:40:45.27\00:40:47.64
And he'd get up again
and be like, okay, okay.
00:40:47.65\00:40:50.52
As soon as the
guy would turn around,
00:40:50.53\00:40:52.10
back in his foxhole.
00:40:52.11\00:40:56.01
Now once the guy
that was higher in command
00:40:56.02\00:40:58.48
saw this, he got frustrated.
00:40:58.49\00:41:01.47
He was getting
ready to shoot this medic,
00:41:01.48\00:41:03.11
because he was
frustrated with him.
00:41:03.12\00:41:07.32
But as he was
walking towards him,
00:41:07.33\00:41:09.94
the medic all of a sudden
gets up and runs out there,
00:41:09.95\00:41:16.00
he runs straight to
the on coming bullets,
00:41:16.01\00:41:21.80
and he goes and he brings
00:41:21.81\00:41:23.52
the wounded in
with no fear, no fear.
00:41:23.53\00:41:29.95
And the guy higher in
command was, he was speechless.
00:41:29.96\00:41:33.88
He looked and he was
like, what's going on.
00:41:33.89\00:41:38.31
As soon as everything was over,
00:41:38.32\00:41:39.85
they were
sitting down in the tent
00:41:39.86\00:41:43.50
and the one higher in command
looks at this medic and says,
00:41:43.51\00:41:46.08
"what's up with
you, like what's wrong?
00:41:46.09\00:41:48.65
Why is it that every time
I commanded you do something,
00:41:48.66\00:41:52.16
you didn't listen to my orders.
00:41:52.17\00:41:54.91
But then all of a sudden,
00:41:54.92\00:41:56.33
it's almost
like you were waiting
00:41:56.34\00:41:57.31
for a certain time to strike
before you went out there.
00:41:57.32\00:42:02.19
What's going on?"
00:42:02.20\00:42:03.83
And the medic looked
at him and he'll goes,
00:42:03.84\00:42:05.37
well, sir, I'm
quite embarrassed.
00:42:05.38\00:42:08.35
Actually I'm
quite ashamed to say.
00:42:08.36\00:42:10.11
He goes, no, tell me,
tell me, what's wrong with you?
00:42:10.12\00:42:13.87
He said, well, to be
completely honestly he said,
00:42:13.88\00:42:19.71
I don't have a faith.
I've always been agnostic.
00:42:19.72\00:42:25.97
I just recently got
a letter from my mom.
00:42:25.98\00:42:29.49
He said, she told me that,
she has been praying for me.
00:42:29.50\00:42:33.27
I was raised a
Christian, and my mom said,
00:42:33.28\00:42:39.86
she would pray for
me at this certain hour.
00:42:39.87\00:42:45.80
And I remember that,
as I was in this foxhole.
00:42:45.81\00:42:49.17
I was scared to go out.
00:42:49.18\00:42:53.10
But as soon as I
looked at my watch
00:42:53.11\00:42:54.73
and I realized that my
mom was praying for me.
00:42:54.74\00:42:58.03
Something
happened. I wasn't scared.
00:42:58.04\00:43:02.96
I was not scared
at what could happen.
00:43:02.97\00:43:08.61
I was able to face
00:43:08.62\00:43:10.13
what I had to face without fear
00:43:10.14\00:43:13.13
but I am ashamed
because, you know,
00:43:13.14\00:43:15.39
I really don't believe.
00:43:15.40\00:43:19.42
It's amazing what happens to us
00:43:19.43\00:43:21.15
whenever we maintain
a connection with God.
00:43:21.16\00:43:23.10
Well, we understand
that God is helping us
00:43:23.11\00:43:25.61
through the prayers of others.
00:43:25.62\00:43:27.43
It's amazing what happens.
00:43:27.44\00:43:29.34
Now I could stand here
today and recount story,
00:43:33.81\00:43:40.12
after story, after
story, after story,
00:43:40.13\00:43:43.45
after story, after story,
00:43:43.46\00:43:44.80
after story and
show you brave men
00:43:44.81\00:43:49.62
showing their
courage because they maintain
00:43:49.63\00:43:52.25
their connection with
God, but what will that do?
00:43:52.26\00:43:58.20
How will that have a significant
00:43:58.21\00:43:59.71
impact in our lives?
00:43:59.72\00:44:03.17
Only if you understand,
then in order for you to face
00:44:03.18\00:44:06.42
life
courageously, you yourself need
00:44:06.43\00:44:10.28
to maintain a
connection with God.
00:44:10.29\00:44:14.55
You yourself need to
tackle these Goliaths
00:44:14.56\00:44:22.09
before they
distract you from God.
