Friday, August 31, 2018
Right In His Eyes
Verse of the day: Judges 17:6, In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
Today, I will be using dirty words. I will be using words like “authority”, “submission”, “obedience”, and “truth”. These, in and of themselves, are not dirty, but in today’s society they have become words that will quickly get us categorized as narrow-minded, intolerant, and even prejudice. However, in many places around the world, when people push back against authority, refuse to submit, rebel against obedience, and create their own “truth” (which, by the way, is not truth at all), it leads to nothing but chaos. That is where Israel was, as “everyone did what was right in his own eyes”. In its context, this verse is written as Micah was in the process of creating his own religion and form of worship. The verse also tells us that in those days there was no king in Israel. On the one hand, Israel had a God who was kind, gracious, and merciful. He was, and is, the one true God. Yet, they sought to create their own religion and follow heathen gods that they could control, rather than seek the God they were called to submit to. Israel had no king, but later, to be like everyone else, sought a king (1 Samuel 8), even though they were already under the authority of the King of kings. These were very dark times in Israel. As God’s children, when we choose to rebel against God, those He has put in authority over us, and reject truth, the result is darkness and chaos. This darkness and chaos stems first, and foremost, from our rejection of truth. What truth? God’s truth. In John 17:17, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” The fact of the matter is that if we want to know the truth about anything that pertains to life, we find it in God’s Word. It is not found in our opinions, or our views of what is right or wrong. There is only one truth. Truth is not what you decide is truth to you or what I decide is truth to me. Truth is what God says is truth, and it is found in the pages of the Bible, His Word. In His truth, He commands us to submit and be obedient in many areas of life. Our first, and most important area of life, is our relationship with Him. It begins with trusting Him and by faith believing that Jesus, God’s only begotten Son, gave His life for us, and in Him finding life eternal (John 3:16). It is Jesus who is the Truth, the only Way to God the Father, and the Life (as in life eternal) (John 14:6). When we become a child of God, the greatest enemy we must resist is Satan. However, God tells us that if we submit to Him and draw near to Him, He will draw near to us and the devil will flee (James 4:7-10). God does not stop there. He goes on to give us instruction on what the family unit should look like when we submit and obey one another, based on the levels of authority He has set within the family. The husband, as the head of the home, is to lead the family in spiritual things, and love his wife. The wife is to submit to the husband and be his helpmate, and the children are to obey and honor their father and mother (Ephesians 5:22-25; 6:1-3). God gives us instructions and commands in our obedience to those in authority over us within the church and within the government. In Hebrews 13:17, we are told, “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.” This is in respect to those in authority in the local church. In 1 Peter 2:13-15, God clearly says, “Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, 14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men”. Sadly, there are many Christians who claim God’s Word as truth, but then choose to live in a way that is right in their own eyes, based on their own opinions and feelings. God clearly tells us in His truth, that He resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). Therefore, we should be seeking the only truth that is truth, and be the example of what a life of humility, submission, and obedience looks like. Let us not create unnecessary chaos in our lives by avoiding what is right in our own eyes, and living life based on what God says is right in His eyes.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Thursday, August 30, 2018
The Money god
Verse of the day: Judges 17:1-2, Now there was a man from the mountains of Ephraim, whose name was Micah. 2 And he said to his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you, and on which you put a curse, even saying it in my ears—here is the silver with me; I took it.”
In this chapter we immediately see the level of moral corruption that existed in Israel at this time. In just one household, we see what the love of money can do to the morality of a person. Micah’s love of money and greed brought him to the place where he stole from his own mother. It seems that she was suspicious of her son, as he says that she cursed the money and says it in his ear. We have a great admonition, reminder, and warning in 1 Timothy 6:6-10, “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” Micah was driven by greed, which led to theft from his own family. His mother, on the other hand, appears to be a person who was also driven by the love of money. In verse 3 she claims to have saved the silver to dedicate to the Lord, and make an image from it, but in verse 4, after Micah returns the money, she uses only two hundred of it to make the image, and keeps the rest. It is obvious that the apple did not fall far from the tree, and it is likely that Micah learned his love of money from the example she herself set for him. Sadly, this age old form of idolatry is still prevalent today, even within Christianity. Many Christians are driven by the love and gain of money to their own hurt. The Apostle Paul warned Timothy that those who love money, who desire to be rich, have strayed from the faith and caused themselves many sorrows. When money is our god, this god will only lead us to greed, thievery, and dishonesty, all for the sake of gaining more. Making money will become a priority over serving and worshipping the Lord. Jesus said this in Matthew 6:24, right before He spoke about not worrying about our provision, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” When money becomes our god, we forsake the God who gave His only begotten Son for us. We stray from Jesus, the One who gives us eternal life, and the One in whom we have treasures and rewards that are far more valuable than anything money can buy. In the earlier verses from 1 Timothy 6, the Apostle Paul reminded us that “godliness with contentment is great gain”. As children of God, our goal should be to gain as much knowledge of God, and intimacy with Him, as we can. We must strive to learn how to be content with all that He provides, and be satisfied and thankful for what He chooses not to give us. A life lived by faith and one lived righteously, for the glory of God, is far more valuable than all the riches this world has to offer. Sadly, we waste far too much time trying to gain and gather that which we cannot take with us and that which perishes. Proverbs 23:4-5 tell us, “Do not overwork to be rich; Because of your own understanding, cease! 5 Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; They fly away like an eagle toward heaven.” The more we chase after earthly riches, the harder we will work to gain it, and the further away from the Lord it will take us. The best advice any of us can receive in respect to where our focus should be in respect to earthly gain was given to us by Jesus in Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Tuesday, August 28, 2018
We Accomplish More In Death
Verse of the day: Judges 16:30, Then Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” And he pushed with all his might, and the temple fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life.
