From Gary V. Womack...I CAN DO ALL THINGS -David

I CAN DO ALL THINGS -David

No. 1 In a series

Phil. 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who 

                 strengthens me."

THIS WAS AN EXPRESSION OF PAUL'S FAITH IN GOD

Phil. 2:13 "for it is God who works in you both to will 

                 and to do for His good pleasure."

1 Sam. 17:1-11 INTRODUCTION TO GOLIATH

9' 9" TALL Coat of mail = 151.5 lbs. Spearhead = 18 lbs. 3 oz.

DO YOU HAVE A GOLIATH IN YOUR LIFE?

1. ANY CHALLENGE THAT SEEMS TOO BIG TO OVERCOME.

Doubt, fear, anger, habit, inability, obstacle, sin

1 Sam. 17:12-19 INTRODUCTION TO DAVID

A shepherd, the youngest of 4 brothers - the other 3 were warriors.

AGE IS NOT A BARRIER TO OVERCOMING CHALLENGE

1 Tim. 4:12 "Let no one despise your youth, but be 

                    an example to the believers in word, in 

                    conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in 

                    purity."

1 Sam. 17:20-27 THE CHALLENGE IS MADE

David's observation of Goliath: "Who does he think he is to defy the army of the living God?!"

David states this as though the reward was a "given" that Goliath would be defeated "For who is this uncircumcised Philistine..." David's faith in God expressed - They said, "have you seen this man?"

David says, "have you seen my God?"

WHAT IS OUR RESPONSE WHEN WE HEAR TRUTH CHALLENGED?

1. IS OUR FOCUS ON FEAR OF THE ENEMY OR  

    ON HOPE IN GOD

2. ARE WE MOTIVATED TO ACT ON THE 

    ENEMY'S CHALLENGE?

3. OR ARE WE INDIFFERENT, LUKE WARM? 

    LAODICEANS:

Rev. 3:15-16 "I know your works, that you are 

                     neither cold nor hot. I could wish you 

                     were cold or hot. [16] So then, 

                     because you are lukewarm, and 

                     neither cold nor hot, I will spew

                     you out of My mouth."

1 Sam. 17:28- 30 THE JEALOUS BIG BROTHER

DAVID'S REPLY: "...is there not a cause" (Did I not have a reason for coming?) PERHAPS his reason for being there was for God's purpose?

WHAT IS OUR REASON FOR BEING HERE - IN THIS PLACE OR TIME?

1. DID DAVID KNOW THIS WAS GOD'S TIME & 

    PLACE FOR HIM

2. GOD PUTS US WHERE HE WANTS US. IT IS 

    UP TO US TO RISE TO THE OCCASION AS 

    THE OPPORTUNITY ARISES.

Dan. 2:20-22 "...He removes kings and raises up 

                         kings..." (Daniel)

Esther 4:14 "...who knows whether you have come 

                        to the kingdom for such a time as 

                        this?" (Mordicai to queen Esther)

1 Sam. 17:31-37 DAVID'S FAITH - SAUL'S 

                           DOUBT.

 

David's faith was not overcome by the criticisms or doubts of others.

David credited God with his past victories over beasts - and now over this Philistine.

PEOPLE CRITICIZE WHAT THEY DON'T KNOW - DON'T LISTEN TO IT!

TO HEED THEIR CRITICISM IS TO DOUBT YOUR CAUSE.

Next thing you know, you think you can't do it.

1. WHO SAID, "YOU CAN'T DO THAT?" OR "THAT 

    WON'T WORK" OR "YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO 

    MAKE IT" Only God is qualified to say what you 

                    can do - "I can do all things."

Rom. 8:31-35 "...WHO IS HE WHO CONDEMNS?"

2. REMEMBER, EVERY PAST VICTORY IS 

    PROOF THAT HE CAN STILL GIVE VICTORY 

    TO THOSE WHO TRUST HIM.

Heb. 11:32-12:2 THEY ALL OVERCAME GREAT 

                          ODDS BY FAITH.

1 Sam. 17:38-39 DAVID NEEDED NO ARMOR.

David did not need to depend on the armor of man - He had God as his strength.

Psm. 62:5-7 "My soul, wait silently for God alone, 

                     for my expectation [hope] is from Him. 

                     [6] He only is my rock and my 

                     salvation; He is my defense; I shall not 

                     be moved. [7] In God is my salvation

                     and my glory; the rock of my strength, 

                     and my refuge, is in God."

Psm. 31:1-5 ANOTHER PSALM OF DAVID 

                    showing his trust in God.

OUR ARMOR IS SPIRITUAL , FROM GOD, IS POWERFUL, EFFECTIVE.

Eph. 6:10-17 THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD.

