All Things

We often talk about Sampson’s demise.  How he was seduced by Delilah and subsequently lost his strength, his natural sight, and his life.  But there is so much more to his story.

In Judges 14:1-9 we learn that Sampson wanted to marry a Philistinian woman.  There is nothing wrong with wanting to be married; however, the Philistines represented everything that was in direct opposition of God and His commandments.  To desire to be “with them” meant a flat out rejection of God and His ways and desires for your life.  Sampson’s parents tried to dis sway the lad, but he was drawn away by the pride of life and the lust of his eyes.

There are two verbs in vs. three used.  The one for please and the Hebrew word is Yashar.  It literally means “to straight”.  The other verb used is well and the Hebrew word for it is Aiyn.  It literally means “to afflict”.  Do you find it ironic that Sampson being drawn away from God by the lust of his eyes and the pride of life, literally set his course to be straightened by affliction that God would allow?

A very familiar passage of scripture that we quote is, “All things work together for the good of those who love Him, and are called according to His purpose.”  (Romans 8:28) You see God does not stop us in that He allows us free will, for we can only prove our love to Him by choosing HIM.  But isn’t it comforting to know that even in our bad choices, that He already knows we will make, He has already mapped out a road that through our affliction of that choice, we will be made straight and upright in Him!

Today I challenge you to let go of the past mistakes you have made.  Look back and see God’s hand at work in your life and over that situation.  Truly seek Him, and Him only, and He will begin to reveal to you how every step was ordered in your life to bring you to an expected end.  Now I know why David wrote, “It was good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statues.” (Psalm 119:71)

Looking back I am glad that You afflicted me, Lord, for had you not; I would never know love like this!

He is standing there waiting on you to come to Him.  He will give you rest.  He will heal your soul.  His yoke is easy, His burden light! And YOU are the object of His affection!

I Use to be an Empty Cup

For so many years I was like an empty cup.  Imagine a glass cup on a table that appears to have nothing in it.  You would say that cup was empty.  But actually even that cup is full.  It is full of the air that surrounds it.  In like manner I, being empty, was full of the things that surrounded me.  Whether it was alcohol, sex, love of money, or any host of what I chased after, that cup was filled with those things.  For what surrounds you, is what fills you, just like that empty cup on the table.  Oh yeah, I was a Christian, had been saved, but I was filling my temple with things of the world and not with the things of God.

Then last year, as I began to surround myself with the Word of God, Christ started to pour into me His Living Water.  As I began to read the Bible more, to study His ways and pray to the One Living God, spending my time surrounding myself with Him, and discarding those things that use to fill me up, I began to get filled on the inside.  People could not see inside the glass and would tell me that I was still lost, or that they thought I was not real or worse yet that the God who was filling me was not real.  But I knew different because I could drink from my cup and I could taste and see that the LORD was good!

As He continued to pour into me His Spirit, my cup continued to fill.  The more He poured, the more I continued to surround myself with Him.  Soon my cup started to run over!  People started to notice and say, “Hey, there is really something different about you!”  As He filled me with His Spirit and His Love, and it overflowed out of my cup, it began to run onto others and spill into their empty cup.  Now they are being filled and they can taste and see that the LORD is good!

Now I get it LORD.  I understand why David said, “My cup runneth over.” (Psalm 23:5)  Now I understand why You said, “I will pour out my Spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.” (Proverbs 1:23)  And now we enter the days when You, O LORD, prophesied and said, “I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.” (Acts 2:17)

The filling of my empty cup was not only for me, but for my family and for those whom He sends unto me.  The LORD wants to fill your emptiness, won’t you come and Taste and see how good the Living Water of the LORD is today?  For He is good and His mercy endures FOREVER!

