Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? 2 Corinthians 6:14.
The town of Zorah being near the country of the Philistines, Samson came to mingle with them on friendly terms. Thus in his youth intimacies sprang up, the influence of which darkened his whole life. A young woman dwelling in the Philistine town of Timnath engaged Samson’s affections, and he determined to make her his wife. To his God-fearing parents, who endeavored to dissuade him from his purpose, his only answer was, “She pleaseth me well.” The parents at last yielded to his wishes, and the marriage took place.
Just as he was entering upon manhood, the time when he must execute his divine mission—the time above all others when he should have been true to God—Samson connected himself with the enemies of Israel. He did not ask whether he could better glorify God when united with the object of his choice, or whether he was placing himself in a position where he could not fulfill the purpose to be accomplished by his life. To all who seek first to honor Him, God has promised wisdom; but there is no promise to those who are bent upon self-pleasing….
Christianity ought to have a controlling influence upon the marriage relation, but it is too often the case that the motives which lead to this union are not in keeping with Christian principles. Satan is constantly seeking to strengthen his power over the people of God by inducing them to enter into alliance with his subjects; and in order to accomplish this he endeavors to arouse unsanctified passions in the heart….
At his marriage feast Samson was brought into familiar association with those who hated the God of Israel. Whoever voluntarily enters into such relations will feel it necessary to conform, to some degree, to the habits and customs of his companions. The time thus spent is worse than wasted. Thoughts are entertained and words are spoken, that tend to break down the strongholds of principle, and to weaken the citadel of the soul.
Conflict and Courage p. 131
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Prayer Requests
—–We have a custody hearing on Thursday. Please pray that God will take control of the matter and will cause the judge to rule according to what is best for the children. anonymous
—–I have two unspoken prayer requests. R
—–Please pray for our Bible Study Becky we gave her the Sabbath message today. I think she accepted message. There were tears. It rocked her world. Sherry
—–Please pray for David who is in the hospital. S
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Dear Friends,
I hated high school Literature class. I didn’t like some of the assignments, but mostly it was because of the teacher who was as mean a teacher as as any teacher could possibly be. Most of the “great works” we had to read and explain are long forgotten. I learned them just long enough to get a good grade on the test and then they were gone.
One poem by Robert Burns, however, stuck in my memory. I, like most of us, couldn’t recite it word for word, but its most famous line has been quoted over and over. “O wad some Pow’r the giftie gie us To see oursels as others see us It wad frae monie a blunder free us An’ foolish notion What airs in dress an’ gait wad lea’e us An’ ev’n Devotion.” Sometimes we view ourselves in a false light and think we are much more important than we actually are. If we truly saw ourselves as we really are, it would keep us from many blunders in life. If we got a glimpse of our true condition, how different we would act, speak, and even think.
We are not the only ones who have a false opinion of ourselves. Until Isaiah saw our Dear Saviour, he felt self-sufficient. Until he got a view of God’s holiness and glory, he felt righteous. He tells us about his change in self concept and how it came about., “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the LORD sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings, with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips, and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I, send me.” Isa 6:1-8 Suddenly Isaiah saw himself as he really was. He then realized his need for God’s forgiveness, for cleansing from sin. And that forgiveness was freely given. How good and merciful, loving and kind our Great Creator is! He purges our sins! He takes away our iniquities!
Job also had felt righteous until he saw the Great Judge of the Universe. Then he exclaimed, “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:5, 6 Daniel, too, when before a heavenly being, retained no strength. “And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision, but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.” Dan 10:7, 8
May we view ourselves as we are in the light of God’s Word is my prayer.
Rose