1 Sam. 17:40-47 DAVID GLORIFIES GOD, 

                          MAKING KNOWN THE POWER 

                          OF GOD. DAVID TAKES NO 

                          CREDIT FOR VICTORY.

WHATEVER WE DO, PUT OUR TRUST IN GOD & GIVE HIM THE GLORY.

Prov. 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, 

                    and lean not on your own 

                    understanding. [6] In all your ways 

                    acknowledge Him, and He shall direct 

                    your paths."

1 Sam. 17:48-54 BY DAVID'S DEMONSTRATION 

                          OF FAITH, ISRAEL'S COURAGE 

                          WAS SPARKED TO ACTION.

If God had struck Goliath dead without using David as His agent, Goliath's death would not have had as great an effect on the personal faith of each Israelite to pursue the Philistines. It demonstrated to them that God could work through them to defeat their enemy. BUT NOTICE HOW GOD ACCOMPLISHED THIS VICTORY:

THE LORD CAN TAKE THE INSIGNIFICANT & DO GREAT THINGS

1. DAVID, WITH ONLY A SLINGSHOT & 5 

    STONES BROUGHT DOWN THIS MIGHTY 

    WARRIOR.

1 Cor. 1:26-29 GOD USES THE WEAK THINGS 

                        TO PUT TO SHAME THE MIGHTY, 

                        THAT NO MAN BOAST.

IF THE LORD CAN USE A YOUNG SHEPHERD BOY, A SLING & A STONE TO KILL A GIANT - WHAT CAN HE DO WITH YOU?

2. ARMED WITH THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT 

    AND THE SHIELD OF FAITH (THE ARMOR OF 

    GOD), WE CAN DEFEAT OUR GOLIATH.

Rom. 8:36-ff IN CHRIST WE ARE MORE THAN 

                    CONQUERORS.

3. THOUGH WE MIGHT BE ACCOUNTED AS 

    SHEEP FOR THE SLAUGHTER AND, FOR THE 

    LORD'S SAKE, KILLED ALL DAY LONG, WE 

    MUST NOT LOSE HEART BUT BE STRONG.

Eph. 3:12-ff HE IS ABLE TO DO MORE THAN WE CAN IMAGINE.

AND HE CAN DO IT BY USING US.

INVITATION

CAN WE SAY WITH PAUL THAT WE HAVE BEEN CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST?

Gal. 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no 

                 longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; 

                 and the life which I now live in the flesh I 

                 live by faith in the Son of God who loved 

                 me and gave Himself for me."

Rom. 6:3-10 CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST; DEAD 

                    TO SIN, ALIVE IN HIM

vss. 11-14 DO NOT GIVE IN TO SIN, ALLOW 

                 DOMINION OVER YOU.

From Gary V. Womack... URGENCY

URGENCY

We live in a society that wants immediate gratification. (microwave ovens -vs- stove;

TV -vs- reading; credit cards -vs- layaway; etc.)

Delayed gratification is good -BUT- sometimes urgency must prevail.

Acts 16:23-34 Because Paul cast an evil spirit 

                       out of a possessed slave girl and 

                       cost her masters their means of 

                       profit - brought them before the 

                       magistrates under a false charge - 

                       they were beaten and put Paul & 

                       Silas in prison.

vs. 33 "And he took them the same hour of the night  

            and washed their stripes. And immediately 

            he and all his family were baptized."

CONTRAST

Lk. 12:16-21 Rich fool was not so urgent.

LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO WASTE IT

Jas. 4:13-15 "Come now, you who say, 'Today or 

                      tomorrow we will go to such and

                      such a city, spend a year there, buy 

                      and sell, and make a profit'; [14]

                      whereas you do not know what will 

                      happen tomorrow. For what is

                      your life? It is even a vapor that 

                      appears for a little time and then

                      vanishes away. [15] Instead you 

                      ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we

                      shall live and do this or that.'"

DELAY CAN CAUSE INDIFFERENCE & STAGNATION

Heb. 3:12-15 Exhort one another TODAY so as 

                     not to harden your heart.

Eph. 5:15-16 "See then that you walk circumspectly, 

                      not as fools but as wise, [16]

                      redeeming the time, because the 

                      days are evil."

Heb. 5:12-6:2 By this time have we grown as we 

                      should have (Teachers?)

Rom. 13:11-ff "...Now is the time..." We have 

                        wasted enough time

Let's ACT (LIVE RIGHTEOUSLY NOW)

PAUL'S CONVERSION - WITHOUT DELAY

Acts 22:16 "And now why are you waiting? Arise 

                   and be baptized, and wash

                   away your sins, calling on the name of 

                   the Lord."

ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH'S CONVERSION - WITHOUT DELAY

Acts 8:36-39 "See, here is water, what HINDERS 

                      me from being baptized?"

He could have waited until he got home. He was in the DESERT (vs.26)

2 Cor. 6:1-2 Don't receive the grace of God in 

                    vain. (Tit 2:11)

TODAY is the day of salvation

From Gary V. Womack... On Eagle's Wings: Patience in Waiting

On Eagle's Wings

Patience in Waiting

Background: Isaiah lived during the reign of 4 of Judah's kings:

Isa. 1:1 "The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, 

              which he saw concerning Judah and 

              Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, 

              Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah."

Uzziah (787 - 735 BC) Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah (726 - 695 BC)

Isa. 6:1 "In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw the 

              Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, 

              and the train of His robe filled the temple."

Isaiah's prophetic work begins about 735 BC

734 BC Northern Israel carried away by Assyria

721 BC Samaria fell & the rest of Israel is carried away by Assyria.

713 BC Assyria entered Judah & destroyed 46 cities & 200,000 captives to the north of Jerusalem by king Sennacherib.

701 BC Assyria stopped by an angel at the walls of Jerusalem 185,000 Assyrians slain. (2 Kgs. 18-19) & (2 Chron. 32)

Isaiah warned Judah & Jerusalem of their eventual fall:

Isa. 1 - 39 Foretells events leading up to Babylonian 

                captivity (606 BC)

Isa. 40 - 66 Gives words of comfort, salvation, and of future glory & the Messiah.

Isa. 40:1-2 Spoken of a people who have suffered punishment = to their sin.

2 Cor. 1:3-5 "Blessed be the God and Father of our 

                     Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of 

                     mercies and God of all comfort, (4) 

                     who comforts us in all our tribulation, 

                     that we may be able to comfort those 

                     who are in any trouble, with the 

                     comfort which we ourselves are 

                     comforted by God. (5) For as the 

                     sufferings of Christ abound in us, so 

                     our consolation also abounds through 

                     Christ."

Isa. 40:3-8 Foretells John the baptist's coming to 

                 prepare the people for Christ.

Isa. 40:12-26 God's ability to supply our needs.

Isa. 40:27 The accusation that God doesn't 

                 notice (or care) for our needs

Psm. 73 Never give up!!! God is near.

Isa. 40:28 He neither faints nor is weary - His 

                 understanding is limitless.

Psm. 119:89-93 "Forever Your precepts are 

                           settled in heaven."

Isa. 40:29-30 He gives power to the weak - To 

                     those who wait on Him.

God's delay in answered prayer is often intended to only enhance the coming blessings.

God's delay is a test of our faith & trust - He often comes in the 11th. hour

Examples: At the Red Sea:

Ex. 14:13 "And Moses said to the people, ÔDo not 

                 be afraid. Stand still, and see the 

                 salvation of the Lord, which He will 

                 accomplish for you today. For the 

                 Egyptians whom you see today, you shall 

                 see again no more forever.' "

At Marah, 3 days later

Ex. 15:23-25 - Bitter water made sweet.

At the wilderness of sin, 2.5 months out of Egypt

Ex. 16:1-12 - Gave manna in the morning & quail 

                     in the evening.

At Horeb in the wilderness

Ex. 17:1-7 - Gave water from the rock.

At Jerusalem, as Assyrian king Sennacherib taunts them at the wall.

2 Kgs. 19:10-19, 35-ff - Hezekiah prays to God - 

                                     He sends an angel to 

                                     defeat Assyrian army 

                                     185,000 killed.

Isa. 40:31 Those who wait on the Lord shall 

                 mount up on eagle's wings.

Note: Mother eagles train their babies to fly by pushing them out of the nest and catching them on their back. They will carry the baby on their back then let the baby fall so it will learn to fly, and rescue it on her back until they learn to fly on their own.

NO TIME IS A GOOD TIME TO GIVE UP

Remember, our reward is just over the horizon. And as Paul said,

Rom. 13:11 "And to this, knowing the time, that now 

                     it is high time to awake out of sleep; 

                     for now our salvation is nearer than 

                     when we first believed."

God is faithful - Ready & able to swoop down and catch you up until you are able to mount up on eagle's wings.

1 Cor. 10:11-13 "Now all theses things happened to 

                           them as examples, and they were 

                           written for our admonition, on 

                           whom the ends of the ages have 

                           come. (12) Therefore let him who 

                           thinks he stands take heed lest he 

                           fall. (13) No temptation has 

                           overtaken you except such as is 

                           common to man; but God is 

                           faithful, who will not allow you to 

                           be tempted beyond what you are 

                           able, but with the temptation will 

                           also make the way of escape, that 

                           you may be able to bear it."