Acts 5:12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.
In this passage we are told that the apostles were able to do many powerful miracles. As a result of these miracles, we are told that the church […]

Proverbs 31:3 Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived, yet he allowed his relationship with God to be severely destroyed as a result of his many wives. Solomon started out his reign as king wholly dedicated to God. However, as he […]

Proverbs 18:12 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honor is humility.
Have you ever met a young man who acted like he was invincible? He has not yet had a major accident nor has he seen just how frail he is in this world. Through the hard knocks of life, he will […]

Proverbs 14:16 A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.
How do you respond to temptation? Do you run to temptation or do you flee away? Your response to temptation demonstrates whether you are a fool or a wise individual.
A fool is confident in his or her ability to […]

Psalms 131:1 Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.
David understood that he was a great man who did great things for the Lord. However, David did not allow the fact that God was using him to cause […]

Psalms 118:8 It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.
Where is your confidence? What do you trust in? Stop and think about it. Can you honestly say that you trust in the Lord with all your heart? It is easy to put your trust in the things of this […]

Lamentations 3:25 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
We live in a society that wants everything and we want it now. However, God has a different plan for your life. God desires that HIS children learn patience. God says that it is good for you to […]

I Samuel 1:11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

Hannah made a vow with the Lord that she was willing and able to keep. She apparently thought through her vow and determined what she would do should the Lord actually give her the desire of her heart. She understood that the Lord had closed her womb and that any child given to her was strictly from God. She was willing to give back to God that which God gave her which is why she was and did make the vow unto God.

Hannah had no obligation to make a vow. In fact, there was a chance that her husband would veto the vow if he disagreed in the day that he heard the vow. Her husband however understood his wife�s desire to have a child, and did not veto the vow.

Hannah also vowed that her child would never have his hair cut just as Samson. She did not obligate her future son to a full Navarite vow. God had chosen Samson, but Hannah choose her son to be at least follow part of the Nazarite vow.

Hannah was willing to give back to the Lord the son that the Lord gave unto her. She understood the child was from God and that if God gave her a son, there was a purpose for that son and that she had an obligation to God to ensure that her son was in the proper position to be used of God. She made the vow and scripture is clear that she fulfilled her part of the vow.

Hannah is an excellent example to you of an individual who understood that if God gives you a good thing, it really belongs to the Lord and that HE has a purpose for the good thing that HE is giving to you. What is the good thing that you desire from God? Whatever it is, have you determined how if the Lord gives you the desire of your heart how you can use the desire of your heart for the furtherance of God�s kingdom? Could it be possible that one of the reasons why God has not given you the good thing that you request because you have not taken the time to think of how you are going to use the desire of your heart for HIS benefit.

Imagine a son coming up to his parents requesting of his parents that they extend his bedtime from 8:30pm to 9:00pm. His parents decline. Now a couple days later the son comes back and states that he is having a hard time finishing his chores and his school work in the time designated by his parents and that if they extended his bed time by 30 minutes, he could allocate that extra time to properly finishing his obligations. This son now has a better chance at receiving his request.

God has no obligation to answer your requests. However, HE is much more likely to give you your request when you understand how you plan on using your request to magnify HIS name. By faith you will reason with God and demonstrate to HIM how HE is benefited by giving you something that you request of HIM. You should be like Hannah in that you take the time to give God the reasons why HE should answer your prayer. Do not be hasty in making a vow, but you can make a vow you can keep.

Judges 16:28 And Samson called unto the Lord, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.

Samson had lost his strength and was now a prisoner of those whom he was suppose to destroy. The Philistines for 20 years lived in fear of Samson but now they enjoyed mocking him. It was at one of there feast days when 3,000 men and women were in one building a feast that they called for Samson. The lad who led Samson helped him find the support pillars. Once Samson found the pillars, he asked God to give him strength one more time and he bowed himself bringing down the pillars and the entire house.

Samson had violated God�s commandment for his life and he lost his gift from God that enabled him to do the will of God. Samson saw and lusted after Philistine women and he destroyed the ministry God had for him. Samson not only lost his strength but God allowed the enemy to pluck out the eyes also. Samson no longer had his strength nor his eyesight and he was just betrayed by the person whom he loved.

