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Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2010 11:44:05 +0000
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- -- Tuesday, 8/24/10 --LUST OR LOVE -- Judges 16 [1 Update]
http://groups.google.com/group/takeaminute/t/3e1f745610aed182
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Topic: -- Tuesday, 8/24/10 --LUST OR LOVE -- Judges 16
Url: http://groups.google.com/group/takeaminute/t/3e1f745610aed182
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From: "J.R. & Bonnie Ricks" <j-r-and-bonnie@dogwoodministries.org>
Date: Aug 23 06:16PM -0500
Url: http://groups.google.com/group/takeaminute/msg/77e588450014fba0
Take a Minute is a daily devotional ministry of
Dogwood Ministries, Inc.
If you need prayer. contact our partners in ministry.
SJ Ministries - Ministry of Prayer <http://sjministries.co.uk/>
Or simply send your request to SJMinistries@aol.com
All other requests, please see the end of the devotional
for Dogwood Ministries addresses
LUST OR LOVE -- Judges 16 NIV (whole chapter)
Judges <http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges%2016&version=NIV>
16 NIV
One day Samson went to Gaza, where he saw a prostitute. He went in to spend
the night with her. The people of Gaza were told, "Samson is here!" So they
surrounded the place and lay in wait for him all night at the city gate.
They made no move during the night, saying, "At dawn we'll kill him."
But Samson lay there only until the middle of the night. Then he got up
and took hold of the doors of the city gate, together with the two posts,
and tore them loose, bar and all. He lifted them to his shoulders and
carried them to the top of the hill that faces Hebron.
Some time later, he fell in love with a woman in the Valley of Sorek whose
name was Delilah. The rulers of the Philistines went to her and said, "See
if you can lure him into showing you the secret of his great strength and
how we can overpower him so we may tie him up and subdue him. Each one of us
will give you eleven hundred shekels of silver." Judges 16:1-5 NIV
Samson had a problem with women. Rather, Samson had a problem with
distinguishing between lust and love for women. He kept ending up in
women's beds and getting into trouble because of it. This problem with
women ended up being Samson's downfall. Because along came Delilah, who
took everything away from Samson, even his very special gift from God.
Samson was so wrapped up in his lust for Delilah that he couldn't see her
for who she really was. He couldn't see past her beautiful face and
fabulous body to the rotten person she was inside. The only thing Samson
was listening to was his hormones.
A lot of single people have fallen victim to the Samson Syndrome at some
time or other in their lives. allowing physical attraction to someone to
override their good sense. confusing lust with love. But there are ways to
guard against this confusion. There are ways to override your hormones in
favor of finding someone. that special someone God wants you to have.
First, you need to decide what kind of person you want to love before your
hormones have a chance to kick in. The easiest way to do this is to make a
list. But, before you start your list - pray. Ask God to guide your
thinking as you make the list so that what HE knows you need will override
what you think you need.
Second, sit down with a piece of paper and a pen or pencil - or open a word
processing page in your computer - and start writing down qualities you
believe to be important - or even essential - qualities you like, qualities
you hate, and qualities you can't accept, etc. Make the list as long and
detailed as you like. When you get done, take a look at your list. Are
spiritual and character qualities at the top of your list, while physical
and social qualities are at the bottom? If so, you're on the road to
finding the kind of mate God wants you to have. Why? Because you don't
spend twenty-four hours a day in bed. The majority of the time you will
spend with a spouse will be outside the bedroom, so that person's spiritual
maturity, temperament, personality and character qualities must be as
satisfying, if not more so, than his or her physical capabilities in the
bedroom.
Third, you need to pray again. Show your list to God and tell Him this is
what you're looking for. Commit the list to His keeping and know that He is
preparing just such a person for you somewhere and that in His time, you
will meet the person you need.
And fourth, be patient. Just because you asked and just because you know
God answers your every prayer doesn't mean that person is about to knock on
your front door today. It may take a while. It may take years. Or it may
be that God has been preparing that person all along and has just been
waiting for you to be ready. If you meet someone who is attractive, but you
discover that the person does not fit your list, you'll know he or she is
not "the one". But, when you do meet that person, you will recognize him or
her because your list will be a description that is easy to identify, and
you won't have to compromise.
"Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain,
'Go, throw yourself into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart but
believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore
I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received
it, and it will be yours." Mark 11:22-24 NIV
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Personal correspondence to J.R. Ricks: j-r@dogwoodministries.org
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