Do you ever dream of being
strong when you where a little?
00:00:08.79\00:00:10.83
I always thought it would be
great to be the strongest man
00:00:10.86\00:00:13.70
in the world. Well,
The bible tells us of a
00:00:13.73\00:00:16.90
man who is the
strongest man in the world!
00:00:16.93\00:00:18.17
He's name is Samson.
Only he was very weak
00:00:18.20\00:00:20.81
spiritually and why?
Because he cared more about
00:00:20.84\00:00:24.75
feeding his everyday pleasure
than he did about pleasing God,
00:00:24.78\00:00:28.90
And today where
gonna look how we can..
00:00:28.93\00:00:31.46
avoid the pitfall
that Samson fell into.
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Stay tune.
00:00:34.34\00:00:35.31
Hi. I wanna welcome you to
another edition of Bible Alive.
00:00:41.78\00:00:44.94
My name is Dwight
Hall and I have my co-host
00:00:44.97\00:00:47.48
Pastor Mark Howard.
Pastor it's nice to have you
00:00:47.51\00:00:50.02
on the show again today.
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Always great to be here Dwight
and we always have great Bible
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stories to bring to life.
God brings them to life and we
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just allow Him
to use us to do it.
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And so Pastor you
have a church but you also
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have a ministry.
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That's right. The Emmanuel
Institute of Evangelism.
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Where we basically train people
how to be effective witnesses
00:01:07.46\00:01:10.43
for Christ and win,
lead people to Jesus
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and be more secure on
their own faith experience.
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So you have a training that you
do. How long is that training?
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It's about a three
and a half month program.
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Where we... its
an intensive program.
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Where we not only do a
classroom you know, bible study
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and that kind of thing
and we actually get out and
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have practical,
sharing our faith.
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Giving a bible studies,
learning how to give effective
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bible studies
and public speaking,
00:01:33.93\00:01:36.20
sermons that kind
of thing, the whole.
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So can anybody
be a part of that?
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Absolutely, absolutely.
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And so how would
they got hold of you?
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And you can find more
information right there.
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Okay good. And Dane Griffin.
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How you doing Dwight?
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Good! Good to see you.
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Good to be seen.
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And you always lots of
something to say, don't you?
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I try.
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You have.. been a friend of mine
for twenty five years or longer,
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and you really do a lot
of studying of the Bible,
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and you have you
ministry and that is called
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Lifestyle Matters.
00:02:08.55\00:02:09.75
Yes.
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So it really matters
about your lifestyle?
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And its not just what
you eat it, how you live your
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whole life.
Exercise, attitude, sleep,
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everything... God
gives us the whole package.
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God is a complete
Savior Who save us completely.
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And in His Bible He shows us
that He wants us to have life,
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an abundant life, a joy full
of life and if we follow his
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principles He'll
help us to let go.
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Okay. And if
anyone has any questions
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or needs information in
getting all of you through.
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866-624-5433.
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You got it down.
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I got it.
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Good. Well, listen...
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we've got a lot to
going on today with Samson!
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What another story.
But that story I believe is
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more for our day than
it was even back then.
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It's tremendous we want
to unpackage that today.
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But before we do, number one,
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make sure you have your Bibles.
You need to get in that word.
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Know it for yourself.
And before we open the Bible
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we always wanna have a prayer.
So if you'd bow your head
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with me, I'd
appreciate it. Let's pray.
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Father in heaven...
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thank You so
much for another day.
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Thank You so much that
we have this technology
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that as we're here in the studio
there are maybe hundreds and
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thousands, millions of viewers
that can get in there Bibles.
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And make the Bible
come to life for them.
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I would pray that You will
send the Holy Spirit on each
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and everyone. That
they might open there
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hearts and surrender to You.
Pray Father that You might put
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upon our lips here everything
that You want us to say.
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And then Father that You
would make it understandable.
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And then finally, that
we'd take these very practical
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principles and apply
them to everyday lives.
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Father, I thank You
for hearing this prayer.
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In Jesus name, Amen. Okay!
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If you don't have
those Bibles go get them.
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For those that have
them, Judges 13 and 14
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And while your
opening your bibles,
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I'm gonna type them on the
screen here on my computer.
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And we're gonna get
this up so that we can...
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We're gonna unpack this passage.
These 2 chapters. It's amazing.
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14 is where
we'll probably pick up.
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Actually the stories runs
Chapter 13 through chapter 16.
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And of course we're not
gonna spend time to read
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the whole thing. But
most people heard the story
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of Samson, the
Bible's strong man.
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And strongest man in
the Bible and yet it is a
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lot to the story. The
story starts in chapter 13
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Where the angel of the Lord
visits the parents of Samson
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and give them direction.
In fact, the mother of Samson
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had been barren, couldn't
have children until this time.
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So Samson was a miracle birth.
And his parents are instructed
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on how to raise the child.
And it's interesting, in fact,
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the wife is instructed and
when she tells the husband,
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Manoah, he says go get the
angel. See if we can find him
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and get the instruction
again. They really wanted
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to be particular.
And it's interesting,
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we've talked about these
other things but the Bible here
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speaking of prenatal
influences on children.