Samson had sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. God punished Samson for this sin. However, by faith, Samson believed that God would show him mercy one last time and give him the gift of strength so that Samson could do that which he was given strength to do, destroy the enemies of the Lord. Samson understood God�s purpose for his life and while Samson knew that he could no longer fulfill the purpose of judging Israel, Samson had boldness and asked the Lord to return and give him the strength so that he could fulfill part of his purpose.

Samson was the strongest man in the Bible yet he sinned and fell short of God�s purpose for his life. Just because you are not the strongest person that ever lived, it does not mean that you are immune from Satan�s attempts to cause you to sin and violate God�s purpose for your life. The higher your purpose, the more Satan would like to make an example of you to destroy your ministry for God. When you sin and fall short of the glory of God, you must repent. God is just and there are consequences to your sin. This means that HE must punish you for your willful violations of HIS perfect law.

Nonetheless, just because God has punished you for your willful violations of HIS perfect law, do not hide and assume that God no longer has any use for you. Instead, demonstrate your faith like Samson who looked for a opportunity for God to use him again. Your sin may result in a diminishing of your ministry, but do not allow Satan to win the last battle by your giving up on God using you at all. God still has work for you to do.

Satan will try to remind you of your willful violations and try to convince you that God no longer desires to use you. However, you must remember that the blood of Christ completely washes away your sin. You have been forgiven and it is time for you to spend time seeking the Lord and find ways that you can use your present situation to do God�s will. If Samson had not sinned, he would not have been in the position to destroy 3,000 Philistines. Samson killed more Philistines after his sin then 20 years prior to his sin. God can still use you to do great things for HIM. You too can still be used of God no matter what your sin was. God will forgive, have faith and ask HIM to use you for HIS glory.

Judges 16:17 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 be like any other man.

Delilah had been offered a lot of money if she could figure out the source of Samson�s faith and make him weak. Delilah on three other occasions had asked Samson�s the source of his strength and Samson told Delilah a lie. Finally, Delilah wore Samson down and he told her the source of his strength. Delilah knew that he had told her the source and she informed the Philistines to bring their money for she was going to deliver Samson to them. Delilah shaved Samson�s hair and then watched the Philistines take him away. The Philistines put out his eyes and put him in prison.

Samson made the mistake of telling the wrong person something God had shared with him. Samson told Delilah who had no desire to help and support Samson in his duty to God the source of his ability to do God�s work. Delilah used the inside information not to help Samson but to bring him down. Samson did not have to tell Delilah his secret, but he did because he loved his relationship with Delilah more then he desired to serve God.

Samson had already been betrayed once when he told his Philistine wife the answer to the riddle and she told her fellow countrymen. He should have been more careful when telling Delilah the source of his strength. He had a duty to serve God, and he should have realized that Delilah did not really care about Samson destroying the Philistines and delivering Israel. Since Delilah was not interested in a similar calling, Samson had no right sharing special truths that God had given him to someone who was not going to help him fulfill God�s purpose for his life.

Samson had a calling from God and if he was looking for a wife she should have had a similar calling so as to support him. Samson�s calling was to deliver Israel from the Philistines, by looking for love among the Philistine women; Samson was showing his lack of faith by putting himself in a compromising situation. Samson did compromise by telling things that God had shared with him to Delilah.

Not ever deep spiritual truth or word from the Lord needs to be shared with everyone. Jesus commanded you that you should not cast your pearls before swine. Just because God has shared something exciting and new with you, it does not mean that you can rush out and tell everyone what the Lord is doing. Instead, you must be judicious in whom you share deep spiritual truths with. You have an obligation to God to determine if the person you are sharing with has a similar heart for the Lord and whether they will rejoice with you and encourage you to do what the Lord has said. If you do cast great spiritual pearls before swine, then Satan may be able to bring you down as he brought Samson down.

You have an obligation to God to be careful about what you share. You do not have a duty to share everything with everyone. The world does not have a right to know everything about you. By faith you will be slow to answer when you start to share the deeper direction of God. You can share the things that God has done for you, but you must be careful when you start sharing the Lord�s direction and guidance to others. First discover whether the person you are sharing with desires to encourage or destroy you.