00:44:22.10\00:44:25.49
Anything that's keeping
you from your connection
00:44:25.50\00:44:28.61
with God in the
morning and the evening,
00:44:28.62\00:44:32.10
anything that's keeping you
00:44:32.11\00:44:33.08
from your
connection with God at all.
00:44:33.09\00:44:38.17
Will make you a
coward eventually
00:44:38.18\00:44:40.68
whenever you have to
face life's real dangers.
00:44:40.69\00:44:44.00
In order for you
to face disasters,
00:44:49.84\00:44:53.66
in order to you to
face life's hardships
00:44:53.67\00:44:56.77
whether you're going
through a family crises,
00:44:56.78\00:45:01.79
whether you've
undergone a natural disaster,
00:45:01.80\00:45:06.84
whether you lost
everything just like Job.
00:45:06.85\00:45:11.84
Somehow you be able
to hold it all together,
00:45:11.85\00:45:17.21
because you will understand
that there is something else,
00:45:17.22\00:45:22.44
that there is another life,
00:45:22.45\00:45:24.56
that there is
God, there is a Savior,
00:45:24.57\00:45:29.26
and this isn't it.
This life isn't it.
00:45:29.27\00:45:33.39
This trial is just
there to build your character,
00:45:33.40\00:45:40.46
to put you to
that point of stress
00:45:40.47\00:45:41.84
where you have to
make the right choice,
00:45:41.85\00:45:43.80
even when it doesn't feel good,
00:45:43.81\00:45:45.94
even when it goes
against your very senses,
00:45:45.95\00:45:49.15
your very core,
even when it goes
00:45:49.16\00:45:51.73
against who you are,
00:45:51.74\00:45:53.89
your challenge to
do the right thing.
00:45:53.90\00:45:55.61
Now, you got to understand.
This is what I'm not saying.
00:46:00.82\00:46:12.47
Ezequiel Vasquez has
not perfected the science
00:46:12.48\00:46:16.71
and maintaining the
connection with God.
00:46:16.72\00:46:20.09
I'm in a learning process.
00:46:20.10\00:46:23.50
I myself struggled
to get up in the morning
00:46:23.51\00:46:30.53
and sometimes even read
my Bible. I'm not perfect.
00:46:30.54\00:46:37.23
I remember sitting
studying the Bible with someone,
00:46:37.24\00:46:40.09
and then he told to
me, listen, Ezequiel,
00:46:40.10\00:46:42.77
I know you're
holy, I know you get up
00:46:42.78\00:46:44.34
and you like oh-- you shine and,
00:46:44.35\00:46:50.30
you just could
do it but I can't,
00:46:50.31\00:46:52.90
like something like I just don't
00:46:52.91\00:46:53.88
feel like reading my Bible.
00:46:53.89\00:46:55.02
I can't keep myself
from falling back asleep.
00:46:55.03\00:47:03.61
I looked at him and
then I said, listen LeAnn.
00:47:03.62\00:47:07.99
LeAnn is the girl I was
studying the Bible with.
00:47:08.00\00:47:11.75
I get up in the
morning and I'm just like you.
00:47:11.76\00:47:16.50
I struggle just like you,
and I'm tired just like you.
00:47:16.51\00:47:21.10
I'm lazy just like you.
00:47:21.11\00:47:25.97
But I don't read Bible
because I feel like it.
00:47:25.98\00:47:30.84
I don't read my
Bible because I like to,
00:47:30.85\00:47:32.73
although I do.
00:47:32.74\00:47:36.98
I read my Bible
because I have to.
00:47:36.99\00:47:40.01
I don't pray because
I want you sometimes,
00:47:40.02\00:47:43.90
although I do want you.
00:47:43.91\00:47:49.52
I pray because I have to.
00:47:49.53\00:47:52.91
In order for God
to carry the weight
00:47:52.92\00:47:56.58
that I can't carry,
00:47:56.59\00:47:58.72
I have to give
Him the privilege,
00:47:58.73\00:48:01.92
I have to give Him the
right to carry it for me.
00:48:01.93\00:48:06.47
Now we're gonna see
how the story of David
00:48:12.60\00:48:19.82
and Goliath wraps up.
00:48:19.83\00:48:20.99
Let's go to First Samuel 17,
00:48:24.62\00:48:30.31
and we're gonna
go to the last verses
00:48:30.32\00:48:32.13
of the Bible in Chapter 17.
00:48:32.14\00:48:35.22
And we're gonna see a dialogue
between David and Goliath.
00:48:35.23\00:48:38.97
Now this is what
Goliath says to David,
00:48:43.78\00:48:46.46
"Come to me, and I
will give your flesh
00:48:47.49\00:48:49.57
to the birds of the air
and the beasts of the field."
00:48:49.58\00:48:52.59
Now notice, this giant,
00:48:52.60\00:48:53.88
this is what he
tells this little boy.
