Certainly, you don't want to begin in a trek across the open frontier, whether by bicycle or on foot, without the bare necessities: a compass, food, water, and protection from the elements. However, you may also want to consider packing wisdom, encouragement, perseverance, and hope. Wisdom will help you make good decisions, encouragement will sustain you, and perseverance will keep you moving forward. Hope seals the success of a journey across any frontier, because it convinces you that safe arrival at your destination is possible.
As Director of Rescue for TheHopeLine, the authors have the opportunity to serve and oversee others who serve many people who lack bare necessities and are struggling to move forward. Each year, TheHopeLine engages tens of thousands of people around the globe. In the authors role, they've learned three things about the need out there: First, people are struggling regardless of location, age, occupation, ethnicity, religion or income. Second, everyone needs help sometimes.
This book is neither a theological book nor an adventure journal, though it contains elements of both.
The authors come at life from a Christian perspective. We know that not all people are in the same place in their spiritual journey - or even believe such exist.
The authors "honeymoon on wheels" occurred in the summer of 2010 shortly after they were married. They were first-time newlyweds at age fifty-two. They shared this journey in their inaugural book, Two Are Better: Midlife Newlyweds Bicycle Coast to Coast, a memoir that describes how God brought them together and then the celebration that followed on their self-supported tour from Oregon to Maine.
In 2012, they cycled from Florida to Maine on their Mom-to-Mom Tour.
Then, in 2014, the authors embarked across America yet again when they cycled from Oregon to Pennsylvania. They dedicated that tour to raising awareness and funds for a cause that is dear to their hearts. Hence, the name TheHopeLine Tour of 2014 came to be.
They share in the book that speak to recognizing your purpose and calling. Discerning right from wrong is important, but it's not always easy.
All of us were created with unique qualities, and we were not cut out for just anything.
Truly wise is a person who thinks before he speaks and says something that sticks with you.
Not all of us are wired to bicycle seventy miles a day. Have you ever asked yourself, What was I made to do? We all have unique gifts and desires. Once you discover your special attributes and devote your time to utilizing them, you'll experience deep joy and fulfillment as you live out a facet of God's calling on your life.
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. JEREMIAH 29:11
When you travel to parts unknown, you need a reliable map. And when you feel you're losing your way through life, it's time to consult the road map for life - and to follow what it says.
Francis Marion National Forest was the setting for a beautiful ride on the Mom-to-Mom Tour after we left Moncks Center.
When Debbie became a Christian and finally allowed God to guide her through life, His Holy Spirit kindled her heart and stimulated her mind as she read the Bible. She could ask and to shed light on challenging passages. Studying the Bible with others has also helped illuminate its meaning for Debbie.
Just like the bicycling maps, the Bible offers more than she realized at first. No wonder it is the best-selling book in the world. The Bible has become her daily dose of wisdom, hope, and encouragement.
The Bible contains instructions that can guide you wherever you go in life. Debbie shares she is going to follow His Word as best she can, one step at a time, so she will never get lost again. Won't you join following the Bible?
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. PSALM 119:105
When you're off course, you need to take great pains to get back on course or else you will jeopardize the achievement of your ultimate goal. And, sometimes, shortcuts will only get you further off course.
Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. PROVERBS 4:25-26
When was the last time you took a shortcut and got off track in your personal life?
You've heard it said, "Haste makes waste." Well, it's true. Take the time to do things right the first time.
As Time and Debbie headed into town, he said to Debbie, "His rear tire doesn't feel right. It's squishy."
He wrestled with the heavy, bulky bicycle and then decided to remove the panniers,because he couldn't balance the bicycle and work on it. Debbie located the tools and handed them to him. A young man who had heard their commotion from an open window emerged from the house on the corner as he removed the rear tire.
"Do you need any tools or any help?" he offered. He was wearing a T-shirt with a logo for a Christian school, which he found reassuring, he'd volunteered for years helping a Christian school with their accounting,
When they arrived in town, they pulled up to a convenience store for a break. When he looked down at the newly repaired tire, it was flat ... again. Maybe the young man at their last stop would have performed the repair more proficiently than Tim had.
Sometimes we travel through life too fast.
