A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span (9 feet, 9inches).  —I Samuel 17:4 As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. —-I Samuel 17:23 David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.”  —I Samuel 17:32 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…

To obey is better than sacrifice… for rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. —I Samuel 15:22-23 The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” —I Samuel 16:7 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” —John 8:12 You judge by human standards… —John 8:15 The Lord detests the way of the wicked, but he loves those who pursue righteousness. —Proverbs 15:9              People judge others by outward appearance and human…

Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few. —I Samuel 14:6              Our Lord can do anything He desires.  “Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you” (Jeremiah 32:17).  Does God desire to do something through your life but you are feeling small?  Listen, “Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.”  Our Lord God Almighty does not need us, but He desires that we enter into His work, doing His will.  He will do what He desires to do through you.  There are no obstacles…

But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. —I Samuel 12:24 For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.  Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth. —Psalm 108:4-5              Our Lord God Almighty is always faithful… always!  Amazingly, His love is great toward us and surely, this is astounding in itself.  Brothers and sisters, fellow followers/disciples of Jesus, let us “consider what great things he has done for (us).”  We are, unfortunately, quick to forget.  We don’t do this intentionally; it…

“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.  It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me.” —John 6:44-45 “You do not want to leave too, do you?”  Jesus asked the Twelve.  Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.  We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” —John 6:68-69 Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story… He sent out his…

But his sons did not follow his ways. —I Samuel 8:3 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”  Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” —John 6:28-29 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.  For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” —John 6:39-40 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin…

When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.  Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”  Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”  Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and…

Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained. —I Samuel 2:30 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him… “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” —II Samuel 3:7 The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground… The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word. —II Samuel 3:19              How do we come to know the Lord?  Here we are told that “Samuel did not yet know the…

Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard… So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.” —I Samuel 1:13, 20              There is no specific way to pray… to talk to God.  You can do so while sitting, kneeling, walking, hands lifted up, hands by your side, laying prostrate face down, with a loud voice, with a soft voice, while laying on your bed, driving your vehicle, riding a bike, while swimming or as Hannan did, “in her heart, and her lips were moving but…

To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. —John 3:27 “He must become greater; I must become less.” —John 3:30 All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. —Proverbs 14:23-24              John the Baptist was given a particular work from heaven to accomplish.  His work did not end as he expected, I’m sure.  His execution ended the work he was to do.  Jesus also was given a specific work to complete from heaven.  I am sure many on earth at that time did not think His work on earth would end the way it did.  He was also…