1. Opening Prayer
2. Sing "As Zion's Youth in Latter Days" Hymns pg. 256
3. Read Joshua 1:9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
4. Read and discuss "For Times of Trouble" from the October, 1980 New Era.
Elisha, with a power known only to the prophets, had counseled the king of Israel on how and where and when to defend against the warring Syrians. The king of Syria, of course, wished to rid his armies of this prophetic problem. So, and I quote:
“Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.
“… [They] compassed the city both with horses and chariots.” (2 Kgs. 6:14–15.)
If Elisha is looking for a good time to be depressed, this is it. His only ally is the president of the local teachers quorum. It is one prophet and one lad against the world. And the boy is petrified. He sees the enemy everywhere—difficulty and despair and problems and burdens everywhere. The bus is gone, and all he can see is Chicago. With faltering faith the boy cries, “Alas, my master! how shall we do?” (2 Kgs. 6:15.)
And Elisha’s reply?
“Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them” (2 Kgs. 6:16).
“They that be with us?” Now just an Israelite minute here. Faith is fine and courage wonderful, but this is ridiculous, the boy thinks. There are no others with them. He can recognize a Syrian army when he sees one, and he knows that one child and an old man are not strong odds against it. But Elisha’s promise:
“Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.
“And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.” (2 Kgs. 6:16–17.)
In the gospel of Jesus Christ you have help from both sides of the veil and you must never forget that. When disappointment and discouragement strike—and they will—you remember and never forget that if our eyes could be opened we would see horses and chariots of fire as far as the eye can see riding at reckless speed to come to our protection. They will always be there, these armies of heaven, in defense of Abraham’s seed.
I close with this promise from heaven.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye are little children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and prepared for you;
“And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along.”
“… I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, … and mine angels [shall be] round about you, to bear you up.
“… The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours.” (D&C 78:17–18; D&C 84:88; D&C 78:18.)
~Jeffery R. Holland
5. Closing Prayer
Additional Resources: An Ensign to the Nations, a Light to the World (Liahona, Nov. 2003)
Courage Counts (New Era, Sept. 2006)
Showing posts with label Courage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Courage. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Family Home Evening Lesson #38: DAVID AND GOLIATH
1. Opening Prayer
2. Sing "Nephi's Courage" Children's Songbook pg. 120
3. Read 1 Samuel 17:45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
4. Read and discuss "David Slays Goliath" from The Gospel Art Picture Kit:
The Philistines and the Israelites were at war with each other. The Philistines gathered their armies on one mountain, while King Saul and the men of Israel gathered across the valley on the opposite mountain.
Goliath was a giant Philistine soldier who was over nine feet tall. He wore heavy armor and a brass helmet and carried a large spear. Goliath shouted to the Israelite army to send a man to fight him. He said that if the Israelite killed him, the Philistines would be servants to the Israelites. But if Goliath killed the Israelite, then the Israelites would be servants to the Philistines. King Saul and his army were afraid of Goliath.
Goliath repeated his challenge each night and day for 40 days, but no one was brave enough to fight him.
A man named Jesse had three sons who were part of Saul’s army. But David, Jesse’s youngest son, still lived in Bethlehem with his father. Jesse asked David to take some food to his three brothers and find out how they were doing.
While David was with his brothers, Goliath again shouted his challenge. The Israelites fled when they saw Goliath. David asked the soldiers, “Who is this … Philistine, that he should defy [challenge] the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26).
When Saul was told what David had said, he sent for him. David told Saul that he would fight Goliath. But Saul said to David, “Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth” (1 Samuel 17:33).
David told Saul that the Lord had helped him kill a lion and a bear while he tended his father’s sheep. He said the Lord would help him as he fought Goliath. Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with thee” (1 Samuel 17:37).
Then Saul gave David his armor, a helmet, and a sword, but they were too big and heavy for David. He removed the armor and took only his staff, five smooth stones, and a sling as he went to face the mighty Goliath.
When Goliath saw the young boy without armor, he made fun of him and cursed him. David said, “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel” (1 Samuel 17:45). David told Goliath that with the Lord’s help, he would kill him.
As Goliath came near, David put a stone in his sling, swung the sling around his head, and let the stone go. The stone sank into Goliath’s forehead, and Goliath fell to the ground. David then used Goliath’s sword to kill the giant and cut off his head. When the Philistine army saw that Goliath was dead, they fled, but the men of Israel chased them and defeated them in battle.
5. Closing Prayer
Additional Resources: Overpowering the Goliaths in Our Lives (Ensign, Jan. 2002)
Comfort and Courage From the Scriptures (Friend, Sept. 2006)
2. Sing "Nephi's Courage" Children's Songbook pg. 120
3. Read 1 Samuel 17:45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
4. Read and discuss "David Slays Goliath" from The Gospel Art Picture Kit:
The Philistines and the Israelites were at war with each other. The Philistines gathered their armies on one mountain, while King Saul and the men of Israel gathered across the valley on the opposite mountain.
Goliath was a giant Philistine soldier who was over nine feet tall. He wore heavy armor and a brass helmet and carried a large spear. Goliath shouted to the Israelite army to send a man to fight him. He said that if the Israelite killed him, the Philistines would be servants to the Israelites. But if Goliath killed the Israelite, then the Israelites would be servants to the Philistines. King Saul and his army were afraid of Goliath.
Goliath repeated his challenge each night and day for 40 days, but no one was brave enough to fight him.
A man named Jesse had three sons who were part of Saul’s army. But David, Jesse’s youngest son, still lived in Bethlehem with his father. Jesse asked David to take some food to his three brothers and find out how they were doing.
While David was with his brothers, Goliath again shouted his challenge. The Israelites fled when they saw Goliath. David asked the soldiers, “Who is this … Philistine, that he should defy [challenge] the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26).
When Saul was told what David had said, he sent for him. David told Saul that he would fight Goliath. But Saul said to David, “Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth” (1 Samuel 17:33).
David told Saul that the Lord had helped him kill a lion and a bear while he tended his father’s sheep. He said the Lord would help him as he fought Goliath. Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with thee” (1 Samuel 17:37).
Then Saul gave David his armor, a helmet, and a sword, but they were too big and heavy for David. He removed the armor and took only his staff, five smooth stones, and a sling as he went to face the mighty Goliath.
When Goliath saw the young boy without armor, he made fun of him and cursed him. David said, “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel” (1 Samuel 17:45). David told Goliath that with the Lord’s help, he would kill him.
As Goliath came near, David put a stone in his sling, swung the sling around his head, and let the stone go. The stone sank into Goliath’s forehead, and Goliath fell to the ground. David then used Goliath’s sword to kill the giant and cut off his head. When the Philistine army saw that Goliath was dead, they fled, but the men of Israel chased them and defeated them in battle.
5. Closing Prayer
Additional Resources: Overpowering the Goliaths in Our Lives (Ensign, Jan. 2002)
Comfort and Courage From the Scriptures (Friend, Sept. 2006)
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