He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. PSALM 103:10
Do you find yourself having to repeat chores because you hurried through them the first time?
What you value most will either advance you toward your goals or prevent you from attaining them. The wrong values and priorities can derail your trek.
We'd traveled the Hi-Line for four days on our honeymoon tour.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. MATTHEW 6:21
Unexpected developments can lead to discouragement.
Rather than losing hope, be encouraged. You can get moving at a healthy pace once again.
It's important to remember these two words found throughout the Holy Bible: "Fear Not."
Fear not, for I am with you: be not dismayed, for I am your God, I will strengthen you, yes I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. ISAIAH 41:10
How can you continue to move ahead and work through your fear rather than allowing it to control you?
When we dwell on problems rather than seek encouragement and solutions, it's hard to move forward. Negative thinking will kill our efforts every time.
Debbie and Tim were both determined to move on, wiser and better prepared.
Sometimes, God sends us help when we're having trouble helping ourselves.
Debbie wondered what caused their Good Samaritans to pass their way precisely when they needed them the most. What caused them to stop?
It's confronting to know God sends the perfect helpers at just the right time. You needn't be afraid or worry when you trust in Him. Simply enjoy the ride!
But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. LUKE 10:33
How did you describe it at the time: as a chance encounter or a divine appointment? How about now?
When you experience a miracle, it's time to let others know about it.
Debbie have been amazed by the healing power of God. When she asked God to take away her bulimia back in the early summer of 1986. God hears our cry for help and healing.
Sometimes, we are healed instantly, and sometimes, it takes time. Since she became a Christian, she have had to wait a long time for some prayers to be answered. Throughout her thirties and forties, she prayed for a husband. Tim and Debbie did not get married until they were both fifty-two.
One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see. JOHN 9:25B
When the riding gets rough, don't lose sight of the big picture. Difficult circumstances are usually temporary. You'll find relief on the other side and have a better appreciation for the blessings in life.
Encouragement feeds a soul in pursuit of worthy goals. You'll find it in most unexpected ways.
And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. MATTHEW 28:20B
Think of three different forms of encouragement that you received in the last week.
After dinner, Debbie and Tim had joined about four hundred people of all ages already gathered in the large auditorium for worship, the program, and prayer. It was powerful. The praise band led them in worship.
Finally, a humbly prayer warrior prayed that God's extravagant would ignite a mass movement of faith in Jesus across the nation.
God makes a promise in 2 CHRONICLES 7:14 - "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
Tim and Debbie Bishop have coauthored four books about their midlife launch into marriage, cross-country bicycle touring, and other matters of faith and inspiration.
The Bishops serve as volunteer for Hope Coaches for TheHopeLine, a nonprofit organization that seeks to reach, rescue, and restore hurting teens and young adults.
Since TheHopeLine receives its support entirely from private sources, it is often in need of funding to sustain its important work.
Monday, July 17, 2017
Saturday, July 15, 2017
Sunday - Jeremiah's Call and Commission - Jeremiah 1:4-10 - 7/16/17
God knew you, as he knew Jeremiah, long before you were born or even conceived. He knew you, thought about you, and planned for you. When you feel discouraged or inadequate, remember that God has always thought of you as valuable and has had a purpose in mind for you.
Each Christian has a purpose in life, but some are appointed by God for a specific kind of work. Samson, John the Baptist, and Paul were each called to do a particular job for God. If God gives you a specific task, accept it cheerful and do it with excellence. If God has not given you a specific assignment, then seek to fulfill the mission common to all believers - love, obey, and serve God - until such time as his guidance becomes more clear.
Often people struggle with new challenges because they lack self-confidence. They feel they have inadequate ability, training or experience. Jeremiah thought he was too young and inexperience to be God's spokesman to the world. But God promised to be with him. We must never allow feelings of inadequacy to keep us from obeying God's call. He will always be with us. If God gives you a job to do, he will provide all you need to do it.
God's message to Jeremiah was like his message to Moses: the God who made our mouths can provide the words he wants us to speak.
Jeremiah predicted that after the destruction of the nation, God would send a new Shepherd, the Messiah.
