The Stealth Fighter- Prayer of the Saints of God

Tucked away in the arraignment of the “Full Armour of God verses of Ephesians 6 we find the Stealth fighter of spiritual warfare. It’s a verse often read over and not included in the lists of weapons. The weapons are listed as the belt of truth, breast plate of righteousness, boots of the gospel of peace, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. Many end the list there, but it doesn’t end…it continues by explaining the means of attack:

“praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints“ Eph. 6:18

Prayer is a very powerful weapon of spiritual warfare. With it we can quench the fiery attacks of the enemy, not just against ourselves, but against the entire church at large. It’s like having an armada of stealth fighters in the spiritual skies over the enemy camps. The reason for this power is because it knows no boundaries, has no conditions, and is not limited by social morays despite attempts to do so. It’s like the expression, “as long as there are tests there will always be prayer in schools”. In a way, prayer is carpet bombing the enemy territory.

The first integral part of understanding this weapon is comprehending where the power comes from. When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray He began with the words, “Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.” Matt.6:9-10 His words were the words of a Son to His Father, but also as one who understood His dependent position. The position of prayer is one of dependency. We understand the moment we begin our prayer and call upon God for help, or to ask, or to praise, or for anything outside of ourselves--that we are limited, and He is limitless and deserving of our attention. We are admitting that we don’t control everything, but He does, or we wouldn’t be turning to Him for anything. Understanding our own limitations is AMAZINGLY powerful, because it’s humbling. Humility comes with a promise from the Lord: Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. James 4:10

As believers we are called to prayer, to “pray without ceasing” 1 Thes.5:17. But how do we do that? How do we keep in constant prayer with God? That’s an easy answer. We simply live with the understanding that God is omnipresent, omniscient, and therefore omnipotent. It stands to reason that since He has all those attributes we should be in constant contact with Him, and that we are in communion, whether we are aware of it or not by His will. In other words, He knows us regardless of our awareness of knowing Him. Speaking for myself, I do know Him, so since I do know Him I know that He loves me. I know that God loves me so much that He did die for me. If he loves me that much how could I not want to be in constant communion with Him? I love my husband of 31 years a whole lot, and I want to spend as much time as possible with him. When he sends me an email when I’m at work to let me know he’s thinking of me, it makes my day. A heart emoticon can make me smile, and a kissy face emoticon can give me such joy. My husband is human, and not perfect, and he hasn’t died for me, though I think he would if it came down to it. That is, I’m sure he’d wrestle a gun away from someone holding one on me, but let’s pray we never find out. God loves me so much more than my husband! He loves me more than my parents ever did, more than anyone ever did. So, yes, I want to be constantly aware He’s there with me. That’s being in prayer. It’s not just saying things; prayer is a condition of the heart. It’s being in constant communion with the Lord so if I do say something I know He can hear me, because I know He’s right there. We have His word on that. Matt. 28:20b “and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.”

Prayer doesn’t mean we have to be talking constantly to God. Jesus said the Father knows what we need before we ask, “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.” Matt. 6:8 God knows us so well that He knows all that we need before we ask. So why do we ask? Because God loves us, and just like anyone who loves another, He loves the sound of our voice. When my best friend, Catalina, died I called her cell phone for as long as I could just to hear her voice. I missed her so much, and I wanted to tell her about…well, losing her. Her voice was so comforting to me. When I’m sick I still call my mom because it’s comforting to me, and I’m a grandmother already. When I want to cheer myself up I like to hear the laughter of my children, no matter how old they get. God loves to hear our voice. He loves us that much. I think His favorite thing to hear is when we say, “I love you, Lord.” I bet He likes hearing that more than a bunch of flowery words that don’t really say much about what’s really between us. I think God wants us to be real. So sometimes, when we don’t want to talk, but just want to hang out, He’s good with that. That’s prayer too.