Judges 16:18 And he was sore athirst, and called on the Lord, and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?

Samson had just killed 1,000 men with the jawbone of an ass. Samson gave credit to God for his deliverance from the enemies. Now Samson uses this deliverance as a reason why God cannot allow him to die of thirst. Samson understood that God�s power through Samson was spreading as a result of his resent victory. If Samson became weak because of thirst and was captured, all the good that Samson had completed for God�s kingdom with his great victory would have been diminished. The heathen would have seen God only as a God of war.

Samson reasoned with God and gave God a reason why HE needed to provide Samson with water. Samson did not just make a request for water, but showed God why HIS reputation was on the line. God heard Samson�s request and brought water out of the jawbone. The same jawbone that killed 1,000 men provided substance for one man to live. God responded to Samson�s prayer in such a way that Samson knew it was God who gave him his strength and it was God who would provide for his needs.

A good mother does not give her child a cleaning assignment absent knowing that the proper supplies are available to do the job. The child may not be able to reach the proper tools and may have to come back and ask their mother for help. The mother will not be angry with her child for asking for help in obtaining the proper tools if it is something that was out of reach of the child.

So likewise, God has given you certain responsibilities. When something happens that is beyond your control, God does not hold it against you that you ask HIM to help you. God desires to hear you call upon HIM. God yearns for you to keep in communication with HIM. God does not consider it a lack of faith for you to ask HIM for something that you need even though HE just demonstrated HIS strength in your life in a different matter. God desires to be apart of every aspect of your life. HE desires that you turn to HIM regardless of the size of your problem.

God gave Samson deliverance from HIS enemies and God gave him water to sustain him. Samson understood that God had a purpose on his life and he did serve the Lord by judging Israel for 20 years. Samson did have a weakness in the area of lust. Samson�s weakness does not appear to be something that Samson requested God to help him escape. Samson would have done well to rely upon God in all areas of his life.

God understands that you are human. God knows that you cannot see how HE plans to help you overcome your current trial. Your trial is an opportunity for you to draw near unto God. You need to recognize that the same God who can deliver you from one thing is the same God who can deliver you from another trial. When you have seen God�s power in one area of your life, you can demonstrate your faith by acknowledging God�s power to deliver you from a trial that is new and different. You demonstrate a lack of faith in God when you do not believe that God can deliver you. You have a trial, demonstrate your faith and reason with God and cry out to HIM for deliverance.

Judges 16:14-15 � and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands. And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.

Samson had just conducted a great slaughter because the Philistines had burned his wife and his father-in-law. Samson then went and dwelt at the rock Etam. The Philistines came to war with Judah and Judah went to find Samson to turn him over to the Philistines. Judah did not want to fight the enemy. Samson was bound and brought before the Philistines. God was with Samson and even though he was bound and betrayed, he was able to break his bonds, find a jawbone of an ass and kill 1,000 Philistines.

Samson may not have had the support of his fellow countrymen but he did have the support of God. Samson may not have had a conventional weapon but with God on his side, he was able to take that which as available to him and kill 1,000 men. Samson may have mathematically been outnumbered and conventional wisdom would have said that he should surrender but Samson understood that with God on his side, how could he lose.

Samson had probably been told from a youth that God had a special purpose for his life. Every time his parents had to remind him of his Nazarite vows, they probably also told him how God had told them that he would begin to deliver the Israelites from the Philistines. Samson may not have had any support, but he did have the power of God in his life. Samson had seen this strength when he killed a lion, when he killed the 30 Philistines, when he caught 150 foxes, and when he destroyed those who killed his wife.

Samson had seen God give him strength in other situations and was willing to trust God that God had enough strength for him to destroy a whole army. Samson was given great strength and he used that strength to fulfill God�s purpose for his life. Samson did not stop and wonder what he was getting himself into. Samson simply destroyed the enemy that God brought before him.

To many Christians are terrified of attacking the enemy because they do not have the faith of Samson. They see the impossibility of the situation and they would rather be like the 3,000 men of Judah who betrayed Samson rather then confront the enemy. They say that they are just trying to live at peace with their neighbors, but in reality, they are giving up the fight before it even begins.

