DAY 1 – November 16, 2009
TITLE: “SEE IF YOU CAN LURE HIM”
WEEKLY SCRIPTURE
DAILY SCRIPTURE
KEY VERSE: “The rulers of the Philistines went to her and said, “See if you can lure him into showing you the secret of his great strength and how we can overpower him so we may tie him up and subdue him…” Judges 16:5
My father enjoyed fishing. I remember the day my father
found a good deal on a small aluminum boat that had a seven and half horse
power motor. We would get up about three in the morning and load into the rambler
and off we would go. The normal destination was Salton Sea outside of
Webster defines a lure as an allurement or enticement. The term lure implies an irresistible attraction. It means to draw one into danger or evil through attracting and deceiving. The one purpose of the lure was to catch a fish. It was not to snag on our pants or on brush in the water though that sometimes happened. The purpose was to catch a fish.
The rulers of the Philistines went to Delilah to ask her to lure Samson into showing her the secret of his great strength and how they could overpower and subdue him. With their request they offered her a sizeable and substantial sum of silver. With the promise of the silver their instruction was to simply see if they could lure him.
The enemy of our souls has all kinds of lures in his, “fishing box,” so to speak. He has all kinds of lures that he can use to entice and entrap us. May each of us be able to say with the Psalmist, “The wicked have set a snare for me, but I have not strayed from your precepts.” Psalm 119:110. May our heart be, “Keep me from the snares they have laid for me, from the traps set by evildoers.” Psalm 141:9
Take the lures of the enemy seriously. They are dangerous and deadly. The Apostle Paul wrote, “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall.”
I Corinthians 10:12. Ask God to open up your eyes to the lures of the enemy today?
DAY 2 – November 17, 2009
TITLE: “PERSISTENCE”
WEEKLY SCRIPTURE
DAILY SCRIPTURE
KEY VERSE: “With such nagging she prodded
him day after day until he was tired to death.” Judges 16:16
Former President of the
Jacob Riis wrote in Reader’s Digest, “I look
at a stone cutter hammering away at a rock a hundred times without so much as a
crack showing in it. Yet at the 101st blow it splits in two. I know it was not
the one blow that did it, but all that had gone before.” Delilah kept striking
away at Samson. This rock of a man would eventually crack as she kept nagging
and prodding him day after day to expose the secret of his strength. She
did not give up.
By his actions and continued deception,
Samson had confirmed his intention to keep the secret of his strength. The
scripture reveals three separate times when he lied to her refusing to tell her
the real reason of his strength. However, Delilah kept after Samson. She wore him
down until he exposed the secret.
Delilah was more persistent and committed to
get the secret than Samson was to keep it. Motivated by the promise of the
silver, she refused to give up. The problem was that Samson did. Since we have
an enemy that is persistent, we must be persistent in doing what is right
through the power of the Lord. We must never give up. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do
not give up.” Galatians 6:9
The things of life may wear you down, but
never give in and never give up to the evil around you. The temptations you
face may seek to wear you down, but never give in through His power. Remember, “You, dear children, are from God and have
overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in
the world.” I John 4:4. The enemy
may persist in getting you to do wrong, but through the power of God, you can
persist in doing what is right and saying no to ungodliness.
Listen and reflect on these
words of encouragement and instruction. The word says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,
let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles,
and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our
eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith,
who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat
down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow
weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:1-3
DAY 3 – November 18, 2009
TITLE: “POWERLESS”
WEEKLY SCRIPTURE
DAILY SCRIPTURE
KEY VERSE: “So he told her everything. ‘No razor has ever been used on my head,’ he said, ‘because I have been a Nazirite set apart to God since birth. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.’” Judges 16:17
The World’s Strongest Man is an international competition
held by the World Class Events (WCE) at the end of September each year. The
World’s Strongest Man competition decides who the strongest man in the world
is. The current strongest man in the
world for 2009, is Žydrūnas Savickas. Previous winner was Mariusz Pudzianowski from
The strongest man in the Bible is Samson. However his strength was not because he spent all day working out in the gym. He was strong because the Spirit of the Lord came upon him. His strength was from the Lord. Samson experienced powerlessness without the Lord giving him strength.
Giving in to Delilah, he told her everything about his strength. Rather than break his relationship with Delilah, he let his relationship with Delilah destroy him. Up to this point, he had kept his long hair as the symbol of his dedication to God. Giving in to the pressure, he told Delilah that as a Nazirite set apart to God since birth, no razor had ever been used on his head. He then told her that if his head was shaved, his strength would leave him. He would become as weak as any other man. He became powerless because he broke his covenant with God. The strength that he had, that separated him from other men, was strictly from the Lord and was not of his own making. Without the Spirit of the Lord, he was powerless.