SEVEN SUICIDAL SINS #7 MURDER

Scripture Refernces 1 Samuel 15-16

Rather than submit, Saul goes on a murdering rampage and starts killing everybody to cover up his own rebellious attitude.  A murdering Spirit does not necessarily mean you have to pick up a knife.  Some people can kill you with their tongue.  According to the book of James people can kill you with their tongues.  Just because you can’t get the position, you say something to try and get the other person removed from the position, not realizing that tearing him down does not put you into the position.  That’s a murdering spirit.  Saying things like, “She’s no good for him anyway.  Watch and see how she falls.”  That’s a murdering spirit.  A few more murdering spirits: gossiping and lying.

On the other side, why is Saul more comfortable with killing someone who had helped him, than killing Agag, who has tried to destroy him?  Isn’t it funny how people will treat better their enemies, than the ones who have helped them?

Also look at Cain, who would not kill a lamb, but thought nothing of killing his brother Abel.  He didn’t have the guts to kill a lamb but then had the nerve to get in God’s face and say, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

Samuel has to pull Agag out and hacks him to pieces for Saul would not.  The lesson here is to never let anyone else kill your devil.  If it’s your devil you do the killing. Don’t look for anybody to kill your devil. For anything you don’t kill, it will kill you.

Saul did not die on his sword.  He committed a slow suicide by progressing through these seven suicidal sins.  Ask yourself, “Which ones do I do, or am doing?” Are we on the road to suicide?

SEVEN SUICIDAL SINS #6 EGOTISM

EGO: where image is everything.  When Saul could not repent, and had lost the kingdom, or basically admit that it was over, and that he had messed up, he says, I know I have lost the kingdom but for the sake of the people walk out here with me and let’s fake like we are worshiping the LORD.  Let me just act like I am right with God.  I am just going to go to church and go through the motions even though I am not serious about God.

Saul did not want the people to worship God; he wanted the people to worship him. How could Saul be king for 20 years and not use his power to go after the Ark of the Covenant?  Instead of desiring the presence of God, Saul was only interested in the position. Saul wanted the position, without the presence of God. 

Saul’s ego killed him!  God never said because of what he did that he had to die.  He only had to lose his position.  But because his ego was more important than anything, it led to his death and the death of his sons too.  All of his sons and grandsons, except for Mephibosheth, died. Egotistical, self-enthroned men are murderers.  Women, be careful of being led by a mad-man.  Woe be to the woman whose man will not submit to God, especially when he has erred.  The Bible teaches us to submit our entire being to God’s commandments.  Men, an egotistical woman is the most dangerous thing a man can have for the bible says a woman is to be a help meet.  Woe be unto the man whose help meet is trying to kill him, or so bent on competing with him, instead of complimenting him. 

Saul didn’t have to die.  It wasn’t his sword that killed him.  He died on his egotistical attitude. He died because looking good to people was more important to him than looking good to God.  And when it is  more important to look good to people rather than God, you will begin to commit, MURDER. 

SEVEN SUICIDAL SINS #5 REPENTANCE

The reason the Word of the LORD comes to anybody is to give them a chance to repent.  God gives us space to repent, but because we will not repent, that’s why He brings judgment. 

In the Book of Revelation when God is talking about “Jezebel”, and how the people are deceived by her and lead away from the Word of God and His commandments, God’s charge against her is not that she went against God, but that she would NOT REPENT! (Rev. 2:21 “And I gave her space to repent of her fornication and she repented not.”)  It is not that we committed sin, but that we don’t repent that God judges us.

We can no longer think or believe or teach that God hates whatever we don’t do but only what others do.  God hates sin.  Not just little sin or big sin, but ALL SIN!  He sends His Word to give us space to repent.  And He hates when He speaks to us and we will not repent.

