building strong hearts, cultivating deep life!

Building Strong Hearts, Cultivating Deep Life!

Judges 13 – 15

when it comes to women,he melted before hisown passions.

“Again the Israelites did evilin the eyes of the LORD,

so the LORD delivered theminto the hands of the

Philistines for forty years.”[TNIV]

Judges 13:1….

“2 A certain man of Zorah, named Manoah, from the clanof the Danites, had a wife who was childless, unable to give

birth. 3 The angel of the LORD appeared to her and said,

‘You are barren and childless, ….

Judges 13:2-5a….

…. but you are going to become pregnant and give birth to a son. 4 Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and

that you do not eat anything unclean. ….

Judges 13:2-5a….

…. 5 You will become pregnant and have a son

whose head is never to be touched by a razor because the boy is to be a Nazirite, dedicated to God from the

womb….” [TNIV]

Judges 13:2-5a….

“So Manoah asked him, ‘When your words are

fulfilled, what is to be the rule that governs theboy's life and work?’ ”

[TNIV]

Judges 13:1….

Manoah was motivated not by curiosity, but by his commitment to raise

the child to be best prepared for his destiny.

Hebrew word “semes,”meaning “SUN.”

The boy grows, and theSpirit of the Lord begins tostir in him a mighty way

(verse 25).

From this part of

we can gleanthe first of 4 principles.

Principle #1SENSUOUS CHILDREN

CAN BE BORN OFSPIRITUAL PARENTS.

If Samson’s life teaches us anything as parents,it demonstrates thateven children with a

spiritual head start canplunge headlong into

In Judges 14,many years have passed….

is now a virile young man whose hormones boil within him.

“1 Samson went down to Timnah and saw there a

young Philistine woman. 2 When he returned, he said to his father and mother, ‘I have

seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as

my wife.’

Judges 14:1-3….

…. 3 His father and mother replied, ‘Isn't there an

acceptable woman among your relatives or among all our

people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines

to get a wife?’ ….

Judges 14:1-3….

…. But Samson said to his father, ‘Get her for me.

She’s the right one(looks good) for me.”

[TNIV]

Judges 14:1-3….

Samson’s eyesspur his lust to

break the dual reinsof his parents’ wishesand the Mosaic Law.

(verse 3; Deuteronomy 7:1-3)

Principle #2A SENSUOUS PERSON

FOCUSES ON THEEXTERNAL RATHER

THAN ON THE INTERNAL!

The first recorded wordsof Samson are….

“I SAWa young

Philistine woman.”

He did not mention anyof her INTERNAL

QUALITIES.

Our EXTERNAL APPEARANCEshould frame our

INTERNAL QUALITIESin a way that

HIGHLIGHTS thembut does not

overshadow them.

“3 Your beauty should not come from outward

adornment,such as elaborate hairstyles

and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. ….

1 Peter 3:3-4….

…. 4 Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the

unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.”

[TNIV]

1 Peter 3:3-4….

When you look at someone,is your FOCUS on the frame

or on the quality?

Do you dwell on the appearance, or do you look past it to the heart?

“But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his

appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things

human beings look at. People look at the outward

appearance, but the LORDlooks at the heart.’ ” [TNIV]

1 Samuel 16:7….

In spite of Samson’s runaway lust,

God is still in controlof the situation.

“(His parents did not know that this was from the LORD, who was seeking an occasion

to confront the Philistines;for at that time they wereruling over Israel.)” [TNIV]

Judges 14:4….

… overcame an attacking lion (v.6)

… posed a riddle – 7 days to unravel the riddle

… Samson’s bride enticing him for the answer

Judges 14:18b-19….

“ 18b ... Samson said to them,‘If you had not plowed withmy heifer, you would not

have solved my riddle.’ 19 Then the Spirit of the LORD

cameon him in power. ….

Judges 14:18b-19….

…. He went down to Ashkelon, struck down thirty of their

men, stripped them of everything and gave their clothes to those who had

explained the riddle. Burning with anger, he returned to his

father's home.” [TNIV]

Samson stormed away to his father’s house. His wife was then given to one of his companions

(verse 20).

Before Samson knew it,he was at the door to his wife’s

room with flowers in hand.

“Later on, at the time of wheat harvest, Samson took a young goat and went to visit his wife. He said, ‘I'm going

tomy wife's room.’ …”

[TNIV]

Judges 15:1a….

Samson’s father-in-lawstood at his daughter’s door

to sandbag the flood ofSamson’s passion.

From romance to revenge, Samson’s rage ….

Judges 15:3-5….

“3 Samson said to them, ‘This time I have a right to get even with the Philistines; I will really harm them.’ 4 So he went out

and caught three hundred foxes …

…. and tied them tail to tail in pairs. He then fastened a torchto every pair of tails, 5 lit the

torches and let the foxes loosein the standing grain of the

Philistines. He burned up the shocks and standing grain, together with the vineyards

and olive groves.” [TNIV]

Principle #3THE SENSUOUS LIFE

BRINGS ONE ANXIETYAFTER ANOTHER!

“An angry person stirs up dissension, and a hot-

tempered person commits many sins.” [TNIV]

Proverbs 29:22….

“Samson led Israel fortwenty years in the days

of the Philistines.”[TNIV]

Judges 15:20….

Apparently, theBible said that

SAMSON ruledrighteously

and by faith.

“32 And what more shall I say?

I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson

and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the

prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms,

administered ….

Hebrews 11:32-34….

…. justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched

the furyof the flames, and escaped the

edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to

strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed

foreign armies.” [TNIV]

“One day Samson went to Gaza, where he saw a

prostitute.He went in to spend the night

with her.” [TNIV]

Judges 16:1….

Samson went to Gaza ….

Little did Samsonrealized that this

“walk in the wild side” would lead him into a snare

that would eventuallycost him his life.

Principle #4SENSUALITY MAY

BE DORMANT, BUTIT IS NEVER DEAD!

when fanned in the open air,can fuel aforest fire.And, invariably, someone alwaysgets burned.

“26 For a prostitute can be hadfor a loaf of bread, but another man's wife preys on your very

life.27 Can a man scoop fire into his

lap without his clothes being burned? 28 Can a man walk on

hot coals without his feet being scorched?” [TNIV]

Proverbs 6:26-28….

“14 But each of you is tempted when you are dragged away by

your own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire

has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-

grown, gives birth to death.” [TNIV]

James 1:14-15….

Each snare in this tragichero’s life is tripped by his

SENSUALITY.

Samson ultimatelyforfeits his life for failingto avoid the lure of lust.

Paul says that we aresuppose to give our lives

to Christ in consecration as a living sacrifice to Him.

“1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in viewof God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God –

this is true worship. ….

Romans 12:1–2 ….

…. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewingof your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” ”

[TNIV]

Romans 12:1–2 ….

Just as Samson’s hair was his inward commitment to God,let our heart in Christ be our

“COMMITMENT” to Christ.

Even if you have some failed past, you can pray with Samson

– “Remember me” –and be assured that

God’s strength can help you overcome your defeated past.

Judges 16:28–30