Samson accomplished more in death than he did in life. The reason he accomplished less while he lived was because he lived for self. When the opportunities arose, he served his own fleshly desires. In the end, when he was finally in a position to completely surrender and give his life for the Lord, God used him to accomplish more than he had to date. Thus he accomplish more in death than he did in life. As born again believers, we have the awesome opportunity to accomplish great things for the Kingdom and for God’s glory. However, that will take experiencing death. It will take an honest and concerted effort in surrendering our lives to Jesus. Luke 9:23 says, “Then He said to them all, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.’” The fact of the matter is that we accomplish more when we are dead than when we live. Here is what I am saying. Galatians 6:14 says, “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” In Christ, the world should be dead to us, and we dead to the world. What that means is that the things of this world, the lusts thereof, should not be the priority of our lives. We should be living for the Lord in such a way that the world has no use for us. It is this kind of surrender, it is this kind of death, that will allow God to use us beyond what any of us could ever imagine. It is when we die to self and the world that we begin to do more than when we compromise our walk with the Lord, trying to live with one foot in the world and one foot in Christianity. There are far too many of us that wake up each day more concerned about accomplishing whatever is on our agenda for the day, without giving a second thought to what Jesus would have us do. We throw a quick prayer at God and maybe read a verse or two, and go on as if we have done God some great favor by spending five superficial minutes with Him. We then go about trying to work out our plans and the only time we think about God is when things do not go our way. Suddenly God becomes the priority, but only so that we can ask God to help us be successful with our plan. We seal it with “in Jesus’ Name” and think that this will twist God’s arm to help us accomplish our will. That is not dying to self. Dying to self means starting the day in true fellowship with the Lord (even if it means rising earlier in the day), praying and asking Him to lead us and guide us in accomplishing His will on this day (tomorrow will take care of itself, if He gives us another day). It means that we will not just read a verse and forget about it. Instead, we meditate on what we have read and seek ways to apply it as we live out the day. It means changing our plans, if necessary, to take a detour and help someone, give to others selflessly, say a kind word, stop and listening to someone who is hurting, and lead them to the only One who can heal their pain. It means looking for opportunities to share the Gospel with as many unsaved people as we can, whether by our words, actions, or simply handing them a tract. Dying to self means making what is important to God important to us. It means that we put away our gods, such as money, status, and earthly gain, and worship the One True God, by the way that we live, and by offering up the sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise, continually, regardless of what circumstances we find ourselves in, as we are commanded in Hebrews 13:15 and 1 Thessalonians 5:18. When we begin to live a life that is surrendered to Christ, alive to Him and dead to self and the world, we will truly accomplish things that are worthy of glory and praise to God, and heavenly reward. In death, if we are dead in Christ, we will accomplish more than if we live life in the flesh and for our own selfish gain.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Sunday, August 26, 2018
Broken, Humbled, Victorious
Verse of the day: Judges 16:22, However, the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaven.
Thankfully, Samson’s life story did not end when the Philistines took his eyes. Although he suffered painful and tragic consequences for living a compromised life, Samson still had hope. He foolishly told Delilah the secret of his strength, even though the hair itself was not the true source of his strength. It was the Spirit coming upon him that gave him supernatural strength, but his hair was the symbol of his consecration to God. For us, physical circumcision profits us nothing, but the circumcision of the heart which is demonstrated outwardly by a life consecrated to the Lord (Romans 2:25-29). The fact that the Word points out that Samson’s hair began to grow again is a testimony to God’s grace. Even though Samson’s life appears to be completely useless for the Lord, God is not done using him. His enemies have completely overlooked the fact that even though Samson’s hair was cut, God could grow it again. Samson did not have the ability to grow his own hair, but the God who numbers the hairs on our head can (Luke 12:7). Sadly, the truth of the matter is that sometimes it takes great tragedy in the lives of some of God’s children to bring us to the place where our hearts are turned back to the Lord. Samson had to endure the pain of having his eyes taken from him, and then he had to endure the conviction of hearing the Philistines mock God and proclaim that their heathen god Dagon was greater and delivered him into their hands (v. 23-24). He went from being a man who was greatly feared to a man who was now a mockery (v. 25, 27). When we live carelessly and fail to guard our testimony, we give the world reason to mock our God and our faith. However, we do have a God who promised that He would work all things together for our good (Romans 8:28). The good that came out of this seemingly hopeless situation was that Samson was now a humble man. The man, who once carried the gates of the city on his shoulders, now had to be led by the hand by a lad (v. 26). I cannot help but note that in all his twenty years as a judge of Israel, we do not read anywhere that Samson prayed to the Lord. He cried out in despair after his victory over the thousand men because he could not find water to save his own life (15:18), but outside of that, we do not see him seek any kind of fellowship with the Lord. Now, this broken servant of God, finally calls out in earnest prayer, in verse 28, “Then Samson called to the LORD, saying, ‘O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, just this once, O God, that I may with one blow take vengeance on the Philistines for my two eyes!’” What will it take for us to seek true fellowship with Jesus? What tragedy will we have to endure in order to turn our hearts and attention back to Jesus? In verse 30 we read, “Then Samson said, ‘Let me die with the Philistines!’ And he pushed with all his might, and the temple fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life.” The final evidence that God had not completely forsaken Samson was in his final act of service to the Lord. The real tragedy in all of this was that Samson, although used greatly, did not live up to his full potential. It was obvious that in the power of the Spirit, had Samson lived a life consecrated to God, the Lord would have used him in even greater ways. Is sinful living robbing us of an opportunity to be used by Lord to our fullest potential for His glory? The life of Samson is one of Scripture’s most amazing examples of God’s grace working in the life of one of His wayward servants. Nonetheless, before we criticize him for his failures, let us not forget that there was one thing about Samson that did please the Lord. We find it in Hebrews 11:32, “And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets”. Like Samson, we must be willing to lay down our lives, take up our cross and crucify self, in order to be used in the greatest possible ways while we are here on earth.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Saturday, August 25, 2018
False Sense of Freedom
Verse of the day: Judges 16:21, Then the Philistines took him and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza. They bound him with bronze fetters, and he became a grinder in the prison.
I will begin with a lie from the pits of hell, “God only wants to restrict us and keep us from enjoying life.” Sadly, not only does the world think that Christians are crazy for living a life that seems like prison, but some Christians also live as if following God’s Word would keep them from enjoying life. The truth is that the greatest freedom we will ever experience here on earth is the freedom that comes from knowing and living the truth. What truth? There is only one truth…the truth of God’s Word. John 8:31-32 tells us, “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’” Far too many of us are busy focusing on what the world is doing and enjoying, and envying all the “fun” they are having with their “freedom”. Yet, if we would just stop and take a closer look at their lives, we would observe that along with all their “fun” they are up to their eyeballs in debt, experiencing all kinds of troubles and anxieties. All of the freedom they are allegedly enjoying, in reality, is enslaving them and bringing many to the point of suicide. Is this the lifestyle we envy? In Christ, we have many freedoms. However, we must never use our freedoms (or liberties) as excuses to sin. Galatians 5:13 tells us, “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” 1 Peter 2:15-16 also tells us, “For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— 16 as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.” Samson’s life of “freedom”, doing whatever he pleased in respect to women and compromising his consecration to God, landed him in bondage. Our false sense of freedom will lead us to true imprisonment. Romans 6:15-16 clearly reminds us, “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?” The bottom line is that the only true freedom we can have is in Christ, and Christ alone. However, that freedom cannot be truly enjoyed if we choose to be part-time Christians, only living for the Lord when it is convenient for us. I guarantee that if we choose to live this way, like Samson, one day our sinful living will bind us in fetters with consequences that will be far too great for us to bear. If we want to truly be free, we must become slaves to righteousness and bondservant to the Lord Jesus Christ; for there is no other Master who is as good as He is or who will give us kind of freedom He gives.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Friday, August 24, 2018
Spiritual Blindness
Verse of the day: Judges 16:20, And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” So he awoke from his sleep, and said, “I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!” But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him.