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Which is something that is a
recent scientific development.
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And while, you
know, the Bible isn't...
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doesn't alleged
to be a science book,
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in other words, God
doesn't try to explain
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science in the
Bible. God states it.
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The fact that He is the Creator
of all things scientific.
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And what's amazing is we find
these principles in the Bible
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that scientist come up
within recent generations that
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have been there for so
long. So the parents are given
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instruction and they're very
particular in going back to God
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in chapter 13 in
getting instructions to raise
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their son, Samson.
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Which certainly can be a
principle for us today that,
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as parents, I believe that God
doesn't just have a plan for us
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but he has a
plan for our children.
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There is an army
of youth out there...
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that can likely divide the word
of truth if us, the parents,
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will do like Manoah, really.
Hey, I wanna make sure if this
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instruction so I don't make
a mistake raising my son or my
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daughter so they can do
exactly do what you've called
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them to do.
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We're on this earth
for only two purposes.
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1. That we end up
with a character...
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that we might be saved
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eternally saved for
the heavenly kingdom.
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And then number 2. is not
for a job or any of those things
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but so that we can
share that with others.
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So obviously every child should
be raised in the correct way.
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So I think this has a
tremendous application here.
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This is also a good text to show
that life begins at conception.
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Because what this mother would
do with her life when she was
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pregnant affects that baby.
And new science is able to show
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in us that the brain is
about 90% chemical, only by
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10% electric. And
through neuron peptides,
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the thoughts of the
mother can be transferred.
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The thoughts that we think
and the actions that we have
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are transferred all through
the body neurochemically.
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So even the thoughts of the
mother can affect that child
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that's growing
inside. Not only your diet,
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not only your exercise but even
our attitude can be transmitted
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to that child.
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I just have to... I have
to be honest but when Deb
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my wife was pregnant
for our first child, Alicia,
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of course Deb just loves
children and she's been a
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tremendous mother. And
so as she's getting pregnant
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she would say,
"Dwight come over here.
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I just.. the baby just kicked. "
And I put my hand on her stomach
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and oh.. we have a kick. I
mean I wasn't that excited.
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Should have
been, I would be now.
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But, you know, I heard
somebody tell me back then that,
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you know, you ought to sing
to your child and do things.
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Read stories and stuff out
loud because that can transfer
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to the child. And
that has been proven you're
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saying today. I
thought it was crazy.
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Study shows that the baby knows
the bark of the dog when it's
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born with the
family. It's.. it's..
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What's happening around
the family is being imprinted
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in that brain and
that will developing fetus.
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It's amazing.
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So it's vitally important
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that we, as parents, ask
God what He would have us
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to do with their
children. How to raise them.
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Right. That's
right. We find that example
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in the parents of Samson.
Now I don't know but it seems
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like a little change
takes place because it says,
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And then we come to chapter 14.
And Samson's a little older now
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and he's going about, you know.
And he seems to be quite led
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by his own passions.
And in chapter 14:2 it says
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You have to understand that God
had given His people direction
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in the number of places.
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Deuteronomy 6 is
one of those places.
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Where God spells out
the danger of His people
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taking wives or husbands
from the heathen because they're
00:09:00.24\00:09:06.32
gonna leave your
hearts away from Me, He said.
00:09:06.35\00:09:08.45
So we have another principle
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that we should not
be unequally yoked.
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I mean, we don't wanna
go with unbelievers and even
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amongst believers,
we've gotta be careful because
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there's so much difference
even in the same faith today
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of how people believe
in their philosophy so...
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You know, before we
move on from that point,
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I think it's
interesting to point out here.
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We don't have any evidence
in here of exactly how closely
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Manoah and his wife
followed the council of God.
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So we don't know if they..
if they were faithful or not
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but here's the
point. When the Bible says
00:09:41.62\00:09:45.37
Train up a child in
the way he should go
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growing up are fine.
You know, we know that.
00:09:47.07\00:09:48.86
Okay. But many
people take that and
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say, well, if your children
went astray you must not have
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raised him right. It's not true.
00:09:53.58\00:09:55.24
That promise is in
God's ideal situation.
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But we know that God had a third
of His children go astray for a
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perfect home. Now,
the point is, there are
00:10:03.76\00:10:06.97
many parents, maybe watching
this today, who were faithful.
00:10:07.00\00:10:10.56
They sent their
children to Christian schools.
00:10:10.59\00:10:12.66
They took them to church.
They train them in principles.
00:10:12.69\00:10:14.90
They had good
leadership but the children
00:10:14.94\00:10:17.47
chose to go astray. All
we can do for those children,
00:10:17.50\00:10:20.64
don't blame yourself.
Don't beat yourself and say,
00:10:20.67\00:10:22.99
"God why?" You
pray for those children.
00:10:23.02\00:10:25.25
And here's what I told
one parent once and said,
00:10:25.28\00:10:27.39
"Be thankful to God that you
planted the seeds in your heart
00:10:27.42\00:10:31.25
that God can now use to
bring them back to Him. "
00:10:31.28\00:10:33.68
So you can be faithful and
still the child goes astray.
00:10:33.71\00:10:37.31
That's not a reflection
that's due to by a parent.
