DETERMINATION:
Today my children and I talked of David and Goliath and my heart cried...
Lord, make me like David.
May I not only faithfully step out on the battlefield, but even after I know my foe is defeated, may I also cut off the head of my enemy, declaring to all that I am not longer under the oppression of such an aggressor. May I be dedicated to public victory!
| As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. |
| David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. |
| This day the Lord will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. |
| All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give all of you into our hands.” |
| As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. |
| So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. |
| David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine's sword and drew it from the scabbard. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran. |
DETERMINATION:
We talked of Zacchaeus and my heart cried...
Lord, make me like Zacchaeus.
May I know my limitations and do what ever it takes to get above my obstacles and make every effort to see you and not miss You. When you call my name, may I also respond like Zacchaeus, repentant and eager to just be right with you above all else.
| Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. | |
| A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. | |
| He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. | |
| So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore‑fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. | |
| When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” | |
| So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. | |
| All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner.’ ” | |
| But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” | |
| Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. | |
| For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” |
DETERMINATION:
We talked of the parents bringing their children to Jesus and my heart cried...
May I be so bold as to bring my children to sit on your lap despite what others may say.
| Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. | |
| Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” | |
| When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there. |
DEDICATION:
We talked of football and watched highlights on TV and my heart cried...
Lord, make me like a flag-bearing cheerleader.
May I run into the stadium of life, jubilant and smiling, giving all my effort to exult You, holding your banner up high that Your Name might be displayed with joy and glory.
| As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. | |
| When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. | |
| So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. | |
| Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” | |
| Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner. | |
| He said, “For hands were lifted up to the throne of the Lord. The Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation.” |
Isa 49:22 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: "See, I will beckon to the Gentiles, I will lift up my banner to the peoples; they will bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their shoulders.
Lord, thank You for little lessons that carry me through my day. Each of these lessons, though discussed individually and in unrelated ways, teaches and emphasizes what I long to have in my life. May I be determined and dedicated to You alone, just as Your Word teaches us that David, Zacchaeus, the Godly parents, and Moses were dedicated and determined to follow and live for You alone. Write these qualities on my heart and on the hearts of my children, make them the method of my walk. Thank You, Father. You, and Your Word, are so good. May You be exalted.
With Love, Amen.
