The Life of Samson

Judges 14:1-3

14 Now Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines. 2 So he went up and told his father and mother, saying, “I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines; now therefore, get her for me as a wife.” 
3 Then his father and mother said to him, “Is there no woman among the daughters of your brethren, or among all my people, that you must go and get a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” 
And Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she pleases me well.”

As you can see, Samson was a man, born by a miracle - under the same oath as Jesus the Christ, poised to save Israel from the Philistine rule. As you may know, 'Philistine' means (Self - Wallowing)...the greatest enemy Israel ever dealt with, was an enemy of Self...they were under their bondage for 40 years in the Book of Judges, the longest of all bondages.

Samson was sent to save them, instead, he found himself indulging in his flesh, every opportunity he had! We read on that he entangled himself with the very people he was born to destroy! This unholy alliance with the enemy, became his own undoing...Samson's life in many ways symbolized the demise of the Church world today!! Everyone wants to hold hands and join under some false agreement, when in reality - there is no harmony between light and darkness!

So how did Samson, (The Church) fall? Quite simply, he fell for the lies entangled in his own lusts! We know the Philistine women were his downfall as he surrendered the secret of his strength, (Later found in Judges 16); Listen, the hair on his head was the physical equivalent to the Holy Spirit found in the house of God...as the hair was merely an exterior symbol, so is speaking in tongues an exterior symbol of what's really going on inside the soul and spirit of a born - again Christian.

If your flesh can 'Shave' this off of you - you will shake yourself free, not realizing that the Spirit of the Lord has departed from you! Well, it's hard to notice that the Spirit has departed when you don't even recognize He was there in the first place. This is so true on more than one level...Church Level, and Individual Level to speak of. I believe that Samson's life serves as a warning! His battle with self - indulgence became his own undoing, and the same is true with us.

The good news is: HE DID FINALLY DELIVER ISRAEL!!  But it cost him his life!  He uttered the most powerful words in his ministry > Judges 16: 30, '...let me die with the Philistines...'

The moment we die to SELF, we've won!! He destroyed more Philistines in his death, than in his living among them! It's hard to kill who you were in bed with the night before! We as believers must learn to die to self, and allow the power of God to bring deliverance, not only to ourselves, but to God's people.

If I Were the Devil

Dan. 7: 25 - 'He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time.

If I were the prince of darkness I’d want to engulf the whole world in darkness, and I’d have a third of its real estate and four fifths of its population. But I wouldn’t be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree: you.

So I’d set about however necessary, to take over the United States. I’d subvert the churches first. 
I’d begin with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve, “Do as you please.” To the young I would whisper that the Bible is a myth. 
I would convince them that man created God, instead of the other way around. I would confide that what’s bad is good, and what’s good is square. And the old I would teach to pray after me, “our father which art in Washington...”

And then I’d get organized: I’d educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting so that anything else would appear dull and uninteresting. I’d threaten TV with dirtier movies, and visa versa. I’d peddle narcotics to whom I could. I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. I’d tranquilize the rest with pills.

If I were the devil I’d soon have families at war with themselves; churches at war with themselves; and nations at war with themselves; until each in its turn was consumed. And with promises of higher ratings, I’d have mesmerizing media fanning the flames. If I were the devil I would encourage schools to refine young intellect, but neglect to discipline emotions; just let those run wild, until before you knew it you’d have to have drug-sniffing dogs and metal detectors at every schoolhouse door.

Within a decade I’d have prisons overflowing; I’d have judges promoting pornography. Soon I could evict God from the courthouse, then from the schoolhouse, and then from the houses of Congress. And in His own churches I would substitute psychology for religion and deify science. I would lure priests and pastors into misusing boys and girls—and church money.

If I were the devil I’d make the symbol of Easter an egg, and the symbol of Christmas a bottle.
If I were the devil I’d take from those who have, and give to those who want it, until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious. And what’ll you bet I couldn’t get whole states to promote gambling as the way to get rich. I would caution against extremes, and hard work, and patriotism, and moral conduct. I would convince the young that marriage is old fashioned—that swinging is more fun. That what you see on TV is the way to be. And thus I could undress you in public, and I could lure you into bed with diseases for which there is no cure.

In other words, if I were the devil 

I would just keep on doing what he is doing.

To Be or Not to Be Free

John 5: 43 - '...I have come in My Father's name, yet you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you shall receive...'

This sums it up pretty nicely:

This was a response from an article in Houston where the Mayor is filing subpoenas for pastors to turn over their sermons that may contain anti-homosexual / anti-lesbian material

To whom it may concern:

Hello, I'm an American. As an American citizen, I have the right to live out my dreams, express and uphold my convictions and beliefs. As an American, I also applaud others who share the same rights as I have - even if their convictions and/or beliefs contradict mine.