Some would say that Samson being physically blinded in verse 21, when the Philistines took out his eyes, was the greatest tragedy of his life. However, I would say that the spiritual blindness he suffered from in this verse was the greatest tragedy in Samson’s life. Samson lived a compromised life. He deceived himself in thinking that he could continue living a life of sin and compromise and suffer no real consequences for it. Sadly, too many of us today think that God’s grace equals God’s acceptance of our sinful behavior. When we sin and nothing drastic happens right away, we act as if God is winking at our sin. However, God’s mercy and grace is what should bring us back to Him. Romans 2:1-4 tells us, “Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. 2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. 3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” When we read how Delilah deceived Samson, we can’t help but ask, “How in the world could he not see what she was up to?” This is exactly what happens to our spiritual eyes when we insist on living like the world and compromising our consecration to God. We become spiritually blind. What is obvious to others becomes far from obvious to us. Lot was another example of what happens when we take God’s grace for granted. He first pitched his tent toward Sodom, putting himself in a position to be tempted to move there. Shortly thereafter we find him there. He is later captured when war breaks out, and God is gracious and merciful, allowing Abraham to rescue him. The Bible tells us that Lot was rescued and came back losing nothing. It was not long after that we find Lot and his family right back in Sodom. God later decides to destroy that place and this time Lot lost everything. His wife was turned into a pillar of salt and he ended up having an incestuous relationship with his daughters who got him drunk in order to bare children from him (Genesis 13, 14, and 19). We only fool ourselves when we think that we can continue in sin without dire consequences. I am sure that many of us, once we have fallen hard because of sinful living, can look back and see God’s grace, mercy, forgiveness, and patience working to get us to turn back to Him. Eventually, God will have to resort to disciplining us for our rebellion and sinfulness (Hebrews 12). Samson should have seen the warning signs while having the conversations with Delilah leading up to this tragic moment, but the truth of the matter is that the real tragedy was that Samson was already spiritually blind before he suffered the fate of being physically blinded. If we today are compromising in our walk and relationship with Jesus, it is high time to repent, confess and turn back to Him before it is too late.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Thursday, August 23, 2018
Lasting Love and Beauty
Verse of the day: Judges 16:5-6, The rulers of the Philistines went to her and said, “See if you can lure him into showing you the secret of his great strength and how we can overpower him so we may tie him up and subdue him. Each one of us will give you eleven hundred shekels of silver.” 6 So Delilah said to Samson, “Tell me the secret of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued.”
One writer wrote, “Any love that is solely based on physical beauty, is a stranger to longevity.” The love that Samson had toward Delilah was a shallow, vain, love based on outer beauty. This, we already know, was a pattern with Samson that led to his downfall. Far too often, we judge whether a person is the right for us based on superficial and vain qualities. It usually is not too long before we realize that we have made a big mistake as the person turns out to be someone we did not think they would be. As we grow old, and as we begin to discover the other person’s annoying habits and list of incompatibilities, the great divide between us begins to grow. There are many things that can rob us of physical beauty as we age or suffer from a devastating illness or accident. If our affections and love are based on outer beauty, they will fade with disappearance of that beauty. The evidence of who Delilah was as a person became obvious immediately. Her love for money and earthly treasure was greater than her love for Samson, if she even had any toward him. The Word of God tells us that Samson loved Delilah, but says nothing of her love for him. As Christians, we should not define love or beauty in the same manner as the unsaved world does. The world defines love as an emotion and beauty is measured by unrealistic expectations. These definitions and expectations lead to many broken hearts and relationships. On the other hand, God defines love as an action and beauty as something to be measured by what is inside a person, and not on the outside. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 defines love this way, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” Note that all the qualities and characteristics of love involve an action. Love requires action, even when we do not “feel” love. That is how God loves us. He proved it by sending Jesus to die for us, even though all we deserved was eternal condemnation (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). In God’s eyes, beauty is what He sees inside of us. This is the same criteria that we, as God’s children, need to use in measuring how beautiful a person is. Proverbs 31:30 says, “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.” Psalm 139:13-14 also tells us, “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.” The Apostle Peter put it best when he wrote this in 1 Peter 3:3-4, “Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— 4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.” Love and relationships based on superficial and vain standards will not last long. We must make every effort to see the beauty that lies within a person, regardless of how attractive or unattractive they might appear on the outside. Love based on emotion will die, and beauty based on outward appearance will fade. Only love that is based on actions will never fail, and only beauty that comes from within will outlast our physical bodies, which are vulnerable to deterioration in one form or another.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
The Eye Trap
Verse of the day: Judges 16:4, Afterward it happened that he loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.
With every step and decision Samson takes, he puts himself closer to suffering a consequence that will ultimately cost him his life. Repeatedly we see that Samson is driven by the lust of his eyes and his lustful desires toward women. In respect to meeting his first wife, Judges 14:1 tells us, “Now Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines.” In Judges 16:1 we read, “Now Samson went to Gaza and saw a harlot there, and went in to her.” It is likely that Samson’s relationship with Delilah started the same way. It was the lust of the eyes that got Adam and Eve in trouble in Genesis 3:6, “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.” It is through the lust of the eyes that covetousness infects us. It is through the lust of the eyes that we open the door to be tempted to take that which is not our to take or to desire that which God has either prohibited, or does not have in store for us as part of His plan for our lives. It is through the lust of the eyes that we become ungrateful as God chooses to give us what He knows is best for us, but we allow our corrupt desires convince us that we know what is best for us to have. This can apply to either material things or relationships that we have no business being involved in. In Matthew 5:27-29, Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.” When we fail to guard our eyes, and what we put before them, we open the door for the devils to tempt us. Satan tried to use this same tactic with Jesus when the Holy Spirit led Him into the wilderness in Matthew 4. This is the gateway that the devils use to get us hooked when we fail to guard our eyes from pornography on the internet. King David wrote this in Psalm 101:3, “I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me.” He knew personally the failure that follows when we choose not to guard our eyes. In 2 Samuel 11:2 it says, “Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold.” It was what he saw that led King David to commit both adultery and murder (2 Samuel 11). The solution to avoiding the lustful “eye trap” is to do as Job did in Job 31:1, “I have made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I look upon a young woman?” The best way to do that is to keep our eyes on Jesus. We must strive to do what Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 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 has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” If we set our eyes and our affections on Jesus, we leave little room for us to set our affections on the things of this world (1 John 2:15-17).
