KJB Daily
Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Thursday, March 17, 2016
Chapters: Judges 15-17
Message: Judges: Be Influenced By Christ
Hello My Friend,
I remember before I got saved and dedicated myself to Christ thinking that as long as I didn't lie, cheat, or steal I was pleasing God. You see, I was doing what I thought was right in my own eyes because up until then, my only teachings of God was bits and pieces of a Catholic religion, which was all about restrictions. Now, I know we are not under the law anymore, but there are standards that God has for us to follow in order to be seen as someone set apart for Christ. Christ is our godly influence that teaches what is pleasing to God, being a Christian is not about following a bunch of rules, it is about knowing Christ personally as our Saviour and loving Him. “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” - Romans 6:1-4.
God had a plan for Samson even before he was conceived, his parents were to raise him up as a Nazarite, this was someone wholly dedicated to God during the time of his or her vow with Him. However, Samson was one of those worldly people of God, he broke every law you could think of from fornication to eating food from the dead carcase of an animal. Yet, because God chose him, He still blessed him and used him to judge Israel for twenty years. Samson went on a rampage after finding out that his Philistine wife had been given to another man.
“But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in. And her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her; therefore I gave her to thy companion: is not her younger sister fairer than she? take her, I pray thee, instead of her. And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure. And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails. And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and also the standing corn, with the vineyards and olives. Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire.” - Judges 15:1-6.
“Who hath done this?” There are many saved people living worldly lives, some more corrupt than those who live in the world. Regardless, God's people will never mix with the devil's people, there will always be feuds between them, and here is the surprise, God will give His people the strength to defeat them. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.” - Titus 3:5-8.
“careful to maintain good works.” Knowing we are saved and that God will always protect us does not exempt us from living a worldly life, it will always catch up to us. Samson fell for another Philistine woman, Delilah, he really loved her and she used that love to get him to tell her how he could be defeated.
“And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver. And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death; That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man. And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath shewed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand. And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.” - Judges 16:4,5,17-19.
“and his strength went from him.” This is the reason why the unsaved cannot be yoked together with the saved, anytime a saved person dwells with the unsaved their strength weakens, and sooner or later they will succumb to them. However, if we turn to Him, He will rebuild our strength and help us overcome any situation we get into, even if it is the last thing we do, which was in Samson's case. Keep in mind that when we are at our weakest, God is at His strongest, if we make Him LORD of our lives and seek to please Him than we can be the influence that brings salvation to the unsaved, but we must be strong in our faith to even attempt that challenge. “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.” - James 5:19,20.
God's first two commandments, have no other gods before me and make no graven images. Now, we are a glimpse as to exactly what was going on that God would turn His back on Israel. They did what they thought was right in their own eyes to please God, which broke His greatest commands. A woman had some money taken from her, what sounds to have been used to pay Delilah, but her son was able to get her money back, she used the money to have idols made for him, together they formed gods they worshiped similar to God worship.
“And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee. Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah. And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest. In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes. And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there. And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah. Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.” - Judges 17:3-7,12,13.
“Now know I that the LORD will do me good,” Micah and his mother turned their money into a god, and set up idol worship in their own family. Micah thought that a Levite priest, God's ministers coming to his door was a sign that he was doing right and God was going to finally bless him. How many times have we seen something and wondered if it was from God? If it is something that goes against His word, you can be sure that it is not. One thing we have to remember is that we take time to grow in Christ, but the more time we spend with Him the more His influence will wear off on us. “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
Date: Thursday, March 17, 2016
Chapters: Judges 15-17
Message: Judges: Be Influenced By Christ
Hello My Friend,
I remember before I got saved and dedicated myself to Christ thinking that as long as I didn't lie, cheat, or steal I was pleasing God. You see, I was doing what I thought was right in my own eyes because up until then, my only teachings of God was bits and pieces of a Catholic religion, which was all about restrictions. Now, I know we are not under the law anymore, but there are standards that God has for us to follow in order to be seen as someone set apart for Christ. Christ is our godly influence that teaches what is pleasing to God, being a Christian is not about following a bunch of rules, it is about knowing Christ personally as our Saviour and loving Him. “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” - Romans 6:1-4.
God had a plan for Samson even before he was conceived, his parents were to raise him up as a Nazarite, this was someone wholly dedicated to God during the time of his or her vow with Him. However, Samson was one of those worldly people of God, he broke every law you could think of from fornication to eating food from the dead carcase of an animal. Yet, because God chose him, He still blessed him and used him to judge Israel for twenty years. Samson went on a rampage after finding out that his Philistine wife had been given to another man.
