Judges 11-21

In God’s law, a vow was a promise to God that should not be broken (Judges 11:30,31). These promises may sound very spiritual when we make them, but they produce only guilt and frustration when we are forced to fulfill them. Making spiritual “deals” only brings disappointment. God does not want promises for the future, but obedience for today.
How do you approach conflicts? There is a big difference between trying to settle a conflict through words and simply counterattacking someone verbally. How dependable are the statements you make? Do your children, friends and family know you to be a person of your word? The measure of your trustworthiness is your willingness to take responsibility, even if you must pay a painful price because of something you said.

The Israelites continued in their cycle of disobedience, so the Lord raised Samson. “The Spirit of the Lord came upon him in power so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands.” (Judges 14:6) Samson’s part in subduing the Philistines was just the beginning. It was a task God had given him 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 finish. Samson’s father Manoah was sent an angel of the Lord that prophesized Samson’s birth and he questioned the angel’s name and if it was really God. The Lord shows an important lesson here for all of us and that is: Sometimes we ask God questions and receive no answer. This may not be because the answer is no; we simply may have asked for knowledge beyond our ability to understand or accept. Sometimes God says there are mysteries too wonderful to imagine. Before Samson was a judge, he persistently visited tribal army camps and God’s Spirit began preparing him for his role as a judge and leader of the Philistines. Are there things that stir in your heart? These may be indicators of where God wants to use you. God invented pleasure, and wants us to reflect back to Him the pleasure He created. You will find pleasure in doing what He wants for your life, He created it that way. God uses a variety of means to develop and prepare us: personal experiences, heredity, and environmental influence. Your past may be more useful to you than you imagine! This is exciting! Recall when you were a child what you would play, how you would play it, what was fun for you and how glimpses of your talents were evident even then! It is sad to be remembered for wasted talent. Samson had tremendous potential, but he wasted his life. He could’ve strengthened his nation and returned his people to worship God. His attitude was of self-pity. Emotionally, we are the most vulnerable after a great effort or achievement, so don’t feel drained after a personal victory. Samson was seduced by an untrustworthy woman, Delilah, who led him to his death. Samson was deceived because he wanted to believe her lies.

How can we keep our desires for love and sexual pleasure from deceiving us? 1) You must decide what kind of person you will love BEFORE passion takes over2) Because most of the time you spend with your spouse will not involve sex, your companion’s personality, temperament and commitment to solve problems must be as gratifying as his or her kisses and 3) BE PATIENT. The second look often reveals what is beneath the pleasant appearance and attentive touch. Do not allow anyone, no matter how attractive or persuasive, talk you into doing wrong. When Samson died, God turned his failures and defeats into victory. His story teaches us that it is never too late to start over. Samson’s mistakes we can learn from include: violations of God’s laws, controlled by sensuality, confided in the wrong people and used his gifts and abilities unwisely.
Independence and self-reliance are positive traits, but only within the framework of God’s standards. Today many people seem to put his or her own interests first. Time has not changed human nature. Justice is replaced by revenge and chaos. To know what is really right and to have the strength to do it, we need to draw closer to God. Today, many justify their wrong actions by outward signs of success thinking that wealth, popularity or lack of suffering is an indication of God’s blessing. There are many stories in the Bible that indicate that evil and earthly success can go hand in hand. Are there “harmless” habits in your life? The values, attitudes, and practices you have adopted from the world’s system can be exposed by applying the word of God shining light on the truth. Once you see them for what they are, you can begin to uproot them.

The last line in Judges, “In those days, Israel had no King; everyone did as he saw fit.”(Judges 21:25) Have we changed that much today? Have you noticed the most “influential and powerful” people by America’s standards have tendencies to not handle the pressure of their positions winding up depressed, unhappy, chaotic and broken down? It’s no coincidence that from the outside, their perceived success should be a given for happiness. When people selfishly satisfy their personal desires at all costs, everyone pays the price. To be truly heroic, we must go into battle each day in our home, job, church, and society to make God’s kingdom a reality. Our weapons are our morals, standards, truth, and convictions we receive from God’s word. We will lose the battle if we gather the dirt of earthly treasures rather than seeking the treasures in heaven.