Month: December 2022

Scripture Judges 16:20 And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” So he awoke from his sleep, and said, “I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!” But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him.

Observation: Samson was not the most obedient man. In fact most of the things he did was for himself, but the Lord stood by him because of the vow He made with Samson. It wasn’t until Samson broke his vow with God that God departed from him. Samson never deserved God’s favor any more than I have. God is with me because I have made a vow to proclaim Jesus as my Lord and Savior, a vow I will never break. I may not have super strength, but God has given me gifts and abilities that can be used for His glory.

Application: I haven’t been doing much lately to honor God and bring the lost closer to Him and I need to do so much more with whatever remaining time I have left. I need to plan out what to do and how to use what my Lord has given me for His glory and not mine. I need to draw closer by praying and reading more and do better in utilizing my time for my Lord.

Prayer: Dear father forgive me for the way I waste this precious time you have given me. Guide me Lord to what you want me to do and I know you will give me what I need to accomplish it, even if it takes super strength. I love you Lord use your servant.

Scripture Judges 15:18 Then he became very thirsty; so he cried out to the LORD and said, “You have given this great deliverance by the hand of Your servant; and now shall I die of thirst and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?”

Observation: Instead of just thanking God for how He delivered this great victory, Samson complained. Boy does that sound like me. God works one miracle after another and all I can see is what I don’t have or what I want. God is not our genie He is our Master and doesn’t have to supply us with anything. We should be so grateful for what He gives us each day and trust Him for what we need. Faith that is what God is looking for not commands from His servants. We want everything, but deserve nothing.

Application: I need to be more grateful to God and have an attitude of gratitude each day. I need to thank God for everything realizing He owes me nothing. Every good thing is from God and I need to embrace His love and provision with joy and gratitude. I also need to share with others my generous God and point out how He blesses them each day.

Prayer: My Lord, thank you for all that I have and am. Everything comes from you and I deserve nothing. Thank you for your love, mercy and generosity, I will never be worthy, but may I do something each day that might bring a smile to your face.

Scripture Judges 14:6 And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he tore the lion apart as one would have torn apart a young goat, though he had nothing in his hand. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.

Observation: There is nothing more powerful than the spirit of the Lord. With it there is nothing we can’t do. So how can we get it. First we need to be in His will and then we ask for it. There are so many things that I have done whether an outreach or speaking that was only accomplished because of the Spirit of the Lord. It has been amazing to stand up in front of many people and not be sure what to say but trust in God that He will accomplish His purpose and He does, it’s as if I’m standing outside myself watching Him speak.

Application: I need to seek the Spirit of the Lord more in my life. I need to be bold enough to stand out to do God’s will and then trust Him to work through me. I need to be more proactive in my walk and make it my purpose to bear fruit and do good works in glory and honor to my Lord. I need to stop being so lazy and get more involved in my church and in God’s will for my life.

Prayer: Dear Lord forgive this lazy servant of yours and may your spirit come upon me to do your will. I’m here as your servant, command me and give me what I will need to glorify your name and finish this race. May my life be a song that you would want to sing.

Scripture Judges 13:8 Then Manoah prayed to the LORD, and said, “O my Lord, please let the Man of God whom You sent come to us again and teach us what we shall do for the child who will be born.”

Observation: I forget that Jesus was called Rabbi, teacher. That is what He did during His ministry was to teach His disciples and those around Him what they were to do and how they were to act. Even the Bible is a book of instructions giving us examples of what to do and what not to do, giving us rules and laws to follow and telling us the benefits of being true to God’s word. Jesus has not stopped teaching, He has sent the Holy Spirit to continue to teach and show us what we should be doing.

Application: I need to listen and obey my teacher from what I know in His word and also what He shows me each day. I feel at times I’m flunking the course set before me, but then when I listen and obey my teacher the blessings are more than I could have imagined. I need to continue to study and listen so that I may pass the course and graduate to my new heavenly home.

Prayer: My Lord give me a receptive heart and mind. Guide me through this course and tell me the things I should be doing to raise my grade. I want to finish well, but need your guidance and help to do so. I love you my teacher help me graduate to you.

Scripture Judges 12:3 So when I saw that you would not deliver me, I took my life in my hands and crossed over against the people of Ammon; and the LORD delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me this day to fight against me?”

Observation: So many times we ask that someone do something for us instead of asking God who can do so much more than anyone. God is not always our first choice and He should be. We should always ask God first for direction and He might lead us to someone that will help us, but God should always be first on our hearts and minds. God always delivers, He might do it in ways we weren’t expecting, but He always comes through for us in the way we needed it to be.

Application: I keep counting on myself to get things done in the way I think it should be done. I need to come before the throne and ask for direction, no matter what it might be and then listen and follow His instructions to what should be done. I want to live this life for my Lord and how am I going to know what that is unless I ask Him?

Prayer: My Lord please guide me each day through every situation and decision that needs to be made. Guide my path, words and actions that they might be holy to you and others. Set me apart for your purpose and that I will fulfill it in glory and honor to you.

Scripture Judges 11:29 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh, and passed through Mizpah of Gilead; and from Mizpah of Gilead he advanced toward the people of Ammon.

Observation: There is no where we can’t go if we allow the Spirit of the Lord to be our guide. God wants to accomplish things through us if we allow Him, He will put His spirit on us and guide us. God could make us do anything He wants us to do, but He wants us to do it out of love for Him. If we love Him as we should we would wait on His spirit to guide and direct our lives no matter where He wants to take us. He knows best and wants the best for us.

Application: I continue to do things on my own or don’t do anything at all. I’m still head strong and I try to figure things out on my own and miss God’s best for me. I’m only here for a short time and I don’t know how many opportunities I’ve already messed up on, because I didn’t wait for the spirit of the Lord to guide me. I need to be in constant prayer and be focused on what God desires of me. I want to build up treasures in heaven, bear fruit and run the good race of faith, but I can only do it with the Spirits’ guidance in my life.

Prayer: My Lord place the Holy Spirit in my heart and guide me each day to do what is pleasing to you. I don’t know how much time is left for me and I want to accomplish what you created me to do. Guide this servant and show me where you want me to go and give me success in all you call on me to do.

Scripture Judges 10:16 So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the LORD. And His soul could no longer endure the misery of Israel.

Observation: Chapter after chapter the Israelites are saved by the Lord and every chapter they turn away from Him and go and serve other gods. A couple of verses before this God told Him that He wasn’t going to save them anymore, He had enough of there lies and sinful ways. So they did it again, put away their false gods and started serving the Lord and God’s love is so much deeper than ours, because He couldn’t watch their misery any longer and now He is going to save them again. If it was me I would have rejoiced in their suffering for the way they treated me, but not our God His love endures forever.

Application: I never want to get to the point in my life again where I turn my back on my Lord. This is the part in my life where I continually draw closer to Him, bearing fruit and doing good works in glory to His name. I can’t have any false gods with me, money, sex, career or anything else that would distract me from serving my God whole heartily.

Prayer: My Lord I thank you for the way you couldn’t stand me suffering and as many times that I turned away from you and searched for anything else to fill the emptiness I felt, you never turned away. Thank you for your mercy and your grace, but most of all thank you for your love which saved me. I love you Lord, drawer me near to you.