Five Smooth Stones

When David saw that all Israel were filled with fear, and learned that the Philistine’s defiance was hurled at them day after day, without arousing a champion to silence the boaster, his spirit was stirred within him. He was fired with zeal to preserve the honor of the living God and the credit of His people.

David, in his humility and zeal for God and his people, proposed to meet this boaster. Saul consented and had his own kingly armor placed upon David. But he would not consent to wear it. He laid off the king’s armor, for he had not proved it. He had proved God and, in trusting in Him, had gained special victories. To put on Saul’s armor would give the impression that he was a warrior, when he was only little David who tended the sheep. He did not mean that any credit be given to the armor of Saul, for his trust was in the Lord God of Israel.

Choosing five smooth stones out of the brook, he put them in his bag, and, with his sling in his hand, drew near to the Philistine. The giant strode boldly forward, expecting to meet the mightiest of the warriors of Israel. His armor-bearer walked before him, and he looked as if nothing could withstand him. As he came nearer to David he saw but a stripling, called a boy because of his youth. David’s countenance was ruddy with health, and his well-knit form, unprotected by armor, was displayed to advantage; yet between its youthful outline and the massive proportions of the Philistine, there was a marked contrast.

Goliath was filled with amazement and anger. “Am I a dog,” he exclaimed, “that thou comest to me with staves?” Then he poured upon David the most terrible curses by all the gods of his knowledge. He cried in derision, “Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.
Conflict and Courage p. 163
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Prayer Requests
—–Please pray that there will be no violence due to the elections tomorrow. A
—–Please continue to pray for Shawn, the hunter who has been missing for three weeks. His wife works for my doctor. They have two boys. If they don’t find him or at this point his body, she cannot get social security for their 13 year old which will cause great financial difficulty for them. M
—–Please pray for my grandchildren. Their parents are divorced and all need Jesus. C
—–A friend sent me this last night, one of her friends is battling cancer. Her and her husband have just taken custody of a little boy recently.Here is the message: “Hello everyone. Hope you are all well. Spoke with robin today and she has been pretty sick. Can’t eat, vomiting, and diarrhea. She has lost 9 pounds in the last week. The Dr had her come in 2 days in a row for fluids that made her feel better and to top it off her 13 year old dog died today. Please remember her in your prayers and your churches prayer list. Thank you all and God bless you and your families.” She asked me to send it out to others for prayer. Thanks and God bless. Jami
—–I am asking for many prayers this week as on Nov 9th, we have another hearing regarding visitation with our grandchildren. This whole situation has been very painful and unnerving. Our poor grandson has been told we are dead, and now my understanding is my daughter and her husband are moving. We are guessing that they are trying to escape responsibility for their behavior and at the same time continue to keep our grandchildren away from us. I am asking that we are granted visitation and also that God will intervene. We would love reconciliation with our daughter and son-in-law but expect that will be done in God’s timing. We are praying that they both will have a conversion experience and heartfelt shame for their behavior towards the children and towards us. I am sad that I am exposing such ugliness to all, but need prayer warriors on my side right now, we don’t fight against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers of darkness. I need my brothers and sisters in Christ to stand with us in unity of prayer. Thanks so much, prayers that Jesus will come soon and take us all home, sure seems like it must be very close now. Anonymous
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Dear Friends,
Today, I received an email from a friend who lives far away. She was praising God for answered prayer. I am including it here but am changing names as I did not ask her if I could. Here is the email:
My Daughter Ann who has MS . had an accident on her way to church. this morning. her daughter who is Atheist. felt impressed to follow her mother to church shortly after she left. well Ann got five miles from her place she lives way out in the country.. when her legs started giving out.(.she really shouldn’t be driving.) she got to another neighbors place who has black walnuts .well between the leaves and the the walnuts her car skidded into the corn field. she didn’t try to fight it no strength..so she limped up too her neighbors porch. no one was home. so she tried the other house next door no one was home.

She prayed Lord it is too far to walk home. please send some one by and a few minutes later her daughter drove by and her passenger seen her car in the field,and asked Kay if that was her mom’s car she backed up and they got out looked at it then went to the neighbors and found her sitting on their porch..

Kay was glad she listened to the impression. to follow her mom to town an church. God is still in the business of working miracles..

She called me after she got home an had to tell me what an awesome God we serve. and told me that Kay stayed for potluck. she doesn’t want anything to do with church or religion. she was raised in the church went to the schools.., but when her dad had an accident and her mom came down with MS she no longer wanted anything to do with God.. we are praying. our God is powerful and hears and answers our prayers according to His will.”

Truly God is answering my friend’s prayer for her granddaughter’s salvation. Indeed, He answers the desires of our heart. Friday, we were on our way to God’s Closet (a ministry of our church where children’s clothing is donated and people from the community can come and get what they need). Emma told us that she wanted a whale shirt. We were surprised. Esther was planning on looking for some slacks for Peter since he had outgrown his. Esther told Emma that if there was a whale shirt there that was in her size, she would get it.
As she looked around at the piles of clothing, Esther found a pink shirt with gold whales all over it! Emma way delighted and we all praised God for giving Emma this gift of love.
John assures us, “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” 1 John 5:14, 15 Our Dear Saviour promises, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” Luke 11:9-13
Praise God! We can have confidence that the One Who gave His Life for us will supply all of our needs.
“Let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker”” Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s” is my prayer. Ps 95:6; 103:2-5