You've heard it before, but the fact still remains. GOD has a PLAN for our lives. And He is FAITHFUL to COMPLETE it. The Scriptures confirm this for us. In the book of Philippians we read: 'Being confident in this very thing, that HE who begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.' So you see, God wants to work in and through you. He wants to finish the work that He started. But the big question is...are you willing? Are you ready to submit to Him and the plan He has for you?

In our message today, we'll see that David is a man on the run. King Saul's affections toward him went from FONDNESS...to HATRED. And it's the king's jealousy...that has put David in danger. And so David flees. He seeks refuge in a cave. But believer, where do YOU go when you need shelter? Who do YOU turn to when you need help? Understand that WE have a King that is FOR us! In the book of Psalms we read: ' God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.' So you see, we have nothing to fear! God is our strength! We must trust in HIM.

In today's message, we'll begin to look at the life of David. We'll start out with one of the most famous stories in the Bible...the one where David defeats Goliath. Pastor Terry will use this story to remind us that God can use ANYONE. It doesn't matter how old or young you are. It doesn't matter how much strength or intellect you possess. The ONLY thing that matters, is that you're WILLING. And that's what David was. He was WILLING. He trusted in God. He stepped out in faith...believing that God is faithful to bring victory to His people.

In our message today, Pastor Terry will ask a very important question. One that we need to consider. And that question is: Do people know that God is WITH you? When you speak...are they hearing HIS words and not your own? Are they seeing Him in the things that you do? You see as believers, it should be our DESIRE to be known as a child of God. We should WANT others to recognize His work of grace in our lives. In all that we say and do...we should be pointing to Him and giving Him GLORY... for what HE is doing in and through us.

In the Scriptures, David is described as being a man after God's own heart. But what exactly does that MEAN? Well, it doesn't mean that David was perfect. In fact, as we continue to study his life, we'll learn that he is VERY human. He failed...just like the rest of us. But what we'll consistently SEE from David...is his heart. Sure, David made mistakes. But what did he DO about it? Well, when David recognized his sin...he came to a place of humble repentance. He confessed... and restoration took place. It was His desire to DO what is right.

Life is full of challenges. But as believers, we have a power that we can draw on. We have a GOD that is FOR us. Remember that David defeated Goliath. And in doing so, he captured the hearts of the people of Israel. But that doesn't mean things were always rosy for David. We'll quickly learn that even after doing RIGHT...he'll encounter trials. You see, there WILL be people who will come against us. Things won't always go our way. And it's during these times, that we learn what it TRULY MEANS...to trust in the Lord.

Many people today think that by going to church on all the traditional holidays and saying an occasional prayer...is good enough. They think that that is pleasing to God. But that's not exactly the case. Our Creator desires more than just our time and lip service. He wants our hearts. He wants us to submit to Him WHOLLY. Understand that God desires to commune DAILY with His people. He wants them to submit to Him and His will for their lives. And doing so isn't BURDENSOME...it truly is a JOY!

The Scriptures teach us that pride comes before destruction and a haughty spirit before the fall. So it would be fair enough to say that PRIDE isn't exactly a GOOD thing. Especially when that PRIDE...is in OURSELVES. Understand that the abilities, talents and strengths we possess CAME from God! It's true! Those gifts were not acquired by your own power. They were given to you BY GOD...for HIS glory. You see, the ONLY thing we can take pride in...is that we're a child of the King. We can take PRIDE in the God we serve.

Sin brings death. Plain and simple. Sure, it's pleasurable for a season. But once the pleasure is gone...all that's left is shame and guilt. Then of course, destruction. That's right. When we do not deal with sin...it only gets worse. And in the end...it brings death. But thankfully our Heavenly Father loved us enough to send His Son. Jesus, our Messiah, bled and died so that we might be FORGIVEN of our sin. So that we might be restored into a right relationship with God. All we must do is come to Him with a humble heart of repentance.

As believers, we need to understand that God's will...will be done. And we need to consider that in all that we do. We must realize that God is sovereign. His ways are higher than our ways. His plan is perfect and His WILL will be accomplished. And what a blessing it is...that He allows us to be a part of it all! That's right! God doesn't make us sit on the sidelines. He WANTS us to be active in His ministry! He wants to gift us and use us...for HIS GLORY. And that should be the heart of ALL believers...to be used by God.