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
Monday, August 20, 2018
Shallow Servants
Verse of the day: Judges 16:3, And Samson lay low till midnight; then he arose at midnight, took hold of the doors of the gate of the city and the two gateposts, pulled them up, bar and all, put them on his shoulders, and carried them to the top of the hill that faces Hebron.
If there is anything we can say about Samson, it is that he was certainly an interesting character. The Word of God does not tell us the reason for his visit to Gaza. Many have speculated, but regardless of his reason(s), he was certainly not living a life surrendered to God. Even if he went to Gaza for recon purposes, he obvious lost focus of his mission, and allowed his carnal desires to dictate his actions (v. 1). It is truly amazing that God, knowing who Samson would be, would still use him to be a judge over Israel for twenty years (15:20). I would caution each of us, as someone who has walked this path, to examine our relationship with the Lord every day. There were many times in my years of ministry when I used my busyness (using the talents and abilities God gave me) in ministry to mask my times of heart rebellion. Far too often, we see people who are very talented, and are continually volunteering to serve in some way, and we equate their busyness or ability to minister as being equal to their level of spirituality. God endowed Samson with great strength, and He used him to begin to deliver Israel using that ability. Samson’s great strength did not mean that his heart was right with God. This is still true today. God may have created some of us with the ability to be charismatic speakers and talented singers or with great ministry abilities, but that does not always mean that our hearts are right with God. Note one very important detail about Samson’s great demonstration of strength in this instance. What is missing? In other instances where he performed some supernatural feats (such as defeating a thousand men using the jawbone of a donkey), the Spirit would first come upon him before he did it. Sadly, there are far too many of God’s servants that are using their God-given talents and abilities in their own strength, rather than prayerfully using them in the Spirit, and for God’s glory. What happens, with many of us, is that we become prideful because we have the ability to speak eloquently, sing well or we are able to use our talents in some other manner that draws people’s attention toward us. Some have even used these talents and abilities to teach false doctrine and use ministry as a means to personal gain. Although many may come to Christ as a result, those who misuse their God-given talents and abilities will still have to stand before the Lord and give account. Jesus said this in Matthew 7:21-23, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Our service, if it is going to yield heavenly worth and reward, needs to be grounded in a sincere relationship with Jesus. We must ask God to examine our hearts every day (Psalm 26:2; 139:23-24). Furthermore, we must pray and ask the Lord to lead us by His Spirit that we might walk in the Spirit as we do the work of the Lord, both within the local church as well as in our social circles, at work, and anywhere else we have the opportunity to be used by God, for His glory (Galatians 5:16-26).
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Sunday, August 19, 2018
Much Needed Reminders
Verse of the day: Judges 15:15-16, He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, reached out his hand and took it, and killed a thousand men with it. 16 Then Samson said: “With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps upon heaps, with the jawbone of a donkey I have slain a thousand men!”
As we serve God, there may come times when we need heavenly reminders. What kind of reminders you ask? The kind of reminders that bring us back to the reality that the praise and glory for what we do in serving God belongs to Him. The kind of reminders that humble us and break down our prideful attitudes that keep us thinking more of ourselves than we should. Romans 12:3 tell us, “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” Samson did something that we only see in the movies today. One man taking on and defeating a thousand men. Not only does he take on a thousand men, he defeats them using the jawbone of a donkey. Now, before we are impressed by Samson’s feat of strength and prowess, let us stop and examine where this all came from. Verse 14 of this chapter says, “When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting against him. Then the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him; and the ropes that were on his arms became like flax that is burned with fire, and his bonds broke loose from his hands.” We will see later that God had endowed Samson with natural strength that enabled him to perform certain feats of strength in his own power, but it was only when the Spirit came mightily upon Samson that he was able to perform supernatural feats such as this one. From the beginning of his service to the Lord, we see that Samson has a tendency to walk a fine line, and even cross that line in being disobedient to his call as a Nazarite. It is during those moments that we God’s amazing grace working in Samson’s life, even when God allows heavy consequences, such as his wife and father-in-law being burned to death by their own people, and worse consequences later in his life. Nonetheless, here we see Samson gain a great victory against the enemies of Israel, yet, he fails to acknowledge or give glory and praise to the One who gave him that victory. This is where the heavenly reminders come into play. Almost immediately, after singing praises to himself, Samson finds that he is in desperate need of relief. A man who has just defeated a thousand men, and sings his own accolades cannot do something as simple as find a little water to settle his thirst. We may read this and think that this is a small thing, but stop and think about this for a moment. Samson just fought against a thousand men. I would imagine that this would work up quite a thirst, to the point of dehydration. In case you do not know this, dehydration can easily lead physical weakness and even death. Verses 18-19 tells us, “Then he became very thirsty; so he cried out to the LORD and said, ‘You have given this great deliverance by the hand of Your servant; and now shall I die of thirst and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?’ 19 So God split the hollow place that is in Lehi, and water came out, and he drank; and his spirit returned, and he revived. Therefore he called its name En Hakkore, which is in Lehi to this day.” Note how quickly Samson changed the tune of his praise and redirected the glory to where and to whom it belonged. Sometimes, when we have those moments of victory and begin to brag about our talents and abilities, and seek the praises of others, God needs to allow us to be in situations that are above our ability to resolve, in order to bring us down a notch or two. Sometimes it is necessary for God to allow a trial (big or small) to bring us back to the reality that we can do nothing of any heavenly worth without Him (John 15:4-6). The bottom line is that sometimes, when we forget to give glory to the One who is the Author of our victories, it is good to receive those much needed heavenly reminders so that we point the praise to where it belongs, squarely at Jesus.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Saturday, August 18, 2018
What Are You Expecting?
Verse of the day: Judges 15:11-12, Then three thousand men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam, and said to Samson, “Do you not know that the Philistines rule over us? What is this you have done to us?” And he said to them, “As they did to me, so I have done to them.” 12 But they said to him, “We have come down to arrest you, that we may deliver you into the hand of the Philistines.” Then Samson said to them, “Swear to me that you will not kill me yourselves.”
