I'm Following Jesus – Page 2217 – Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Wednesday, April 04, 2018
Chapters: Judges 13-15
Message: Obeying God’s Strange Requests

Hello My Friend,

Sometimes the places where God takes us and the things He calls us to do can seem a little strange, and quite unlike Him to say the least, but nevertheless, He does these things for a reason. When God makes strange requests we are not question why, but ask Him how He wants us to do it. When we trust Him through strange requests and have faith in Him, the He will see you through it. “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” – Hebrews 13:20-21.

A Nazarite is a person who was bound by a vow of a peculiar kind to be set apart from others for the service of God. The Nazarite vowed to abstain from drinking wine and even grapes. They were forbidden to cut their hair, handle a dead body, or go against the Word of God. God decided He was going to raise someone from birth to lead Israel, He chose a godly couple, named Zorah and Manoah to give birth to a son and raise him as a Nazarite. The couple got a visit from and angel to tell them the news, Manoah was so excited that he wanted to feed the angel, only to discover that this angel was something more.

“And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour? And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret? So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD: and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on. For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground. But the angel of the LORD did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the LORD. And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God. But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these. And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him. And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.” – Judges 13:17-25.

“And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times” You see, God did not always keep His Spirit in man in the beginning, it was only after Jesus resurrected and ascended back into heaven that He made it permanent. Now, all who receive Him as their Saviour automatically receive the Holy Spirit in them, and it will remain that way until Jesus returns. He said Himself that He would send a Comforter to be with believers until He returns. “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” – John 16:7,13.

When you see the hand of God working in your life you start to get pretty excited, especially when He answers long awaited prayers, then comes the hard part, the challenges that come with the answered prayers. Zorah and Monaoah’s did have a son, Samson, and while they did raise him up to be a Nazarite it was not easy, especially since he was often friends with the Philistines, and loved their women. Samson begs his parents to get a woman for him to wife that he was attracted to, and she was of the Philistines.

“And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife. Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well. But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.” – Judges 14:1-4.

“knew not that it was of the LORD,” For years I have read this story only to discover that it was God’s plan for Samson to marry the Philistine woman so that he could get to them. While God does not condone mixed marriages, and I am talking about mixed religions here, He will use every situation for His glory. We may not always understand God’s plan, and that is why we have to let it go and let Him take the reins, He will take us where we need to be and give us the knowledge, strength, and guidance to follow through with His plan. I am in a situation where I ask God almost every day if I am really in His will because it seems so unreal and it is rather trying on my heart. The only answer I get is, “Follow my commands, have faith, be patient, and you will get the answer.” That is all any of us can do. Believe it or not, God uses strange situations all the time to keep us faithful to Him, and then He shows Himself mighty. “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” – I Peter 4:12-13.

Of course, the woman betrayed him, but this was cause for God to show His strength through Samson, not only to the Philistines, but Israel as well. Samson went on a rampage after finding out that his Philistine wife had been given to another man, but Israel did not want to fight with the Philistines so they turned him in.

“Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi. And the men of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? And they answered, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us. Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? what is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them. And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves. And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock. And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands. And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.” – Judges 15:9-15.

“and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him,” This victory was not in the weapon, not in his own strength, but it was the strength of God, we can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, and those who are free by the blood of Christ are indeed set free. When God calls us for some strange requests it is not to tempt us to go against Him, it is to strengthen us, grow us, and use us for His work. We cannot break the will of God because if we do we will end up right back where we were only taking much longer to get where He wants us. Do not fight God, and by all means do not try to handle things on your own, go to Jesus, seek His face, trust Him, let Him guide you, strengthen you, and walk with you, you will not struggle so much, and you will see God do a great work in you. “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” – Hebrews 10:35-36.

Jesus Christ Magnified: “Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name: But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death.” – Judges 13:6-7.

Today’s Prayer: God, I will not dare say that I understand Your ways all the time, but I will say that Your ways are the best and will do much more for me than anything I try to do on my own. You know where You have placed me, and You know when, why, how, and what I have to endure to see it through. Lord, lead me and guide me, give me Your mercy, grace, strength, wisdom, guidance, and the patience to wait on You as you work in me to endure this strange request You have given me. Work on my heart, keep me faithful, true, and from trying to handle this situation on my own. I know that as I follow Your commands and live that You will see me through and I will see Your mighty hand bring it all together. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,

Christina

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