Of course, there is when we must use our words and do some real knees to the floor warfare, not just for ourselves, but for others. It is when you can hear the battlement gearing up as the prayer warriors enter the arena en masse. Intercessory prayer is earthshattering for the enemy. James 5:6 “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” We have to call out for those who have to call out to God and need strength. There is strength in numbers. “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” Matt. 18:20 If God is there then where is the enemy? On the run! Darkness cannot exist in fellowship with light. It only makes the darkness flee. “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.”1 Jn. 1:5  Praying for each other is like flying wing tip to wing tip with no chance of being shot down and releasing a payload of destruction upon the enemy’s munitions depots. In employing this weapon we stand invincible with God, because He loves us.

That’s what prayer does when we wage war on our knees, with heads bowed, and hearts humbled. We can pray anywhere, anytime, in any situation and the only one who needs to know is our Lord God. He is always there, always listening, and always wants to hear what you think, what you feel, and to know how loved you are by Him. So let Him hear you. Pray!

            “I cried out to God with my voice— To God with my voice; And He gave ear to me.” Ps. 77:1

The Mother Of All Bombs- The Word of God.

The Mother of All Bombs- The Word of God.

When last we saw the battlefield we focused on David’s staff. Yet, it wasn’t the staff that took down Goliath. The staff was for the people of Israel, to rally their hearts and lead them. The fight was brought about by the next words in verse 40 of 1 Samuel 17, “and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook”. In the past blogs I’ve talked about the symbolism of the brook and the stones, and so we come to the point of the weapons which these five stones are to the spiritual warrior.  The first of which is certainly the MOAB of spiritual warfare- The Word of God.

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

“Every Christian should know his Bible,” is a true statement. There’s never been a truer statement made, but there’s also never been a more misused one. Most Christians learn their Bibles for the wrong reasons. They don’t use it as a weapon the way they should. They get it in their hands and begin firing it off at will, usually like a hand grenade in their own foxhole. I know of which I speak. I’ve had to count a lot of casualties in my walk with relationships I regret being so quick to wield and leaving unnecessary scars on my brothers. I’ve done a lot of plank bonking in my time.  It’s a sad way to use such a powerful weapon. See, the word of God is meant to be used to correct others, but mostly it’s meant to correct ourselves. So, maybe our moms were right and we shouldn’t go running around with sharp objects, at least until we know how to holster them.

We should know our Bibles for ourselves. Psalm 119 is a study on the ways the word of God blesses the life of a believer and how powerful it is. First of all it cleanses and keeps us from doing wrong by giving us the definition of what is right. “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.” Ps. 119:9.Truth is not relative. It is able to be discerned. The word of God also helps us to find delight in what is true and right, to find honor, and to be above reproach by guiding us through life and giving us the wisdom God has chosen to share with us. Your testimonies also are my delight, And my counselors” Ps.119:24. God doesn’t want to hide things from us. He wants us to know His creation and to have dominion over it. He wants us to be good stewards, and is willing offering us the instructions on how to do it, but we have to take hold of those instructions. “I have chosen the way of truth; Your judgments I have laid before me.  I cling to Your testimonies” Ps. 119:30-31a Finally, His word keeps us, sustains us, and feeds us daily. It provides for our growth and nourishment. You have dealt well with Your servant, O Lord, according to Your word” Ps.119:65 If we can hold fast to this weapon, then the enemy will flee because it will be no match for this Sword of the Spirit. (Eph.6:17)

The word of God is also important to know in its entirety. In 2013, the Barna Surveyors found that only about 1 in 5 Americans had actually read the Bible through from beginning to end. I though the number would be much higher, considering how many bother to carry ‘the good book’ around with them, and how many can so quickly quote it when their brother sins against them, but then that explains all the plank bonking we all are doing to each other. I wonder how many people would bother to go to a block buster movie and only watch for about five minutes, and then walk out and say they’ve seen it and know all about it. We will stay glued to our television to get the whole story about some celebrity, and even watch talking heads speculate until it all comes out, and we know what happened about some crazy event she went to, far away, that is really none of our business. Why don’t we want to know what the Creator, who loves us and gave His only Son for us, has to say to us? Wasn’t the cross enough of a statement for us to get the message? Shouldn’t we be fascinated, enraptured, and completely enthralled to the point of literally meditating on His words day and night? Have we fallen that far?