00:10:37.34\00:10:39.26
That's the
reflection with the devil.
00:10:39.29\00:10:41.24
And God gives everyone free
choice. So whether his parents
00:10:41.27\00:10:46.09
brought him up right or
not, the fact is, Samson
00:10:46.12\00:10:50.21
chose to go astray.
It was his own choice.
00:10:50.24\00:10:53.59
Yeah. And he says right there,
00:10:53.62\00:10:56.57
So he was consulting
his own pleasure and passion
00:11:13.61\00:11:16.33
verses principles.
00:11:16.36\00:11:17.80
And Pastor and I'm
sure you know this.
00:11:17.83\00:11:19.03
I'm gonna add this.
In the Hebrew, that word,
00:11:19.06\00:11:21.66
that phrase is powerful.
What he is saying is, she's
00:11:21.69\00:11:25.13
the one I want.
She's the only one I want.
00:11:25.16\00:11:27.87
I won't settle for anybody else.
00:11:27.90\00:11:29.41
She's right in my eyes.
00:11:29.44\00:11:31.06
She's right in my eyes.
And so verse 4 might need a
00:11:31.09\00:11:35.49
little explanation. Says,
00:11:35.52\00:11:37.02
Now some people take this and
00:11:44.43\00:11:46.23
conclude that maybe God expected
Samson to go contrary to God's
00:11:46.26\00:11:51.08
own directions to his people not
to take wives of the heathen.
00:11:51.11\00:11:54.14
Instead of understanding
that all the Bible is trying to
00:11:54.17\00:11:56.34
point out here is Samson kinda
went his own way that God will
00:11:56.37\00:12:00.16
meet us even as
we go our own way.
00:12:00.19\00:12:01.94
And the Bible says in Romans
Chapter 8 that God will work
00:12:01.97\00:12:04.53
all things together for good
to those who love God and are
00:12:04.56\00:12:07.56
called according to His purpose.
And I believe Samson loved God
00:12:07.59\00:12:09.68
but he was wayward. He had a...
00:12:09.71\00:12:11.88
He consulted his own passions.
He wasn't using his best
00:12:11.91\00:12:14.78
judgment here. But
we'll see through the life
00:12:14.81\00:12:16.94
of Samson it's not out of a
lack of wanting to serve God.
00:12:16.97\00:12:22.40
But he wasn't
willing to sacrifice his own
00:12:22.43\00:12:24.84
will to God's
will, for too long.
00:12:24.87\00:12:28.30
It's a total surrender.
I mean the thing of it is..
00:12:28.33\00:12:31.12
is that's why you can't be
a 90% Christian because that
00:12:31.15\00:12:35.38
10% is like I don't care if
you take a negative on it and
00:12:35.41\00:12:38.48
multiply with a 200
billion positive number,
00:12:38.51\00:12:42.36
it comes out negative.
So the thing of it is we're
00:12:42.39\00:12:44.98
either all for the Lord
or we're against Him and
00:12:45.01\00:12:46.58
he... I do
believe that he wanted too
00:12:46.61\00:12:49.93
and what I like about is I
would say that God can work on
00:12:50.03\00:12:53.07
plan A which is the best.
God can work on plan B or C.
00:12:53.10\00:12:56.30
And I've told people
that for me, in my life,
00:12:56.33\00:12:59.13
Because I was
wavered. I'm on double "Z".
00:12:59.16\00:13:02.31
I've been through
the alphabet twice.
00:13:02.34\00:13:04.27
You know, God doesn't give up us
00:13:04.30\00:13:06.36
but here's... But
we have to be careful
00:13:06.40\00:13:08.60
because if we use that as
an excuse we will be on the
00:13:08.63\00:13:12.24
wrong side of the
fence in the end of time
00:13:12.27\00:13:14.58
because we're saying,
00:13:14.61\00:13:16.26
"Well, God loves me and so,
hey it didn't work this time and
00:13:16.29\00:13:18.61
so we do wrong things knowing
that God's going to forgive us
00:13:18.64\00:13:21.14
but we better be careful
about presumption that way.
00:13:21.17\00:13:23.95
That's right.
00:13:23.98\00:13:24.95
A couple of things to
bring out about Samson,
00:13:24.96\00:13:26.23
just a kinda quickly
run through this story.
00:13:26.26\00:13:28.48
First, he goes to take a
wife from the Philistines.
00:13:28.51\00:13:32.28
That whole situation turned
sour and Samson ends up fighting
00:13:32.31\00:13:38.03
against the Philistines and God
gives him victory even though he
00:13:38.06\00:13:40.70
went against God's
will and choosing the wife.
00:13:40.73\00:13:42.69
Even though... He
took an Nazarite vow
00:13:42.73\00:13:46.56
it says there in chapter 13,
that was the way it was raised.
00:13:46.59\00:13:49.28
Now an Nazarite couldn't
drink anything.. couldn't have
00:13:49.31\00:13:51.47
anything that came from
vine, grapes, raisins, wine,
00:13:51.50\00:13:54.81
grape juice. Anything like that.
00:13:54.84\00:13:56.95
He couldn't have a...
he wasn't to cut his hair.
