Samson was a man of much God-given ability and strength. He did many great exploits that most people have heard much about. Samson was a believer. He is numbered with the men and women of faith in Hebrews 11:32. He believed God and like Abraham, it was counted for righteousness. His righteousness was the imputed righteousness of Christ.

But all these things do not change the circumstances surrounding his last days and death; nor do they keep us from being warned by the account that God has left for us in the scriptures. Sad are the last days and death of this man of God. The once-mighty man reaped the consequences of his sin and disobedience against the glory of God. Look at him. How sad it is to see him in this state. He has given the enemies of God the occasion to blaspheme God. His eyes are put out, his arms and legs are bound in fetters of brass and like a dumb animal he is forced to power the grinding mill in the prison. The enemy makes sport of him, makes merry in light of his weakness and "praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy." Finally, he dies saying, "Let me die with the Philistines."

Samson, no doubt, pictures Christ in that he, for the love of an unfaithful woman, dies at the hand of the enemy and yet in that death destroys that enemy. Christ loved us and gave Himself for us.

But it cannot be denied that God has also given this account as a warning to His people. What a sad scene to see the enemies of God mocking Him because of the sin and disobedience of his people. How sad to see a liberated soul held captive in the flesh by sin and Satan. How sad to see them chained to the mill of this world being used to grind out its desires and goals. How sad the Samsons of this present hour! O God of grace and mercy help us! I pray that for the rest of our days we might be found among the true people of God. I pray that we might be enabled by God's grace to believe and support the gospel of His glory. I pray that we might be found worshipping, praising and singing the merits of Jesus Christ in the place of God's appointment. I pray that no device of Satan, no lust of our flesh and no enticement of the world shall ever cause us to be found outside of the fellowship of the saints of God! Nothing can separate from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. It didn't with Samson. But we don't want to die with the enemy! We want our days and our death to be with the comfort of God's gospel, God's people and God's Spirit.

Gary Shepard

I wrote this article some years ago. Sad, but it is still true at the present hour.

WHY MOST PREACHERS TODAY WILL NOT PREACH THE GOSPEL

1. It would mean the admission that they themselves have been lost.

2. It would mean that what they've preached up to that point had been a lie.

3. It would mean that those who have believed them and followed them are lost also and destroy their false refuge.

4. It would mean that the majority of their programs and methods are wrong and unbiblical.

5. It would require them to change these programs and methods to those that have less appeal to the flesh.

6. It would mean they would be at odds with their denomination and its leaders.

7. It would mean a life of persecution instead of a life of popularity.

8. It would mean being content with results and statistics thought to be a failure by today's religious standards.

9. It would mean the loss of physical and financial security as organized religion provides it.

10. It would mean being excluded from the circles of today's professional “clergy" and the loss of social acceptance in ministerial groups.

Many I am sure have counted the cost and found themselves unwilling to pay it. God's preachers find themselves like Jeremiah saying, "his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay." Or as Paul, "Woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel." Or as Peter and John, "For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." Or Luther who said, "Here I stand; I can do no otherwise. God help me."

Gary Shepard

“When I see the blood I will pass over you.” Salvation is totally in One outside of ourselves for it is not our blood that God sees but Christ’s! Looking to Christ, not in us, is where we joy in it. Faith is in His blood! GS

No man shall ever behold the glory of Christ by SIGHT hereafter, who does not in some measure behold it by FAITH here in this world. Grace is a necessary preparation for glory, and faith for sight. Where the subject (the soul) is not previously seasoned with grace and faith, it is not capable of glory or vision. Yea, a person not disposed hereby unto it cannot desire it, whatever they pretend...if a man pretend himself to be enamored on, or greatly to desire, what he never saw, nor was ever represented to him, he does but dote on his own imaginations. And the pretended desires of many to behold the glory of Christ in heaven, who have no view of it by faith while they are here in this world, are nothing but self-deceiving imaginations.

John Owen

A SONG UNTO THE LORD WE SING

O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory. Psalm 98:1

Our hearts to Jesus now we bow;

And own Him as our sovereign King.

To sing His praise and lift His name,

His glories to the heavens ring.

Sing all ye chosen of the Lord.

Sing all predestined by His love.

Sing all ye to the Son conformed.

Accepted in the Christ Beloved.

Sing ev’ry sinner saved by grace.

Sing all who trust His blood alone.

Sing like we’ve never sung before;

And make His wonders ever known.

Sing all ye saints who love the Son.

Sing of our Sovereign’s holy throne.

Sing those whose sins He put away;

And rest all hope in Christ alone.

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