More to the point, we have in this great country a community of homosexuals and lesbians. We also have another community of transsexuals and trans-genders...all of which are currently living out their dreams, expressing their convictions and beliefs > what a marvelous country we live in, where we are able to do this!

Unfortunately, we have a disturbance in these communities. There are those who believe that it is their right to restrict other expressions of freedom in order to exalt their own. This line of thinking is not only anti - American, it's Communism at its finest...

Is this the country men and women died and fought for? We bled, so that people could have the right to express themselves, WITHOUT the restrictions of others because it may contradict others who oppose it.  For example, an atheist should have the right to express their opinion about different faiths unrestricted; a Christian should have the right to express their opinion without being restricted by others who oppose...lesbians should have the right to express their beliefs without interference...yet, we live in a society today where this is happening.

I want America to be a place where all walks of life can walk without being restricted to do so. From the church house to the white house. If I do not agree with the lifestyle of a lesbian, homosexual, atheist, Christian, Buddhist, etc...I SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO SO.

I do not hate Christians if I disagree with their beliefs, I do not hate homosexuals if I disagree with their beliefs, I'm simply exercising my right to express my disagreements, my opinions, and my beliefs...that's what makes us Americans...that is what makes us FREE.

Do not take that away from us...let America remain American!

Mental Ambush

Phil. 4: 2-9, 'I implore Euodia and I implore Syntche to be of the same mind in the Lord. And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life. Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally brothers, whatever things are pure, just, noble, lovely, of a good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.'

This is probably the most quoted scripture that is often disobeyed. The book of Philippians is filled with spiritual content concerning the MIND. We now, live in a day and age where the mind is literally under assault. The devil through the generations of men have always sought to take us out physically - time and time again, he would establish a kingdom, and time and time again, it would fail. This latest kingdom however, is a mental ambush. 

If we are simply fed a pack of lies and half - truths concerning life, God, and one another - we'll adopt a 'mentality' that will negatively affect our thought life outside of God's will. The book of Daniel and Revelation warned us that this would happen; yet there are still believers out in the world who simply follow blindly, not realizing they are being sucked into the devil's web of lies.

Our thought life has to change! The way we process life must flow the filter of God's word, not the latest television program; however, this is how we, and our children are being conditioned and shaped. What terrified and horrified our parents and grandparents is accepted today like nothing is wrong...abortion, sexual immorality, rebellion, anxiety, depression, alcoholism, etc...these things are considered normal. Somewhere, our brains got turned off, and the devil has poured out lies unending...the Word asks, 'Who's report do you believe?' Well, which one? Do you believe what the media is telling you, or are you willing to discipline yourself with God's word?

Phil. 2: 5 - 'Let this mind be in you, that is also in Christ Jesus...'

Here's a quote from the book, 'Switch on Your Brain'...‘You are a thinking being. You think all day long, and at night you sleep, and you sort out your thinking. As you think you choose, and as you choose you cause genetic expression to happen in your brain. This means you make proteins and these proteins form your thoughts; thoughts are real physical things that occupy mental real estate – moment by moment every day you are changing the structure of your brain, through your thinking and through your choosing.’

How do you live your life?

Can God deposit His life into your mind? Or is it preoccupied with what you've ingested from the world?

Finish The Job

1 Kings 20:29-32

29 And they encamped opposite each other for seven days. So it was that on the seventh day the battle was joined; and the children of Israel killed one hundred thousand foot soldiers of the Syrians in one day. 30 But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; then a wall fell on twenty-seven thousand of the men who were left.

And Ben-Hadad fled and went into the city, into an inner chamber.

31 Then his servants said to him, “Look now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Please, let us put sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads, and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he will spare your life.” 32 So they wore sackcloth around their waists and put ropes around their heads, and came to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-Hadad says, ‘Please let me live.’”

And he said, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”

The Syrians were defeated, but King Ahab made the mistake of cutting a covenant with the defeated King. This allowed the Syrians to hang around a little longer and eventually become an irritant to Israel...this is not the first or last close call Syria has had with Israel...

2 Kings 13:14-19

14 Elisha had become sick with the illness of which he would die. Then Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept over his face, and said, “O my father, my father, the chariots of Israel and their horsemen!”

15 And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and some arrows.” So he took himself a bow and some arrows. 16 Then he said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” So he put his hand on it, and Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands. 17 And he said, “Open the east window”; and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot”; and he shot. And he said, “The arrow of the Lord’s deliverance and the arrow of deliverance from Syria; for you must strike the Syrians at Aphek till you have destroyed them.” 18 Then he said, “Take the arrows”; so he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground”; so he struck three times, and stopped. 19 And the man of God was angry with him, and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck Syria till you had destroyed it! But now you will strike Syria only three times.”