00:48:53.89\00:48:56.67
But now look at what this
little boy tells this giant,
00:48:56.68\00:49:00.67
"You come to me with a sword
and a spear, and with a javelin.
00:49:00.68\00:49:04.90
But I come to you in the
name of the LORD of hosts,
00:49:04.91\00:49:08.17
the God of the armies of
Israel, whom you have defied."
00:49:08.18\00:49:13.96
You Goliath, Goliath of Gath,
defied the armies of Israel,
00:49:13.97\00:49:19.67
and you come at me
with a sword and a spear.
00:49:19.68\00:49:23.87
You're gonna try to come
at with a sword and a spear.
00:49:23.88\00:49:26.30
You're gonna try to
go up against my God.
00:49:26.31\00:49:31.45
Now notice this, this is
what he eventually tells him,
00:49:31.46\00:49:34.82
he says, "This day the Lord
will deliver you into my hand
00:49:34.83\00:49:38.86
and I will strike you
and take your head from you.
00:49:38.87\00:49:42.81
And this day I
will give the carcasses
00:49:42.82\00:49:46.61
of the camp of the Philistines
00:49:46.62\00:49:47.68
to the birds of the air
00:49:47.69\00:49:48.89
and the wild
beasts of the earth,
00:49:48.90\00:49:51.79
that all the Earth may know
00:49:51.80\00:49:53.28
that there is a God in Israel."
00:49:53.29\00:49:58.01
That there is a God in Israel.
00:49:58.02\00:50:01.59
So now this is what
David was trying to do.
00:50:01.60\00:50:03.98
He was trying to
remind his fellow soldiers
00:50:03.99\00:50:06.19
that there was a God,
00:50:06.20\00:50:08.31
that they had
lost connection with.
00:50:08.32\00:50:10.62
Now David seems very
brave, he seems very bold.
00:50:10.63\00:50:16.60
He's talking the big talk
00:50:16.61\00:50:18.79
but now notice what he
does. Let's keep on reading.
00:50:18.80\00:50:25.28
"So it was, when
the Philistine arose
00:50:25.29\00:50:28.68
and came and drew
near to meet David,
00:50:28.69\00:50:31.75
David hurried and
ran toward the army
00:50:31.76\00:50:33.61
to meet the Philistine."
00:50:33.62\00:50:36.50
Now David talked and
said the right things
00:50:36.51\00:50:40.59
to show people
that he was brave.
00:50:40.60\00:50:44.58
But now when it came to
time, when he came to that time,
00:50:44.59\00:50:47.01
where he had to show by action,
00:50:47.02\00:50:49.77
notice what he does.
00:50:49.78\00:50:50.90
The Philistine draws near to him
00:50:50.91\00:50:53.73
and David sprint towards him.
00:50:53.74\00:50:55.97
He ran towards his Philistine.
00:50:55.98\00:50:59.34
Now if David was
scared, he wouldn't run towards
00:50:59.35\00:51:02.90
the Philistine, he'd run away.
00:51:02.91\00:51:06.64
But David believed
what he had told this giant.
00:51:06.65\00:51:11.08
He believed that Goliath
00:51:11.09\00:51:17.00
had nothing on
the God of Israel.
00:51:17.01\00:51:20.37
Now let's finish this story.
00:51:25.03\00:51:26.67
Let's go to verse 49,
00:51:29.35\00:51:32.17
"Then David put
his hand in his bag
00:51:32.18\00:51:34.38
and took out a
stone and he slung it
00:51:34.39\00:51:38.18
and struck the
Philistine in the forehead,
00:51:38.19\00:51:41.15
so that the stone
sank into the forehead,
00:51:41.16\00:51:43.74
and he fell down on
his face on the Earth."
00:51:43.75\00:51:49.72
So now David, this
little boy had stones
00:51:49.73\00:51:54.12
and a slingshot, he's
facing a soldier with armor.
00:51:54.13\00:51:59.28
He slung this
stone and aimed it at him
00:51:59.29\00:52:02.22
and hit him
straight in the forehead.
00:52:02.23\00:52:04.41
Now this giant that
everybody was scared of,
00:52:04.42\00:52:06.91
was defeated by a little boy,
00:52:06.92\00:52:09.83
a little boy that was
not trained how to fight.
00:52:09.84\00:52:14.58
Soldiers who were trained
00:52:14.59\00:52:15.79
how to fight were
scared of this giant.
00:52:15.80\00:52:18.29
But this little boy
was able to defeat Goliath
00:52:18.30\00:52:23.40
because of his
connection with God,
00:52:23.41\00:52:25.96
because he maintained
this connection with God.
00:52:25.97\00:52:30.01
Now let's see how Saul reacts.
