Today’s Scripture Threshing for Tuesday, April 16, 2019
Today’s Text: Judges 16:13-22
Key Verse: Judges 16:20 (ESV): “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.”
Powerful and blessed with the strength and presence of God as he was, the fact that the story of Samson did not end with a “happily ever after” leaves you and I with a great lesson that we should beware of the deceptive wiles of familiarity. It is a deceptive and destructive little fox that guises like a pet and friend. It makes you feel at home with what you are doing even though you are neglecting the word or way of God.
Samson was brought to limelight by an angelic announcement of the Lord’s purpose for him. Mr. & Mrs. Manoah, the rest of Israel, and all of us who read about such an impressive beginning of the young man’s career and ministry. God has so much for him; but he played the superman. He assumed he was more than natural, and assumed God was not serious about his caution that non of his children should have anything to do with strange women.
As long as his strength was there, he wallowed and continued in self-deception that leads to self-destruction. Are you like Samson—who was dwelling on past glories, thinking that God was with him. God wants us to do our best to shun the familiarity syndrome. You too may be on your road to Gaza if you’d not take a bold u-turn from any subtle tendencies that commonizes God’s will, word and way for you.
Quote for the Day: “If by grace you find yourself, like Samson, doing such tasks, which no one could have done in merely human strength; never assume that you have ceased to be a man. The divine grace upon us is never meant to make us semi-divine or a superhuman. We are still ordinary men, used extraordinarily by God.” (Simon Olatunji)
Prayer: Dear Lord, forbid it that I should ever slip into the “I am all in all” syndrome that cheapened Samson into a piece of bread upon Delilah’s bosom. Help me never to be over-familiar with your grace—in Jesus name. Amen.
With all my Love and Prayer,
Rev Simon Wale Olatunji, PhD
The Darling Bishop (DaBishop),
2321 S Belt Line Rd., Suite 144,
Grand Prairie TX 75051 USA
Email: reachingout@hopeforallnations.org
BBMme: E3F988D2
[Today’s Scripture Threshing is a devotional guide of The House of Prayer Evangel Church USA. Feel free to use it in your family altar and personal quiet times; and to contact us for further enquiry, help and partnership.]
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