God still restores his people by renewing their hearts. We can have assurance of a new heart by loving God, trusting Christ to save us, and repenting of our sin.
Jeremiah served God faithfully for 40 years. During that time the people ignored, rejected, and persecuted him. He remained faithful to God.
People's acceptance or rejection of us is not the measure of our success. God's approval alone should be our standard for service. We must bring God's message to others when we are rejected.
Reference summary used from the Life Application Bible, KJV; Tyndale Publishers Inc; Wheaton, IL
Each Christian has a purpose in life, but some are appointed by God for a specific kind of work. Samson, John the Baptist, and Paul were each called to do a particular job for God. If God gives you a specific task, accept it cheerful and do it with excellence. If God has not given you a specific assignment, then seek to fulfill the mission common to all believers - love, obey, and serve God - until such time as his guidance becomes more clear.
Often people struggle with new challenges because they lack self-confidence. They feel they have inadequate ability, training or experience. Jeremiah thought he was too young and inexperience to be God's spokesman to the world. But God promised to be with him. We must never allow feelings of inadequacy to keep us from obeying God's call. He will always be with us. If God gives you a job to do, he will provide all you need to do it.
God's message to Jeremiah was like his message to Moses: the God who made our mouths can provide the words he wants us to speak.
Jeremiah predicted that after the destruction of the nation, God would send a new Shepherd, the Messiah.
God still restores his people by renewing their hearts. We can have assurance of a new heart by loving God, trusting Christ to save us, and repenting of our sin.
Jeremiah served God faithfully for 40 years. During that time the people ignored, rejected, and persecuted him. He remained faithful to God.
People's acceptance or rejection of us is not the measure of our success. God's approval alone should be our standard for service. We must bring God's message to others when we are rejected.
Reference summary used from the Life Application Bible, KJV; Tyndale Publishers Inc; Wheaton, IL
Sunday - Isaiah in the Temple - Isaiah 6:1-8 - 7/9/17
Isaiah was considered the greatest Old Testament prophet. He had powerful messages of both judgment and hope.
God is purely and perfectly holy, and just, and loving.
In Jerusalem - Isaiah was a Scribe and Prophet.
King Uzziah died of leprosy for trying to take over the High Priest's duties. Although he was generally a good king and his reign was long and prosperous, many of his people turned away from God.
The lofty throne, the attending angels, and the threefold holy all stressed God holiness. We need to rediscover God holiness. We need the Bible's view of God as high and lifted us out of our problems and concerns.
Isaiah's vision was his call to be God's messenger to his people. Isaiah was given a difficult mission. He had to tell people who believed they were blessed by God that God was going to destroy them because of their disobedience.
The seraphims are an order of angelic beings created by God. Here they functioned as God's agents in commissioning Isaiah. Isaiah could understand them when they spoke to him and when they praised God. They were awe-inspiring and powerful creatures - their singing shook the Temple!
Listening to the praise of the angels, Isaiah realized he was common and unclean before God, with no hope of measuring up to God's standard of holiness. When his lips were touched with a burning coal, however, he was told his sins were forgiven. It wasn't the coal that cleansed him, but God. No matter how difficult his task would be, he said, "Here am I; send me." Before we accept God's call to speak for him to those around us, we must be cleansed as Isaiah was. Letting God purify us may be painful, but we must be purified so that we can truly represent God, who is pure and holy.
Reference summary used from the Life Application Bible; KJV, Tyndale Bible Publishers, Wheaton, IL
God is purely and perfectly holy, and just, and loving.
In Jerusalem - Isaiah was a Scribe and Prophet.
King Uzziah died of leprosy for trying to take over the High Priest's duties. Although he was generally a good king and his reign was long and prosperous, many of his people turned away from God.
The lofty throne, the attending angels, and the threefold holy all stressed God holiness. We need to rediscover God holiness. We need the Bible's view of God as high and lifted us out of our problems and concerns.
Isaiah's vision was his call to be God's messenger to his people. Isaiah was given a difficult mission. He had to tell people who believed they were blessed by God that God was going to destroy them because of their disobedience.
