Pastor Hutch spoke at our last Gideon’s Posse meeting and challenged us with some heart-searching, albeit difficult truths. Samson was a gifted man that had all the potential in the world, yet he allowed his life to be undone by an ungodly woman. Judges 16 tells us how Delilah enticed this Israelite leader in such a way that his God-given potential simply evaporated. And yet, Samson had warning signs along the way that he should have heeded. Unfortunately, his flesh got the better of him.
Each of us will face temptations from the various the “Delilahs” in our own life. At times she may come in the form of a woman; at other times she might take the shape of unwise financial decisions or even pride. Whatever entices you away from God and the calling He has placed on your life needs to be eliminated immediately and without deliberation. Men, ask the Lord to show you any future pitfalls in your life and seek His strength as you say “No” to those things which can so easily entangle you.
We were reminded last month at GP about the tragic life of Samson, one of the premier rulers in Israel. Judges 16 tells of the unraveling of this man’s potential as he was seduced by Delilah. We also learned about the topic of guilt from this man’s life.
Pastor Hutch showed us that there are 4 different kinds of guilt in this passage, and they get progressively worse. The first is what might be called “Voluntary Guilt” where we find ourselves saying something like, “I shouldn’t do this, but I’m going to anyways” (see vss.1-3) The next stage is “Blind Guilt” where you can walk into temptation unaware of the true consequences to your actions (see vss.4-16). Next comes “Involuntary Guilt” when we find ourselves saying “I know its wrong but I don’t care!” (see vss.15-22). The final and most deadly form of guilt as found in Samson’s life was that of “Sacrificial Guilt”. This is where sin owns you and will ultimately require your life (see vss.23-31).
Men, sin always wants to take you deeper; wants to take you to the next level of guilt; wants to destroy who you are and what you can do for the Kingdom. Let’s learn from the example of Samson. Even those of us with great abilities and potential can still give in to temptation. So, be alert, be wise, and let’s hold each other up in prayer as we fight this battle together.
October
GP Notes
Who wants to join Sam’s Club tonight?
Samson = A righteous leader, but still a failure.
Needed NO army
Dog’s must be “horn broke” or foxes will run them to death
Everyone has a Delilah in their life and it has nothing to do with looks. Just ask Prince Charles.
Can you have a righteous judge and have them be a bad leader?
Yes. That’s why it takes a team to lead.
Manoah, his father, never stood up to his son. His mom (nameless) neglected her responsibilities too. Neither one stopped him from marrying Delilah.
Delilah wore him down about the riddle.
How many people do you have around you who are a negative influence on you or your family?
Samson was not a big man. That’s what made his strength so amazing. The Spirit of the Lord was upon him.
Delilah was given away to another man.
Samson caught 300 foxes – hard to do. Burned down the corn/wheat fields.
1st Delilah, how long does it take for someone to wear you down? Have you trained your wife and kids that your no is no and your yes is yes or do they wear you down like Delilah?
They took the dad & Delilah and burned them both.
3000 Israelites came to stop one man.
3000 Israelites turn Samson over to 1000 Philistines.
What would it take to stop us (the church)? I.e. the government saying that we’ll take your 501C3 status. We’ll burn or protest your church. We’ll say bad things about you.
They try to kill him, but he breaks his ropes and fights/kills them with the jawbone of a donkey.
Soldiers number 1000. Knew he had to obey his master, even after killing 999.
Samson was a great Judge for 20 years Samson submitted to the 3000, but he was sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Has the Spirit of God fallen on you? It must have, because you are a Christian.
Samson got water from the jawbone of the donkey, the same jawbone he used to beat down the enemy.
Peaceful for a while. Saw a harlot and chased her to his ultimate demise.
Delilah = habits, sin, lust and weakness.
September
GP Notes
Doug Murphy addressed the Sin of Omission.
James 4:17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails
to do it, for him it is sin.
We toured the New Testament looking at Christ's
commissioning work for us, moving from Matthew 5:14 to Acts1:8. We journeyed
from the exhortation of the epistles through to warning to the church of Laodicea in Revelation on the calling of
God to be part of His redemptive work.
How often do we get so weary in what we are doing wrong that
we forget to experience the victory of God’s work?
Our Challenge:
Bring a man to Gideon’s Posse
Quit being beat up by failing
Be part of God’s work
May
GP Notes
Samson was one of the most enigmatic figures in all of Scripture. On the one hand, his super-human feats of strength give us encouragement that God can use each of us in remarkable ways. After all, what great things can you accomplish when the Spirit of God comes upon you? On the other hand, when the Spirit’s power departed from Samson, he became one of the most pitiful men in the Bible. But, as Pastor Hutch reminded us: the only thing sadder than Samson’s downfall would be for us not to live out the truth in our lives.
Pastor Hutch also introduced us to Paul Luchsinger, a man who has been broken through past failures, but is now on the right track to be used again for God’s glory. What a blessing to know that Paul’s story, like ours, has yet to be completely written. Men, when you have setbacks and failures in your life, know that God can still use you greatly when you return to Him in brokenness and repentance. Men, may we choose the path that Samson never did.
March Pt 2
GP Notes
Judges 13 begins the story of Samson, one of the most incredible men found in Scripture. But his story doesn’t begin with his feats of strength or his ambitious exploits; it starts with God’s angel visiting a man named Manoah and his barren wife.
In their history, the stigma of barrenness was acute and painful. But God looked compassionately at this downcast couple and saw that He could use them. God went to a woman who probably felt worthless and decided to bless her and her husband beyond their wildest expectations. And this is what God can do with us as men today. When we feel like we don’t measure up, when we feel like our strength is gone, and when we find ourselves discouraged by life’s setbacks, God comes by our side to lift us up.
Men, the fact that God cared enough about a couple who had nothing to lose and everything to gain let’s us know that He knows our hurts, our thoughts, our desires and dreams. And when you place these things at His feet, there’s no telling how He will answer you in your time of need.