Where does your strength and power come from? The Apostle Paul said, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13. He knew the source of his strength and power. Jesus wrote, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5. Without Him we are powerless. Remember where your power and strength come from today.
“There is strength in
the Name of The LORD
There is power in the Name of The LORD
There is hope in the Name of The LORD
Blessed is he who comes in the Name of The LORD!”
Words and Music by Phill McHugh, Gloria Gaither, and Sandi Patti
DAY 4 – November 19, 2009
TITLE: “BETRAYED”
WEEKLY SCRIPTURE
DAILY SCRIPTURE
KEY VERSE: “When Delilah saw that he had told her everything, she sent word to the rulers of the Philistines, ‘Come back once more; he has told me everything.’ So the rulers of the Philistines returned with the silver in their hands.” Judges 16:18
It has been said that no treachery is worse than betrayal by a family member or friend. The pages of history reveal that Julius Caesar knew such treachery. Gaius Julius Caesar (July 13, 100 BC - March 15, 44 BC) was a Roman military and political leader whose conquest of Gallia Comata extended the Roman world all the way to the Oceanus Atlanticus and introduced Roman influence into modern France, an accomplishment whose direct consequences are visible to this day. Caesar fought and won a civil war which left him the undisputed master of the Roman world, and began extensive reforms of Roman society and government. He became dictator for life, and heavily centralized the already faltering government of the weak republic.
Julius Caesar was betrayed. Among the conspirators who assassinated the Roman leader on March 15, 44 BC, was Marcus Junius Brutus. Caesar not only trusted Brutus, he had favored him as a son. According to Roman historians, Caesar first resisted the onslaught of the assassins. But when he saw Brutus among them with his dagger drawn, Caesar ceased to struggle and, pulling the top part of his robe over his face, asked the famous question, "You too, Brutus?"
History records that William Tyndale first translated the Bible from Hebrew
and Greek into English, making a Bible for the common people. In 1535, he was
betrayed by a friend for what he did and believed. He was taken prisoner to the
In the scripture reading for today, the story of the betrayal of Samson is told. He was betrayed by Delilah, the woman he loved. This tragic betrayal ends with his capture, blinding, mistreatment, and being bound with bronze shackles.
There are many stories of betrayal that can be told. The New
Testament tells the story of Jesus who was betrayed with a kiss, by one of His
own disciples. Judas of Iscariot, betrayed Jesus for
30 pieces of silver. The tragic betrayal of Jesus resulted in his capture,
mistreatment, and death on the cross. Though Jesus was betrayed, He was
faithful to His purpose and the will of the Father. Because He was faithful our
sins can be forgiven. The scripture
says, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13. Jesus is the friend who gave His life for you.
Jesus is the friend who will never let you down. Jesus is the friend you can
depend upon.
DAY 5 – November 20, 2009
TITLE: “I’LL GO OUT AS BEFORE”
WEEKLY SCRIPTURE
DAILY SCRIPTURE
KEY VERSE: “Then she called, “‘Samson, the Philistines are upon you!’ He awoke from his sleep and thought, ‘I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.’ But he did not know that the Lord had left him.” Judges 16:20
Samson thought everything was the same when Delilah woke him with the warning, the Philistines are upon you! He though he would do what he had done before. Tragically, he discovered things had changed.
Scripture gives the tragic statement, “But he did not know that the Lord had left him.” Due to the breaking of the covenant, Samson was on his own. The Lord was not with him, to give him strength. Previously, when the lion came roaring at him, he tore it in two because the Lord was with him. Before, he defeated the Philistines with a jawbone of a donkey, because the Lord was with him. Earlier, he broke the new ropes he had been bound with as if they were threads, because the Lord had been with him. This time, when he arose to face the enemy, the Lord was not with him. Things were not as they were before.
David defeated the giant because the Lord was with him.
Elijah called down fire from heaven, because the Lord was with him. Joshua
defeated
King Saul was another leader in scripture who forfeited the right to the power of the Spirit of the Lord upon him. The scripture gives the word, “Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented Him.” I Samuel 16:14.
Samuel took for granted that the Lord’s strength would be with him. He did not realize the consequences of his disobedience to the covenant. The consequences of his actions had not set in upon him yet. The actions we have today can impact our tomorrows. Therefore, let us live each day in the power of His Spirit. We need His presence in our lives every moment of every day.
“In the presence of
Jehovah
God Almighty, Prince of Peace
Troubles vanish, hearts are mended
In the presence of the King.” Cathy
Goddard