amson was one of the most powerful men in the bible. When God’s spirit came on him, Samson had great strength and could do extraordinary things. However, Samson’s life is a contradiction. So many of the things he did were contrary to what God proposed for his life. He struggled with an unaccountable spirit. Charles Spurgeon noted that Samson’s life was a series of miracles and follies. How could a man who was chosen and used by God fall into the enemy’s hands? First, Samson chose to ignore signs and warnings when those were contrary to what he wanted to do. Secondly, Samson could not control his passions and his flesh. He could conquer his enemies, but he never learned to conquer himself. We do not read that Samson had a prayer life. We do not see him ask for wisdom or guidance. Fourth, Samson lived very close to the edge. He did not honor the boundaries and often played too close to the edge of God’s will. Another interesting fact of Samson’s life is the direction he often took. The bible says that he went down. We do not often read that he went up. We find that Samson toyed with things that weakened him. He played games with things that weakened his resolve. It is dangerous to continually entertain the things that weaken us. When we do that, we will soon step over the lines that we should not cross. When we play with things we shouldn’t play with, and sooner or later, it will hurt us. Samson kept going back to Delilah. He toyed with her at first, but eventually, she was too clever for him. He thought he was strong enough or smart enough to be safe, but he was not. He failed to factor in that his heart was deceiving him. Samson’s downfall began when he disagreed with his parents about marrying the Philistine girl. It was against God’s law to marry a philistine. But Samson ignored this and thought he knew what he was doing. His downfall came because he thought he could get by with it because he had won so many great victories. Samson never did understand the true source of his power. It was not the long hair; it was the consecration and vow of separation. Samson lost his consecration when he began to play with his separation. Our consecration and separation are what keep our humanity from destroying us.

amson was one of the most powerful men in the bible. When God’s spirit came on him, Samson had great strength and could do extraordinary things. However, Samson’s life is a contradiction. So many of the things he did were contrary to what God proposed for his life. He struggled with an unaccountable spirit. Charles Spurgeon noted that Samson’s life was a series of miracles and follies. How could a man who was chosen and used by God fall into the enemy’s hands? First, Samson chose to ignore signs and warnings when those were contrary to what he wanted to do. Secondly, Samson could not control his passions and his flesh. He could conquer his enemies, but he never learned to conquer himself. We do not read that Samson had a prayer life. We do not see him ask for wisdom or guidance. Fourth, Samson lived very close to the edge. He did not honor the boundaries and often played too close to the edge of God’s will. Another interesting fact of Samson’s life is the direction he often took. The bible says that he went down. We do not often read that he went up. We find that Samson toyed with things that weakened him. He played games with things that weakened his resolve. It is dangerous to continually entertain the things that weaken us. When we do that, we will soon step over the lines that we should not cross. When we play with things we shouldn’t play with, and sooner or later, it will hurt us. Samson kept going back to Delilah. He toyed with her at first, but eventually, she was too clever for him. He thought he was strong enough or smart enough to be safe, but he was not. He failed to factor in that his heart was deceiving him. Samson’s downfall began when he disagreed with his parents about marrying the Philistine girl. It was against God’s law to marry a philistine. But Samson ignored this and thought he knew what he was doing. His downfall came because he thought he could get by with it because he had won so many great victories. Samson never did understand the true source of his power. It was not the long hair; it was the consecration and vow of separation. Samson lost his consecration when he began to play with his separation. Our consecration and separation are what keep our humanity from destroying us.

amson was one of the most powerful men in the bible. When God’s spirit came on him, Samson had great strength and could do extraordinary things. However, Samson’s life is a contradiction. So many of the things he did were contrary to what God proposed for his life. He struggled with an unaccountable spirit. Charles Spurgeon noted that Samson’s life was a series of miracles and follies. How could a man who was chosen and used by God fall into the enemy’s hands? First, Samson chose to ignore signs and warnings when those were contrary to what he wanted to do. Secondly, Samson could not control his passions and his flesh. He could conquer his enemies, but he never learned to conquer himself. We do not read that Samson had a prayer life. We do not see him ask for wisdom or guidance. Fourth, Samson lived very close to the edge. He did not honor the boundaries and often played too close to the edge of God’s will. Another interesting fact of Samson’s life is the direction he often took. The bible says that he went down. We do not often read that he went up. We find that Samson toyed with things that weakened him. He played games with things that weakened his resolve. It is dangerous to continually entertain the things that weaken us. When we do that, we will soon step over the lines that we should not cross. When we play with things we shouldn’t play with, and sooner or later, it will hurt us. Samson kept going back to Delilah. He toyed with her at first, but eventually, she was too clever for him. He thought he was strong enough or smart enough to be safe, but he was not. He failed to factor in that his heart was deceiving him. Samson’s downfall began when he disagreed with his parents about marrying the Philistine girl. It was against God’s law to marry a philistine. But Samson ignored this and thought he knew what he was doing. His downfall came because he thought he could get by with it because he had won so many great victories. Samson never did understand the true source of his power. It was not the long hair; it was the consecration and vow of separation. Samson lost his consecration when he began to play with his separation. Our consecration and separation are what keep our humanity from destroying us.

