The giants we struggle with the most are not sickness, finances, pain, loss, or grief. Our biggest giants are internal. The battles that take us out are personal. Struggles like lust, greed, selfishness, anger, bitterness, and fear can become giants that destroy our faith, our relationships, and our future. We must guard our hearts and develop a close relationship with Jesus to defeat these giants within.

Main Points:

1. David’s internal giant was lust. You may not battle this one, but perhaps you are fighting another internal giant, one with a different name. Maybe you are fighting the giant of discouragement, despair, fear, anxiety, depression, grief, anger, or unforgiveness.

2. Thankfully, King David was repentant, and his relationship with God was restored. It's a tragic story that didn’t have to happen, if only David would have guarded his heart. For us, the story is a cautionary tale and a reminder to run to God for help when we are fighting internal giants.

3. Bring your giants to God. With His help, every giant can be defeated.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

2 Samuel 5:13 - “David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem…”

Proverbs 4:23 - “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”

Psalm 46:1 - “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.”

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The Bible reveals one of the characteristics that is most damaging to our relationship with God and others is pride. Yet, most of us don’t readily confess pride as a struggle. Perhaps it’s because pride is subtle, and it’s difficult to see in ourselves.

Main Points:

1. Pride is often described as the silent enemy of the soul, lurking in the shadows and hindering our relationship with God. It can be challenging to recognize pride within ourselves, because it doesn’t always reveal itself in overt ways.

2. Pride blinds us to our faults and weaknesses. When pride lurks within us, we become defensive and resistant to feedback or correction. Instead of humbly acknowledging our shortcomings, we may find ourselves justifying our actions or blaming others. Pride convinces us that we are always right.

3. So how do we combat pride and cultivate humility in our lives? The answer lies in following the example of Jesus Christ, who humbled Himself and became obedient to the will of God.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Proverbs 12:15 - "The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.”

Psalm 139:23 - “Search me, O God, and know my heart.”

Jeremiah 17:9 - “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?”

Philippians 2:3-4 - "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."

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How are you using your influence? Now, you might think you are not very influential because you define influence as position, fame, prominence, or name recognition. But listen to this definition of influence. Influence is the effect of something on a person. It's the power that somebody has to affect other people's lives, beliefs, thinking, and actions.

Main Points:

1. Everyone listening to this podcast episode has influence. You have people who like you and look up to you. There are people who come to you for your opinion, advice, or wisdom. You have acquaintances, friends, and colleagues who respect you. There are people watching your life and being influenced by it, without you even knowing it. Everyone has a circle of influence.

2. Our influence is not to be egotistical. It is not for our benefit. It is for Christ’s sake. The reason you let your light shine, the reason you are the salt of the earth, is for the purposes of God. We are an influence so we can bring more people to Jesus.

3. Let’s use the influence God has given us for God’s glory and to point others to the Savior.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Matthew 5:13-16 – “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

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Today, you and I will say a lot of words. We have more ways to communicate than any previous generation. We speak, write, text, email, and social media, all of which require a choice of words. Let’s slow down, think before speaking, allow the Lord to give us wisdom, and choose our words carefully.

Main Points:

1. We might be tempted to think our words don’t matter, but according to God, they really do. Jesus spoke about how our words reveal what is in our hearts.

2. Our words are like a bucket of water dipped into a well. If there is fresh water down deep, that’s what comes out. If what is below is stagnant, polluted, and diseased, that is what will come out. In other words, “If the heart is clean, the words are clean.” If the heart is contaminated, our words will expose it.

3. Because our words have such impact on others, we must ask God to give us wisdom in our daily interactions. Through our words we have the potential to bless, encourage, and inspire. We also have the potential to injure, discourage, and inflict emotional pain.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Ephesians 4:29 - “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

Luke 6:45 – “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

Ecclesiastes 10:12 - “Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips.”

Proverbs 15:7 - “The lips of the wise spread knowledge, but the hearts of fools are not upright.”

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What is envy? A feeling of discontentment or resentment over the opportunities, possessions, or blessings of another. I once heard envy described as the combination of a desire for something, with the resentment that another is enjoying it and you are not.

Main Points:

1. It’s been my experience that envy is not a sin we readily confess. There is a deception that accompanies envy. We can be envious and not realize it. We can feel envy towards someone and not identify the feelings as sin.

2. Envy invites comparison of relationships, success, status, or image. Envy is consuming, and it doesn’t take long before you lose yourself in the constant and relentless comparisons, all while cultivating bitterness and hatred toward people in your life, sometimes the very people you once loved and appreciated.

3. So, how can we protect our hearts from this sin? First and foremost, we must cultivate gratitude. When we focus on the blessings in our own lives rather than fixating on what others have, we develop a spirit of thankfulness.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Proverbs 4:23 - “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

Galatians 5:26 - “Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."

Proverbs 14:30 - “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.”

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God’s heart beats with compassion for the lost, and He passionately seeks them out. As followers of Christ, we are invited into this search. We become part of the process by sharing the message of the Gospel with those around us. What is important to God, must be important to us.

Main Points:

1. Jesus’ very purpose in coming to earth and dying for our sins was to seek and save the lost. Nothing matters more to God.

2. Let me remind you of this truth: The Gospel message is urgent. Every day people are dying and going into eternity lost in their sins. The only way of salvation is through faith in Jesus, yet many have never heard a clear and simple message of salvation.

3. We have a message far more valuable than a cure for cancer, it is a cure for our sins. Only through Jesus there is salvation and forgiveness of our sins, which not only impacts our lives here and now, but also for eternity.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Luke 15:8-10 — “what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Luke 19:10 - “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

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Unequivocally, I can say that God is looking for us to say “yes” to Him. Have you given God your yes? Have you surrendered your will and your life to God? Have you said “God, I’m yours. Take my life and use it for your glory?” Have you said, “God, I’ll say what you want me to say, go where you want me to go, and do what you want me to do?”

Main Points:

1. Some of our greatest internal battles are with God. There is an internal wrestling over whether we will say yes to God or not. Will we obey His Word? Will we submit to God’s authority? Will we let the Bible guide and direct our lives?

2. This simple response, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening," is a profound declaration of openness and obedience to God's will. We see Samuel's readiness to hear and obey whatever God may command. And it is through this willingness to say yes to God that Samuel's life is forever changed.

3. Without hesitation, let’s be quick and ready to give God our yes.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

1 Samuel 3:4 - ““Then the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am.” And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

1 Samuel 3:10 - "The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

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The Holy Spirit is speaking to every believer in Jesus and He’s asking the question, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” God wants to send every one of us into His Kingdom work. When we say “Here am I, Send me,” God will use our lives for His glory.

Main Points:

1. I’ve noticed over the years, that the thing that keeps many Christians from stepping out in faith and allowing God to use their lives is that they disqualify themselves. Some feel unusable because of their past, their failures, and their mistakes. Others think God is looking for people who are more spiritual or more gifted.

2. Notice in the verse with Isaiah, there are no qualifications listed. God was looking for one thing: availability. The old saying is still true: God is not looking for ability. He is looking for availability.

3. God is still searching for men and women who will say yes. He’s looking for individuals who are willing to be sent and to be used by the Holy Spirit.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Isaiah 6:8 - “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

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