We see history repeat itself, of a sort...King Joash was to strike the ground more than 3 times in order to see the utter defeat of Syria, however - he did just enough; and it wasn't enough to prevail. You know, I know a lot of Christians just like that...they allow their enemy(s) hang around, and / or they never deal w/the issues at hand.  However, it will come back on you if you're not careful.

I brought up Syria because of one critical point of fact; Syria is the harboring place for ISIS. I can't help but wonder if we would have had peace in this area, had not Syria been dealt with generations before.

As you can see, your decision to allow the enemy live, will eventually come back to haunt you! I'm telling you just as Elisha told him - 'You must shoot, so that the others will know who you are.'

It's amazing to note, that his impromptu handshake and your sudden appearance as Father. The Syrian Commander will never be the same after that
encounter.

The Trouble with Carnality

Romans 8:6-8
6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

This is perhaps one of the most telling scriptures about the human heart I can think of. This deals w/the issue of carnality, but I don’t believe people really understand where Paul is coming from. He’s speaking of more than what you do, he’s speaking of what’s inside your soul…
Defn. Carnal / Carnality > not spiritual; merely human; temporal; worldly

This is quite interesting because it gives the exact opposite of what it means to be spiritually sound.
Let’s break this thing down:
First off, it says to be carnally minded is death…it DOESN’T say, to do Carnal things…it’s speaking of a mindset…this is something woven into the fibers of your heart.
Now, notice it says the end result is death > now, what else in the Word guarantees death? SIN
Eze. 18: 20 – ‘…the soul that sins shall surely die…’
So we can establish that because we were born into sin, without the rapture, we’re going to die…it may not be tonight or tomorrow, but it will come, and it will come soon.  The same is true for those who walk in carnality.
Where this becomes deceiving is – DEATH ISN’T IMMEDIATELY…yet it is CERTAIN.
Secondly, it reveals the fact Carnality isn’t subject to God’s laws, and Never will be! In other words, you cannot come under the protection of God’s laws with Carnality, sooner or later, it’ll disqualify you.

Example:

Matt. 22: 11 - 11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment.
You see, the King spotted this man…it was over after that! It wasn’t what the man was doing, or saying that disqualified him; it was the fact that he was NOT PROTECTED by the laws of God…no garment, NO INVITATION.
Side note* - God’s laws are not only established to govern your life, they are also there to protect you!

Finally, the most telling is: you cannot please God with a mindset of carnality…so no matter what you do – no matter how holy your intentions are…Carnality keeps you at arms distance from God! Your mind tells you one thing, God’s laws say another…let me explain.
Look at the Life of King Saul…
He had humble beginnings, but his pride became his own undoing.
1 Samuel 18:9 - 9 So Saul eyed David from that day forward.
His carnal mindset took him down a deadly path:
- He pridefully prepares a sacrifice w/o pastoral supervision…where’s the harm in that?
- He takes spoil from Amalek to give to God…who would argue?
- He chases and accuses his own man…threatens the life of his son…
- He consults a witch…ultimately took his own life
Throughout this man’s life, the decisions he made were totally justified in his own mind!
So are yours. You justify why you watch what you watch on TV, you justify why you talk the way you do; you justify how you treat others, etc…why? You have a carnal mindset and no matter what is told to you – because you don’t see it that way, you won’t change…the problem is, having this mindset will NEVER allow you to be pleasing to God!
- When you wonder why you lack wisdom and revelation in spiritual decisions: carnal
- You question why you’re constantly attacked by the devil: carnal
- You question your frustrations in ministry, or the lack thereof: carnal
2 Corinthians 13:5
5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.
Here’s the problem…most of us will never HONESTLY examine ourselves, we usually compare ourselves to others

Who Needs a Hero?

John 5:41-44

41 “I do not receive honor from men. 42 But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. 43 I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. 44 How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?

Our mayor Annise Parker, signed into law the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance...also knowns as HERO...this law protects trans-genders and gay people in social areas.

What have we become when we begin to chant loudly for the perverted in our communities, applauding them as 'Heroes?' There is something terribly wrong with this.

Rom. 1: 32 - '...knowing that those who continue this folly are not only worthy of death, but approve of others who practice their deeds...'

My friend, it's not about equal rights, it's about a forced agenda...the media at large is forcing you and I to identify with or against the homosexual agenda...what would you do had I not written this article in the first place?

It's time for the church to rise up and stand on the Word of God against the wickedness of this generation! If we are not careful, we'll provide protection from sexual predators on children. God deliver us from defending perversion and calling it being a HERO??!??

No Big Deal

Psalm 106:34-39
They did not destroy the peoples, concerning whom the Lord had commanded them, but they mingled with the Gentiles and learned their works; They served their idols, which became a snare to them. They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons, and shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; And the land was polluted with blood. Thus they were defiled by their own works, and played the harlot by their own deeds.