All around you there is a battle storming. Satan is trying to take God out of every aspect of your daily life. Satan is attempting to destroy the foundations so that everyone can do that which is right in their own eyes. Satan is so prevailing that one who attempts to live for righteousness is considered archaic while those who do evil are idolized.

The battle is before you. You may not have anyone�s help but Gods. With God on your side fighting the Lord�s battles, the only question you should be asking is how in the world can you lose. By faith you can overcome any obstacle. By faith you will see great victory. The victory belongs to God who through you will do many wonderful things. You must simply find your enemy and take them on when God brings them to you.

Judges 14:4 But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the Lord, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

Samson had found a Philistine that he desired to marry. His parents attempted to talk him out of such marriage proposal because she was a foreigner. His parents probably did not approve for the simple reason that she was a Philistine and they knew that God had told them that Samson would begin to deliver the nation of Israel for the Philistines. However, Samson was persistent and his parent consented.

Scripture tells us that Samson�s falling in love with a pagan woman was part of God�s plan for Samson�s life. Samson was comfortable with the Philistine oppression. Although Samson had a special calling to start to deliver his people, Samson appears to not be preparing for that calling. Samson was more concerned about himself and not what God desired to do through him.

God allowed Samson to fall in love knowing that Samson would be betrayed and that his anger would start the chain of events that would build animosity between the Philistines and Samson. God had called Samson and HE needed to spur Samson to action. What Samson�s parents did not understand that this Philistine girl was a part of God�s plan.

Was it naturally God�s best for Samson�s life that he fell in love with a heathen woman? Naturally, it would have been better for Samson to be pursuing God�s plan for his life first. As Samson pursued God�s will, his priorities in a wife would have changed and he would have been looking for a wife that would have been encouraging him to fulfill God�s purpose in his life rather then a girl whose beauty appealed to his lusts.

Samson was not pursuing God�s will and God allowed Samson to do something that seemed unnatural and against the will of his parents. We know that God turns all things to good for those who love HIM and are called according to HIS purposes. Samson was called according to God�s purposes, and God was going to use this Philistine woman to drive Samson to HIS will of delivering Israel.

God has a perfect plan for your life. Are you pursuing God�s perfect plan? If you are pursuing God�s perfect plan, then God will not need to permit certain things to occur in your life to drive you to HIS will. It is always better for your to strive to do God�s will for your life rather then have HIM drive you to do HIS will.

Samson suffered a broken heart because he was not naturally pursuing God�s purpose in his life. You too may suffer needlessly if you do not seek to follow God�s will for your life. However, do not think that because you are following God�s will that you will not suffer. Suffering is a tool that God uses in your life to drive you closer to HIM. However, there is some suffering that you bring upon your own life because you are not following God�s will. By faith you should take the time to understand God�s will for your life and you should pursue it. Samson knew God�s will and yet he attempted to form an alliance with the same people he was called to destroy. You cannot expect God�s blessing upon your life if you attempt to pursue something that is contrary to God�s plan for your life

Judges 13:8 Then Manoah intreated the Lord, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born.

Manoah did not initially see the angel of the Lord. Manoah�s wife was visited by the angel and the angel told her that she was going to bare a son and that the son was to be a Nazarite from the womb. Manoah�s wife came and reported this news to Manoah. Manoah believed his wife that an angel or man of God had spoken to her, but he also believed that the word�s that were spoken to his wife were going to come true. There does not appear to be any doubt in Manoah�s mind even though he did not see the messenger from God initially.

God heard Manoah�s prayer and HE answered the prayer by sending the angel again to Manoah�s wife. Manoah�s wife found Manoah and Manoah asked the angel how they should order the child. After the angel instructed Manoah, he asked the angel to stay while they prepared some food. The angel said he could not eat but said if he was going to make a burnt offering, make it unto the Lord. Manoah made a burnt offering unto the Lord and the angel ascended in the flame.

