Thursday, February 19, 2015
1Samuel 17:40-50 KJV
40 And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling [was] in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine. 41 And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield [went] before him. 42 And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was [but] a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. 43 And the Philistine said unto David, [Am] I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field. 45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. 46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle [is] the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands. 48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang [it], and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. 50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but [there was] no sword in the hand of David.
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What did David do after taking off King Saul's armor? (v.40)
2) What did the Philistine champion do and say when he saw David? Why? (v.41-44)
3) What did David say in response the enemy's threats? (v.45-47)
4) What did David do after the Philistine giant arose and came toward him? (v.48-50)
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
5) What "giants" are you facing this day (e.g., financial or marital trouble, sickness or disease, emotional loss)?
6) How do you intend to slay your "giants"?
LIFE LESSONS
7) The battles that we face in life are never ours to win, because our battles belong to the Lord.
8) Victory for the child of God is most certain when we demonstrate our complete reliance and trust in God.
9) We slay the "giants" in our lives through prayer and seeking the Lord's wisdom and guidance.
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
1Samuel 17:19-30 KJV
19 Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, [were] in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. 20 And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle. 21 For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army. 22 And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren. 23 And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard [them]. 24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid. 25 And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, [that] the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel. 26 And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who [is] this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? 27 And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him. 28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle. 29 And David said, What have I now done? [Is there] not a cause? 30 And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) Who was fighting with the Philistines? (v.19)
2) What was David doing before and after the army of Israel went forth to do battle? (v.20a,b)
3) How did the armies of Israel and the Philistines prepare for battle? (v.20c,21)
4) What did David do when he came upon the scene of battle? (v.22)
5) Who else came upon the scene of battle after David and what was David doing, at the time? (v.23)
6) What did the men of Israel's army do and say after the Philistine champion emerged on the scene again? (v.24-25)
7) What did David ask concerning the Philistine champion? (v.26)
8) How did the men of Israel respond to David? How did his brothers respond to him? (v.27-28)
9) What did David say and do in response to his brothers? (v.29-30)
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
10) What giants are you and/or your church family facing at this time?
11) What are you doing to prepare for spiritual warfare?
LIFE LESSONS
12) We already have the victory over the giants that we face in this life through our Lord Jesus Christ.