YES! We have. So we need to fight. We need to pick it up and fight ourselves and read it, beginning to end, over and over and over again, and continuously wage war against our own flesh, against the lure of the world, and against Satan who will stop at nothing to draw us away from the voice of God. We must read it cover to cover, Genesis to Revelation! Can I get a fist pumping AMEN?

Sometimes, when I ask for comments below on these blogs and I don’t get any, I hear crickets followed by that feedback sound on microphones with the thought 'is this thing on', and I think “that must be how God feels when He’s speaking and no one is reading His blog too.”

“But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ Matt. 4:4

The most important thing about God’s word is that it is GOD’s word. I’ve never been able to get my head around the fact that people wouldn’t want to know what God wants to say to them. I love the argument someone will make with me when he’ll say he doesn’t believe the Bible to be true. I’ll say, “prove it’s not true.”

Usually he’ll say, “You really believe all the miracle stuff,” and point out the parting of the Red sea or the plagues, or something like that.

I’ll answer, “Well, can you prove it didn’t happen?”

And the person will say, “It’s not possible.”

I’ll say, “Prove it’s impossible for my God to do.” Usually the person will get very confused at this point. I’ll say, “See, my God can do impossible things. What can your god do?” “But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matt. 19:26 This usually gives me leverage to at least start the conversation on the subject of God and his perception of God. If I know where he’s coming from, and I listen without arguing, I can usually have a enough of a conversation that I can plant a seed, and if I plant a seed, even if it’s a seed of doubt that would have him reach for a Bible to prove something to me, than I’ve got him reaching for God’s word and that’s the MOAB of all weapons. It’s better than running with scissors in my hands, or worse, a really sharp Sword that I could cut my own arm off with. Still, I need to know my weapon to use it well. I need to know it thoroughly.

I encourage everyone to take this year to read through the Bible, all 66 books, and learn them. See what God has for you, just you, and no one else. Be all about you and God alone and take your time with Him. Get to know His voice. He has so much to say to you personally, sweet secrets that are just between you and Him, corrections done in private that no one but you needs to know about, so that you are complete in Him, and ready to do battle.

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Tim. 3:16-17

Next week we’ll deal with prayer. Until then I covet yours, and you have mine. 

The Staff- Eight words can say so much.

Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine.

1 Samuel 17:40

Last week when we ended our study on the battle between David and Goliath, I said that we would begin a new study on the weapons every Christian needs to live a successful Christian walk. So what are those five smooth stones that the Lord provides?  Most mature Christians can name them easily. The stones are the word of God, prayer, worship, fellowship, and spiritual service.  Each one of these grows a Christian and provides protection against the enemy. It only takes one to take down a warrior of Goliath’s magnitude, or sin in our lives, if we’re sincere in our faith.  Before we get into the stones, let’s take a look at the first eight words that proceeds the choosing of the stones.

Then he took his staff in his hand…

These words should not be overlooked. A staff is a very important part of a shepherd’s life. It’s not just a stick. It’s a lengthy piece of wood usually with a hook or a widening at the end of it. I grew up on a farm and used staffs frequently with our herds of goats and occasionally with sheep. I can tell you firsthand how we used the staff with our animals. First, we used it with the very young to direct them to their mothers. It helped us from having to touch them by gently nudging. Secondly, we used them to keep the herd moving in the directions we wanted them to, like a fence. We would run up beside a wandering animal and give it a little tap on the side, and it would return to the group. Sometimes if they just saw the staff coming up they’d run back to the center of the group. And finally we used it often to defend the herd against any thing that came up to do harm to them. A good swift whack to a stray dog’s quarters was usually enough to cause it to retreat, but if it continued we knew how to take aim at places that would cause more severe damage.  Staffs were a major part of our arsenal in defending our little flock as well as being a tool for caring for the actual herd.

