Five Smooth Stones.

Mini sermon by Craig Emerson Strain

In the Biblical account of David in his conquering Goliath, we find David picking out five smooth stones to go to battle. We so often we relate the five stone with the five letters J - E - S - U - S. I believe that David's choice of five stones was because he knew that Goliath had four brothers. But lets consider another reason.

Saul's army had stood across from the Philistines for days. The Philistines on one mountain, Saul's army on another mountain, and Goliath in the valley. You can never win a battle standing afar off. But we see Saul standing afar off because we know that he was out of God's will.

David asked one question, "Is there not a cause?" Five words, five stones. Each word hitting King Saul just as hard as the one stone that would hit Goliath.

When we look back at Joseph, we see a man who saw himself in two dreams with those around him giving obeisance to him. His father had given him a coat of many colors, his brothers sought to kill him because of jealousy. Were they jealous because he had a coat or were they jealous because he had a Cause?

Joseph had a cause, his brothers did not. David had a cause, Saul did not. David had made up his mind and Goliath was going to loose his mind.

David's strength was not in his stones, but in his statement: "Is there not a cause?"

When David was led away with his tempation with Bathsheba, he put aside "his cause"

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. 2 Cor 10:3-6

When you win one battle, you will always have another to face. "But our weapons are not carnial . . .. ." David could not win the next battle with stones. But he could have won the battle if he had kept his cause. King David was a man of war. He was a conqueror. But when he put down his "Cause", he noticed a beautiful woman named "Bathesheba".

Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. Prov. 29:18

When you are going through a battle, keep your cause. Keep a vision of who the Lord wants you to be. Don't look to defeat, don't look to be discouraged.

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Heb 12:1
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Heb 12:2

If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour. John 12:26
Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. John 12:27

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