“But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in. And her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her; therefore I gave her to thy companion: is not her younger sister fairer than she? take her, I pray thee, instead of her. And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure. And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails. And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and also the standing corn, with the vineyards and olives. Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire.” - Judges 15:1-6.
“Who hath done this?” There are many saved people living worldly lives, some more corrupt than those who live in the world. Regardless, God's people will never mix with the devil's people, there will always be feuds between them, and here is the surprise, God will give His people the strength to defeat them. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.” - Titus 3:5-8.
“careful to maintain good works.” Knowing we are saved and that God will always protect us does not exempt us from living a worldly life, it will always catch up to us. Samson fell for another Philistine woman, Delilah, he really loved her and she used that love to get him to tell her how he could be defeated.
“And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver. And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death; That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man. And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath shewed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand. And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.” - Judges 16:4,5,17-19.
“and his strength went from him.” This is the reason why the unsaved cannot be yoked together with the saved, anytime a saved person dwells with the unsaved their strength weakens, and sooner or later they will succumb to them. However, if we turn to Him, He will rebuild our strength and help us overcome any situation we get into, even if it is the last thing we do, which was in Samson's case. Keep in mind that when we are at our weakest, God is at His strongest, if we make Him LORD of our lives and seek to please Him than we can be the influence that brings salvation to the unsaved, but we must be strong in our faith to even attempt that challenge. “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.” - James 5:19,20.
God's first two commandments, have no other gods before me and make no graven images. Now, we are a glimpse as to exactly what was going on that God would turn His back on Israel. They did what they thought was right in their own eyes to please God, which broke His greatest commands. A woman had some money taken from her, what sounds to have been used to pay Delilah, but her son was able to get her money back, she used the money to have idols made for him, together they formed gods they worshiped similar to God worship.
“And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee. Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah. And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest. In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes. And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there. And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah. Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.” - Judges 17:3-7,12,13.
“Now know I that the LORD will do me good,” Micah and his mother turned their money into a god, and set up idol worship in their own family. Micah thought that a Levite priest, God's ministers coming to his door was a sign that he was doing right and God was going to finally bless him. How many times have we seen something and wondered if it was from God? If it is something that goes against His word, you can be sure that it is not. One thing we have to remember is that we take time to grow in Christ, but the more time we spend with Him the more His influence will wear off on us. “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
But we all, with
open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed
into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the
Lord.” - 2 Corinthians 3:17,18.
Jesus Christ Revealed: Today, Christ is revealed through the strength of Samson. Jesus is always the strength that gives every Christian the power to serve God. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” - Philippians 4:13.
Today's Prayer: God, You have given us an example of how You want us to live through Your Son, a man who was tempted in all points just as we are, a man who gave His life so that we can live with You forever. We are not required to be perfect, just to believe in Your perfect Son, but You would like us to be a reflection of Your Son so that others come to know Him as well. Lord, give me Your power and wisdom to be more like Jesus, keep me in Your word, help me to discern right from wrong, and if there is anything I need to eliminate from my life give me Your strength to do it. As I stick close to You, love You, talk to You, and get under the influence of Your Son, I know that I can do all things. I ask these things in the name of Jesus, Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure You Are Going To Heaven?: http://godsprice.com/
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Read Previous Devotions: http://imfollowingjesus.com/Biblestudy/
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Copyright © 2016 I'm Following Jesus, All rights reserved.
Jesus Christ Revealed: Today, Christ is revealed through the strength of Samson. Jesus is always the strength that gives every Christian the power to serve God. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” - Philippians 4:13.
Today's Prayer: God, You have given us an example of how You want us to live through Your Son, a man who was tempted in all points just as we are, a man who gave His life so that we can live with You forever. We are not required to be perfect, just to believe in Your perfect Son, but You would like us to be a reflection of Your Son so that others come to know Him as well. Lord, give me Your power and wisdom to be more like Jesus, keep me in Your word, help me to discern right from wrong, and if there is anything I need to eliminate from my life give me Your strength to do it. As I stick close to You, love You, talk to You, and get under the influence of Your Son, I know that I can do all things. I ask these things in the name of Jesus, Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure You Are Going To Heaven?: http://godsprice.com/
Receive The KJB Daily Devotions In Your Email: http://eepurl.com/2WMzT
Read Previous Devotions: http://imfollowingjesus.com/Biblestudy/
Visit I'm Following Jesus: http://imfollowingjesus.com/index.html
Like I'm Following Jesus On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/byhisstrength
Copyright © 2016 I'm Following Jesus, All rights reserved.
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