HAVE YOU ATTEMPTED TO MOVE WITHOUT GOD? Samson took God’s presence and power for granted, but when Delilah shaved off his seven locks, the power of the LORD left him. Samson didn’t even notice, until it was too late. We shouldn’t wonder at Samson’s shortcomings. We can be just like him. When we step
JESUS NEVER DISAPPOINTS As one preacher described it, Samson was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. As chapter thirteen concludes, we have great hope in Samson’s future. Announced by an angel, the only child of faithful and doting parents, and blessed by God, the writer of the Book of Judges has more to
THE WORD THAT WALKED John began his gospel as Moses began the Torah, with the words, “In the beginning…” This signaled the lofty aspect of John’s gospel that clearly proclaimed Jesus as God’s Son. Using the Greek λόγος (logos – word), John proclaimed Jesus as not only equal to God in every way (essence, preexistence,
DOES GOD GET WEARY? When the Israelites finally “got rid” of their idolatry, so that their deeds matched their words of repentance, God was moved to answer their cry. The description of the Lord’s response to Israel’s true repentance is revealing. For it described Him as being “weary of Israel’s misery.” What does this
LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION Gideon, the hesitant judge, would not be coaxed into being king. He recognized that it was the Lord, and not the people, who had called him to be a judge and lead Israel against the Midianites. Therefore, he did not recognize the people’s authority to name him king and rightly
WHICH SIDE OF THE CROSS ARE YOU ON? In the gospel of Luke, it is recorded that Jesus was crucified between two criminals, one on either side. In the crowd watching the crucifixion were certain Jewish leaders who sneered at Jesus saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ.” The
BE CAREFUL ABOUT ASKING GOD FOR A SIGN Gideon’s fleece test –– Was it narrative or normative? I believe it must be considered narrative, a true story described, yet not prescribed. It is not to be taken as normative, meaning that it does not teach a norm, or a timeless method, on how to discover
LEARNING TO FOLLOW CHRIST’S HABIT OF PRAYER On the night that Jesus would be betrayed, He went out “as usual” to the Mount of Olives to pray. On this unusual evening, Jesus followed His usual habit: He prayed on the mountain. And His disciples followed Him. Yet, rather than praying, they slept. For they were
WHEN THE LORD REPEATS YOUR NAME The Lord addressed him as, “Simon, Simon,” not as “Peter,” for he wouldn’t live up to his new God-given name, which meant “the rock,” until after Christ’s resurrection. Simon Peter tried, but in his flesh he had no power to live up to the new name Jesus had given
DON’T WASTE YOUR LIFE! Have you ever heard of the “Urgent-Important Matrix?” It is a time management system made popular by Stephen Covey’s book, “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.” The matrix teaches that every task can be placed in one of four possible quadrants: Q1) Urgent and important, Q2) Important, not urgent, Q3)