The seraphims are an order of angelic beings created by God. Here they functioned as God's agents in commissioning Isaiah. Isaiah could understand them when they spoke to him and when they praised God. They were awe-inspiring and powerful creatures - their singing shook the Temple!
Listening to the praise of the angels, Isaiah realized he was common and unclean before God, with no hope of measuring up to God's standard of holiness. When his lips were touched with a burning coal, however, he was told his sins were forgiven. It wasn't the coal that cleansed him, but God. No matter how difficult his task would be, he said, "Here am I; send me." Before we accept God's call to speak for him to those around us, we must be cleansed as Isaiah was. Letting God purify us may be painful, but we must be purified so that we can truly represent God, who is pure and holy.
Reference summary used from the Life Application Bible; KJV, Tyndale Bible Publishers, Wheaton, IL
The 23RD App
(Poem by Mike Ramey)
I have downloaded my shepherd,
With other commercial Apps…I think I want;
I don’t have time to read my KJV Bible,
I simply MUST surf whenever I want.
I’ve got so much to post,
Tweet, Snap, Stamp…Pin, too!
I don’t have any time left for prayer;
Lord, you can understand…IF I text you?
The flesh won’t bother me, as I shop on line
for the latest skinny jeans, groceries or frock;
Ooh, look at how tight he/she wears it,
Modesty? That’s such a crock!
Yeah, Mom and Dad aren’t hip, even though
They modeled you a lot--God--walking before you humbly;
The Pastor--he’s so out-of-touch,
He STILL hand writes his sermons…and points,
ACTUALLY POINTS to that unflattering cross up there.
Me? I’ve got to screen and laugh at the latest comic,
Who is making fun of traditions…old and new.
(It is tweetrumored that ‘he’ is really a ‘she’,
And likes to sleep with a beast…or two--so cool!)
The Devil…he’s only a figment of the imagination;
He doesn’t exist…he’s little more than ‘emojii stew’.
‘Spiritual Warfare’, what is THAT?
‘Spiritual Gifts’? Is that an app…that’s new?
The Preacher Sighs: Poor Little Fool…wrapped up in his technology.
They didn’t become a Christian…didn’t want to be ‘odd’;
In all their worldly wisdom, he/she couldn’t tell;
There’s no app that will state when one will die,
And move right for a Sinner’s Hell…well below the real sod!
Lift up Christ and lay the sinner low. --C. H. Spurgeon
I have downloaded my shepherd,
With other commercial Apps…I think I want;
I don’t have time to read my KJV Bible,
I simply MUST surf whenever I want.
I’ve got so much to post,
Tweet, Snap, Stamp…Pin, too!
I don’t have any time left for prayer;
Lord, you can understand…IF I text you?
The flesh won’t bother me, as I shop on line
for the latest skinny jeans, groceries or frock;
Ooh, look at how tight he/she wears it,
Modesty? That’s such a crock!
Yeah, Mom and Dad aren’t hip, even though
They modeled you a lot--God--walking before you humbly;
The Pastor--he’s so out-of-touch,
He STILL hand writes his sermons…and points,
ACTUALLY POINTS to that unflattering cross up there.
Me? I’ve got to screen and laugh at the latest comic,
Who is making fun of traditions…old and new.
(It is tweetrumored that ‘he’ is really a ‘she’,
And likes to sleep with a beast…or two--so cool!)
The Devil…he’s only a figment of the imagination;
He doesn’t exist…he’s little more than ‘emojii stew’.
‘Spiritual Warfare’, what is THAT?
‘Spiritual Gifts’? Is that an app…that’s new?
The Preacher Sighs: Poor Little Fool…wrapped up in his technology.
They didn’t become a Christian…didn’t want to be ‘odd’;
In all their worldly wisdom, he/she couldn’t tell;
There’s no app that will state when one will die,
And move right for a Sinner’s Hell…well below the real sod!
Lift up Christ and lay the sinner low. --C. H. Spurgeon
Saturday, July 8, 2017
5 of ... The Heart: The Key to Everything in the Christian Life - Book Review
The Third Soil of the Heart: The Choking Weeds - Five Thorns to Avoid
Let us examine the third soil of the heart and what happens when the Word of God is sown into it.