Repentance is a gift from God.  You can’t just do it whenever you want to.  It is a grace from God that He gives us. We must come out of the sin when God gives us the gift.  If you ignore the gift long enough, you will get to where you cannot feel it anymore.  Your conscience will come so seared with a hot iron that nothing will cause you to feel uncomfortable or guilty about what you have done or are doing and you know it goes against the will of God.  You will continue in your own way because nothing bothers you anymore.  Still dancing, shouting and praying, and nothing will upset you anymore because God has stopped asking, because you have said “NO” so many times.  Thank you, LORD, that you can STILL disturb me!  Thank You, LORD, that You can still trouble me!  I never want to get so big that I can’t humble myself and say I am sorry.  Hard-headed people will lose all they have because they are too stubborn to change.  Stubbornness will lead to Egotism.

SEVEN SUICIDIAL SINS #4 DENIAL

Reference verse 1 Samuel 15:20-21

When Samuel comes to Saul and Saul says, “I have obeyed the LORD…” and Samuel says, “Thus says the LORD, what means this bleating of the sheep?”  Even though Saul has not obeyed and Samuel points out that the LORD knows better and that he is caught disobeying, red-handed, instead of Saul repenting he begins to blame the people for his misfortune.  Saul says, “Yes, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me…But the people took of the spoil…”  He is trying to blame others for his disobedience.

Saul didn’t understand that he lost the kingdom not because he did wrong, but because he chose to blame other people for his disobedience and refusal to repent.  How many times do we blame others for the mess we are in and miss our last chance for a moment of grace because we refuse to humble ourselves before the LORD and repent, turn from our ways and obey HIS Word?

The reason we go to church and don’t get any better is because when we hear the Word of the LORD, and the Holy Spirit comes to convict us, before conviction can deliver us, we blame someone else for our condition and situation.  We say we are like that because “My spouse made me act like that…. I’m like that because of….”  The truth of the matter is we are like that because our hearts are deceitful and wicked and we need to throw ourselves down before the LORD and say, “LORD I am sorry!”

We are in charge of ourselves and when we you are in charge that means the buck stops with US!  We must come to the point where we stop blaming others in denial of our actions and self-willed indulgences, and take responsibility before the LORD.  We must humble ourselves to say, “I’m sorry, I made a mistake!” 

I challenge us today to go through our lives and examine things and see where we are casting the blame onto other people for our mistakes and stop it TODAY! Assume responsibility today before we lose our kingdom.  Our denial will defeat us.  We will not walk away clean and we commit suicide every time we won’t take responsibility for our own mistakes.  And the only reason the Word comes is to give us a chance to REPENT.

Seven Suicidal Sins #3 REBELLION

Previously we looked at Arrogance, the thinking of a “we deserve it” attitude towards God that sneaks in on us after Pride has fully manifested itself in our lives.  When we come to the point of thinking we “deserve” anything from God or anyone else, it makes our heart to openly and purposely go against God.  Some call this “self-will”, “I can do what I want”.  Planning, knowingly and purposely to go against God can be self-suicide. 

When we set out knowing that what we are about to do is in direct violation of God’s law’s and statues, and breaks the covenant He has made with us, (To walk before Him and be mature, Genesis17:1, so He may bless us with life here and also in heaven), we purposely cut off our connection with the One who supplies all of our needs, according to His riches in glory.  The Bible says that “rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft” 1 Samuel 15:23.  What is the “sin of witchcraft?  The word sin in the Hebrew is “chattah” which means habitual offense.  Something done over and over again!

Witchcraft is simply manipulation: one person trying to devise a way against all odds over another person.  Trying to make somebody love you or make somebody to be with you, who is going another direction, working against what God has purposed for their life, that practice is witchcraft and in direct rebellion against God.  If you are trying to get your children to do what you want them to do, instead of training them to hear the voice of God, and go the way God wants them to go, you might mean well but you are practicing witchcraft and in direct rebellion against God.  If you are trying to make somebody accept you, instead of just letting them accept you for who you are and the way you are, you are practicing witchcraft and in direct rebellion against God.  We must come to the point where we want nothing but what God has purposed for our lives and full rest and trust on Him to give us all that we need. 

Now be careful when reading this and examine closely your actions as I am also doing for at this point comes DENIAL!