The book of Hebrews are words of encouragement to the first-century church. The early believers were getting weary in their journey. There was a great war of faith and many were wanting to give up. The words of Hebrews were to help settle them and sustain them in their faith. The writer uses the analogy of a race to make his point. The chapter begins with an admonishment to cast off the things that were weighing them down and preventing them from progressing. We each have our own personal weights that impede our progress. Paul goes on to advise that they lay aside the sin that could trip them up. He refers to those convenient and close sins that are easily getting in the way. These are not necessarily the big things, but the simple small things that trip us up and are always around. These besetting sins could be prayerlessness, fear, doubt, or distractions. But perhaps the most dangerous besetting sin is the sin of giving up. We have all experienced the frustration of the resistance and been tempted to give up. The one thing that could have derailed everything that Jesus did, it would have been the temptation to give up. They taunted Him that if He came down off the cross, they would believe Him. Jesus asked that the cup pass from Him. Quitting when we are so close is the most dangerous sin. Our flesh is weak. Often if we listened to our flesh, we would turn around and go home. The pressure to give up is relentless. Paul offers Jesus as the example of how to overcome the urge to give up. How did Jesus keep going in the face of mockery, ridicule, physical torture, and ultimately death? When we feel ourselves getting weary, we need to go back and study Jesus’ story.

The book of Hebrews are words of encouragement to the first-century church. The early believers were getting weary in their journey. There was a great war of faith and many were wanting to give up. The words of Hebrews were to help settle them and sustain them in their faith. The writer uses the analogy of a race to make his point. The chapter begins with an admonishment to cast off the things that were weighing them down and preventing them from progressing. We each have our own personal weights that impede our progress. Paul goes on to advise that they lay aside the sin that could trip them up. He refers to those convenient and close sins that are easily getting in the way. These are not necessarily the big things, but the simple small things that trip us up and are always around. These besetting sins could be prayerlessness, fear, doubt, or distractions. But perhaps the most dangerous besetting sin is the sin of giving up. We have all experienced the frustration of the resistance and been tempted to give up. The one thing that could have derailed everything that Jesus did, it would have been the temptation to give up. They taunted Him that if He came down off the cross, they would believe Him. Jesus asked that the cup pass from Him. Quitting when we are so close is the most dangerous sin. Our flesh is weak. Often if we listened to our flesh, we would turn around and go home. The pressure to give up is relentless. Paul offers Jesus as the example of how to overcome the urge to give up. How did Jesus keep going in the face of mockery, ridicule, physical torture, and ultimately death? When we feel ourselves getting weary, we need to go back and study Jesus’ story.

The book of Hebrews are words of encouragement to the first-century church. The early believers were getting weary in their journey. There was a great war of faith and many were wanting to give up. The words of Hebrews were to help settle them and sustain them in their faith. The writer uses the analogy of a race to make his point. The chapter begins with an admonishment to cast off the things that were weighing them down and preventing them from progressing. We each have our own personal weights that impede our progress. Paul goes on to advise that they lay aside the sin that could trip them up. He refers to those convenient and close sins that are easily getting in the way. These are not necessarily the big things, but the simple small things that trip us up and are always around. These besetting sins could be prayerlessness, fear, doubt, or distractions. But perhaps the most dangerous besetting sin is the sin of giving up. We have all experienced the frustration of the resistance and been tempted to give up. The one thing that could have derailed everything that Jesus did, it would have been the temptation to give up. They taunted Him that if He came down off the cross, they would believe Him. Jesus asked that the cup pass from Him. Quitting when we are so close is the most dangerous sin. Our flesh is weak. Often if we listened to our flesh, we would turn around and go home. The pressure to give up is relentless. Paul offers Jesus as the example of how to overcome the urge to give up. How did Jesus keep going in the face of mockery, ridicule, physical torture, and ultimately death? When we feel ourselves getting weary, we need to go back and study Jesus’ story.

