EMOTIONALLY LAMED AND SHAMED (2 OF 4)
by Joey Rodgers
Emotionally Lamed and Shamed (2 of 4)
Series: Big Hairy Deal
Joey Rodgers
Samson 14
Last Sunday we kicked off a 4-week series on the life of the O.T. judge - Samson. And as colorful as his might be to us, truth is his story isn't too dissimilar to our own.
Samson is us. He was a man w/ tremendous God-given potential, yet over/over he made such poor decisions they led to his personal destruction. Instead of being a man after God's heart accepting his calling/embracing God's will, Samson flirted w/ temptation, was driven by desire, and he assumed God would turn a blind eye to his folly.
Samson is the poster child for what happens to strong people who are weak in character, fragile in conviction, and puny in commitment.
Samson was a man set apart from birth just as we're set apart to God from our spiritual rebirth. He was chosen to deliver the Israelites from the oppressive Philistines - a band of buccaneering, beer guzzling, bacon-eating barbarians. While God used him in this mission, it was in spite of Samson's participation, which is a lesson in God's sovereignty.
Remember - Samson was set apart under a Nazirite Vow so he couldn't (1) cut his hair, (2) drink fermented (alcoholic) drink, or (3) touch anything dead.
But like many of us, Samson could hardly go a day w/out sabotaging his calling - which ultimately led to his demise. He, like too many of us, was lured by lust, crippled by compromise, and arrested by arrogance. His posture was: I DESIRE it; I DESERVE it; I can DEAL w/ it.
Such an approach to life can take down the most capable of people. Imagine being called by God as Samson was - but b/c he took his blessing for granted and thought God would turn a blind eye to his actions/attitude - instead of being a hero he became a zero as he ended life bald, blind, bound, and berated as a buffoon before his enemies.
This AM, I want us to look at another of his vulnerabilities that I think we can all relate. Samson chose to be driv ...
Series: Big Hairy Deal
Joey Rodgers
Samson 14
Last Sunday we kicked off a 4-week series on the life of the O.T. judge - Samson. And as colorful as his might be to us, truth is his story isn't too dissimilar to our own.
Samson is us. He was a man w/ tremendous God-given potential, yet over/over he made such poor decisions they led to his personal destruction. Instead of being a man after God's heart accepting his calling/embracing God's will, Samson flirted w/ temptation, was driven by desire, and he assumed God would turn a blind eye to his folly.
Samson is the poster child for what happens to strong people who are weak in character, fragile in conviction, and puny in commitment.
Samson was a man set apart from birth just as we're set apart to God from our spiritual rebirth. He was chosen to deliver the Israelites from the oppressive Philistines - a band of buccaneering, beer guzzling, bacon-eating barbarians. While God used him in this mission, it was in spite of Samson's participation, which is a lesson in God's sovereignty.
Remember - Samson was set apart under a Nazirite Vow so he couldn't (1) cut his hair, (2) drink fermented (alcoholic) drink, or (3) touch anything dead.
But like many of us, Samson could hardly go a day w/out sabotaging his calling - which ultimately led to his demise. He, like too many of us, was lured by lust, crippled by compromise, and arrested by arrogance. His posture was: I DESIRE it; I DESERVE it; I can DEAL w/ it.
Such an approach to life can take down the most capable of people. Imagine being called by God as Samson was - but b/c he took his blessing for granted and thought God would turn a blind eye to his actions/attitude - instead of being a hero he became a zero as he ended life bald, blind, bound, and berated as a buffoon before his enemies.
This AM, I want us to look at another of his vulnerabilities that I think we can all relate. Samson chose to be driv ...
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