-- Wednesday, 8/25/10 --- WISE UP! -- Judges 16
J.R. & Bonnie Ricks
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WISE UP! -- Judges 16 NIV
Some people never learn, do they? Take a look at Samson. His first wife's nagging and cajoling got him into a mess and caused his wife to end up burned to death with her father. Then a prostitute’s allure almost got him into trouble in Gaza. Samson had just barely avoided that quagmire when along came Delilah, who lied to Samson four times… and Samson fell for it… all four times. It makes you wonder if maybe his cheese had slid off his cracker, doesn't it?
Actually, Samson’s behavior is not surprising when we remember that he was controlled by his gonads, rather than by the Spirit of God, or even by something as mundane as common sense. Samson was a purist in his pursuit of fleshly pleasure. He was so focused, in fact, that it caused his brain to shut down when it came in contact with a beautiful woman. Samson never wised up at all.
It's easy to sit here and judge Samson, isn't it? After all, none of us has the same problem, right? You and I would never allow flattery to blind us to the truth, right? So how come so many people are buying into the New Age philosophy of every person being a god? Or the more subtly flattering slogans of positive thinkers who value their own capabilities but exclude the need for the Lord's assistance in everything. These folks will tell you things like "Anything the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve." And it’s not just “in the world” that you’ll hear these things… all too many churches are teaching doctrines that bring glory to the individual, not to God.
You and I would never allow someone's persistent nagging to cause us to give in and do something we knew was wrong, would we? But that's the type of situation that gets kids hooked on drugs, causes young girls to end up pregnant, and is spreading AIDS like wildfire, even in the heterosexual community.
You and I would never espouse ungodly beliefs even though they look good or feel comfortable or make much better human sense than what God has to say, would we? Then why are so many television shows so popular… the ones that do everything the writers and producers can think of to not only go against what God wants His people to believe, but to blatantly ridicule Christians and Christian beliefs? And you and I just keep on watching them… and enjoying them.
When are we going to wise up? When are we going to stop being like Samson? When you and I give in to Jesus... when we allow Him to control our thoughts and our actions and our desires. When you and I stay in the Word daily, and spend time in prayer daily, and make a full commitment to the deep, personal, intimate relationship Jesus wants us to have with Him. Then we will wise up, because then we will have the "mind of Christ."
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2 NIV
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