00:13:56.98\00:14:01.85
He wasn't to
touch anything dead.
00:14:01.88\00:14:03.68
A number of things.
What we see in the course of
00:14:03.71\00:14:06.04
Samson's experience that he
does a number of these things.
00:14:06.07\00:14:08.22
First of all, the taking
of a foreign wife which wasn't
00:14:08.25\00:14:10.77
part of the Nazarite
vow but it's still against
00:14:10.80\00:14:12.33
God's commands, he did
that. He killed a lion with his
00:14:12.36\00:14:15.33
bare hands. Went back
and touched the dead carcass
00:14:15.36\00:14:16.61
which he wasn't supposed to do.
00:14:16.64\00:14:18.14
He drink of the wine which
he wasn't supposed to do and yet
00:14:18.17\00:14:20.13
all these times God
still is merciful to him.
00:14:20.16\00:14:22.94
Then he finds a woman named
Delilah, another heathen woman,
00:14:22.97\00:14:26.34
who in both cases,
these women, pester him.
00:14:26.37\00:14:31.37
to compromise his faith.
00:14:31.40\00:14:33.91
And for a while he holds out but
00:14:33.94\00:14:36.51
he finally gives in and I
think there's a lot to be said
00:14:36.54\00:14:38.84
there of the nature of
putting yourself in the path of
00:14:38.87\00:14:41.80
compromise. When you associate
freely with those who don't
00:14:41.83\00:14:46.13
love God sooner or
later you're going to cave.
00:14:46.16\00:14:48.74
Yeah, it's a matter of time.
00:14:48.77\00:14:50.88
And so ultimately he gets
in with this woman, Delilah,
00:14:50.91\00:14:54.25
who finally gets him to admit to
00:14:54.28\00:14:56.25
her that the source of his
strength is this vow he took
00:14:56.28\00:15:00.16
with God and his long hair
and if he cuts his hair and he
00:15:00.19\00:15:02.52
breaks his vow and he looses
his strength and so sure enough
00:15:02.55\00:15:05.52
she gets him to
sleep. Cuts off his hair.
00:15:05.55\00:15:07.97
He looses his strength and
the Philistines capture him.
00:15:08.00\00:15:10.72
You know that story is so
incredible because several
00:15:10.75\00:15:13.12
times she'd ask,
"What's the secret of
00:15:13.15\00:15:15.41
your strength?" And
he lies to her and she
00:15:15.44\00:15:17.68
does what he says and
then goes, "Samson, Samson!
00:15:17.71\00:15:20.42
The Philistines are upon me. "
00:15:20.45\00:15:21.82
He gets up and
snaps what ever it is.
00:15:21.85\00:15:23.54
And she was,
00:15:23.57\00:15:24.54
"Why didn't you lie?"
But, you know, what this shows
00:15:24.55\00:15:26.33
again is the
deceptive power of sin.
00:15:26.36\00:15:28.96
Once we begin to dally with
sin, once we begin to think it's
00:15:28.99\00:15:34.47
not that bad. Once
we begin to think that
00:15:34.50\00:15:37.71
our reason becomes clouded.
And we overlook the obvious
00:15:37.74\00:15:42.45
so to speak.
00:15:42.48\00:15:43.95
We look at this. I
mean, I've laughed at this
00:15:43.98\00:15:48.17
for years. I'm not
so critical anymore
00:15:48.20\00:15:50.60
because I've made some really
stupid mistakes in my life.
00:15:50.63\00:15:54.11
But it is amazing how we
can overlook the obvious.
00:15:54.14\00:15:59.95
How many times have
you, out there, said,
00:15:59.98\00:16:03.01
"Ahhh... I can't
believe I've done that. "
00:16:03.04\00:16:05.64
I mean we've all
said those things before.
00:16:05.67\00:16:08.11
It's so obvious.
00:16:08.14\00:16:09.15
And then 3 months
later, we do the same thing.
00:16:09.18\00:16:10.43
And we do the same
thing. Because why..
00:16:10.46\00:16:12.66
because we have to flee
from sin we need to run away
00:16:12.69\00:16:15.21
and Samson, if
Samson would have just done
00:16:15.24\00:16:20.25
what was right to begin
with, he had all these tests.
00:16:20.28\00:16:22.97
And God stayed with him
because He loved him but He gave
00:16:23.00\00:16:26.59
more chances. But those...
00:16:26.62\00:16:28.40
My kids have said to me,
listen, when they were younger,
00:16:28.43\00:16:32.72
and they did
something wrong, they say,
00:16:33.14\00:16:34.16
"Well, dad if you
just let me go this time,
00:16:34.19\00:16:36.34
I won't do that again. "
00:16:36.38\00:16:37.91
Have you ever let
them go that time?
00:16:38.48\00:16:40.67
Yup.
00:16:40.70\00:16:41.67
How often have
they not done it again?
00:16:41.68\00:16:44.21
They usually always do.
00:16:44.24\00:16:46.01
Again, right? Who do
we think we're kidding?
00:16:46.04\00:16:49.63
You know, I mean, the
least the consequences to
00:16:49.66\00:16:52.62
sin or whatever you
do is the consequence,
00:16:52.65\00:16:54.97
you'd think that with
all the mercy that God gave
00:16:55.00\00:16:58.84
Samson, that Samson
would say, "What a loving God.