In this third soil of the heart, the seed of the Word of God fell among the seeds of thorns and both began to grow in this fertile soil. This word "thorn" in the Greek means a thorny plant, a bramble bush, briers, and thistles.
Israel in Bible times had a great variety of these thorny weeds throughout its land. Giant thistles, growing to the height of a man on horseback, frequently spread over regions once rich and fruitful. Prickly roses abound on the lower slopes of Hermon.
Thorns are carriers of spiritual disease and allow rebellion, lust, and idolatry to ride into the human heart.
The First Thorn: The Cares of This World. (Matthew 13:22; Mark 4:19). The Greek word for "cares" in these verses means an anxious worry that distracts and divides the mind. These anxious worries and cares are indicative of a heart that does not trust God.
Unrepentant sin is a major cause of anxiety in the heart. Anxiety, worry and fear are sin, and should have no place in the heart of a christian.
The Second Thorn: The Cares of This Life. The second thorn in the Parable of the Sower is "the cares of this life." The same Greek Word is used for "cares" so these are still anxious worries that divide and distract the mind and agitate the heart with fear, but it is a different category of cares.
Jesus perfectly illustrates these anxious cares in the Sermon on the Mount and commands these worries have no place in the heart of the child of God.
The Third Thorn: The Deceitfulness of Riches. Millions of people have been corrupted, ruined and destroyed by the deceitfulness of riches. Riches can turn the heart away from God quicker than almost anything on earth.
John Wesley said wealth had destroyed the godliness of more people than other things. This thorn illustrates the eternal truth in the Sermon on the Mount that "where your treasure is there your heart be also" (Luke 12:34).
The Fourth Thorn: The Lust for Other Things. The fourth thorn in the Parable of the Sower are "the lust for other things."
Lust is excessive desire that has gone overboard and adrift from the heart of God that seeks self-satisfaction, self-gratification and self-pleasure as its ultimate thrill ride. Lust has no perception of eternity and no realization of its deadly consequences to the heart.
The Fifth Thorn: The Pleasures of This Life. The fifth and final thorn in the Parable of the Sower is the "pleasures of this life." The Greek word for "pleasures" is "hedone" which means delight, pleasureable, sensation, and sensual pleasures. Hedone is an unrestrained pursuit of anything that over stimulates the senses, stopping at nothing to gorge the body's sinful inner cravings.
Tim Rowe, the author, has a doctorate of jurisprudence and a bachelor's degree in biblical studies, history, and classics. He is the president of Goodness of God Ministries and lives with his wife and son.
Let us examine the third soil of the heart and what happens when the Word of God is sown into it.
In this third soil of the heart, the seed of the Word of God fell among the seeds of thorns and both began to grow in this fertile soil. This word "thorn" in the Greek means a thorny plant, a bramble bush, briers, and thistles.
Israel in Bible times had a great variety of these thorny weeds throughout its land. Giant thistles, growing to the height of a man on horseback, frequently spread over regions once rich and fruitful. Prickly roses abound on the lower slopes of Hermon.
Thorns are carriers of spiritual disease and allow rebellion, lust, and idolatry to ride into the human heart.
The First Thorn: The Cares of This World. (Matthew 13:22; Mark 4:19). The Greek word for "cares" in these verses means an anxious worry that distracts and divides the mind. These anxious worries and cares are indicative of a heart that does not trust God.
Unrepentant sin is a major cause of anxiety in the heart. Anxiety, worry and fear are sin, and should have no place in the heart of a christian.
The Second Thorn: The Cares of This Life. The second thorn in the Parable of the Sower is "the cares of this life." The same Greek Word is used for "cares" so these are still anxious worries that divide and distract the mind and agitate the heart with fear, but it is a different category of cares.
Jesus perfectly illustrates these anxious cares in the Sermon on the Mount and commands these worries have no place in the heart of the child of God.
The Third Thorn: The Deceitfulness of Riches. Millions of people have been corrupted, ruined and destroyed by the deceitfulness of riches. Riches can turn the heart away from God quicker than almost anything on earth.
John Wesley said wealth had destroyed the godliness of more people than other things. This thorn illustrates the eternal truth in the Sermon on the Mount that "where your treasure is there your heart be also" (Luke 12:34).