00:52:30.02\00:52:36.98
Therefore, Saul sent
messengers to Jesse and said,
00:52:36.99\00:52:40.73
"Send me your son
David who is with the sheep.
00:52:40.74\00:52:44.34
And Jesse took a
donkey loaded with bread,
00:52:44.35\00:52:47.65
and a skin of
wine, and a young goat,
00:52:47.66\00:52:50.47
and sent them to the
son of David to Saul."
00:52:50.48\00:52:54.83
So now David knew
Saul previously to this.
00:52:54.84\00:53:03.19
They had met before.
00:53:04.76\00:53:08.85
And Chapter 16 but now
let's read in Chapter 17,
00:53:12.31\00:53:19.23
"David asked his
general, whose son is he?
00:53:19.24\00:53:23.99
And his general goes
and inquires of him."
00:53:24.00\00:53:25.49
And verse 58 says,
And Saul said to him,
00:53:25.50\00:53:27.99
"whose son are you
young man?" So David answered,
00:53:28.00\00:53:30.12
"I am the son of the servant
Jesse, the Beth-lehemite."
00:53:30.13\00:53:32.68
Now Saul was impressed
by this young boy's courage.
00:53:36.23\00:53:42.19
He was rebuked by
this young boy's courage,
00:53:42.20\00:53:45.44
by his action, by what he did.
00:53:45.45\00:53:47.49
Now we need to learn the lesson
00:53:53.88\00:53:59.93
from the life of
David, and the life of Saul.
00:53:59.94\00:54:06.18
If we look at this lesson,
00:54:06.19\00:54:09.38
we get to understand
00:54:09.39\00:54:14.58
what the secret key is
to courage beyond measure.
00:54:14.59\00:54:19.02
We could see what
the secret key is,
00:54:19.03\00:54:21.63
for a young boy
to be so courageous
00:54:21.64\00:54:24.32
as to want to face a giant.
00:54:24.33\00:54:25.91
We need to
understand that the key
00:54:32.18\00:54:34.56
was a vital
connection with God that helps
00:54:34.57\00:54:40.64
the spiritual life stay alive.
00:54:40.65\00:54:44.21
Now today's message was entitled
00:54:44.22\00:54:52.14
"The Line between
Courage and Cowardness."
00:54:52.15\00:54:57.67
We've gone over
00:54:57.68\00:54:59.28
what made this
young boy courageous
00:54:59.29\00:55:02.54
and what made Saul a coward.
00:55:02.55\00:55:07.67
But now we have
to think about it,
00:55:07.68\00:55:10.65
and understand how we
could apply it to our lives.
00:55:10.66\00:55:17.56
What does it
take to make my life,
00:55:17.57\00:55:24.20
a life that resembles
00:55:24.21\00:55:25.18
the life of
David and his courage?
00:55:25.19\00:55:31.25
What will it take
to maintain a stronger
00:55:31.26\00:55:35.88
connection with
the God of Israel,
00:55:35.89\00:55:38.14
the God of Abraham,
00:55:38.15\00:55:40.50
the God that died
on the cross for us.
00:55:40.51\00:55:45.79
The God that was willing
to take reproach and shame,
00:55:45.80\00:55:50.15
to be a man of
sorrows to save us.
00:55:50.16\00:55:56.08
We need to
understand who this God is
00:55:59.32\00:56:00.78
by maintaining our
communication with Him,
00:56:00.79\00:56:05.60
and through this
comes the courage.
00:56:05.61\00:56:10.34
The Bible says in Proverbs that,
00:56:10.35\00:56:13.15
"the righteous
are as bold as lions
00:56:13.16\00:56:17.02
and the wicked flee
though no one pursuit."
00:56:17.03\00:56:21.92
Now, we're not righteous
because we're righteous
00:56:21.93\00:56:24.34
within ourselves but
because we need Jesus Christ,
00:56:24.35\00:56:28.01
the blood of the Lamb.
00:56:28.02\00:56:31.54
Today, are you willing
to accept that God is God?
00:56:31.55\00:56:37.10
That God could handle the
difficulties in your life.
00:56:37.11\00:56:41.30
Are you willing to
accept that He could save you?
00:56:41.31\00:56:45.10
You just need to trust in Him
00:56:45.11\00:56:46.21
and understand Him through
our communication with Him.
00:56:46.22\00:56:51.87
Today I want to
challenge you to do anything
00:56:51.88\00:56:55.29
you can in your life to
maintain this connection.
00:56:55.30\00:57:00.36
So that you won't have to suffer
00:57:00.37\00:57:01.69
the shame that Saul did.
00:57:01.70\00:57:08.05
We need to maintain
the connection with God,
00:57:08.06\00:57:11.39
and that's my
challenge for you today.
00:57:11.40\00:57:12.62