Bible Study August 13, 2024
Judges 16:18 – 20
“18 When Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up again, for he has told me all his heart.” Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hands. 19 She made him sleep on her knees. And she called a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him. 20 And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him.”
This is tragic story of a man called by God and given enormous strength. He was a Nazarite and part of the Nazarite vow he was not to shave his head. He fell into the clutches of Deliah who coerced him into telling her where his strength came from and she sold him out.
I often buy Cindy flowers her favorite flowers are carnations so I get them when I can find them. I never buy the dead looking ones I look for the fresh ones that still show their magnificent colors. Dead flowers had already accomplished their purpose. Samson was man who lived in the accomplishments of his past.
He thought he could live in the past victories while he served God. He had defeated armies, carried gates, killed a lion he still thought he could do the same things once he lost his strength.
We are like that sometimes we think we can live on our past accomplishments but there is always work to do and people to encourage, pray for, share a witness with. Samson got up and tried to break the binding that held him but he could not – “the Lord had left him.”
A lesson learned here start each day out dependent on the Lord to lead you.
“Complacency is a deadly foe of all of all spiritual growth.” A. W. Tozer.
God Bless.
Asbury Chapel 