Samson Part #3

by John Lowe
(Laurens SC, USA)

Now just suppose that this person desires wealth and to feather his own nest, and that is the object of his life. I am not only speaking of the ministry but of all the consecrated; for as sure as ever, if we make self the primary object of our existence, our locks are cut. God doesn’t give us strength to use for ourselves or put us into a high position so that we can look after our own interests.

Do you remember Queen Esther: she was exalted from being a simple maiden to being the wife of king Ahasuerus. Well, Haman got a decree against her nation; that they should be destroyed. But poor Mordecai comes to Esther and says, “You must go into the king and speak to him.” “Well”, she says, “but if I do I will die.” And Mordecai says, “If you hold your peace at this time, then another deliverer will be raised up from among the Jews, but you and your father’s house will be destroyed; and who knows, you may have been placed in this position for such a time as this?” Esther was not made Queen Esther so that she could make herself glorious, but that she might be in a position to save the Jews; and now if she prefers herself before her country, it is all over with her.

And so, if God prospers you, you may get into a position and say, “Here I am; I will look out for myself; I have been serving the church, but now I am going to look after myself a little.” Human nature will say, “You must look after your family,” (which means, you must look after yourself). But if you do it as your main object in life, you will ruin yourself. “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these shall be added to you.” If you have two masters and two objects to serve, you will serve neither.

If you are a Christian, above all things take care of your consecration. Desire to be completely given up to God and to God alone.

IV. Now, our last point is, there is THE CHRISTIAN’S DISGRACE.

His locks are cut off; his head is bare. I have seen him, and you, who are older than I, have seen him more than I have. I have seen him in the ministry. He spoke like a true man of God and the people hung on to every word that he spoke; he seemed to have sound doctrine and to be sincere. I have seen him turn aside from the truth, just a little bit. I have watched as he failed to preach about hell, about sin, about tithing, about drinking, about smoking, about short skirts; as he gave up doctrine after doctrine until people stopped listening to him at all. Have you seen him? What a disgrace?

Now there are two ways of accounting for this. It is thought that such a man is either a hypocrite or a fallen believer. Sometimes people say about this type of person, “Look, there’s a fallen Christian.” But listen. The Children of God are always safe. These men, who have turned aside and broken their consecration vow, may be said to be a disgrace to their church.

But if you are a member of Christ’s church you have seen men who served well as soldiers of the cross, but in time they left, “because they are not one of us,” or like Sampson, you have seen them go down with their eyes put out, with their feet in shackles and with their strength gone. That was figurative speaking, of course.

Now do any of you wish to be backsliders? Do you wish to betray your religion? I don’t believe that there is one of us who has made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ who desires to be a deserter.

Is there anyone who would want to be like Sampson and have his eyes put out, and be made to grind at the mill?

Would you like to be like David and commit a great sin and go to the grave with a broken heart?
Would you like to be like Lot and get drunk and fall into lust? No! I know what you would say. “Lord, lead me down the right path. Give me the grace to serve you, like Caleb, with a perfect heart, so that all through my life I will be a shining light, which will guide others to Christ.”

I believe I know what you desire, but how can it be accomplished? Guard your consecration; be sure that it is sincere and that you mean it, and ask the Holy Spirit to give you daily grace. Just as God gave manna daily, you need food from heaven daily. And remember, it is not by any grace that is in you, but by the grace that is in Christ, and that must be given to you hour by hour so that you can be faithful until the end.

I ask for your prayers that I may be faithful to my Lord; and I will pray for you, that you will serve him as long as you have breath.

And for you who have not given yourself to God, and are not consecrated to Him, may God give you grace that you may be consecrated to Christ; so that you will rejoice in him, whether living or dying and will share with Him the glory of His Father forever.

If that’s what you desire, begin to know Christ today as your Savior. You know that Salvation is by faith in Christ, so ask him to save you and to forgive your sins. He will turn no one away. Amen. Let’s pray.