In our text, Joshua is almost 100 years old. Israel had spent the last seven years moving and possessing the promised land. Even so, God comes to remind Joshua that there was much left to do. It was not a time to be comfortable with what they had done, because there was so much more the God had promised. Our church is in a building program as a result of damage from Hurricane Harvey. We have come far, but there is so much more to do. The new building is a goal, but that goal is there to prepare us for the harvest that God will bring. These words were spoken to inspire Israel, not chastise it. It was to remind them of His promise and encourage them to press on. Our text is a reminder to us to continue to seek the promise that God has for us. Joshua realized that his days were numbers, but he did not allow his dream to die. For us to be satisfied with less than what God has promised is unimaginable. We must quiet the voices that limit us and keep us from realizing the blessings that God told us He would provide.

In our text, Joshua is almost 100 years old. Israel had spent the last seven years moving and possessing the promised land. Even so, God comes to remind Joshua that there was much left to do. It was not a time to be comfortable with what they had done, because there was so much more the God had promised. Our church is in a building program as a result of damage from Hurricane Harvey. We have come far, but there is so much more to do. The new building is a goal, but that goal is there to prepare us for the harvest that God will bring. These words were spoken to inspire Israel, not chastise it. It was to remind them of His promise and encourage them to press on. Our text is a reminder to us to continue to seek the promise that God has for us. Joshua realized that his days were numbers, but he did not allow his dream to die. For us to be satisfied with less than what God has promised is unimaginable. We must quiet the voices that limit us and keep us from realizing the blessings that God told us He would provide.

In our text, Joshua is almost 100 years old. Israel had spent the last seven years moving and possessing the promised land. Even so, God comes to remind Joshua that there was much left to do. It was not a time to be comfortable with what they had done, because there was so much more the God had promised. Our church is in a building program as a result of damage from Hurricane Harvey. We have come far, but there is so much more to do. The new building is a goal, but that goal is there to prepare us for the harvest that God will bring. These words were spoken to inspire Israel, not chastise it. It was to remind them of His promise and encourage them to press on. Our text is a reminder to us to continue to seek the promise that God has for us. Joshua realized that his days were numbers, but he did not allow his dream to die. For us to be satisfied with less than what God has promised is unimaginable. We must quiet the voices that limit us and keep us from realizing the blessings that God told us He would provide.

In our text, Jesus had been alone in the wilderness for forty days and nights. There, He fasted and prayed. The bible says “he was hungry.” The devil came to Jesus to tempt Him three times. In two of the three temptations, the enemy questions Jesus’ identity; “If thou be….” The devil knew who Jesus was. One of the devil’s oldest tricks is to make us question who we are. The devil always puts an “if” on what God has declared for us. If he can place that doubt in us, he can neutralize the threat we represent to his kingdom. The greatest temptation in life is that temptation to doubt what God has declared for our life. If he can get us to question any part of God’s promise, the devil can build on that to cause us to question everything. The devil’s poison arrows will attack our mind and soul with the subtle suggestion that God’s love does not apply to us because of our past. Jesus did not respond with His feelings, but with the Word. Our feelings can get us in trouble, but the word never will. Everything that Jesus did, or would do flow out of His identity. If the devil can ever get an “if” inserted into our mind about our identity, we will never have a ministry or an impact on our world. When we question our identity, we lose all the authority that comes with that identity. Knowing who we are is the key to success in life. The beliefs we have about our identity influences our thoughts, emotions, and how we respond to the opportunities that come our way. The great temptation is not for us to walk away from God, but to allow the devil to cause us to question our identity. If we ever embrace the if, we lose focus of what God designed us to be. People who embrace a lie about their identity will constantly struggle with confusion and inconsistency. Our feelings will betray us. If we rely on our feelings, we will be on a constant roller coaster. Feelings will deceive. Like feelings, our thoughts can betray us. Rather than letting our feelings and our thoughts define us, we need to let God define us. What God wants us to understand is what He thinks about us, not what our feelings, the devil, or our world thinks about us. God wants to erase the ifs. The great temptation is to doubt what God says we are and to live in confusion and worry.