00:16:58.87\00:17:01.11
I'd never wanna do that again. "
00:17:01.14\00:17:02.99
But it got worse!
00:17:03.03\00:17:04.56
Well, I think the
important point of view,
00:17:04.59\00:17:06.20
I mean, a real
direct application
00:17:06.23\00:17:08.02
and I run into this as a pastor
00:17:08.06\00:17:09.63
people who get in relationships.
The devil is an expert at
00:17:09.66\00:17:12.92
using relationships.
Husbands, wives, boyfriends,
00:17:12.95\00:17:15.20
girlfriends to pull
people away from faith.
00:17:15.23\00:17:17.08
And God had warned He's people.
And we see it in two cases
00:17:17.11\00:17:20.58
with Samson. His first wife,
00:17:20.61\00:17:21.89
the daughter of
Timna, and then with Delilah.
00:17:21.92\00:17:25.02
In both cases, seducing
him. And like Dane said.
00:17:25.05\00:17:28.50
She'd ask him what
he's source of strength was.
00:17:28.53\00:17:32.55
He'd give her the wrong
answer and then she use it
00:17:32.58\00:17:35.37
against him. And
you'd think he get a clue.
00:17:35.40\00:17:37.40
But he's so wrapped
up in this relationship,
00:17:37.43\00:17:40.03
and you go back to Adam and
Eve. What happened with Adam?
00:17:40.06\00:17:42.35
I mean, Eve was
deceived at the tree.
00:17:42.38\00:17:43.90
Adam wasn't
deceived at the tree.
00:17:43.93\00:17:45.22
Adam was deceived with the
thought that what am I gonna
00:17:45.25\00:17:48.56
do without her. And
the devil plays that card
00:17:48.59\00:17:51.59
so successful today
with men and women, alike.
00:17:51.62\00:17:54.39
When they get into these
relationships and they sense the
00:17:54.42\00:17:57.76
claims of God upon them,
they know that they need to take
00:17:57.79\00:17:59.77
a stand for God but they
say, "What am I going to do?
00:17:59.80\00:18:02.21
'Cuz my husband, my wife
won't go along with me. "
00:18:02.24\00:18:04.37
And then they do
just what Samson did.
00:18:04.40\00:18:06.13
Even in the face of knowing it's
gonna lead to my destruction.
00:18:06.16\00:18:08.75
And sins short
circuits the brain.
00:18:08.78\00:18:10.03
Because the very woman
Adam said, "I can never live
00:18:10.06\00:18:13.78
without her. " And God said,
"What'd ya do?" "She did it.
00:18:13.81\00:18:15.54
Kill her. I can
live without her. "
00:18:15.57\00:18:18.34
So it just short
circuits the brain. And how...
00:18:18.37\00:18:20.84
let's get down to basics. I
mean, How often have we looked
00:18:20.87\00:18:23.33
at something and we
say, "I've always wanted
00:18:23.36\00:18:25.97
one of those. " We've
never even seen it before
00:18:26.00\00:18:28.11
but we've always wanted
it. You see we can.. sin,
00:18:28.14\00:18:31.05
selfishness short circuits
our reasoning. And we need to
00:18:31.08\00:18:35.61
understand that everything
has been taken to the Lord.
00:18:35.64\00:18:39.25
Purchasing decisions. My
wife and I had an agreement
00:18:39.28\00:18:42.08
that any purchase
over a $100 is 24 hours.
00:18:42.11\00:18:45.72
Yes. That's good.
00:18:45.75\00:18:47.09
We go home, we
pray about it because we
00:18:47.12\00:18:49.02
convince ourselves we
need that polka dotted
00:18:49.05\00:18:50.85
set of shoes. "Cuz
it goes with my.. "
00:18:50.88\00:18:53.51
You have one of those?
00:18:53.54\00:18:54.63
Yeah! It goes
with my striped suit.
00:18:54.66\00:18:56.03
But, you know, we
gotta go home and say,
00:18:56.06\00:18:58.22
"Lord, am I just fooling myself
here? Do I really need this?"
00:18:58.25\00:19:02.04
Or, "I've always
wanted eat one of those. "
00:19:02.07\00:19:05.27
Have you really? No.
00:19:05.30\00:19:06.56
We're just trying
to convince ourselves.
00:19:06.59\00:19:07.88
So we do the
same thing Samson did.
00:19:07.91\00:19:10.06
And I think that is working,
obviously, we weren't together
00:19:10.09\00:19:13.22
Kinda had the same
thing, Deb and I have made the
00:19:13.25\00:19:15.59
decision years ago
that if we want something,
00:19:15.62\00:19:17.91
number 1, we
can't get it for a week.
00:19:17.94\00:19:19.98
If we still
wanted it at that time,
00:19:20.01\00:19:22.20
then if it's me, then
I have to tell my wife,
00:19:22.23\00:19:24.94
Deb, "Honey, I
really want this tool. "
00:19:24.97\00:19:27.17
Now, I've tried that thing with
my wife before and she says you
00:19:27.20\00:19:31.27
gotta whole garage full of
tools. You don't really need
00:19:31.30\00:19:33.08
those tools. The
same with her, with her
00:19:33.11\00:19:34.99
dress or pair of shoes.
In other words, in our own
00:19:35.02\00:19:38.85
minds we can justify anything.
Samson justified everything
00:19:38.88\00:19:44.17
he did. Probably
why he drink wine,
00:19:44.20\00:19:45.88
probably why he wanted Timna,
why he wanted Delilah and why we
00:19:45.91\00:19:50.46
wanna do what we do.
Well, when you give a friend,
00:19:50.49\00:19:52.38
you know, we get a
friend or our spouse and say,
00:19:52.41\00:19:55.59
"I really want this
set. " They're gonna say,
00:19:55.62\00:19:57.33
"You don't need that. "
00:19:57.36\00:19:58.63
And then you try,
"Give me one good reason
00:19:58.66\00:20:00.30
you're going, ahh..
ahh.. ahh.. I want it!"
00:20:00.33\00:20:02.32
That's the only good reason.
00:20:02.35\00:20:04.03
Another thing about Samson we
need to think about is God workd
00:20:04.06\00:20:07.19
many times have you
said, Pastor, in Samson's life.
00:20:07.22\00:20:09.95
Like the time when he picked
up a bronze gate of the city.
00:20:09.98\00:20:12.66
Ripped off the hinges.
When you talk about Mr. Atlas.
00:20:12.69\00:20:15.62
This guy makes Arnold
Schwarzenegger looks like
00:20:15.65\00:20:18.12
the weak link, the
weakling on the beach.
00:20:18.15\00:20:20.49
He picks up an iron, a
brass gate and carries it up
00:20:20.52\00:20:24.87
the hill and dumps it.
Now, here's the danger.
00:20:24.90\00:20:27.22
Samson says,"The God's with
me. He'll always be with me. "
00:20:27.25\00:20:31.26
But he doesn't realize
that, that the Bible says
00:20:31.29\00:20:34.68
because God does not
execute judgment speedily,
00:20:34.71\00:20:36.97
the men of the land
are pursued to do evil.
00:20:37.00\00:20:39.09
And we need to understand
that like Solomon said in
00:20:39.12\00:20:42.55
Ecclesiastes chapter 12. He
said,"God should bring every
00:20:42.58\00:20:46.20
work in the
judgment, whether it be good or
00:20:46.23\00:20:48.46
whether it be evil. "
We will meet our decisions
00:20:48.49\00:20:51.66
and we can't say "Well because
God's been with us in the past,
00:20:51.69\00:20:54.58
He's gonna be with
us in the future. "
00:20:54.61\00:20:56.41
God's presence depends
upon the present obedience,
00:20:56.44\00:20:59.89
the present
faithfulness, the present love.
00:20:59.92\00:21:02.51
Not on past. We
can't say, Well my Bible
00:21:02.54\00:21:05.86
studies is gotten me where I
am. I don't need to study the
00:21:05.89\00:21:07.74
Bible anymore. "
You gotta keep studying.
00:21:07.77\00:21:10.60
Or you'll be like Samson.
00:21:10.63\00:21:11.85
Absolutely.
00:21:11.88\00:21:12.85
As we go through, the
story finally finishes,
00:21:12.86\00:21:14.53
of course, Delilah finally gets
the secret, cuts off his hair.
00:21:14.56\00:21:18.00
The Philistines come to capture
him and Samson goes to defend
00:21:18.03\00:21:21.09
himself only this time he finds
that strength isn't with him.
00:21:21.12\00:21:23.93
He's weak.
00:21:23.96\00:21:24.99
Samson's strength
wasn't in his pecks but in
00:21:25.02\00:21:27.94
his promises. Right?
00:21:27.97\00:21:29.70
That's right.
00:21:29.73\00:21:30.70
He... It was his vow to
God that gave him the strength
00:21:30.71\00:21:32.87
and so he depended on his
strength,his vow was broken.
00:21:32.90\00:21:35.45
And his strength left him.
They put his eyes out and as
00:21:35.48\00:21:38.66
a blind man, he dwelt and
he was, you know, basically for
00:21:38.69\00:21:41.77
the mockery of the Philistines
until finally one day,
00:21:41.80\00:21:44.48
he came at a great festival.
00:21:44.51\00:21:45.77
The Bible says that he
was like an ox grinding corn.
00:21:45.80\00:21:48.34
He pushed a big
millstone around. Imagine,
00:21:48.37\00:21:50.71
going from the
Deliverer of Israel.
00:21:50.74\00:21:52.54
Now here's a lesson for us.
If you do fall, don't let Satan
00:21:52.57\00:21:58.24
make you think
you're beyond hope.
00:21:58.27\00:21:59.75
Here's a man that
had totally messed up.
00:21:59.78\00:22:03.15
I mean, he's
eyes were poked out.
00:22:03.18\00:22:04.99
He has no strength but
as his hair begins to grow,
00:22:05.02\00:22:07.86
God's working on his conscience
and Samson comes back to God.
00:22:07.89\00:22:14.36
And hair grows
slowly. And I love this too!
00:22:14.39\00:22:18.80
When he could see with his eyes,
physically, he couldn't see
00:22:18.83\00:22:22.71
He couldn't see,
spiritually he was blind.
00:22:22.74\00:22:24.46
When they poked his
eyes out. Shaved it.
00:22:24.49\00:22:27.05
Took everything away from him.
Putting him in that millstone
00:22:27.08\00:22:33.16
walking around there, it
was the worst case scenario,
00:22:33.19\00:22:36.61
he could finally start to see.
00:22:36.64\00:22:38.94
But you can imagine Satan
saying, "You worthless sinner.
00:22:38.97\00:22:42.09
What can God do with you?
You've messed up your life. "
00:22:42.12\00:22:45.05
Satan will do that to you!
00:22:45.08\00:22:47.16
But we gotta think about the
text in the Bible where the wise
00:22:47.19\00:22:49.87
men said,"Though the
righteous fall seven times. "
00:22:49.90\00:22:52.51
How can you fall seven times?
Because you keep getting up.
00:22:52.54\00:22:56.38
You keep getting up. A
wise man doesn't give up,
00:22:56.41\00:23:00.67
he gets up. You
just keep getting up and
00:23:00.70\00:23:03.81
saying, "Lord, I'm gonna learn
from that. I'm gonna learn what
00:23:03.84\00:23:06.99
Satan did to me there. "
If you do that, you turn your
00:23:07.02\00:23:10.20
defeats into victory.
00:23:10.23\00:23:11.31
That's right and that's
what Samson did, ultimately.
00:23:11.34\00:23:13.30
Then he goes and have them lead
him to the pillars of the temple
00:23:13.33\00:23:18.22
during a great heathen
festival to their Dagon,
00:23:18.25\00:23:21.54
their fish god. And
he torn down main pillars
00:23:21.57\00:23:24.56
that brought the whole
house down and became a victory.
00:23:24.59\00:23:27.80
Even in his death,
defeated the Philistine armies.
00:23:27.83\00:23:30.22
More on his death
than he had in his life.
00:23:30.25\00:23:31.69
And it's beautiful in the
hall of faith in Hebrews 11.
00:23:31.72\00:23:34.25
Yeah.
00:23:34.28\00:23:35.25
He's in the hall of faith.
00:23:35.26\00:23:36.23
Oh Death, where is thy sting?
00:23:36.24\00:23:37.21
That's right. He's in the
hall of faith in Hebrews 11.
00:23:37.22\00:23:38.96
And that prayer
who says,"God, please,
00:23:38.99\00:23:40.96
just one more chance.
" That's the heart of the
00:23:40.99\00:23:44.24
converted man. He's
acknowledging Lord I've
00:23:44.27\00:23:46.40
had messed up. No
excuses for sin anymore.
00:23:46.43\00:23:48.57
Lord I messed up but I
know you can still use me.
00:23:48.60\00:23:52.37
If I find fav- I get goose
bumps even thinking about it!
00:23:52.40\00:23:55.26
That's right and He can
use everyone of our viewers
00:23:55.29\00:23:56.57
today in the same way.
00:23:56.62\00:23:57.63
No matter what you've
done. No matter how horrible
00:23:57.66\00:24:00.85
you've been. If
you have a true heart
00:24:00.88\00:24:02.87
of confession, God
will forgive you today.
00:24:02.90\00:24:05.77
And remember this,
before we take a break.
00:24:05.80\00:24:09.40
We're gonna be going in
just a second for a short break.
00:24:09.43\00:24:11.50
It's not about giving
up. It's about getting up.
00:24:11.53\00:24:14.75
And Samson is a tremendous
lesson that what I am...
00:24:14.78\00:24:18.13
I'm so glad he gave in.
Of course, he was in that
00:24:18.16\00:24:20.18
millstone deal. I'm
glad that it went on.
00:24:20.21\00:24:23.16
And we'll be right back. We
gotta take this short break.
00:24:23.19\00:24:25.94
I hate doing this.
00:24:25.99\00:24:26.96
But we'll be right
back. Don't go away.
00:24:26.98\00:24:28.77
Be more efficient and organized
with your Bible studies
00:24:28.80\00:24:31.79
and homework with the new
Pentel pencil. This incredible
00:24:31.88\00:24:34.93
tool has 8 bright non-bleed
colors in just one pen. When
00:24:34.96\00:24:39.22
you are ready to change the
color, turn the clip and you're
00:24:39.25\00:24:42.04
ready to go. Just hear
what these enthusiastic Bible
00:24:42.07\00:24:45.12
Students have to say
about the Pentel pencil.
00:24:45.15\00:24:47.73
I love using the Pentel
pencil with my Remnant Study
00:24:47.76\00:24:50.90
Bible but I also love using
it for my school work and as I
00:24:50.93\00:24:55.14
study and I highlight the
things I need to remember but if
00:24:55.17\00:24:59.01
there is a special word that
I need, I go back and I change
00:24:59.04\00:25:02.18
the color, highlight it and
it's sure to pop off the page.
00:25:02.21\00:25:05.76
For me, the pencil comes
in handy when I am studying my
00:25:06.78\00:25:09.26
Sabbath School lesson.
This week's lesson is about
00:25:09.29\00:25:11.26
faithfulness. As I am studying
I use the pencil to highlight
00:25:11.29\00:25:14.55
things that I want to share
on Sabbath. Another simple and
00:25:14.58\00:25:18.20
practical way to use my pencil
is here at home. It helps me
00:25:18.23\00:25:22.09
to prioritize things on my
To Do list. The things that
00:25:22.12\00:25:25.12
have to be done right away
I underlined in red and I use
00:25:25.15\00:25:28.24
blue for things that
can wait until later.
00:25:28.27\00:25:29.87
As a Minister I have found
the Pentel marking pen to be a
00:25:30.58\00:25:33.97
great help to me in my
Ministry's in both preparation
00:25:34.00\00:25:37.10
of sermons and Bible studying
materials but also in the
00:25:37.13\00:25:40.45
delivery of those messages.
Let me explain to you real
00:25:40.48\00:25:43.86
quick. When I'm studying
I'll come across a word that I'd
00:25:43.89\00:25:46.87
like to highlight to pull my
mind to later on and I'll use
00:25:46.90\00:25:50.72
a color like red if I am dealing
with salvation and I'll mark
00:25:50.75\00:25:54.08
that word. So then, when I
am studying that passage with
00:25:54.11\00:25:58.26
someone in their home or
I'm preaching from the Pulpit it
00:25:58.29\00:26:00.60
will help to remind you, I
need to focus on that word which
00:26:00.63\00:26:04.56
triggers my mind to remember
the things I've studied on
00:26:04.59\00:26:07.16
that. I think you'll find it
a help too in your Bible studies
00:26:07.19\00:26:10.55
or as the Pastor ask you
to preach from time to time.
00:26:10.58\00:26:13.23
To order your Pentel pencil
and start enhancing your Bible
00:26:13.26\00:26:16.79
study experience call
Remnant Publications at
00:26:16.82\00:26:20.05
or visit our website at
00:26:23.92\00:26:25.69
Make the most of your time in
the Word with the Pentel pencil.
00:26:27.42\00:26:29.61
I'm glad that
you stayed with us.
00:26:30.93\00:26:32.22
What amazing two
chapters in Judges, isn't it?
00:26:32.25\00:26:35.73
13 and 14. And I
pray that you will open
00:26:35.76\00:26:39.29
your hearts up and if you
haven't, you make some practical
00:26:39.32\00:26:42.40
applications for you today.
To close, I wanna get both
00:26:42.43\00:26:46.32
of you in on this.
So Pastor, what's your
00:26:46.35\00:26:49.79
closing thoughts?
00:26:49.82\00:26:50.79
Well, I like the point you
brought out, Dwight, about how
00:26:50.80\00:26:53.03
Samson actually could see more
when he was blind, physically.
00:26:53.06\00:26:58.49
He could see more spiritually
and how often it is in our lives
00:26:58.52\00:27:02.96
that, it's through the
circumstances, trials and tough
00:27:02.99\00:27:06.33
situations that often times our
spiritual eyesight opens up and
00:27:06.36\00:27:10.32
we realize that Samson did that
our strength comes through our
00:27:10.35\00:27:14.31
faithfulness to God.
It's not in ourselves but it's
00:27:14.34\00:27:17.51
as we're faithful to
Him that His strength
00:27:17.54\00:27:19.50
is made perfect in our weakness.
00:27:19.55\00:27:20.59
That's right.
Dane, you have a thought?
00:27:20.62\00:27:23.29
You know, I think one of the
things that I seem to look at
00:27:23.32\00:27:25.62
Samson is the Bible
says in Judges 17:6 and also
00:27:25.65\00:27:33.08
Judges 21:25, "In
those days there was no king
00:27:33.11\00:27:36.50
in Israel and every man did that
was right in his own eyes. "
00:27:36.53\00:27:39.64
Samson failed to
prevailing attitude of society.
00:27:39.67\00:27:44.29
You do what's
right in your own eyes.
00:27:44.32\00:27:46.05
God's with me. Look
at the strength I've had.
00:27:46.08\00:27:48.47
I'm gonna do
what I think is right.
00:27:48.50\00:27:50.38
But eventually, it caused him
his eyesight and almost caused
00:27:50.41\00:27:53.93
him his salvation. But
praise God today that Samson
00:27:53.96\00:27:57.92
was reclaimable and
you can be reclaimable too.
00:27:57.95\00:28:00.78
If you're fighting
against something in your life,
00:28:00.81\00:28:02.41
remember the story of Samson.
Grinding corn like a cow.
00:28:02.44\00:28:07.08
God still accepted him back.
He did a great work for God!
00:28:07.11\00:28:10.27
And I love this,
remember, it's not time to?
00:28:10.30\00:28:13.90
Give up.
00:28:13.93\00:28:14.92
Give up, but?
00:28:14.95\00:28:15.92
Get up.
00:28:15.95\00:28:17.80
Make that your pledge
this week and until next time,
00:28:17.83\00:28:20.64
you know you too can have a
better life so don't put it off.
00:28:20.67\00:28:25.78