Author: dgould77

“Then Samson prayed to the LORD, ‘Sovereign LORD, remember me again. O God, please strengthen me just one more time. With one blow let me pay back the Philistines for the loss of my two eyes.’”v.28
In spite of Samson’s past, God still answered his prayer and destroyed the pagan temple and worshipers. God still loved him. He was willing to hear Samson’s prayer of confession and repentance and use him this final time. One of the effects of sin in our lives is to keep us from feeling like praying. But perfect moral behavior is not a condition for prayer. Don’t let guilt feelings over sin keep you from your only means or restoration. No matter how long you have been away from God, he is ready to hear from you and restore you to a right relationship. Every situation can be salvaged if you are willing to turn again to him. If God could still work in Samson’s situation, he can certainly make something worthwhile out of yours.

Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible

Then Delilah pouted, ‘How can you tell me, ‘I love you,’ when you don’t share your secrets with me? You’ve made fun of me three times now, and you still haven’t told me what makes you so strong!’ She tormented him with her nagging day after day until he was sick to death of it.” v.15-16
Samson was deceived because he wanted to believe Delilah’s lies. Although he could strangle a lion, he could not smother his lust and see Delilah for who she really was. How can you keep your desire for love and sexual pleasure from deceiving you?
1. You must decide what kind of person you will love before passion takes over. Determine a person’s character and faith in God are as desirable as his or her physical appearance.
2. Because most of the time you spend with your spouse will not involve sex, your companions personality, temperament, and commitment to solve problems must be as gratifying as his or her kisses.
3. Be patient. Time and observation often reveal what is beneath the pleasant appearance and attentive touch.

Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible

“Samson was now very thirsty, and he cried out to the LORD, ‘You have accomplished this great victory by the strength of your servant. Must I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of these pagans?’”
Samson was physically and emotionally exhausted. After a great personal victory, his attitude declined quickly into self-pity – “Must I die of thirst?” Emotionally, we are most vulnerable after a great effort or when faced with real physical needs. Severe depression often follows great achievements, so don’t be surprised if you feel drained after a personal victory.

During these times of vulnerability, avoid the temptation to think that God owes you for your efforts. It was HIS strength that gave you the victory. Concentrate on keeping your attitudes, actions, and words focussed on God instead of yourself!

“Then the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him.” v.19
Samson impulsively used the special gift God gave him for selfish purposes. Today, God distributes abilities and skills throughout the church. The apostle Paul states that these gifts are to be used “to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.” To use these abilities for selfish purposes is to rob the church and fellow believers of strength. As you use the gifts God has given you, be sure you are helping others, not just yourself.

Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible

“When her son was born, she named him Samson. And the Lord blessed him as he grew up. And the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him while he lived in Mahaneh-dan, which is located between the towns of Zorah and Eshtaol. v. 24-25
Samson’s tribe, Dan, continued to wander in their inherited land, which was yet unconquered. Samson must have grown up with this warlike tribe’s yearnings for a permanent and settled territory. Thus, his visit to the tribal army camp stirred his heart, and God’s Spirit began preparing him for hs role as a judge and leader against the Philistines.

Perhaps there are things that stir your heart. These may indicate areas where God wants to use you. God uses a variety of means to develop and prepare us: hereditary traits, environmental influences, and personal experiences. As with Samson, this preparation often begins long before adulthood. Work at being sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading and the tasks God has prepared for you. Your past may be more useful to you than you imagine.

“The Lord said to Gideon, ‘You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength.’”v.2
Self-sufficiency is an handicap when it causes us to believe we can do what needs to be done in our own strength. To prevent this attitude among Gideon’s soldiers, God reduced their number from 32,000 to 300. With an army this vastly outnumbered, there could be no doubt that victory was from God. The men could not take credit. Like Gideon, we must recognize the danger of fighting in our own strength. We can be confident of victory against life’s challenges and temptations only if we put our confidence in Gods and not ourselves.

Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible

“‘Sir,’ Gideon replied, ‘if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, ‘The Lord brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.’” v.13
Gideon questioned God about the problems he he and his nation faced and about God’s apparent lack of help. What he didn’t acknowledge was the fact that the people had brought calamity upon themselves when they decided to disobey and neglect God. How easy it is to overlook personal accountability and blame problems on God and others. Unfortunately, this does not solve our problems. It brings us no closer to God, and it escorts us to the very edge of rebellion and backsliding.

When problems come, the first place to look is within. Our immediate response should be confession to God of sins that may have created our problems.

Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible

“After Ehud’s death, the Israelites again did evil in the Lord’s sight. So the Lord turned them over to King Jabin of Hazor, a Canaanite king. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-haggoyim. Sisera, who had 900 iron chariots, ruthlessly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years. Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help.” v.1-3
After 20 years of unbearable circumstances, the Israelites finally cries to the Lord for help. But God should be the first place we turn when we are facing struggles or dilemmas. The Israelites chose to go their own way and got into a mess. We often do the same. Trying to control our own lives without God’s help leads to struggle and confusion. By contrast, when we stay in daily contact with the Lord, we are less likely to create painful circumstances for ourselves. This is a lesson the Israelites never fully learned. When struggles come our way, God wants us to come to him first, seeking his strength and guidance.

Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible

“‘So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.’” v.14-15
The people had to decide whether they would obey the Lord, who had proven his trustworthiness, or obey the local gods, which were only hand-made idols. Talk is cheap. It is easy to say we will follow God, but it is much more important to live like it. It’s easy to slip into a quiet rebellion – Going about life in your own way. Joshua told the Israelites to destroy their foreign gods, or idols. To follow God requires destroying whatever gets in the way of worshiping him. We have our own form of idols – greed, wrong priorities, jealousy, prejudices – that get in the way of worshiping God. God is not satisfied if we merely hide these idols. We must completely remove them from our lives. The time comes when you have to choose who or what will control you. The choice is yours. Will is be God, your own limited personality, or another imperfect substitute? Once you have chosen to be controlled by God’s Spirit, reaffirm your choice every day.

Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible