Participants: Pr. Walter Pearson
Series Code: BOL
Program Code: BOL000311
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00:02 Announcer: BREATH OF LIFE PRESENTS RELENTLESS PURSUIT WITH
00:08 PASTOR WALTER L. PEARSON, JR. 00:13 (theme music) WP: NOW WE GO TO THE WORD 00:24 OF GOD, AND TONIGHT WE LOOK AT JUDGES, CHAPTER 16, AND 00:29 I ONLY NEED ONE VERSE. 00:31 IN FACT, WHEN YOU READ IT THERE WILL BE NO DOUBT IN YOUR MIND: 00:37 JUDGES, CHAPTER 16 AND VERSE 20. 00:41 AND HERE IS WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS: "AND SHE SAID, THE PHILISTINES 00:46 BE UPON THE, SAMSON. 00:49 AND HE AWOKE OUT OF HIS SLEEP AND SAID, 'I WILL GO OUT AS 00:54 OTHER TIMES BEFORE AND SHAKE MYSELF,' AND HE WIST NOT THAT 01:01 THE LORD WAS DEPARTED FROM HIM." 01:05 I'VE ENTITLED THIS TONIGHT HANGING BY A THREAD. 01:10 WOULD YOU PRAY WITH ME ? 01:12 FATHER IN HEAVEN WE DARE NOT OPEN THE WORD OF GOD WITHOUT 01:17 THE POWER OF JESUS CHRIST AND THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 01:22 SO FATHER, SEND NOW ALL THAT WE NEED. 01:27 SEND NOW THE VOICE OF JESUS CHRIST AMPLIFIED BY THE 01:32 POWER OF HIS HOLY SPIRIT. 01:35 I PRAY, FATHER, THAT NOTHING IN ME SHALL HINDER WHAT 01:39 JESUS HAS TO SAY. 01:41 LET US LEAVE CONVINCED THAT WE HAVE HEARD THE VOICE OF JESUS, 01:46 FOR WE PRAY IN HIS NAME, AMEN. 01:51 THERE IS THIS MAN NAMED SAMSON. 01:56 I LOVE TO PREACH ABOUT HIM BECAUSE HE IS STRONG. 02:01 IN FACT, I LEARNED JUST THIS WEEK THAT IN THE SHADES OF 02:06 MEANING OF HIS NAME, IT EVEN SUGGESTS THAT HE IS HANDSOME. 02:13 MORE THAN MUSCULAR, BUT THE WAY HIS BODY IS BUILT IS 02:19 ACCENTUATED BY HIS WINSOMENESS. 02:24 I WOULD BE SUGGEST TO YOU THAT HE WOULD BE ONE THAT 02:26 EVERYBODY WOULD LOVE TO SEE. 02:29 THERE ARE MEN WHO MEN FIND ENCOURAGING. 02:36 THEY ARE SO POWERFULLY BUILT THAT EVEN MEN SAY, "AH HA, 02:39 MAYBE I CAN BE LIKE THAT." 02:43 AND I HAVE LEARNED-I DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL I HAD A DAUGHTER THAT YOU 02:48 LADIES SAY THINGS LIKE YOU SAY. 02:52 IN FACT, I'VE COME TO BELIEVE THAT WHEN A VERY HANDSOME MAN 02:56 ENTERS A GROUP, IF HE IS BEYOND ORDINARY, WOMEN DON'T SAY MUCH 03:05 BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO SHARE WHAT THEY'VE SEEN. 03:11 I IMAGINE WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN SAID IF SAMSON HAD 03:15 COME TO THE PLACE. 03:16 SAMSON WAS CALLED BEFORE HE WAS BORN. 03:21 JESUS, THE ANGEL WHO WAS THE LORD, IS THE ONE WHO 03:26 CAME TO HIS MOTHER AND THEN TO HIS FATHER AND SAID, 03:30 "THIS IS WHAT YOU MUST DO." 03:32 TOLD THE MOTHER, "YOU HAVE GOT TO EAT THE RIGHT THING 03:37 AND DO THE RIGHT THING." 03:38 SOME OF US FORGET THAT CHILDREN ARE FORMED IN THEIR MOTHER'S 03:42 WOMB WITH THE TRAITS THAT WE PASS ALONG TO THEM. 03:47 AND SO EVEN BEFORE HE WAS BORN, HIS MOTHER WAS INSTRUCTED, 03:50 "DON'T EAT ANYTHING UNCLEAN, DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING THAT 03:53 IS FROM THE GRAPE. 03:55 YOU MUST LIVE IN A WAY THAT'S ALMOST LIKE A NAZARITE, 04:00 BECAUSE YOUR SON IS CALLED FROM THE WOMB TO BE A NAZARITE, 04:04 AND WHEN HE COMES HE WILL BEGIN TO DELIVER ISRAEL. 04:09 UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN YOU THINK THAT HOPE IS LOST, AND THERE 04:14 ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALWAYS BELIEVING THAT THERE IS NO HOPE. 04:18 I AM NOT ONE OF YOU. 04:20 IN FACT, I WILL TALK TO YOU FOR A MINUTE, BUT NOT MUCH MORE, 04:25 BECAUSE I FIND MYSELF PULLED DOWN BY PEOPLE WHO ALWAYS 04:29 THINK THAT GOD HAS FORGOTTEN. 04:33 GOD NEVER FORGETS, AND WHEN YOU DON'T THINK HE HAS A 04:37 PLAN, THERE'S A PLAN IN THE MAKING RIGHT THERE. 04:42 THE PEOPLE OF THIS TIME WERE SO CAUGHT-40 YEARS UNDER THE 04:46 PHILISTINES POWER, AND YET, GOD HAD BROUGHT THIS YOUNG 04:51 MAN--HE WAS BEING BORN AND REARED RIGHT AMONG THEM. 04:56 HE HAD THE POWER TO BEGIN TO DELIVER THEM. 04:59 GOD HAD MADE HIM SO. 05:01 WHEN GOD MAKES YOU STRONG, YOU'RE STRONG. 05:05 THAT'S WHY I WISH WE COULD GET OUR EYES ON IT. 05:08 HANDSOME, YES, POWERFULLY BUILT--I WONDER WHAT HE DID 05:12 WHEN HE WAS A LITTLE BOY. 05:14 I WONDER WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT GAVE HIS PARENTS 05:18 THE HINT THAT GOD WAS INDEED TRUE IN WHAT HE SAID. 05:22 DID HE PICK UP THINGS THAT BABIES COULDN'T PICK UP ? 05:28 WHEN HE WAS A TEEN, DID HE HAVE POWER THAT EVEN MADE 05:33 HIS PARENTS WONDER ? 05:36 THERE ARE SCHOLARS WHO BELIEVE THAT THE TRIBE OF DAN WOULD PUT 05:40 TOGETHER LITTLE GROUPS TO TRY AND BATTLE THE PHILISTINES AND 05:44 THEY BELIEVED THAT SAMSON, EVEN IN HIS YOUTH, WAS PART OF THOSE 05:48 BANDS THAT TRIED TO RESIST. 05:50 I WONDER WHAT DID SAMSON DO ? 05:52 COULD HE GO SOMETIMES AND TAKE HOLD OF ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE OF 05:56 THE PHILISTINES, AND GRAB THEM AT ONE TIME AND SQUEEZE THEM 06:00 TOGETHER AND SAY, "GOOD MORNING. 06:04 HOW ARE YOU ?" 06:06 REMEMBER, HE WASN'T AFRAID OF THEM. 06:08 HE HAD LOOKED DOWN FROM HIS HOME, WHICH WAS 06:10 JUST ABOVE TIMNATH. 06:12 IN FACT, HIS BLESSING AND HIS CURSE WAS THAT HE WAS 06:16 FAMILIAR WITH THESE ENEMIES. 06:20 AND YOU'VE GOTTO BE CAREFUL WHEN YOUR ENEMIES ARE CLOSE BY. 06:23 DON'T HAVE A LONG TIME TO TALK ABOUT IT, BUT I WILL WARN YOU 06:27 THAT TOO MUCH FAMILIARITY WITH THE ENEMY IS NOT GOOD. 06:31 YOU MUST WATCH WHAT THEY DO, BUT YOU MUST BE AWARE 06:35 OF THE DANGERS. 06:36 SAMSON LOOKED DOWN AND SAW VERY FEW THINGS THAT FRIGHTENED HIM. 06:41 AND BECAUSE HE DID HE MINGLED FREELY WITH THEM. 06:45 HIS HOME WAS JUST ABOVE THEM AND HE COULD GO DOWN TO TIMNATH. 06:49 AND EVENTUALLY, YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. 06:53 AMONG THE YOUNG LADIES IN TIMNATH--I HAVE NO REASON TO 06:57 KNOW WHAT THEY LOOKED LIKE, BUT I'VE DISCOVERED THAT 07:01 ROMANCE DOES NOT DEVELOP BASED ON APPEARANCE ALONE. 07:07 THERE ARE YOUNG LADIES WHO DON'T APPEAR TO ME TO BE 07:10 ATTRACTIVE, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS SOME MAN CHASING THEM. 07:16 I SCRATCH MY HEAD FROM TIME TO TIME. 07:21 THERE ARE YOUNG MEN WHO BARELY LOOK LIKE 07:24 THEY CAN MAKE IT TO ME. 07:28 BUT EVERYWHERE THEY GO THERE ARE 10-12 WOMEN 07:30 FOLLOWING BEHIND THEM. 07:33 SO EVIDENTLY IT'S NOT BASED ON WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE; THERE MUST 07:36 BE SOME OTHER MAGNETISMS THAT ARE AT WORK THERE, BUT SOMEHOW 07:41 SAMSON GOES DOWN, FORGETS ALL THE WOMEN WHERE HE LIVES--I'VE 07:47 GOT TO TOUCH THAT BECAUSE IT NEEDS TO BE TOUCHED. 07:53 THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO CAN'T SEE THE BEAUTY OF 07:56 FOLKS IN GOD'S HOUSE. 08:01 I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT. 08:02 SOMEBODY FROM OUTSIDE COMES IN AND THE WHOLE PLACE IS ASTIR. 08:09 WELL, WHAT I'VE LEARNED IS THAT THE BEAUTY THAT GOD 08:11 GIVES YOU DOES NOT VANISH. 08:15 THERE ARE PEOPLE NOW, MEN AND WOMEN, WHO HAVE LEARNED TO MAKE 08:18 THEMSELVES MORE ATTRACTIVE WITH THINGS THAT COME IN JARS. 08:27 YOU'VE SEEN ALL THE SHOWS. 08:28 THEE ARE DOCTORS WHO CAN PLAY WITH YOUR PHYSIOGRAMMY AND 08:34 DO THINGS WITH YOUR FACE AND YOUR FORM AND MAKE YOU LOOK 08:37 BETTER THAN YOU DID BEFORE. 08:39 HOWEVER, THEY SAY THAT EVENTUALLY GRAVITY STILL WINS. 08:48 WHAT I'VE DISCOVERED IS THAT IF GOD MAKES YOU LOOK 08:50 GOOD, AND I PROMISE YOU I HAVE SEEN IT, I THANK GOD 08:54 FOR BEING AN EVANGELIST. 08:56 I HAVE TRAVELED ALL AROUND THE WORLD, I HAVE PREACHED 08:58 TO PEOPLE WHO CAME TO HEAR THE WORD OF GOD UGLY. 09:06 BUT I SAT THERE AND WATCHED THEM AS GOD BEGAN TO MAKE 09:10 THEM LOOK BETTER. 09:12 I'VE SEEN MEN WITH BLOODSHOT EYES AND YELLOW TEETH, THEY'RE 09:15 BENT OVER, THEY LOOK LIKE THEY COULD BARELY WALK, BUT AS THEY 09:19 OPENED UP THE WORD OF GOD, GOD TOUCHED THEM, STRAIGHTENED 09:24 THEM UP, CLEARED THEIR EYES, BRIGHTENED THEIR TEETH, PUT 09:30 A NEW BOUNCE IN THEIR STEP. 09:34 I WOULD SAY THAT IF YOU ARE A MAN WHO WANTS TO LOOK BETTER 09:37 BEFORE YOU GO TO THE PLASTIC SURGEON, OPEN UP THE WORD OF GOD 09:41 AND SEE WHAT GOD CAN DO FOR YOU. 09:44 YOUNG LADY, BEFORE YOU GO PUTTING THINGS ON AND CHANGING 09:48 THINGS AROUND, LET JESUS COME INTO YOUR HEART. 09:51 HE'S GOT A WAY OF CHANGING YOU FROM THE INSIDE. 09:55 IN FACT, I'VE SEEN LADIES WHO HAVE GROWN OLD IN THE CHURCH AND 09:58 EVEN AFTER THEY ARE GRAY AND WRINKLED, GOD ARRANGES THEIR 10:02 GRAY HAIR AND PUTS THEIR WRINKLES IN THE RIGHT PLACE 10:06 SO THAT THEY'RE STILL PRETTY. 10:09 ONLY GOD CAN DO THAT. 10:12 SAMSON GOES DOWN, IGNORING ALL THE WOMEN OF HIS TRIBE AND ALL 10:16 THE WOMEN WHO LOVE JEHOVAH, AND HE'S DOWN IN TIMNATH. 10:23 BE CAREFUL IN TIMNATH. 10:26 YOU DON'T KNOW WHO YOU'RE LOOKING AT IN TIMNATH. 10:30 AND HE SEES A WOMAN WHO CAPTURES HIS FANCY. 10:35 HE GOES BACK TO HIS PARENTS--I APPLAUD HIS PARENTS. 10:39 THEY SAID TO HIM, "HAVE YOU NEVER SEEN ANYBODY 10:42 IN OUR OWN PLACE HERE ? 10:45 HAVE YOU OVERLOOKED EVERYBODY HERE ?" 10:47 YOU KNOW I USED TO TELL MY CHILDREN WHEN THEY WERE 10:50 CHILDREN--I'M TECHNICALLY OUT OF THE PARENTING BUSINESS NOW. 10:54 MY CHILDREN HAVE REACHED THE AGE OF MAJORITY. 10:56 THE ONLY THING I CAN DO NOW IS GIVE COUNSEL AND GIVE 10:59 IT QUIETLY AND HUMBLY. 11:02 BUT IN THE DAYS WHEN I HAD AUTHORITY OVER THEM, I USED 11:04 TO TELL THEM, "WHEN YOU GO TO CHOOSE SOMEBODY, IF YOU'VE 11:07 GOT TO CHOOSE BETWEEN SOMEBODY WHO IS WONDERFULLY MADE AND 11:12 SOMEBODY WHO LOVES JESUS, BRING SOMEBODY PLAIN WHO LOVES 11:17 JESUS, BECAUSE THE WAY THEY LOOK WILL IMPROVE OVER TIME." 11:23 I HAVE COUNSELED WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE MARRIED TO AMAZINGLY 11:28 WINSOME PEOPLE. 11:30 I TALKED TO ONE MAN WHOSE WIFE WOULD TIME TO TIME DISTURB 11:35 THE WORSHIP SERVICE--THAT'S HOW PRETTY SHE WAS. 11:39 THERE WERE MEN WHO WOULD TRY NOT TO LOOK; BRETHREN WHO 11:42 ARE MARRIED UNDERSTAND THIS. 11:45 "SHE'S OVER THERE..." 11:51 BUT WHEN I TALKED WITH HER HUSBAND, HE SAID TO ME, "PASTOR, 11:55 THERE ARE MORNINGS THAT I PRAY THAT GOD WILL HOLD BACK 11:58 SUNRISE BECAUSE WHILE SHE LOOKS BEAUTIFUL TO YOU, SHE 12:02 IS AN UGLY WOMAN INSIDE, AND I WISH THAT IT WOULD REMAIN 12:07 NIGHT LONGER SO I WOULDN'T HAVE TO LOOK AT HER FACE." 12:10 YOU CAN'T TELL BY THE COVER OF A BOOK WHAT'S INSIDE OF IT. 12:16 WELL, I WISH SAMSON HAD THOUGHT. 12:18 HE COMES BACK TO HIS PARENTS AND SAYS, "LOOK, I GOT THE WOMAN." 12:22 "SAMSON, SAMSON, HAVEN'T YOU LOOKED ? 12:25 YOU KNOW THAT YOUNG LADY A COUPLE OF BLOCKS DOWN ?" 12:29 "I'VE SEEN HER, MOTHER. 12:31 SHE'S NOT THE ONE FOR ME." 12:33 "BUT SHE'S SO SWEET." 12:35 "YOU THINK SHE'S SWEET. 12:37 I'M LOOKING FOR SOMETHING ELSE." 12:39 AND SO HIS FANCY IS CAUGHT. 12:40 HE SAYS, "FATHER, GET HER FOR ME. 12:44 I RESPECT YOU, BUT I WILL NOT LET YOU AFFECT MY CHOICE. 12:49 GET THE TIMNATH WOMAN FOR ME." 12:54 THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT HAPPENED THAT I CANNOT 12:56 LINGER ON LONG, BUT GOD WILL ALWAYS SEND YOU HINTS 13:01 WHEN YOU ARE GOING WRONG. 13:03 I'VE DISCOVERED THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T SEE THE HINTS. 13:06 GOD CAN PUT UP BILLBOARDS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE INTENT ON DOING 13:12 SOMETHING ELSE DON'T SEE THEM. 13:14 NOW AFTER IT'S OVER THEY WILL COME AND SAY, "YOU 13:17 KNOW, I SAW SO MANY SIGNS; I DON'T KNOW WHY I DIDN'T 13:21 KNOW GOD WAS TRYING TO TALK TO ME, AND NOW, HERE I AM." 13:25 I TOLD ONE LADY COMING BACK TO ME, I SAID, "DIDN'T WE 13:28 HAVE COUNSEL, AND DIDN'T I TELL YOU YOU'RE GOING WRONG ? 13:32 I SELDOM TELL ANYBODY THAT STRONG A THING, BUT I 13:35 TOLD YOU DIDN'T I ?" 13:36 SHE SAID, "YES, YOU DID, BUT I THOUGHT YOU WERE TRYING TO 13:39 KEEP ME FROM SOMETHING GOOD. 13:42 NOW, WHAT SHALL I DO ?" 13:44 WELL, YOU KNOW IN THE BACK OF MY MIND WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS, 13:46 "YOU GOT YOURSELF INTO IT," BUT THAT'S UNKIND. 13:52 THE WOMAN IN TIMNATH IS THERE. 13:54 THE PARENTS SAY, "WELL, THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO." 13:56 THEY GO OUT TO VISIT AND ASIDE FROM THIS LITTLE ESCAPADE, 14:02 AND I CAN'T GET ALL THIS STUFF IN, BUT HERE'S ONE. 14:05 SAMSON IS NOT WALKING NOW WITH HIS PARENTS. 14:07 HE'S KIND OF TAKEN A LITTLE DETOUR AND RUNS 14:10 INTO A YOUNG LION. 14:14 FOR YOU AND ME THAT WOULD BE A VERY EVENTFUL MOMENT. 14:22 I HAVE NEVER ENCOUNTERED A LION FACE TO FACE. 14:25 I WENT TO AFRICA, FINALLY, ENOUGH TIMES AND TEASED THEM 14:30 THAT THE ONLY WILD THING I HAD SEEN IN AFRICA WAS A GOAT, 14:35 AND SO THEY GOT TOGETHER AND SPIRITED ME OFF AFTER ONE OF 14:38 MY MEETINGS TO A GAME RESERVE. 14:41 NOW, A GAME RESERVE IS NOT QUITE LIKE A ZOO. 14:48 IN THE ZOO YOU ARE LOOKING AT LOSERS. 14:57 THESE ARE THE ANIMALS THAT GOT CAUGHT. 15:01 DID YOU EVER WONDER WHY THEY LOOK LIKE THEY DO ? 15:06 THEY'VE BEEN CAUGHT; THEY LOST. 15:09 THEY THINK OF THEIR COUSINS STILL LOOSE AND FREE BACK IN 15:13 THEIR HOMELAND, AND THERE YOU ARE THINKING YOU'RE LOOKING 15:16 AT THE GENUINE ARTICLE. 15:17 YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE REAL ANIMAL LOOKS LIKE; 15:20 YOU'RE LOOKING AT LOSERS. 15:22 SO THEY TOOK ME THROUGH THIS GAME RESERVE AND THEN 15:24 THEY TOLD ME STORIES. 15:26 THEY WERE TRYING TO GET BACK AT ME FOR TEASING THEM AND 15:28 SO THEY TOLD ME STORIES ABOUT WILD ANIMALS AS WE SAT OUTSIDE 15:33 LOOKING OVER THE SAVANNAH. 15:37 I KNEW WHAT THEY WERE TRYING TO DO, BUT EVENTUALLY THEY 15:39 STILL GOT TO ME. 15:42 THEY SAID, "NOW PASTOR, YOU MAY GO TO YOUR ROOM, GET 15:44 UNDER YOUR MOSQUITO NET AND WE SHALL PRAY FOR YOU." 15:51 LATE THAT NIGHT I HEARD SOMETHING. 15:54 IT WAS AN UNGODLY SOUND. 16:00 I HAVE NEVER IN MY LIFE--I HAD NEVER HEARD ANYTHING LIKE THAT. 16:06 I CAN'T EVEN MIMIC IT. 16:09 I DIDN'T WANT TO ASK ANYBODY'S HELP BECAUSE 16:12 THEN I WOULD SEEM AFRAID. 16:16 SO GOD AND I HAD A TALK UNDER THE MOSQUITO NET. 16:20 EVENTUALLY I GOT UP; I SAID, "I'VE GOT TO CHECK BECAUSE 16:23 THIS THING IS GETTING LOUDER AND MAYBE COMING NEARER." 16:27 SO I KNOCKED ON THE DOOR OF A FELLOW WHO DIDN'T SEEM TO 16:31 LORD OVER ME SO MUCH AND I SAID, "WHAT IS THAT ?" 16:37 HE SAID, "PASTOR, THAT IS A FREE LION." 16:43 "A WHAT ?" 16:46 "IT IS A FREE LION." 16:48 HE SAID, "THOSE THINGS YOU HEAR IN AMERICA 16:51 CAN'T MAKE THAT NOISE. 16:53 THEY ARE CAUGHT. 16:55 WHAT YOU HEAR NOW IS A LION ROAMING FREE. 16:58 HE COULD COME VERY CLOSE TO US TONIGHT." 17:01 I SAID, "YES, AND THAT IS THE REASON WHY I'VE 17:04 COME TO YOUR ROOM. 17:08 PERHAPS WE SHOULD GO INTO THE KITCHEN AND PRAY TOGETHER." 17:14 THIS LION COMES AND SAMSON HAS NO PROBLEM. 17:18 HE HAS NO WEAPON. 17:19 REMEMBER THEY ARE IN A TENSE SITUATION WITH THE PHILISTINES, 17:24 SO THERE'S NO WEAPON. 17:25 AND WHEN THE LION COMES, YOU KNOW I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN 17:28 MOTION IN THE OTHER DIRECTION. 17:31 SAMSON SAYS, "EH, LOOK IN HIS EYES." 17:36 I'M SURE THE LION WONDERED, "WHAT IS WRONG WITH HIM ?" 17:40 FINALLY, SAMSON GOES OVER AND STRANGLES THE LION AND ACCORDING 17:45 TO ONE SCHOLAR THEN PULLS HIM APART BY HIS HIND LEGS AS 17:49 THOUGH HE WERE A KID GOAT. 17:53 AND THEN HE GOES TO HIS PARENTS AND NEVER MENTIONS THE LION. 17:57 IT WAS NOT AN EVENT FOR HIM. 17:59 DO YOU FEEL WHAT'S GOING ON ? 18:03 THEN THEY GET TO THIS PLACE AND THEY DISCOVER THAT THESE 18:06 PEOPLE ARE NOT LIKE THEM. 18:08 YOU MUST UNDERSTAND, I DON'T BELIEVE IN DISCRIMINATION. 18:13 I DO BELIEVE, HOWEVER, THAT WHEN YOU ARE ABOUT TO MAKE A CONTRACT 18:17 THAT LASTS FOR LIFE, YOU MUST CONSIDER WHOM IT IS WITH WHOM 18:23 YOU'RE MAKING THE CONTRACT. 18:25 ARE WE OKAY ? 18:27 YOU KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO TAKE MORE TIME WITH THE 18:30 DECISION TO BUY AN ATTACHE CASE THAN THE ONE THAT THEY 18:35 DO FOR CHOOSING A MATE. 18:37 YOU GET ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS WHERE YOU CAN 18:40 BARELY TELL WHO PEOPLE ARE. 18:43 THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO BOUGHT SPECIAL CLOTHES FOR NOW. 18:48 THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BORROWED CARS FOR NOW. 18:52 THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ATTITUDES THAT THEY'VE PUT 18:56 ON FOR NOW, AND THEY DON'T HAVE LONG-SOME DON'T INTEND 19:02 TO PURSUE A DEGREE. 19:05 THEY ARE PURSUING YOU. 19:11 AND HERE YOU COME WITHOUT THINKING. 19:14 SAMSON HAS GONE TO TIMNATH. 19:15 THE WOMAN THAT HE MUST HAVE, AND WHEN HE GETS THERE, HE 19:19 DISCOVERS THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE QUITE DIFFERENT. 19:21 IN FACT, WHEN THEY FINALLY GO FOR THE FEAST, SAMSON HAS SEEN 19:25 AGAIN THIS BODY OF THE LION. 19:28 BIRDS HAVE PICKED THE FLESH FROM IT. 19:31 THE SUN HAS DRIED IT. 19:32 SO IT'S NO LONGER LOOKING QUITE LIKE IT DID BEFORE. 19:36 AND THERE ARE BEES THAT HAVE MADE A HONEYCOMB. 19:39 BEES DISLIKE PUTREFACTION. 19:43 THEY WILL NOT GET NEAR A DECAYING CORPSE, NOT 19:47 EVEN OF A LION. 19:49 BUT AFTER THE FLESH IS GONE AND AFTER THERE IS NO ODOR OF THAT 19:53 SITUATION, THEY WILL COME AND THEY HAD MADE INSIDE THE BONES 19:58 OF THIS LION, A HONEYCOMB. 20:00 SAMSON REACHES IN AND GETS IT--NOT SUPPOSED TO EAT FOOD 20:05 THAT COMES OUT OF A SITUATION LIKE THAT, BUT HE'S PLAYING WITH 20:08 ALL OF THE RULES, AND BREAKS OFF A PIECE AND STARTS EATING IT, 20:11 GOES TO MEET HIS PARENTS AND SAYS, "WOULD YOU LIKE SOME ?" 20:14 HE DOESN'T TELL THEM WHERE IT CAME FROM. 20:16 THAT'S NOT NICE. 20:17 AND THEY EAT IT WITH HIM. 20:19 AND AS THEY GO DOWN TO THE FEAST, HE THINKS, "AH HA !" 20:23 IN THOSE DAYS IT WAS QUITE POPULAR TO BRING SOME KIND OF 20:29 DILEMMA THAT COULD NOT BE SOLVED; BRING A RIDDLE THAT 20:32 WOULD MAKE EVERYBODY WONDER. 20:34 SO HE COMES. 20:35 THEY HAVE GIVEN HIM 30 PEOPLE FOR HIS ENTOURAGE. 20:40 THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT OUGHT TO MAKE BELLS RING 20:42 IN THE BACK OF YOUR HEAD. 20:45 IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE MARRIED, BUT THE PEOPLE OF YOUR 20:50 PROPOSED WIFE'S COUNTRY SEND YOU 30 PEOPLE TO BE 20:56 WITH YOU, THAT'S A SIGN. 21:00 YOU MUST NEVER OVERLOOK THAT. 21:02 "WHY ARE YOU GUYS--? 21:03 HOW YOU DOING ? 21:05 SO YOU'RE GOING DOWN THERE WITH ME, RIGHT ? 21:09 CAN YOU TELL ME WHO YOU ARE ? 21:11 COULD I KNOW YOUR NAMES, OR--?" 21:12 "WELL, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT; WE'RE JUST WITH YOU. 21:15 WE'RE PART OF YOUR PARTY." 21:16 "WELL, IF I DON'T KNOW YOU, YOU ARE NOT PART OF MY PARTY." 21:19 BUT THEY GO DOWN WITH HIM AND AFTER THEY GET THERE, HE SAYS, 21:21 "I HAVE A RIDDLE FOR YOU. 21:23 I'VE GOT TOMAKE SURE I GET IT RIGHT, BECAUSE THIS 21:26 RIDDLE IS INTERESTING. 21:27 HE SAYS, "YOU MUST SOLVE THIS NOW BEFORE WE LEAVE 21:32 THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION." 21:35 AND THE RIDDLE, I THINK, HE SAYS, "OUT OF THE EATER 21:41 CAME SOMETHING TO EAT. 21:44 AND OUT OF THE STRONG CAME SOMETHING SWEET." 21:48 AND THEY SAID, "OKAY." 21:51 "YOU THINK YOU CAN SOLVE IT ?" 21:52 "OF COURSE, WE'LL BE BACK WITH YOU PRESENTLY." 21:57 AND YOU KNOW WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT BUT THEY DON'T. 21:59 AND THEY GO FOR THREE DAYS AND THEN INTO THE FOURTH 22:04 DAY THEY HAVE MADE A WAGER. 22:05 "DO YOU SEE WHAT THIS MAN OF GOD; GOD HAS SAID, 'I WILL MAKE 22:11 SAMSON THE ONE WHO BEGINS TO DELIVER ISRAEL," BUT FIRST OF 22:15 ALL HE CHOOSES SOMEBODY WHO HAS NO CONSONANCE WITH HIS PLAN, OR 22:21 NO UNDERSTANDING OF HIS GOD. 22:23 HOW CAN SHE HELP HIM ? 22:27 HOW CAN SOMEONE HELP FORWARD YOUR PLANS FOR YOUR LIFE IF THEY 22:31 DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND YOUR GOD. 22:34 I'M NOT TRYING TO BE TOO STRICT HERE, AM I ? 22:37 IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. 22:40 AND SO THEY GO AND TALK TO HER AND THEY SAY, "LOOK, TELL US 22:43 THIS RIDDLE BECAUSE IT APPEARS THAT THE GENTLEMAN YOU ARE ABOUT 22:46 TO MARRY WANTS TO RIP US OFF. 22:49 WE HAVE MADE A WAGER." 22:52 YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO STOP AT EVERY ONE OF THESE 22:54 POINTS, BUT THESE ARE SIGNS. 22:56 HE SAYS, "IF I WIN, I'LL GIVE EACH ONE OF YOU A 23:00 CHANGE OF CLOTHING. 23:01 I'LL GIVE YOU A WARDROBE. 23:04 BUT IF I WIN, EACH OF YOU MUST GIVE ME ONE." 23:07 NOT A BAD DEAL. 23:09 IF THEY WIN THEY GET ONE APIECE; IF HE WINS HE GETS 30. 23:14 AND THEY SAY, "OKAY, WE'LL WORK THAT." 23:17 BY THE FOURTH DAY THERE'S NO WAY THEY CAN KNOW THE RIDDLE. 23:22 SO THEY GO TO HIS PROPOSED WIFE AND SAY, "TELL US 23:26 WHAT YOUR PROPOSED HUSBAND IS TALKING ABOUT." 23:31 AND FOR A MOMENT, HERE'S ANOTHER SIGN--IF THE WOMAN YOU'RE ABOUT 23:35 TO MARRY TELLS YOUR SECRETS TO HER FRIENDS--I DON'T HAVE TIME 23:45 FOR THAT ONE, BUT YOU KNOW THERE'S SOME POWER IN THAT. 23:49 IF THERE IS MORE CONFIDENCE BETWEEN HER AND HER PEOPLE THAN 23:54 BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR DESIRED ONE, THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG. 23:59 SO ON THE SEVENTH DAY GET HER TO BREAK. 24:05 SHE SAYS, "HERE IT IS. 24:06 HE FOUND A HONEYCOMB IN A LION'S BONES, AND SO ALL HE'S 24:10 SAYING IS THAT THE STRONGEST ANIMAL THERE IS IS A LION, 24:14 AND THE SWEETEST THING THERE IS IS HONEY, AND IF YOU SAY 24:16 THOSE TWO THINGS, YOU'LL WIN." 24:18 AND ON THE SEVENTH DAY THEY COME AND SAY IT AND THAT'S 24:21 WHEN SAMSON SHOULD HAVE SAID, "MOM, DAD, LET'S GO HOME." 24:27 I HAVE BEEN AT A WEDDING WHERE THE BRIDE OR THE GROOM CONFESSED 24:34 TO ME--I SHOULDN'T DO THIS, I SHOULDN'T DO THIS. 24:40 I'M KIND OF STRANGE. 24:41 YOU SHOULD NEVER ASK ME TO DO YOUR WEDDING IF YOU'RE GOING 24:44 TO CONFESS SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BECAUSE IT WILL BE MY INTENT 24:46 FROM THAT MOMENT FORWARD TO STOP THE WEDDING. 24:50 IN FACT, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU'VE EVER HEARD ABOUT IT, BUT 24:52 ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS, I SAID TO A BRIDE, "TAKE OFF 24:57 THESE CLOTHES; PUT ON SOME REGULAR CLOTHES AND GO HOME." 25:00 SHE SAID, "BUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN ? 25:02 MY FATHER HAS SPENT ALL THIS MONEY." 25:03 I SAID, "YOUR FATHER WILL FORGIVE YOU. 25:06 HE'D MUCH RATHER SPEND ALL THIS MONEY AND HAVE IT GO TO 25:08 WASTE THAN TO HAVE YOU UNHAPPY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, 25:12 SO YOU GO HOME." 25:13 SHE SAID, "WELL, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ?" 25:15 I SAID, "YOU WILL HEAR ABOUT IT LATER." 25:18 PUT HER IN HER CAR AND WENT OUT TO THE PEOPLE, 25:20 "FOLK, TODAY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A WONDERFUL PARTY, BUT 25:25 IT WILL NOT BE A WEDDING. 25:28 THESE PEOPLE ARE GONE; I HAVE SENT THEM AWAY. 25:31 LET US GO IMMEDIATELY TO THE RECEPTION." 25:39 DIDN'T TURN OUT BAD, EITHER. 25:42 THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO WERE QUITE HAPPY. 25:44 WHAT I WANT TO TELL YOU IS THAT GOD SENDS SIGNS, BUT 25:48 SAMSON WOULD NOT SEE THEM. 25:50 HE MARRIES. 25:52 AND THEN COMES THE STRANGE SIGN. 25:56 THEY SAID, "I TELL YOU WHAT, SHE GAVE US THE SECRET." 25:59 HE SAID, "I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU PLOWED WITH MY HEIFER. 26:03 I WILL NOT EXPLAIN THAT; IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND IT, THAT'S 26:06 YOUR PROBLEM, AND THAT'S HOW YOU KNOW MY SECRET." 26:09 THEN HE UNDERSTANDS THAT THERE IS SOME COMEDY GOING ON. 26:13 HE GOES TO GET THESE 30 CHANGES OF CLOTHING; GOES DOWN 26:16 TO ANOTHER CITY, A CITY OF PHILISTINES, AND SOMEHOW THIS 26:21 MAN OF GOD, WHO POTENTIALLY WILL DELIVER ISRAEL DOESN'T 26:26 UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN HE GOES DOWN AND KILLS 30 PEOPLE 26:28 AND TAKES THEIR CLOTHES TO HONOR A WAGER, THAT HE'S 26:34 NOT DOING ANYTHING WRONG. 26:36 FOLK, LET ME TELL YOU WHAT I KNOW TO BE TRUE. 26:40 ONCE YOU SET OUT ON A COURSE THAT IS AGAINST GOD, YOU 26:43 ARE OUT OF YOUR MIND. 26:48 Announcer: JOIN US NEXT TIME ON BREATH OF LIFE 26:50 FOR MORE OF PASTOR PEARSON'S MESSAGE ON SAMSON. 26:59 Announcer: THE BREATH OF LIFE TELEVISION MINISTRY 27:00 PROUDLY PRESENTS A SPECIAL GIFT OFFER THIS WEEK. 27:03 THE DESIRE OF AGES--THE LIFE STORY OF THE GREATEST 27:05 SPIRITUAL LEADER THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN, JESUS CHRIST. 27:08 DESIRE OF AGES GOES IN DEPTH INTO EVENTS SURROUNDING THE 27:11 LIFE OF JESUS, GIVING YOU MORE MEANING AND A CLEARER PICTURE 27:15 OF HIS IMPACT ON THE WORLD, AND THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO FOLLOW 27:17 HIM, EVEN TO THIS DAY. 27:19 IN THESE UNCERTAIN TIMES, DESIRE OF AGES GIVES DIRECTION 27:21 FOR ALL WHO SEEK IT. 27:23 THE BOOK ANSWERS HARD QUESTIONS CONFRONTING US ALL. 27:25 IT EXAMINES BASIC SPIRITUAL TRUTHS, GIVES HOPE AND 27:28 ENCOURAGEMENT FOR TOMORROW, AND BRINGS YOU FACE TO 27:30 FACE WITH THE SAVIOR. 27:32 JUST CALL OUR TOLL-FREE NUMBER 877-BOL-OFFER. 27:35 THAT'S 877-265-6333, AND ASK FOR YOUR COPY 27:40 OF DESIRE OF AGES. 27:41 THE BOOK IS YOURS FOR A GIFT OF $5.00 OR MORE, 27:43 OR YOU MAY WRITE TO: BREATH OF LIFE, 27:46 P.O. BOX 97192, WASHINGTON DC, 20077. 27:53 THE DESIRE OF AGES--IT'S THE GREATEST STORY EVER 27:55 TOLD IN A WHOLE NEW LIGHT. 27:59 (theme music) |
Revised 2015-02-05