Fee, Fi, Fo Fum (Lesson 3)

Today is lesson three of a five part series about increasing our faith by learning to face our Giants.

1 Samuel 17:22-24 NASB (22)  Then David left his baggage in the care of the baggage keeper, and ran to the battle line and entered in order to greet his brothers. (23)  As he was talking with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine from Gath named Goliath, was coming up from the army of the Philistines, and he spoke these same words; and David heard them. (24)  When all the men of Israel saw the man, they fled from him and were greatly afraid.

Giants may leave us shaking in our shoes.  Goliath came out for 40 days and dared any one of the army of Israel to fight him.  No one wanted to take their chances going up against this Giant that weighed over 700lbs without his armor.   

What caused Israel to fear?  They were looking to their own strength for victory.  They were looking at the giant rather than God.  They were thinking of their past failures. 

When Giants come at us we find ourselves doing the same things.  We sometimes hear that voice saying “you are the only Christian that has faced this battle.”  We need to stop fearing what the giant can do and start trusting in what God can do through us.

You may be facing Health issues, Financial concerns, Grief, Relationships, Depression, Addiction, Employment concerns, or Loneliness.  All of these can be Giants in our lives.

Psalms 27:1 NASB The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread?

Fee, Fi, Fo Fum (Lesson 2)

Today is lesson two of a five part series about increasing our faith by learning to face our Giants.

1 Samuel 17:8-11 NASB

(8)  He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel and said to them, "Why do you come out to draw up in battle array? Am I not the Philistine and you servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me.

(9)  "If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will become your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall become our servants and serve us."

(10)  Again the Philistine said, "I defy the ranks of Israel this day; give me a man that we may fight together."

(11)  When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.

Goliath stood in defiance of God’s army.  It is the same for us today; our giants defy our stand for God. Goliath taunted the armies of Israel morning and evening for at least 40 days. He would say things like, “What’s the matter with you?”  “Are you men or mere grasshoppers?”  “Your God is powerless to defeat me.”

Our giants taunt us too. They say things like, “You will never measure up.”  “I always said you would be a failure.”  “You are the only Christian who struggles like this.”

We need to have a strategy to combat our giants.  Here are some suggestions:

1.     Setting aside a regular daily time for prayer and bible reading.

2.     Seeking Godly Counsel.

3.     Memorizing scripture.

 We also want to always remember who gives us victory over our personal giants?

Isaiah 40:31 NASB Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.

 

 

 

Fee, Fi, Fo Fum (Lesson 1)

Today is lesson one of a five part series about increasing our faith by learning to face our Giants.

1 Samuel 17:4-7 NASB

(4)  Then a champion came out from the armies of the Philistines named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

(5)  He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was clothed with scale-armor which weighed five thousand shekels of bronze.

(6)  He also had bronze greaves on his legs and a bronze javelin slung between his shoulders.

(7)  The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and the head of his spear weighed six hundred shekels of iron; his shield-carrier also walked before him.

Goliath was certainly a sight to see.  He struck fear in all who would stand to oppose him.  It is believed that he was 10 feet tall.  When dressed in all his armor it is believed he weighed over 900 lbs.  I am made to believe that no one wanted to face this giant.

Our Giants come in the form of daily struggles.  Health issues, Financial concerns, Grief, Relationships, Depression, Addiction, Employment concerns, and Loneliness.  These are all types of personal giants that we may face.

What one or two personal giants seem to be battling you at the present?  How would you rank your success in dealing with these giants?

                                                                                                  i.      Personal giants regularly stay with me.

                                                                                                ii.      I have identified my personal giants.

                                                                                              iii.      I am growing as a giant slayer.

                                                                                              iv.      I am slaying my giants.

Who gives us victory over our personal giant?

Answer

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengths me.

The 3 P’s (lesson four)

This is lesson four of a four part series covering things about Jesus that was Prophesied, Planned, and Produced.

Psalms 16:9-10 NASB

(9)  Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely.
(10)  For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.

Acts 3:13-15 NASB

(13)  "The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus, the one whom you delivered and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him.
(14)  "But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,
(15)  but put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses.

The resurrection of Jesus was Prophesied, Planned, and Produced.  The Psalm is telling us that Jesus will arise victorious over death and the grave.  His glorious resurrection is what makes Jesus exactly who he said he was.  He is not just a good man, a teacher, or a prophet as other religions say.

Jesus said, He was the Son of God, in John 10:30 He says that I and my Father are one.  When we take this into consideration there are only two possibilities as to who Jesus is.

1.     He is telling the truth and He is fully God and fully man.

2.     He is lying.

If He is lying about being God, then He cannot be a good man, teacher or prophet.  

Jesus is the promised seed of Abraham that will reconcile the all who believe on him back to God.

Tell someone about Jesus.

The 3 P’s (lesson three)

This is lesson three of a four part series covering things about Jesus that was Prophesied, Planned, and Produced.

Matthew 27:41-43 NASB (41)  In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him and saying, (42)  "He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him. (43)  "HE TRUSTS IN GOD; LET GOD RESCUE Him now, IF HE DELIGHTS IN HIM; for He said, 'I am the Son of God.'"

The sufferings of Jesus on the cross was Prophesied, Planned and Produced.  Look at the comparisons between the Scripture in Matthew and the following verses from Psalms.

Psalms 22:7-8 NASB (7) All who see me sneer at me; they separate with the lip, they wag the head, saying, (8) “Commit yourself to the LORD; let Him deliver him; Let Him rescue him, because He delights in him."

We talk about all the amazing events that we see happen in sports.  This one passes for so many yards and this one dunks over someone.  People are still talking about Babe Ruth stepping up to the plate hitting a baseball to the spot he predicted.

The BABE predicted where he would hit the ball and then produced a hit that shocked the baseball world.  GOD’s plan for salvation and the suffering that Christ bore for you and me was…

Prophesied, Planned, and Produced.

People need to know and it is up to us to tell.