One smooth Stone

                                                       Today's treasure 1 Samuel 17:45

**Read 1 Samuel 17:  1-58
--Why did Jesse send David to the camp of his three older brothers?
--What all was promised to the man who killed Goliath?
--What were Eliab's feelings toward his youngest brother?
--What was David's claim to Saul in verse 37?
--Why didn't David wear Saul's armor?


**Read verse 45 carefully.  What do you believe was David's most powerful weapon against Goliath?
(it was not the sling)


1.  Take God's Word over the opinion of others .  Eliab said everything he possibly could to discourage David.  David's response evidenced the fact that Eliab and David were not at odds for the first time.  Eliab was very critical of David.  ? resulted from Eliab almost being anointed king. David remained undaunted by Eliab's criticisms because David took God's Word over the opinion of others.  He and his brothers heard the promise of victory God made to the nation that would call upon His name and David believed these promises. (Psalm 71:5)
**Was there ever a time a family member discouraged you?
We can do ANYTHING God calls us to do through Christ who strengthens us (Phil 4:13).  


2.  Measure the size of your obstacle against the size of your God.  
 The obstacle of Goliath that was over 9 feet tall with over 140 pounds of armor shielding him was what God wanted David to use to bring Israel victory in the name of the Lord. 
  We tend to measure our obstacles against our own strength, thus we feel overwhelmed and defeated before the battle begins.   David had to face a giant obstacle with strength he possessed, but his confidence in god caused a simple pebble to hit like a boulder.   
--Is there an area in your life in which God wants to give you a victory but an obstacle seems to big to overcome?


3.  Acknowledge an active and living God in your life.  
--How did David refer to God in 1 Samuel 17:26?


--Do you approach every circumstance and conflict as a member of the army of the living God?  
--Do you continually regard God as able?
--Do you stand in His name?
  Our victory rests not on faith in our spirituality.  Our victory rests on faith in our God.  
  Faith in faith is pointless.  Faith in a living, active God moves mountains.  Moses acknowledged Yahweh as the living God and led multitudes into the promised land.  Daniel also did and the angel shut the mouths of the lions.
 -- Are you allowing God to live smack in the middle of your life?