[Gary Petty] We all have heard or read the story about David, the shepherd boy who faced the giant trained soldier of Goliath. And it's a stirring story of this young man who goes out there and because of the power of God he slays this giant. There's an interesting conversation that happens between David and King Saul just before that happens.

King Saul tells him, "You can't go face this giant. He's a trained soldier. He'll kill you." And David said, "No, I know I can. And I know I can because God has helped me in the past. I faced a lion. I faced a bear while I was taking care of sheep and God delivered them into my hand and I killed them." He said, "I can face this man because God is with me, and he is defying God." And then he went out and faced him.

It is often said that David faced Goliath once, but Saul faced him a thousand times. Imagine that throughout the years as Saul would wake up in a cold sweat hearing the taunts of Goliath and thinking, "It should have been me. If I would have just had the faith to step out, then God would have blessed me. And I would be the hero."

You see David had had faith training. Through his life he had stepped out in the little things. He didn't face Goliath just one day stand up and face Goliath. He had been trained by God by stepping out in faith in many things until he was prepared for Goliath.

All too often you and I avoid this faith training until we're actually facing Goliath.

We're like a boxer who knows he has a fight coming up in six weeks, but you know there's other things going on and he's got to go here and he's got to go there. So he says he has to train, but he doesn't. And one day he finds himself in the ring with the heavyweight champ of the world and he says, "Oh, I wish I would have trained."

Every day is an opportunity for you to go through faith training as God gives you opportunities to step out in faith. Do it. Train. And when you face your Goliath you'll be more like David instead of Saul.

That's BT Daily. Join us next time.