Here is a sad commentary that was true in Samson’s time, as well as other times in biblical history and still true today. Far too often, when we are serving God, even though it may be for the benefit and blessing of others, if we expect a pat on the back or for people to appreciate what we have done, we may be disappointed. This is not the first time, in Scripture, that the people turned against those that God had chosen to use to free them from their oppressors. Moses, in obedience to God’s call on his life suffered persecution by his own people when things appeared to be getting worse, rather than getting better (Exodus 5:201-21). Samson, who is being used by God to deliver Israel, is now on the receiving end of ingratitude by his own people because of the trouble he has stirred up with the Philistines. It is often the case that people would rather side with their oppressors, when those who stand up to evil “stir the pot” by taking a stand. When we stand up for what is right amongst godless people, in a society where right is wrong and wrong is right, the natural result is conflict. Sadly, even we who know better will refuse to stand for what is right, if it means that it will cause some turmoil in our lives. Yet, we know, from the Scriptures, and for many, from personal experience, that any time we stand up for our beliefs as born again believers, when we stand against evil, persecution will come. What I find incredible is that sometimes persecution comes from other Christians who would rather “go with the flow” and just blend in, rather than take a stand for Jesus. With that said, know that there will be times that we will do what is right, and think that people will appreciate it, but what we may find, instead, is that people will be ungrateful and even come against us. This is why we must serve God, not looking for favor from man, but serving as unto the Lord because it is Him we serve. Colossians 3:23-24 tells us, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” This principle will save us a lot of grief if we apply it to those times we are serving God and experience ingratitude from those we are trying to serve. Even Jesus received a marvelous welcome entering Jerusalem (John 12), only to have the same people cry out against Him, shouting, “Crucify Him!” (Luke 23:21) The bottom line is that we must serve God expecting nothing in return from those we serve, knowing that God sees our service and knows whether in our hearts we are serving Him for Him or for man’s accolades and appreciation. Remember Galatians 6:9-10, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.”
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Friday, August 17, 2018
A Vicious Cycle
Verse of the day: Judges 15:7, Samson said to them, “Since you would do a thing like this, I will surely take revenge on you, and after that I will cease.”
Samson is a good example of what happens when we refuse to forgive and choose vengeance. It becomes a vicious cycle. To begin with, Samson would have no need for vengeance if he had made the choice to not be unequally yoked with a Philistine woman. Much of his pain and sorrow in his relationship with this woman of Timnah had to do with the fact that she was not a follower and worshipper of God. Her behavior, and her father’s behavior, caused him nothing but trouble, which God used to bring about the punishment of Israel’s oppressors. However, we see Samson making one bad decision after another, not because he was dumb. It seems that he was actually a very intelligent man, as is evidenced by the riddle he posed to the Philistine men in chapter 14. Morally was a different story. Every time he was wronged, he chose vengeance, which led to the Philistines responding with revenge. Here, once again, in his anger, he is choosing vengeance. Although God did use Samson’s propensity towards anger and revenge to strike against the Philistines, it does not justify Samson’s choices. For us, the born again Christian, God specifically commands us to both love and pray for our enemies, for those who hurt and offend us, and leave vengeance to Him. In Matthew 5:43-45 Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Romans 12:19-21 tells us, “Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.” Trying to get even with others, if we succeed, is not success. It only creates situations where now the other person, regardless of who is at fault, begins to find ways to exact their own form of vengeance. Hence, the start of a vicious cycle that could end in tragedy and with broken relationships that may never mend in this lifetime. This is especially sad when it happens amongst God’s people, who are commanded to love and pray for one another and are commanded to forgive one another. Ephesians 4:30-32 says, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving, one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” When we hold on to grudges and bitterness, refusing to forgive others, regardless of the offense, we grieve the Holy Spirit. I would ask, what makes us so special that we can accept Jesus’ forgiveness every moment of every day, but then turn around and refuse to forgive others with the same forgiveness we have received? Ponder that today.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Thursday, August 16, 2018
Sharing the Sweet Victories
Verse of the day: Judges 14:8-9, After some time, when he returned to get her, he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion. And behold, a swarm of bees and honey were in the carcass of the lion. 9 He took some of it in his hands and went along, eating. When he came to his father and mother, he gave some to them, and they also ate. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey out of the carcass of the lion.
There are three things we can see about Samson’s second encounter with the young lion. First, we see that he avoids telling his mother and father about where he obtained the honey, because as a Nazarite he was not supposed to touch the carcass of the lion. We too have a tendency to leave out the sinful details of our escapades when we are putting on our Christian facades. We get good at putting on the outward appearance of holiness, when in reality our hearts are far from God. We can fool people, but we cannot fool God, as He knows the heart (Jeremiah 17:10). Secondly, and what I would like to focus on, we see that Samson shared of his sweet victory with his parents. As Christians, when we suffer through difficult times and fight the tough battles, the victory is not for us alone. When we struggle to make ends meet and the Lord provides or we suffer with an illness and we experience healing, or when we suffer alongside a loved one and the Lord walks with us and brings us through those time, we are called to share that with others. It is those kinds of testimonies that are an encouragement for one another as children of God. They are opportunities to witness to others and tell them about Jesus and eternal life in Him. The Apostle Paul wrote this in 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.” When we share what God is doing, and has done, in our lives during difficult times, it is an encouragement to those who experience similar struggles. When we are blessed with unexpected material gain, how many of us stop and ask the Lord, “Lord, how would you have me use this for your glory?” Sadly, the first thing we do when we receive this type of blessing is go to our list of “wants” and go spend it frivolously on something that will end up collecting dust in the corner. The bottom line is that the blessings we receive, whether by way of being comforted or by way of material blessing, should be for the ultimate purpose of blessing others for God’s glory. Lastly, Samson, although being disobedient and violating his vow, shared his undeserved blessing with his parents. It is truly sad to see children fail to take care of their parents as they grow older. Our parents are not perfect, just as we are not perfect. Many have done their best to take care of us and our needs, and there comes a time when we must then take care of them. 1 Timothy 5:8 says this, “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” As God’s children, let us be a people who break down the façade, and truly live for the Lord. Let us be encouragers and always be ready to comfort those who need comforting, and be willing to share our blessings with others, especially those of our own household, all for God’s glory.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Wednesday, August 15, 2018
Amazing and Confusing Grace
Verse of the day: Judges 14:8-9, After some time, when he returned to get her, he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion. And behold, a swarm of bees and honey were in the carcass of the lion. 9 He took some of it in his hands and went along, eating. When he came to his father and mother, he gave some to them, and they also ate. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey out of the carcass of the lion.