Manoah demonstrated his faith by having no doubt towards the word of God that was spoken to his wife. Most likely Manoah and his wife had been praying to God that HE would open her womb. Manoah and his wife were looking for God to answer their prayers so when the angel appeared, Manoah was ready to accept what the angel said as the truth even though he himself did not hear the words. Nonetheless, Manoah desired to learn more details about how he was to raise this son whom God saw fit to send a special messenger. Since he had experienced God�s answer to prayer in that a son was coming, Manoah had no qualms about asking God to send the angel again.

Is there anything in your life that you have been persistent in prayer over? If God were to send an angel to you today telling you that your prayer was answered, do you think that you would respond as Manoah responded, or do you feel that you would be more credulous and say something to the affect that you will believe it when you see it?

If you feel that you would be credulous, then this is one indication of your lack of faith. God needs individuals who trust in HIM to step forth in faith and believe the words that God has spoken. God needs you to demonstrate your faith to HIM without any doubt so that HE can use you to do great things for HIM. If you have any doubt, it is a demonstration of your lack of trust in God. Why should God answer your persistent prayers if you yourself do not believe that God has any desire to answer them? Faith is believing God can do the impossible and trusting the words that HE has spoken to you.

Manoah believed the word of the Lord but was bold in asking the Lord for a personal visit not because he doubted but because he wanted to ensure that both him and his wife raised the child the way the Lord desired. God is waiting to answer your prayers but HE first needs to see that you believe that HE is able to do that which you request. The Lord may just be waiting on you to believe without doubt before HE answers your prayer. You may be the biggest hindrance to God answering your prayer.

Judges 3:31 And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.

In this short verse God gives us a glimps into the life of Shamgar. While God may not have given us very much on this mighty man who helped deliver Israel, there are a few lessons in faith that can be observed from this passage. An ox goad was a long stick approximately eight to ten feet long. A plowman would hold the ox goad in his hand and would prick the oxen if they were straying to far one way or the other.

It appears from this short verse that Shamgar was a simple plowman who when his country needed help delivering themselves from the Philistines, he took the weapon that was familiar to him and went and killed 600 enemy. We do not know if Shamgar killed 600 Philistines at the same time like Samson killed 1,000 Philistines or if he killed these Philistines one at a time over a period of time.

Hebrews 11:34c out of weakness were made strong,

Samson was weak yet he placed his hands around the pillars and asked God to give him the strength to bring down the building. Samson was made strong according to his faith and Samson was used of God. Moses however recognized that he did not have the ability to speak clearly to deliver God�s message to Pharaoh. God told Moses that HE would go with Moses yet Moses demanded that God give him a helper who ended up being Aaron. However, because Moses demanded this helper, Aaron was in a position of leadership to help led the worship of the golden calf. Moses did not have the faith to allow God to make him strong through his weakness and God�s best for the nation was not realized.

Hebrews 11:33d stopped the mouths of lions,

There are several individuals in the Old Testament that encountered lions. David and Samson killed a lion with their bare hands. We also know of Benaiah who slew a lion in a pit in time of snow. Daniel was thrown into a den of lions and survived without a scratch.

It takes faith to stop the mouth of a lion. However, it is important to realize that lions are just a test for something greater to come. David faced the lion to prepare him for Goliath. Samson faced the lion before he faced the Philistines. Benaiah killed a lion and was considered one of David�s mighty men. David constantly had Benaiah in positions of leadership. Benaiah was so close to David that when Adonijah tried to take the throne from Solomon, Benaiah was one of the few individuals who was not called. Because Daniel survived the test of the lions den, God was exalted and feared over all the land.

Hebrews 11:32c and of Samson,

Samson was a special child. An angel of God foretold his birth. Samson was to be raised a Nazarite and God was going to give him great strength. When Samson matured, he began to make the Philistines life miserable. It did not matter how large a force the Philistines had, Samson seemed to have the strength to overcome extraordinary odds.

However, Samson loved Delilah, a Philistine, and she was able to find the secret of Samson�s strength. After Samson�s hair was cut, he was weak and was easily captured by the Philistines. The Philistines plucked out his eyes and put him prison. Samson demonstrated his faith by asking God to give him strength once more. God answered Samson�s request and he killed about 3,000 Philistines when he pulled down the two center pillars of a house where they were having a feast.