What defies you?

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 1 Samuel 17:1-16

TO CHEW ON: "And the Philstine said, 'I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man that we may fight together.' 
When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistines they were dismayed and greatly afraid." - 1 Samuel 17:10,11


Consider the description of this nine-foot, nine-inch man. His head-to-foot  metal armor weighed as much as a person (about 126 lbs.). He carried a bronze javelin between his shoulders (trying to envision how that would look!) and an iron spear with a 16-lb. head. He walked behind a shield that took another soldier to carry.

He reminds me of the superhero action figures of kids' TV shows or video games. Only, he was no cartoon, but real and heart-stoppingly scary as his voice boomed out, above the clinking and clanging of his armor: "I defy the armies of Israel..."

The way today's reading stops short of giving us God's solution to the Goliath problem has me looking at the problem aspect of the story more closely than I usually do. It reminds me of some of the giants that shout, "I defy you..." in my life: an issue that has persisted for over a year in our strata complex, family members who stay away from God, illnesses that threaten loved ones, a career challenge that's forcing me out of my comfort zone. These things easily bring out the "dismayed and greatly afraid" feelings in me that Goliath evoked in Saul's soldiers.

What things shout, "I defy you..." in your life? Identify and name your giants because I have a feeling we'll be taking steps to deal with them in the days ahead.


PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for this first step of facing and naming the things that seem too big for me to conquer. Help me to be honest with myself about the giants in my life. Amen.

MORE: A local giant experience

I am working on this post the morning after we attended the first meeting of Vancouver’s Festival of Hope—a series of meetings in Rogers Arena with lots of contemporary worship bands and keynote speaker Franklin Graham (Billy Graham Association).

There was much controversy over these meetings.
- Christianity Today ran a critical piece.

- So did the Vancouver Sun.

- Vancouver’s mayor opposed it with even some leaders of Vancouver’s church community wanting it shut down, or at least get the speaker changed from Franklin Graham to someone else (and not only leaders from mainline, liberal churches but so-called conservative, evangelical denominations like Baptists and Christian and Missionary Alliance).

It felt like a “I defy you” moment for the church and Christian community in greater Vancouver and it certainly spurred us on to pray.

This article details the results of that first meeting: “Opposition turns to opportunity for good news in Vancouver."

Thousands were in attendance. Rogers Arena was filled to the rafters March 3, 2017. Praises to Jesus rocked the place! (Photo © 2017 by V. Nesdoly)

Seven hundred came forward at decision time. Thank You Lord!!

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Church report card - 3 (D- to A+)

Image: extrabrandt / pixabay.com

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Revelation 3:1-13

TO CHEW ON: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Revelation 3:6,13.



We are in the middle of reading messages to seven early churches from Jesus via the Apostle John.  If we look at them as if they are report cards, we can gain understanding about what God expects of the church that is still Christ's body on earth.

The church at Sardis had a reputation of being alive, but it was actually dead. (Would we call that a D- in report card lingo?) Jesus only commends the faithful few “who have not defiled their garments.”

The church at Philadelphia has the best report so far. It existed in a place of opportunity—an "open door." It was hard-working, persevering and obedient and was promised a place in God’s presence, destined to live with Him forever.

What can we learn about the church and God’s standards for her from Sardis and Philadelphia?



1. God expects us to be watchful and guard our relationship with Him. When we fall, we need to repent (Revelation 3:2,3).

2. God keeps a Book of Life in which He records our names. How we spend our lives on earth will have repercussions in heaven (Revelation 3:4,5).

3. Christ’s ideal for the church is purity. Again and again this purity is pictured as special clothes. Often these are clothes or robes of white (Revelation 3:5, Isaiah 61:10; Revelation 7:9).

4. Some seasons and places are more spiritually fruitful than others. We need to be alert to doors of opportunity that God opens for us (Revelation 3:8).

5. God values our overcoming. Perseverance has an eternal reward (Revelation 3:10-12).

Applying these things to ourselves, we might ask:

• Are we developing our own relationship with God, or depending on others—our pastor and his Sunday sermon, TV messages, and internet podcasts for spiritual food? Those things are good, but nothing substitutes for getting to know God personally through reading the Bible and prayer.  (I was at the funeral of an old saint yesterday, who was known for his saying: "Get to know God for yourself.")

• Are we sensitive to the Spirit, and quick to repent when He points out where we've sinned? What do we do when He convicts us, in our reading, watching, thinking, that we're getting tolerating impurity?   

• Are we alert to opportunities to share Jesus with those around us—the "open doors"?

• Are we persistent overcomers, or do we find ourselves giving up, giving in, in the face of our society's continued drift from the beliefs and standards we cling to?
  




PRAYER: Dear Jesus, I wonder what a letter from You to my church would contain. Help me, as an individual church member, to warrant praise from You and not a warning. Amen. 


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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.