Just One Stone

O. T. #617  "Just One Stone"
October 19, 2015
1 Samuel 17-Part 7
...taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead.  1 Samuel 17:45

LET IT GLOW

I used to spend a lot of time skipping rocks over the top of my grandpa's creek. When I got good enough, I could count how many times it skipped across the water. Why, I could even use a rock of any shape, for it didn't have to be a flat, flint rock. What can one little stone do? It makes ripples on top of the water. We could say it has a ripple affect, with the circle getting bigger and bigger. So is the influence of just one stone. David's one stone had a giant affect which influenced a whole army. Follow me as we read the details.

Giant Goliath meets his match today. He tried intimidation of young Davie, cursing David by his gods, which was actually against God, challenged the teen to come to him to fight, threatened to give Dav,'s flesh to the birds and beasts.

David was there in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel.

All the mockery and fierceness of the man could not shake the confidence and faith of David. He knew the faith of the whole army of Israel would rally when they saw the giant fall down dead. (Falwell)

What was David's  reply to Goliath?

• This day the LORD will deliver, hand you over to me.
• I'll strike you down and cut off your head.
• I will give the Philistine carcasses to the birds and beasts .
• The whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.
• All the witnesses here will know that it isn't by the sword or spear that the Lord saves.
• The battle is the LORD's.
• God will give all of you into our hands.

Are we trying to fight your own battle, our own way? Trying to outfox your enemy? Attempting to outsmart that intimidating giant of a financial problem, marital disagreement, job insecurity, neighborhood upheaval? If we do it our way, we are bound to fail; if we do God's way, and we will honor Him and have the best solution.

LET IT GROW

Goliath moved closer to attack David.
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What did David do?

• David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. (I always though he stood waiting on Goliath to get to him in the ravine.)
• While running, David reached into his bag and pulled out a stone, placed it on the sling. (He was loading up on the run.)
• Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, one stone flew through the air.
• It hit Goliath, sinking into his big forehead; the giant fell down like a sack full of rocks. (did the earth quake?) After all, how could he miss such a big target?
• This giant fell flat on his face-doornail dead, stone cold dead.
• David did it with just one stone, no sword was in his hand. (Can you see the terrific force of God that took over the stone, sending it to the right place where no armor or helmet was protecting the giant?
• Goliath fell face down, not on his back. Even in his death, Goliath bowed before the God of Israel.
• David ran and stood over the giant he had killed. Then he cut off Goliath's head with his own sword, just as David said he would do.

How amazing is that! God used a sling and a stone to bring a giant down. Isn't that the way our heavenly Father does things? He can use the smallest of things to accomplish His huge purposes.

The Philistines high tailed it out of there after they saw their champion brought down. The Israeli army pursued them and wounded those Philistines. Really? Is this the same army which was greatly afraid previously for 40 days? What an affect David's faith had. They even plundered their tents, taking their possessions.
Well, we can breath easy now. David took Goliath's head all the way to Jerusalem, mind you. Also, he took the giant's armor into his tent.

Goliath was the dwarf and David was the giant. And to think, David did it without any manpower, only with God's power.

Give God all of our weapons, skills, fear, worries, and confusion. After all, the battle is the LORD's. He always wins, one way or another. Sometimes it only takes just one stone to do it, too. What assurance for His children!

LET IT GO

Trust in the Lord with all my heart and lean not unto my own understanding. In all my ways, acknowledge Him, and He shall direct my path. (Pro. 3:5-6)

Let the battle be the Lord's battle; He delivers and wins.

Allow my life to be like a small stone skipping across the top of water-affecting others' lives with the love of Jesus.

Let others see the affect of faith in God in one's life.