When the staff is used scripturally it usually symbolizes God’s strength and comfort. The staff was the extension of the hand. When David took the staff into his hand, in a sense, he was reaching up and taking his heavenly Father’s hand. It was a way of saying, “Come on, God, you got this. I’m just holding fast for you to take this guy down.”

The strength of God is revealed in other ways as well. All through creation God’s amazing power is shouted at us. He has given us strength to sustain us as well as to protect us. He gave us amazing paradigms to live within. We call these structures laws. There are many of them in our existence. There are the physical laws like the law of gravity, the laws of motion, and the laws of thermodynamics, but I’m not a physicist so I won’t even attempt to explain them. They are awesome God laws. Then there are the moral laws which we should all follow. Those laws are such laws as “do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” which is not in the Bible. What is in the Bible is found in Matthew 22:39 in which Jesus says that second greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. That’s hard to do because it requires you think as much of the person next to you as you do yourself. Most of us don’t think about the person next to us as person at all, at least not as a complete person with a life and feelings, and emotions, much less as a coheir in the kingdom of God.  For most of us our neighbor is usually not that important to us, unless they’re between us and the emergency exit as we’re trying to escape the downed plane. Then they become very important to us, especially if they take the time to reach out to us just as we see a spark somewhere in the distance.  The final kind of laws are spiritual laws. These laws determine how you live your life, how you view your world, and who rules your heart. These rules are written in our heart by God when we ask Jesus to be our Lord. These are the most difficult to follow because we try so hard to break them. We know the right thing to do, but we don’t do it. (See Romans 7)

The staff can also represent doctrine. I’m not talking about your own church doctrine. I’m speaking about the doctrine handed down by God. The word doctrine means teaching or standard. God has given us a standard that we must live by, but since the fall we’ve been going our own way and determined to stray, like my goats when I was growing up. So the shepherd has to use His staff.

All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6

One interesting thing about a standard is that a standard is also the pole or post that the nation of Israel used to travel under. They were those signs that were used to be held up over the people. These signs led them into battle, and led them along the path they should follow. More interestingly then that was the standard was made up of a long vertical pole that was lifted high and a cross bar from which hung the signal piece. In short, it resembled the cross.  The cross led the people. The staff led the sheep.

Eight words, just eight, that are so much more than just a description of an action. It should make us think that there is a reason for every word that is written in the Bible. Every word has a reason for its placement in His word. God wants us to know Him. He uses his staff, his strength, to protect and guide us.  

Next week we will begin to look at the five smooth stones, with none other than God’s word.

Until then God Bless and have a great MLK Day! 

The Aftermath--it ain't over 'til God says it's over.

Last week we saw the main event, and now we see the aftermath. Whenever there is a great defeat there’s always the dazed and confused reaction. Recently, in the world of UFC women’s fighting, the undefeated champion, Rhonda Rousey, was taken down by the underdog, a seventh ranked contender, Holly Holm. It was called a David and Goliath take down, but it wasn’t because Holly Holm was the retired women’s boxing champion. She wasn’t an unknown to the world of fighting. She was a proven warrior who took on a new sport. It was a great defeat for Rousey, but not for the sport. The sport will survive. Rousey will recover and fight again. It wasn’t the case for Goliath.  In our world we have a tendency to use the phrase “A David meets Goliath” for when a small independent takes on a larger conglomeration. The truth is usually the comparison doesn’t stand because Goliath lives to fight another day, when in reality Goliath lost his head, his life, and as we see today no one stayed to lament to their fallen champion.