The Fourth Thorn: The Lust for Other Things. The fourth thorn in the Parable of the Sower are "the lust for other things."
Lust is excessive desire that has gone overboard and adrift from the heart of God that seeks self-satisfaction, self-gratification and self-pleasure as its ultimate thrill ride. Lust has no perception of eternity and no realization of its deadly consequences to the heart.
The Fifth Thorn: The Pleasures of This Life. The fifth and final thorn in the Parable of the Sower is the "pleasures of this life." The Greek word for "pleasures" is "hedone" which means delight, pleasureable, sensation, and sensual pleasures. Hedone is an unrestrained pursuit of anything that over stimulates the senses, stopping at nothing to gorge the body's sinful inner cravings.
Tim Rowe, the author, has a doctorate of jurisprudence and a bachelor's degree in biblical studies, history, and classics. He is the president of Goodness of God Ministries and lives with his wife and son.
Wednesday, July 5, 2017
Sunday - Moses & the Burning Bush - Exodus 3:1-12 -7/2/17
The burning bush
Moses was an Egyptian prince. As a prince he had everything done for him; he was the famous son of an Egyptian princess. As a shepherd he had to do everything for himself. He was holding the very job he had been taught to despise (Genesis 43:32; 46:32-34). What a humbling experience this must had been for Moses. But God was preparing Moses for leadership. Living the life of a shepherd and nomad. Moses couldn't see this himself.
God spoke to Moses from an unexpected source: a burning bush. God often uses unexpected sources when working in our lives too, whether people, thoughts, or experiences. Be willing to investigate, and be open to God's surprises.
Moses saw a burning bush and spoke with God. When the slaves were freed from Egypt, God led them by a pillar of cloud and fire. God made such appearances to encourage his new nation, to guide them, and to prove the reliability of his verbal message.
At God's command, Moses removed his shoes and covered his face as well. God is our friend, but he is also our sovereign Lord. If necessary, adjust your attitude so it is suitable for approaching a holy God.
Reference summary used from Life Application Bible, KJV, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL
Moses was an Egyptian prince. As a prince he had everything done for him; he was the famous son of an Egyptian princess. As a shepherd he had to do everything for himself. He was holding the very job he had been taught to despise (Genesis 43:32; 46:32-34). What a humbling experience this must had been for Moses. But God was preparing Moses for leadership. Living the life of a shepherd and nomad. Moses couldn't see this himself.
God spoke to Moses from an unexpected source: a burning bush. God often uses unexpected sources when working in our lives too, whether people, thoughts, or experiences. Be willing to investigate, and be open to God's surprises.
Moses saw a burning bush and spoke with God. When the slaves were freed from Egypt, God led them by a pillar of cloud and fire. God made such appearances to encourage his new nation, to guide them, and to prove the reliability of his verbal message.
At God's command, Moses removed his shoes and covered his face as well. God is our friend, but he is also our sovereign Lord. If necessary, adjust your attitude so it is suitable for approaching a holy God.
Reference summary used from Life Application Bible, KJV, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL
Sunday, June 25, 2017
Sunday - Samson's Call - Judges 13:1-7, 24-25 - 6/25/17
The Philistines lived on the west side of Canaan, along the Mediterranean seacoast. From Samson's day until the time of David they were the major enemy force in the land & a constant threat to Israel. The Philistines were fierce warriors; they had the advantage over Israel in numbers, tactical expertise, & technology. They knew the secret of making weapons out of iron. But none of that mattered when God was fighting for Israel.
Once again the cycle of sin, judgment, & repentance began. The Israelites would not turn to God unless they had been stunned by suffering, oppression, & death. This suffered was not caused by God, but resulted from the fact that the people ignored God, their Judge & Ruler. The warnings in God's Word are clear; if we continue to harden our hearts against God, we can expect the same fate as Israel.
The angel of the Lord could have been a special divine messenger sent from God or a pre-incarnation appearance of Jesus Christ. The reason for the angel's visit was to give Samson's parents the vital news that Samson would begin to rescue Israel from the Philistines.