God’s grace is truly amazing, and quite undeserved. I find, and I am sure you would agree, that God is far better to us than we deserve. I read about the lives of men like Abraham, Moses, Samson, and David, and I am greatly encouraged. Why, you ask? Because these were all men who were not perfect, who had moments in their lives that were less than honorable, yet, even after they failed, God still chose to use them and bless them in great ways. Samson, as we all can see from his life, was not the most righteous man to come along, even though God had chosen him, even before he was conceived, to be a Nazarite, separated unto the Lord (Judges 13). When we read about Samson’s decisions, right from the outset, I believe that many of us today, while praising God for His grace cannot seem to understand why God would choose to use someone He knew would behave the way that Samson behaved. It seems inconsistent that a righteous God would use such an imperfect people who intentionally do things that are sin against the Lord. What we often fail to remember is that God is God, and He does not operate the way we do or have the twisted biases that we have. God can use us when we are living right and doing what is right, but God will also choose, in many instances to use us, even when we are having our moments of rebellious behavior, or moments of stumbling. This is by no means an excuse or opportunity to justify our sinful choices. For those of us who have read about the lives of the men I already mentioned, we know that their decisions to choose what was sinful resulted in severe consequences. This has not changed today. We, as God’s children, are called to righteousness. 1 Peter 1:13-16 cannot be any clearer, “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’” Many of us know that we have not lived up to that command and there have been times when we have sinned egregiously against the Lord. Yet, in those times when we know that the last thing we deserve is forgiveness or grace, when we come to the Lord being truly repentant and asking forgiveness, He gives it (1 John 1:8-2:1). This is where the “amazing” part of grace is seen…when we know we have sinned, and even before we come to the Lord, we see His grace. Roman 2:4 tells us why this is, “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” Here is where the confusion comes into play, and it is usually in the eyes and hearts of those who are observing our lives; especially those who have been offended or directly affected by our sinful choices. They look at our lives, they see God’s grace working in our live to draw us back to Himself and wonder why God would choose to use us? How can a righteous God choose to use our sinful choices to accomplish His will and plan, and be so good to us? Why would He even go to the extent of blessing us? Well, to be honest, I do not know. All I know is that God is God and He has shown us time, and time, again that His grace and forgiveness go beyond our sinfulness. Before we criticize someone else’s life, choose to seek our own form of vengeance or try to decide someone else’s consequences for decisions they have made, stop and ask yourself, “Is it my place to decide that?” “Am I interfering in what God is trying to do in that sinner’s life, just as He does time and time again in my own life?” “Is it my place to decide someone else’s consequences simply because I want vengeance and feel they deserve to be hurt or suffer because of what they did to me?” On the flipside, we must not let others rob us of the joy of experiencing God’s grace and forgiveness in our own lives. We must not give up on serving God when He has not given up on us. We must not let man’s decision to be unforgiving or lack grace override God’s goodness, forgiveness and grace in our life. God used men like Samson for His glory, and He may choose to use us, even after we have messed up, if we will turn back to Him and surrender to be used by Him. Why? Well, because He is God and it is not about us. It is about Him!
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
Lions, Bees, and Philistines
Verse of the day: Judges 14:8-9, After some time, when he returned to get her, he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion. And behold, a swarm of bees and honey were in the carcass of the lion. 9 He took some of it in his hands and went along, eating. When he came to his father and mother, he gave some to them, and they also ate. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey out of the carcass of the lion.
When Samson came face to face with the young lion, the Holy Spirit came upon him and gave him the victory. We said previously that this was a great picture of the victory we can have in our walk with Christ, in the Spirit, when we are facing the challenges that come as a result of the devils’ trickery. The fact is that there will be times that we face challenges and circumstances that make us feel like we are fighting against a ferocious young lion. Now, Samson has returned to the carcass of this lion and finds a swarm of bees that had built a hive and made honey. I cannot imagine that any of us would be too quick to put our hand in that hive to get the honey. Yet, Samson went right in. Once again we see a great example of what happens when the Lord allows us to experience lion-like trials that help us deal with the bee stings in life. In comparison to the battle Samson faced with the young lion, a few bee stings were nothing. Not only did the fight with the lion prepare him to deal easily with this challenge, but combined with this encounter it prepared him for the much greater battle against the Philistines who would attack like a lion and swarm around him like bees. God proved to Samson that in Him, he could face any battle and have victory over whatever enemy confronted him. The psalmist wrote this in Psalm 118:12-14, “They surrounded me like bees; they were quenched like a fire of thorns; for in the name of the LORD I will destroy them. 13 You pushed me violently, that I might fall, but the LORD helped me. 14 The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation.” Samson would experience this later when he goes up against the Philistines and kills a thousand of them with the jawbone of a donkey. So it is with us that God will allow us to experience trials and circumstances that prepare us both to deal with situations that will seem like nothing in comparison, and other circumstances that will stretch our faith beyond what we could ever imagine. However, we must never forget that regardless of whether we are facing the lion, the bees, or the Philistines, our God is mightier. He is our strength and our help. I will leave you with this final thought from the same Psalm, where the psalmist wrote in verses 5-6, “I called on the LORD in distress; the LORD answered me and set me in a broad place. 6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Sunday, August 12, 2018
Greater Than the Roaring Lion
Verse of the day: Judges 14:5-6, So Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother, and came to the vineyards of Timnah. Now to his surprise, a young lion came roaring against him. 7 And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he tore the lion apart as one would have torn apart a young goat, though he had nothing in his hand. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.
What a wonderful picture of the spiritual battle we see in this encounter between Samson and young roaring lion. The Apostle Peter knew up close and personal that Satan desired to destroy Him. Jesus said this to him in Luke 22:31-32, “And the Lord said, ‘Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.’” Along with the warning, Jesus also comforted Peter in that Jesus Himself had prayed for him. The Apostle later wrote in his Epistle, 1 Peter 5:8-9, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” Samson was on his way to meet the woman he desired to marry, and in doing so was actually serving God. However, notice one thing about this passage. He was called to be a Nazarite, consecrated to God, commanded not to drink wine; yet, Samson chose to flirt with temptation by being in the vineyards of Timnah, surrounded by the fruit from which wine was produced. Just like clockwork, the roaring lion rears his ugly head. So it is with us when we flirt with temptation, thinking that we can overcome, when in fact we often set ourselves up for a fall. 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 reminds us, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” Too often, we play with temptation, stumble, and then blame everything and everyone else, when we were the ones who gave the devils the advantage. Praise to our Lord who provides a way of escape with every temptation. Today, we can have greater confidence than Samson had. Right before he encountered the lion, we read that the Spirit of the Lord came upon Samson, as in being clothed, or covered, by the Holy Spirit. By the power of the Holy Spirit, he tore the lion apart. How much more power do we have against our demonic enemies, as born again Christians, because we are not only sealed (covered), but the Holy Spirit also indwells us (2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Ephesians 1:13-14). We are told in 1 John 4:4, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” Therefore, as Samson overpowered the lion, we too can have victory over Satan, his demons, and their devices, when we draw near to God in Christ and the Spirit. James 4:7-8 promises, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” How do we do this? We do this through prayer, obedience to God’s Word, and continually seeking intimacy with God. We are to put on the spiritual armor God has provided for us in Ephesians 6, and wear it in the power of God’s might (Ephesians 6:10-20). The bottom line is that when we set out to live for, and serve God, the enemies will show up to oppose us and cause us to trip and fall because of our own foolishness. However, in Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, we can escape temptation and have victory over the trickery of the devils.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Saturday, August 11, 2018
When We Think We Know
Verse of the day: Judges 14:4, But his father and mother did not know that it was of the LORD—that He was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines. For at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.
