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Today is Saturday March 28, 2009 and we are continuing our studies on the book of Judges. Please read chapters 12-14 in your Bible or you can Click Here to read them online. If the link does not work you can copy & paste this link into your browser: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges%2012-14&version=9

Today's Message: Fulfilling God's Will
God calls All Christians in some way to fulfill His will, we can not let self desires keep us from doing that.

After Jephthah there were three more judges until the Philistines had control over the Israelites. "And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years." (Judges 13:1).
During that time and man named Samson was born. "And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.........And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him." (13:3,24).

Unlike Jephthah, Samson had a godly mother and father who desired to train him to live a godly life. Samson's mother was deeply concerned that her son be fully dedicated to the Lord. Eventually, Samson ruled as a judge. However, early in his life, he disregarded his holy calling. His first recorded act of unfaithfulness was his friendship with the Philistines, who were enemies of God, he was interested in a Philistine woman. "And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife. Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well. But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel." (14:1-4). It seems that Samson was easily distracted with his own physical desires and satisfactions, instead of fulfilling what the Lord had called him to do.

Even though Samson did do some things for God, he fell short of fulfilling his true calling. His self willed life results in sorrow and suffering not only for himself, but for everyone around him, even for us today. Some of the suffering that we deal with today are a result from our ancestors. All of us have the desire to please ourselves, self pleasure comes in many forms, pride, jealousy, theft, refusing to tithe, sexual sins, hate, avoiding responsibilities, and the use of drugs or alcohol are mere examples of things that we have done to satisfy those desires.

However, the sins we commit have a deep effect on those around us, even if we are doing them only to ourselves. Every day that we continue to knowingly sin, Satan's hold becomes stronger, and our opportunities for deliverance become less likely. Perhaps the greatest deceptive sin of all is that many presume that the mercy and long-suffering of God will continue no matter how much they continue to sin. " Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." (Galatians 6:7-9)

As a Nazarite, Samson was meant to be an example of loyal commitment to God before all Israel. We too are called upon to be separated from the world with a desire to fulfill the Lord's will, but only in the measure in which we allow Christ to guide our lives daily shall we be able to truly fulfill His will. "Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is." (Ephesians 5:14-17).

Today's Psalm: 34:22
"The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate."

Have a wonderful and blessed night/day and weekend.
God Bless,
Christina

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