“And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. Now the men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted, and pursued the Philistines as far as the entrance of the valley and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell along the road to Shaaraim, even as far as Gath and Ekron. Then the children of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their tents.” 1 Samuel 17: 51-53

            Imagine that there was a great silence as David did the decapitation of Goliath. Imagine that Goliath’s shield bearer, who was probably the closest to the great corpse, drops the shield and turns to the Philistines with a look of panic on his face. Their faces match his like a thousand mirrors of disbelief. His champion is dead. He has nothing to hide behind, no great bulldog to be his Spike. He’s got nothing to draw his identity from; no great quarter back to win the game; no sure shot from the three point line; no sharp shooter in the bush to take out the front line grenade launcher. He’s nothing but his emptiness. From the other side of the battlefield he hears it, a great yell, the roar of thousands of warriors who have been taunted and belittled, and he knows that all that pent up frustration, all that anger, is coming for him. Suddenly he has the gift of flight. He can run like never before. And where does he run? He runs to Gath, to where Goliath was last alive and perhaps he will find a reprieve. But Goliath isn’t there! Goliath has fallen. Along the way he will fall as well, along with thousands of others of his jeering country men who mocked the God of Israel and placed their faith in a giant of flesh.

            Before you feel sorry for this shield bearer don’t forget what he was doing before, and what he was like just moments before the stone hit Goliath in the head. He was full of himself. He was just as much a bully as the giant himself. He just didn’t have the muscle to back it up. He might have been the voice behind the body, but even if he wasn’t, he was just as guilty because he was holding the weapon and ready to put David down if Goliath had told him to do so. The Philistines represent our sins and enticements, and we shouldn’t be lamenting their passing from our lives. They deserve what they get, and what they should get is our plundering them and taking reward from them.  When the victor plundered the enemy camp what they took wasn’t games and trinkets. The victor took food to feed themselves after their battle, and weapons to arm themselves, and riches to continue to provide for themselves in the future. We should reap a bounty from our victories over sin, not of “fun times” but of blessing. We should be able to realize how we escaped death, how we survived by the hand of God, and how He spared us and now look what weapons we can brandish against any other enemy that comes our way. 

 “And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent.” 1 Samuel 17: 54

So where was David while all this was going on? He was taking the armor off of Goliath. Why? Because of what was said by Goliath earlier. Remember when David allowed Goliath to self-prophesy about what would happen to him.

 And the Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!” Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.  This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.” 1 Samuel 17:44-47

 David was taking care of God’s business, still. His job was to see it that the signs that the battle was fought and won were secured. The armor needed to be placed in the king’s tent. The head of the defeated needed to be presented. He was still the servant, still under submission, still following the command of the Lord, and still seeking to do what God would have him do. He knew it wasn’t over just because God had taken down one mocker. There were still giants in the land, and God wasn’t done with him yet. There was still a work to be done. It wasn’t the end of the story. It had begun with Saul, and in a way, the story of David and Goliath is the story of Saul’s reaction too.

“When Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is this youth?” And Abner said, “As your soul lives, O king, I do not know.” So the king said, “Inquire whose son this young man is.” 1 Samuel 17: 55-56

This is one of those rewind moments in the Bible. We rewind to when David steps out onto the field to face Goliath with just the sling and the staff in his hand. We can hear the laughter of the Philistines coming across the valley toward Saul. He turns to Abner, his right hand man, and he asks him whose kid is David. Now, there could be reasons for this, all of which could make it seem like Saul was a man of great faith, but when we look at his track record, and we see that it was David out on the battle field, and not Saul, I’m a little hesitant to give him the credit for ascribing admiration at this point. I’m more likely to assume it was more of a “to whom do I send word of his kid’s brave but foolish patriotism to’ type of questioning. Saul’s faith was still shaking faith, not standing faith. So at what point did Saul armor up? I’m not sure he ever did. The scripture doesn’t say that he pursued any Philistines. The kings in those days led the troops into battle. They didn’t, despite Hollywood’s epic depictions, stand in the chariot on the top of a hill and inspire their troops by holding a sword out over the field. They inspired their troops by winning the battle or dying in the fray. That’s why it was important to have a son who would survive and carry on the duty of living to fight another day. Saul had such a son, Jonathan, but that’s another story for another study. Saul, himself, at this point, was watching David go out and asked Abner whose son he was not because of the promised tax exemption, but because for a moment his lack of faith spoke, and was vocalized loud enough to be recorded for posterity. His faith was shaking.

