Monday, February 17 – “Again the Israelites did evil in the yes of the Lord, so the Lord delivered them into the hands of the Philistines for forty years.” (Judges 13:1) God raised up Israel in order to be an example for all of us. Afterall, us humans learn best through experience. So, Israel’s experience is to be a lesson for us all. And what was Israel’s lesson? Well, we can sum up Israel’s history like this: Blessed by God, sin, bondage, repentance, deliverance. Blessed by God…Wash rinse and repeat. Israel’s history is our history.
Tuesday, February 18 – “Samson went down to Timnah and saw there a young Philistine woman.” (Judges 14:1) Samson fell in love at first sight. There’s a fine line between love and lust. The former comes out of a deep personal connection between two people that fosters a healthy relationship. The latter is born out of physical attraction that burns like a raging forest fire, for a short time. Samson was letting his passions lead him, which would be a bad decision. God can and will work through your bad decisions. But at what personal cost?
Wednesday, February 19 –"Samson said to them, ‘Since you’ve acted like this, I swear that that I won’t stop until I get my revenge on you.’” (Judges 15:7) Samson’s rage and desire for revenge wins the day. Here’s the truth: Getting personal revenge puts you in the place of God. And that isn’t a place that you want to put yourself. For your life will become all about you and what you can get and what you can do and who you can conquer. Learn from Samson and leave the revenge up to God.
Thursday, February 20 – “So Delilah said to Samson, ‘Tell me the secret of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued.’” (Judges 16:6) Okay, you’ve been given great strength by God, so that you can lead your people out of bondage to the Philistines. Your Philistine girlfriend, all of a sudden, wants to know the source of your strength and how you can be subdued. Red flag! Yet, Samson’s desire for love would betray him. Delilah would cut his hair and turn him in, in order to get rich.
Friday, February 21 – "Then she called, ‘Samson, the Philistines are upon you!’ He awoke from his sleep and thought, ‘I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.’ But he did not realize that the Lord had left him.” (Judges 16:20) The only way the Lord will leave any of us, is if we stop believing the Lord is with us. Samson believed his strength came from his hair. So, when his hair was cut off, he believed that his strength was gone. Samson proves this very vital point: You are what you believe.
Saturday, February 22 – “Then Samson prayed to the Lord, ‘Sovereign Lord, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.’” (Judges 16:28) This is a bittersweet death. Samson is broken, blind and imprisoned. But he finally realizes the source of his strength. It wasn’t his hair, it was God. Samson’s purpose was to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines. He won’t accomplish that. But with one last sacrificial act, Samson will bring Israel closer to freedom.
Tuesday, February 18 – “Samson went down to Timnah and saw there a young Philistine woman.” (Judges 14:1) Samson fell in love at first sight. There’s a fine line between love and lust. The former comes out of a deep personal connection between two people that fosters a healthy relationship. The latter is born out of physical attraction that burns like a raging forest fire, for a short time. Samson was letting his passions lead him, which would be a bad decision. God can and will work through your bad decisions. But at what personal cost?
Wednesday, February 19 –"Samson said to them, ‘Since you’ve acted like this, I swear that that I won’t stop until I get my revenge on you.’” (Judges 15:7) Samson’s rage and desire for revenge wins the day. Here’s the truth: Getting personal revenge puts you in the place of God. And that isn’t a place that you want to put yourself. For your life will become all about you and what you can get and what you can do and who you can conquer. Learn from Samson and leave the revenge up to God.
Thursday, February 20 – “So Delilah said to Samson, ‘Tell me the secret of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued.’” (Judges 16:6) Okay, you’ve been given great strength by God, so that you can lead your people out of bondage to the Philistines. Your Philistine girlfriend, all of a sudden, wants to know the source of your strength and how you can be subdued. Red flag! Yet, Samson’s desire for love would betray him. Delilah would cut his hair and turn him in, in order to get rich.
Friday, February 21 – "Then she called, ‘Samson, the Philistines are upon you!’ He awoke from his sleep and thought, ‘I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.’ But he did not realize that the Lord had left him.” (Judges 16:20) The only way the Lord will leave any of us, is if we stop believing the Lord is with us. Samson believed his strength came from his hair. So, when his hair was cut off, he believed that his strength was gone. Samson proves this very vital point: You are what you believe.
Saturday, February 22 – “Then Samson prayed to the Lord, ‘Sovereign Lord, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.’” (Judges 16:28) This is a bittersweet death. Samson is broken, blind and imprisoned. But he finally realizes the source of his strength. It wasn’t his hair, it was God. Samson’s purpose was to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines. He won’t accomplish that. But with one last sacrificial act, Samson will bring Israel closer to freedom.
You try to eat right. You drink plenty of water. you exercise. don't forget your spirit - feed it!
daily devotions