One of the most discouraging things we can do to each other as brothers and sisters in Christ is to judge one another’s action in ignorance. Far too many of us spend excessive amounts of time minding everyone else’s walk with Jesus, rather than focus on our own walk with Him. One of my favorite “mind your own business” quotes comes from Jesus’ conversation with the Apostle Peter in John 21:20-22, “Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, ‘Lord, who is the one who betrays You?’ 21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, ‘But Lord, what about this man?’ 22 Jesus said to him, ‘If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.’” It is very easy to be critical of someone else’s service to the Lord, simply because we would not “do it that way”. However, we must not forget that the Lord does not use all of us in the same way and He may choose unconventional means to accomplish His will and plan in our lives. There are approaches to ministry and serving God that are not sinful, but may not be preferable, but we have no business making that judgement in someone else’s life. There are certain liberties that we can take in living the life God has chosen for us that others may not understand or agree. The Lord may even choose to take a life that has been broken by rebellion and poor choices, and put it back together in a beautiful way. We must be careful that we not become critical about that which God has put back together, simply because we are too judgmental to let someone else’s past be just that…their past. Samson was making a choice that was not the wisest choice, because the woman was not a follower of God, but it was not in direct violation to God’s command. In Deuteronomy 7:1-3, God listed the nations that He forbade Israel to intermarry. The Philistines were not on that list of people. In Ezra 9, a passage that some use to argue against this, God once again does not list the Philistines and the passage does not apply as the events in Ezra takes place after the life of Samson. Nonetheless, the point is that God can use whatever circumstance(s) we find ourselves in to accomplish His will and plans. Although it would have been better, and wiser, to marry a woman of his own people, God used Samson’s “love at first sight” moment to seek an occasion against the Philistines. God created Samson, knew Samson’s character, and chose to use that to accomplish His plan to begin to deliver His people. Abraham was a perfect example of God using something that seems out of the ordinary and even inconsistent with God’s ways to test Abraham’s faith. We know that God did not call for, and does not call for, human sacrifices (Deuteronomy 12:29-31). Yet, in order to test Abraham’s faith and ability to recognize the voice of God, He chose to tell Abraham to sacrifice his only son (Genesis 22). God already knew that He would not allow Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, but chose that act to prove Abraham’s faith and intimacy with the Lord. How would any one of us have known that this was God doing if we were alive to witness it? We would not have known. Therefore, today, we must be very careful about how we judge another person’s work and service to the Lord. When it comes to our service to the Lord and our lives lived for the Lord, with our imperfections, mistakes, poor choices, and broken lives that God put back together again, who are we to judge one another without knowing what God is truly doing through those instances? It would be best for us, before we jump to conclusions about other people’s walk with the Lord, to stop and consider what the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 14:4, “Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.” We may not always know what we think we know.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Friday, August 10, 2018
God Is Not a Man
Verse of the day: Judges 13:24, So the woman bore a son and called his name Samson; and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.
Why do we doubt? Is it because God does not work on our timetable? Is it because He is not our genie in a bottle who gives us everything we want when we want it? Is it because He may allow us to go through difficult times in order to teach us to trust Him and to build our character so that we are more like Jesus? Manoah’s wife was barren, and like Sarah, and other barren women in the Bible, when God promised that they would conceive and have a child, regardless of how long it took, His Word came to pass. So often, we allow our faith to waver because we see that God is “taking His time” in providing what we see as a need in our lives. It may even be something we desire, that is not sinful to ask for, but for some unknown reason, God is delaying in giving it to us. In this chapter we see two things taking place as far as God being faithful to His Word. First, the fact that God is working to provide a judge to deliver Israel, and at the same time, fulfill a promise made to Manoah and his wife that they would bare a son. The God who is preparing a deliverer and made this promise is the same God who was faithful time and time again in hearing Israel’s repentant prayers and answering them. This same God is the One who today still hears and answers our prayers. He is God who promises that if we seek first the Kingdom, He will provide all that we need (Matthew 6:25-34). When the devils begin to use a delayed answer to prayer as a way to shake our faith, let us remember what we are told in Numbers 23:19, “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” When we begin to doubt God’s Word because we do not see things happening on our timetable, or we see things happening differently than we desire, let us remember that God does not operate the same way we do. Isaiah 55:8-11 tells us, “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the LORD. 9 ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.’” There may be people we know, family, friends, and co-workers that we are praying for in respect to salvation, but nothing seems to be happening. Maybe, we are praying for a need and time seems to be running out. Hold fast and do not give up. God has proven time and time again in His Word, and for many of us in our lives, that He is faithful. The bottom line is that God is not a man that he should lie or break a promise. He is God, and He is faithful.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Thursday, August 9, 2018
Weaker Vessel Stronger Faith
Verse of the day: Judges 13:23, But his wife said to him, “If the LORD had desired to kill us, He would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering from our hands, nor would He have shown us all these things, nor would He have told us such things as these at this time.”
