Life is for Living: 1 Samuel 17.38-50

It is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the Lord’s,

and he will give all of you into our hands. 1 Samuel 17.47

Everyone faces Goliath--

• Financial giants

• Problems with jobs

• Relationship issues

• Addictions

• Temptation and sin

• Guilt

But in David we can learn how to overcome giants.

1. We must be courageous. v. 37

2. We must be cunning and crafty. v. 39

3. We must be careful. v. 40

4. We must be confident. v. 47

Take Away Prayer-

There are problems I must face, O Lord;

Give me the tools I need;

Go with me in confrontation;

Grant me victory.

Amen.

Transformers: 1 Samuel 10.9-16

When he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart; and all those signs came to pass that day. 1 Samuel 10.9

We know that when we choose to follow God, we become new creatures. After all, many of us have memorized 2 Corinthians 5.17. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." We talk about how things get better. How people make a change. We "believe" that someone can turn over a new leaf, or be transformed by God. But do we really?

There were toys that were very popular a few years back. Transformers were cars, trucks, etc. that could turn into something else. Often, they turned into large, menacing, robotic monsters. These toys were so popular that in the last few years they have spawned some movies. The second movie is currently in theatres. The world believes that things can change.

The good news for Christians is that the power of God wants to transform you and I. We can be changed. We need to be changed. 2 Corinthians 3.18 reminds us that God longs to change us no matter where we are in our relationship with God- even from "glory to glory."

Saul was one who experienced many great transformations. He may have been the original Transformer.

1. God gives you a new heart. (v. 9) The desires of a person are said to lie in the heart. Our true emotions, priorities and loves are all found in our hearts. When we submit ourselves to God's will we find that our lives are radically changed. We no longer desire the same things. We have different priorities. Like Saul, we will be given a new heart.
2. God gives you new gifts. (v. 10) Saul was not a prophet. He did not (at least to this point) prophesy. It was only when he committed his life to the transforming power of God that he was given this special gift of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12.10). There are gifts waiting for you. They are yours when God transforms your life.
3. God causes you to worship. (v. 13) Many people, like Saul, are faithful to attend church services regularly. They go through the motions because they know that God expects us to worship him. But something happens when we are transformed. We go from attending worship to worshipping. It seems like a semantic distinction, but it is not. God will meet you when you come to meet him.
4. God calls you to seek direction. (v. 14) When Saul did not know how else to solve his problem, he went to the man of God. Each of us needs to look for God's direction in our lives. When we have been touched by him, transformed by him, we will look for his will and direction before anything else.

All That!: 1 Samuel 17.20-30

Faith in God is sometimes confused with arrogance.


1. Faithfulness is sometimes seen as arrogance. Joseph and his brothers. (Genesis 37.1-5)
Joseph's brothers thought that he was full of himself. When in reality, Joseph had a deep commitment to God and his work. He was filled with faith and purpose because of the work of God in his life.

• Joseph's brothers hated him because he was the favorite.
• Joseph's brothers hated him because he was faithful.
• Joseph's brothers hated him because God worked in his life.
• So, Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery.

2. Faithfulness, even without arrogance, can cause jealousy. David and his brothers (1 Samuel 17.28).
David's brothers were extremely jealous and dismissive of the special attention that David got. They knew that they were just as good as David. That they worked just as hard as him. And yet David had the call of God on his life. God had chosen him to do a special work.

• David was almost forgotten at the anointing of the next king (1 Samuel 16.11)
• David was accused of being irresponsible.
• David was accused of "ambulance chasing."

3. Anyone can qualify to have God working in their life. The Lost Sheep (Luke 15.3-7)

There was nothing special about the lost sheep. That one sheep was just like you and I.