There is hope for shaking faith. God has a way of building our faith. He still takes our slivers of hope and binds them together. Slivers are good things to have, because while on their own they don’t seem like much, they have a way of sticking together like the fibers that form paper. So much can be written upon it. With enough of it—well, with enough hope God can origami it into amazingly beautiful works of art. And that’s what he did with Saul.

“Then, as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.  And Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” So David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.” 1 Samuel 17: 57-58

            In the words of Shakespeare, there’s the rub. Finally, Saul sees it. David has the hand of God upon him, and he has his moment of standing faith. There stands a youth, just a shepherd boy by measure, who surely should have fallen victim to the great and powerful Goliath, but God delivered him. Saul’s faith asks him, “whose son are you?” not because Jesse had raised a great warrior, and not because he wanted to give the promised tax exemption, but because he wanted to know from where this boy, called by God, had come from. Saul knew where he came from when he was called. He was a boy sent to find a bunch of donkeys, and David was a boy sent to deliver provisions. They were both sent on an errand and found themselves in a life changing situation. Saul never had the submissive spirit David had. Like those donkeys he had gone after, he was a wanderer seeking to go his own way, but he was supposed to belong to someone else and called to have another purpose. David, on the other hand, understood his position completely. It’s revealed in his answer. He identified himself as the son of a servant, making himself also a servant. He could have said, “I’m the guy that just slew your enemy, O king, now give me the rewards you promised. Let’s have your daughter, the riches, and that tax exemption for my old dad.” He wasn’t that kind of man. David was a man after God’s own heart. His prize wasn’t the king’s approval, but to honor God. This attitude had to have had an impact on Saul. We know that it did because in that moment something happened in Saul. We see that in the next chapters. First of all, he didn’t deliver on his promises. He didn’t give him his daughter as a bride. He gave him his daughter, Michal, but not the intended prize daughter, Meribah. He didn’t give David riches, but did take him into his palace, but then David was there already. As for the tax exempt status for Jesse, we don’t see any record of it, so we don’t know, but we do know that David’s reward was to be conscripted into the service of the king and given command over a thousand. That was still a reward of sorts, and it did show that Saul did believe that God had David’s back and recognized that the shepherd boy was blessed by God. Saul did have faith, but the faith that he had was that his days were numbered, just as God had told him they would be. His faith was standing and he could see, just as Goliath had mocked and fell, that he too could not stand if he mocked God. He had to submit to the will of God, and like the donkeys who had been found and returned to his father’s home, it was time for Saul to return to his lot as well. It didn’t mean he didn’t do a little braying along the way.

            Sin and pride of heart can be a hard thing to face when we see the submission we have to replace it with. David was a mighty man, but not a mighty warrior if we were to judge him by a soldier’s standards. He wasn’t seasoned in battle. He didn’t have the scars and the war stories of victory. He was a mighty man of faith who had seen God deliver him through some rough situations. As we face rough situations it is vital that we remember who our God is and who we are to Him.  The Psalms of David are full of such reminders.  I encourage you to take time today to pick up your Bible and read some of David’s beautiful relationship accounts of submission to God. Psalm 40 is a great example.  Why don’t you post one of your favorites and encourage others. You can post it here or FB me on my page: www.facebook.com/Juana-Chavez-

            Next week we begin to look at those five smooth stones that God places in every Christian’s life to take down the Goliaths in our life as we launch into 2016 with topical yet Bible studies on weapons of Spiritual warfare. Until then be blessed and I’ll be praying for you.