This scripture is very frightening when you consider what is happening in our country today...especially for Christians. I'm speaking of the dangers found in the media through television and the internet. I know that this can be a very touchy subject, but I believe with all my heart, there are people (Believers especially), who are trapped and bound by the Power of the Image.

Statistics show that an American Child will consume 4 hours of television per day; and another 3 hours surfing the internet! This is 7 hours a day average...in an average lifespan, (70-80 years), more than 15% of that person's life is spent watching someone else!!  Now don't get me wrong, I'm NOT against entertainment, but what I am against is time wasting, indoctrination, and satanic intoxication.

Think with me for a moment, there are people in our churches today that can quote lines from a movie better than the Word of God! There are others who know actors and actresses, but have no knowledge of biblical figures and heroes...there's something wrong with this!  But the scream today is, 'What's the big deal?!' T.V. is harmless, etc...if this is true then, why do our children act the way they act - dress the way they dress, and mimic everything they see! Have you also noticed that we emulate only that which appeals to our flesh!

For example: The Cosby Show - the hope was to portray a successful Black family solving familiar family issues and prevailing...only 2% of the American Population came close to this! However, the television shows following, (Simpson's, Family Guy, Love and Marriage just to name a few), are being quoted, mimicked, and worshiped...why? We can identify with it, that's why!!

In the Book of Daniel we read that the King erected a 90 foot statue made of gold and people were commanded to bow down to it...this is no different than today - the 90 foot statue is homosexuality, violence, and sexual promiscuity...people are responding to the 'music' and bowing down to worship...Church, it's high time for us to rise up, stand for what's right, and get our minds back from the devil and his influences!

Under Pressure

Ps. 139: 1-3, 7-8 'O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thoughts afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.
Where can I go from Your spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.'

You never really know what's deep down inside your soul until you're under pressure...we read here that David is running from King Saul and can feel the pressures of alluding him while still trying to maintain a testimony...David eventually broke free and was strengthened in God along the way.

Where do you go when you're under pressure? Do you run back to the world? It may not be sin necessarily, but simply things that hold a secular value and offer nothing spiritual.  I'm amazed at how many Christians (Ministers in particular), spend SO much time watching Television!!  Granted, TV isn't what it used to be, but with NetFlix, You Tube, and etc...there are literally hundreds of programs you can give yourself to - many will run to this when under pressure. Why don't you run to Jesus in these times? He will offer sanity and clarity...our flesh drives us to entertainment in times of pressure > You're not improving by doing this...you'll get worse. If you're not careful, the very things that you judged in the early stages of your faith, you'll end up consulting them later on under pressure.

King Saul went to the witch of End

or...the very people he drove out before the Lord; now, he must consult her because he can no longer hear from God! We all understand how foolish and tragic that was, but that was only the beginning...the bible says that he took his own life by falling on his sword!  Let me ask you: Have you fallen on your sword? Is it possible to kill yourself with your OWN bible?

In other words, the accommodating theologies and misconceptions you've fallen prey to, have the ability to destroy your life because you begin to trust in that rather than Jesus Himself.

Jesus told us to cast our cares upon Him, for He cares for us.  Are you willing to do this? Do you honestly think you handle this on your own? Time will tell.

Will They Out Cry Us?

Luke 16: 24-31

24 “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. 26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’

27 “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ 29 Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’”

Jesus opens a window into the supernatural and gives us a glimpse of hell's reality. Quite interesting to behold...

First of all - hell is a place of torment and regret, Secondly, the occupants of hell have all 5 of their senses in tact! The Rich Man could See, Hear, Taste, Smell, and Touch. Thirdly, probably one of the most tormenting things of all is...HE COULD SEE HEAVEN FROM WHERE HE WAS...but he couldn't enter in!

Finally, one of the most powerful truths Jesus lets us in on is, the scripture explains that there is an uncrossable gulf between heaven and hell...this would lend to the probability that there is a great and perilous distance between the two, yet, the Rich Man and Abraham could maintain and carry on a conversation as though they were next to each other!!  They would probably miles away but because of the dynamics working in eternity...they speak as though they are face to face!!

Having understood these truths, I would like to raise an issue with you...in our text, the first thing the Rich man wanted to happen was that an immediate need of his be taken care of, (Just like when he was on earth, he got what he wanted); once this was denied, he did the unthinkable...HE CARED ABOUT HIS LOST 5 BROTHERS!!  It's clear that the scripture shows his concern about his lost brothers...I immediately began to ponder...'Does this Damned - to - Hell soul care about the lost more than I do?

Now, granted, he had to go to hell to probably realize this truth, but is it still possible? Looking at this story does make me wonder something...

Is it possible that a friend or family member has died and gone to hell while we yet live, and they cried out to Abraham that he would send someone to us...and here we are??  Makes you think huh?  Could we be saved today because of the request made by one of our friends or family members that have been condemned to hell already?  Do they have more passion for my soul than I did for theirs?  Something to chew on.