Samson was to be a Nazarite - a person who took a vow to be set apart for God's service. Samson's parents made the vow for him. A Nazarite vow was sometimes for him. A Nazarite vow was sometimes temporary, but in Samson's case, it was for life. As a Nazarite, Samson could not cut his hair, touch a dead body, or drink anything containing alcohol.
Although Samson often used poor judgment & sinned terribly, he accomplished much when he determined to be set apart for God. In this way he was like the nation Israel. As long as the Israelites remained set apart for God, the nation thrived. But they into terrible sin when they ignored God.
Manoah's wife was told that her son would begin to rescue the Israelites from Philistine oppression. It wasn't until David's day that the Philistine opposition was completely crushed. Samson's part in subduing the Philistines was just the beginning, but it was important nonetheless. It was the task God had given Samson to do. Be faithful in following God even if you don't see instant results, because you might be beginning an important job that others will finish.
Samson's tribe, Dan, continued to wander in their inherited land, which was yet unconquered. Samson must have grown up with his warlike tribe's yearnings for a permanent & settled territory. Thus his visits to the tribal army camp stirred his heart, & God's Spirit began preparing him for his role as judge & leader against the Philistines.
God uses a variety of means to develop & prepare us: hereditary traits, environmental influences, & personal experiences. As with Samson, this preparation often begins long before adulthood. Work at being sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading & the tasks God has prepared for you. Your past may be more useful to you than you imagine.
Samson's Ventures: He grew up in Zorah & wanted to marry a Philistine girl from Timnah (Timnath). Tricked at his own wedding feast, he went to Ashkelon & killed some Philistine men & stole their coats to pay off a bet. Samson then let himself be captured & brought to Lehi where he snapped his ropes & killed 1,000 people.
Reference summary used from Life Application Bible, KJV, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL
Once again the cycle of sin, judgment, & repentance began. The Israelites would not turn to God unless they had been stunned by suffering, oppression, & death. This suffered was not caused by God, but resulted from the fact that the people ignored God, their Judge & Ruler. The warnings in God's Word are clear; if we continue to harden our hearts against God, we can expect the same fate as Israel.
The angel of the Lord could have been a special divine messenger sent from God or a pre-incarnation appearance of Jesus Christ. The reason for the angel's visit was to give Samson's parents the vital news that Samson would begin to rescue Israel from the Philistines.
Samson was to be a Nazarite - a person who took a vow to be set apart for God's service. Samson's parents made the vow for him. A Nazarite vow was sometimes for him. A Nazarite vow was sometimes temporary, but in Samson's case, it was for life. As a Nazarite, Samson could not cut his hair, touch a dead body, or drink anything containing alcohol.
Although Samson often used poor judgment & sinned terribly, he accomplished much when he determined to be set apart for God. In this way he was like the nation Israel. As long as the Israelites remained set apart for God, the nation thrived. But they into terrible sin when they ignored God.
Manoah's wife was told that her son would begin to rescue the Israelites from Philistine oppression. It wasn't until David's day that the Philistine opposition was completely crushed. Samson's part in subduing the Philistines was just the beginning, but it was important nonetheless. It was the task God had given Samson to do. Be faithful in following God even if you don't see instant results, because you might be beginning an important job that others will finish.
Samson's tribe, Dan, continued to wander in their inherited land, which was yet unconquered. Samson must have grown up with his warlike tribe's yearnings for a permanent & settled territory. Thus his visits to the tribal army camp stirred his heart, & God's Spirit began preparing him for his role as judge & leader against the Philistines.
God uses a variety of means to develop & prepare us: hereditary traits, environmental influences, & personal experiences. As with Samson, this preparation often begins long before adulthood. Work at being sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading & the tasks God has prepared for you. Your past may be more useful to you than you imagine.
Samson's Ventures: He grew up in Zorah & wanted to marry a Philistine girl from Timnah (Timnath). Tricked at his own wedding feast, he went to Ashkelon & killed some Philistine men & stole their coats to pay off a bet. Samson then let himself be captured & brought to Lehi where he snapped his ropes & killed 1,000 people.
Reference summary used from Life Application Bible, KJV, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL
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