I see a very interesting reaction from both Manoah and his wife; the result of two different levels of faith. What I found curious is that the person with the stronger faith remained unnamed in Scripture. Although, God tells us that the woman is the weaker vessel (1 Peter 3:7), it does not mean that a woman cannot be stronger in faith, or stronger in some areas than men. It was Eve that was deceived by Satan (1 Timothy 2:14). It is obvious that a woman is more likely to make a decision based on emotion, more readily than a man will, but there are plenty of women who have come to faith and stood on their faith a lot steadier than many men. Sadly, that is evidenced by how many women readily step up to serve, or are forced to take on the role of spiritual leader in a home. Nonetheless, God did not design it this way, for He calls the woman to be subject to her husband (1 Peter 3:1). Before I go any further, men, this does not mean that our wives are to be mistreated or looked down upon as if they were our servants and slaves. God make it very clear that we are to know our wives, love them, be patient with them, be tender with them as the weaker vessel, as it tells us in 1 Peter 3:7, “Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.” Note the “giving honor to the wife” part of that verse. Our wives are our helpmates (Genesis 2:20), and we are to give them due honor as they too are “heirs together of the grace of life” in Christ. Manoah, upon realizing that he was in the presence of the Lord, immediately believed that death would follow, for no one can see the face of God and live (Exodus 33:20). Yet, Manoah’s wife showed great faith and reminded him that God would not have accepted their offering if His desire was to kill them. This woman’s faith was actually evident from her first encounter with the Man of God, as she took Him at His word, when He told her, who was barren, that she would conceive and gave her instructions. Her response was to share the testimony with her husband and prepare herself to follow the Man of God’s instructions. It was Manoah who then sought confirmation and needed to inquire about things that were not his to know. With that said, men, we must, as Christian men, realize that our wives, who were given to us as our helpmates, can be a great help to us in leading our homes. Yes, we are called to lead our homes, but our wives can sometimes have a faith that is stronger than ours. They can be the vessel God uses to encourage us and help us in finding God’s direction for our lives and for our families. Manoah’s wife was an encouragement to him when he panicked, thinking that they were now facing death. We must, as godly husbands, realize that there are areas where our wives are stronger than we are, and be willing to give those areas over to her. Women, this is where it gets tricky. Far too many women have fallen for the devils’ lies that they must step up and take the lead when a husband seems to have lost his way. However, as one who is willing to be subject to, and honor, her husband, a woman can have great influence, for God’s glory, in getting that man back on track. When Manoah’s faith wavered, his wife’s faith help keep them strong. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 puts it this way, “Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. 11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Far too often, we allow our fears to get the best of us. God showed Manoah great grace, yet, his reaction was to fear rather than to have faith. We too often fall into that same trap when we experience challenging times or sometimes even when things are going so well, because we are just waiting for the “other shoe to drop”. However, we must remember what was told to us in Romans 8:31-32, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” Our wives, our wonderful helpmates, can be the ones who remind us of God’s great grace and favor, when we find ourselves in those moments of doubt. Being a weaker vessel does not mean having a weaker faith.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Tuesday, August 7, 2018
Sowing and Reaping
Verse of the day: Judges 13:5, For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.”
I will begin by asking a question, “When was the last time you talked to someone about Jesus?” As I read the statement that God was going to use Samson to “begin to deliver Israel”, it reminded me of the fact that God wants to use all of us, in one fashion or another, in leading unsaved people to Christ. God used Samson only to begin to do a work that God would complete using someone else. The Apostle Paul wrote this in 1 Corinthians 3:5-8, “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.” Quite often, we shy away from witnessing and telling others about the Lord because we are afraid of the possibility of being rejected. However, we do not know simply by looking at someone whether they are hearing about Jesus for the first time, the third time, or if they are ready to make a decision to accept Jesus as their Savior. The only way we will find out is to open our mouths and say something. The Samaritan woman in John 4 turned out to be a great witness for Christ, after her life-changing encounter with Jesus. When the disciples finally returned, they found themselves in the perfect position to reap where they had not sown. Jesus said this to them in John 4:35-38, “Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! 36 And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37 For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.’” Regardless of what stage we find people in, the fact of the matter is when that person finally comes to Christ, all of us who had a part in leading them to Jesus will be rewarded. We are not all chosen to complete a work that the Lord leads us to start or partake in. However, we must always be ready to serve in whatever manner God calls us to and leave the outcome of our labors in His hands. The very worst case scenario is we end up being persecuted for speaking His Name. Well, guess what? If we are willing to take that chance and it happens, Jesus promised that there would be a heavenly reward for us. Matthew 5:11-12 clearly tells us, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” The bottom line is that we must seek every opportunity to tell people about the wonderful, eternal, gift God has for all those who will put their faith in, and call on, Jesus. So I ask again, “When was the last time you told someone about Jesus?” If you have not lately, how long will you wait?
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Monday, August 6, 2018
The Future by Faith
Verse of the day: Judges 13:8, Then Manoah prayed to the LORD, and said, “O my Lord, please let the Man of God whom You sent come to us again and teach us what we shall do for the child who will be born.”
A very interesting interaction takes place between Samson’s father, Manoah, and the Lord. Manoah prayed that the Man of God would return because he had not seen Him when He first appeared to his wife. However, his request was not just for confirmation, but for revelation about Samson’s future. So often, we have this curiosity about the future that causes us to seek that which is not ours to know. I can certainly look back on my life and see where I have been and where God has brought me from. I also know what I had to experience to get here, and as much as I would have wanted to know what was ahead, if God had revealed that to me along with how I would get here, I would have curled up in the fetal position and asked Him to wake me when I got here! It is one thing to want to know God’s will and plan for our lives, it is another to want to know the specific details of how it will come to pass. Why do I say that you ask? If God gave us all the details, we would not truly be living by faith. Hebrews 11:6 reminds us, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Manoah did nothing wrong in asking for confirmation regarding the instructions given to his wife. It is wise for us to always seek confirmation from God, via His Word and prayer, when we are seeking to live in accordance to His will, and serving Him in accordance to His plan for our lives. We can learn one very important principle from the Lord’s response to Manoah in verses 13-14, “So the Angel of the LORD said to Manoah, ‘Of all that I said to the woman let her be careful. 14 She may not eat anything that comes from the vine, nor may she drink wine or similar drink, nor eat anything unclean. All that I commanded her let her observe.’” In other words, just be obedient to what God has already told you to do. This sometimes becomes an obstacle when we are serving the Lord. We pray, read His Word, seek His guidance, and when we hear from Him, we come out of the gate excited and ready to charge the gates of hell with a squirt gun. However, we then realize that serving God includes living everyday life, home, work, church, etc. We soon become anxious and impatient to hear more from God in order to keep the momentum going, when all we have to do is be obedient to what God called us to do in the first place. If He wants to change our direction, He will do so as we obediently walk with Him, being faithful to what He has called us to, even if the luster of the initial call becomes dull. The bottom line is that the future and how things turn out in our service to the Lord belongs to Him. Our part in God’s plan for our lives is to simply be obedient to what He has called us to do, and trust the future and its results to Him. If we stray from that, we waste more time trying to find out details that are not ours to know, when we could be busy serving the Lord and allowing Him to make progress in helping us live out His plan for our lives, for His glory. A life lived for the Lord, both present and future requires that we live it by faith.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)