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<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">“<b>TWO
ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES</b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Jim
& Marie Watt</b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Tel:
<a href="tel:253-517-9195" target="_blank">253-517-9195</a> - Email:
<a href="mailto:jmbetter@gmail.com" target="_blank">jmbetter@gmail.com</a></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Web:
<a href="http://www.2rbetter.org/" target="_blank">www.2rbetter.org</a></b></p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">August 31, 2012</p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">
<br></p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">
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</p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><b>MAY
6 - JUDGES 13-16 - SAMSON AND PHILISTINES</b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><b>1.
13:1 PHILISTINES OPPRESS ISRAEL. <font size="3">“And the people of
Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, so the LORD
gave them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years” </font><font size="3">(</font><font size="3">ESV).
</font></b><span style="font-weight:normal">Your judgments are </span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">just</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
Father, and You chasten us as sons for </span></span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">our
good</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
because You love us. But what a long time of judgment to bring Israel
to their senses! </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">Hallowed
be your :name!</span></i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">2.
13:8 (13:2-23) SAMSON: HIS GODLY PARENTS. </span><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">“Then
Manoah prayed to the LORD and said, ‘O Lord, please let the man of
God whom you sent come again to us and teach us what we are to do
with the child who will be born.’” </span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">You
Father, honor the headship of the husband in family relationships. We
too honor Your appointments and way of doing things! </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">Your
:kingdom come.</span></i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">3.
13:24-25 SAMSON: HIS BIRTH. </span><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">“And
the woman bore a son and called his name Samson (Sun-like). And the
young man grew, and the LORD blessed him </span></font><font style="font-size:8pt" size="1"><span style="text-decoration:none">25
</span></font><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">And
the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him in Mahaneh-dan, between
Zorah and Eshtaol.” </span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">How
faithful You are Father, in bringing Your Word to pass! We absolutely
depend on You. Yes, we honor You! </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">Your
:will be done, As in heaven, so on earth!</span></i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">4.
14:4 (14:1-20) SAMSON: HIS FIRST LOVE. </span><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">“His
father and mother did not know that it was from the LORD, for he was
seeking an opportunity against the Philistines. At that time the
Philistines ruled over Israel.” </span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">Some
of y</span></span><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">our
ways are strange Father, and past finding out. </span></span><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">You
make </span></span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">all</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
things work together for good, even things of which You do not fully
approve. But we know </span></span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">You</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
are righteous and merciful, and we fully trust in You. </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">Our
:daily :bread Give us this day.</span></i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">5.
15:15 (15:1-20) SAMSON: OCCASION FOR VENGEANCE. </span><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">“And
he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, and put out his hand and took
it, and with it he struck 1,000 men.” </span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">Here
You are surely answering prayer Father, and even in Israel’s
back-slidden position starting to deliver them from judgment, because
they cried unto You. We marvel at Your grace. You fulfill 2 CHR
7:14! </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">And
forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors.</span></i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">6.
16:3 (16:1-3) SAMSON: ANOTHER CAUSE FOR VENGEANCE. </span><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">“But
Samson lay till midnight, and at midnight he arose and took hold of
the doors of the gate of the city and the two posts, and pulled them
up, bar and all, and put them on his shoulders and carried them to
the top of the hill that is in front of Hebron.” </span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">Samson’s
life was in jeopardy. But </span></span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">You</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
Father, watched over this carnal man, warned him, awoke him in time,
and supernaturally delivered him. </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">And
bring us not into temptation!</span></i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">7.
16:21 (16:4-31) SAMSON AND DELILAH: HUMILIATION AND VENGEANCE.
</span><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">“And the
Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes and brought him down
to Gaza and bound him with bronze shackles. And he ground at the mill
in the prison.” </span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">Here
is a saved man in the hands of sin. You say, “That can’t happen
to me.” You Father, tell us that it can happen to anyone of us (ROM
1:18-32), if we walk carelessly. We submit to You in Your holiness!
</span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">But deliver
us from the evil </span></i><span style="text-decoration:none">one!</span></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><u><b>NOTE</b></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><b>:
14:6 (14:1-20) SAMSON: SECRET OF HIS STRENGTH. </b></span><b><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">“</span></font><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">Then
the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him, and although he had nothing
in his hand, he tore the lion in pieces as one tears a young goat.
But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.”</span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
What a strange young man! You use what is available in days of evil
Father, and none of us Your servants are righteous altogether. We
magnify You for Your ability and wisdom.</span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2">There
are significant lessons for us to learn from this passage.</font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">One
is the spirituality of Samson’s mother. It was to her that God sent
His angel first. But then He honored the eldership of Manoah by
sending the angel the second time, just as He honored Aquila before
Priscilla in eldership. (Note though, that in the 6 times these two
are referred to in the New Testament, Priscilla appears 4 times
before Aquila - because like the mother of Samson, she had the deeper
sensitivity to the things of God.</span></span><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">)</span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2">Consider
the ministry of Kathryn Kuhlman. God had called 4 men for this
ministry, but for them the cost was too high. Kathryn was his fifth
choice, and she paid the heavy price to walk in this strong
anointing.</font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">And
Samson - a worthy man? Not especially so - but rather a carnal man.
Yet God used him to deliver Israel from the yoke of the Philistines,
and to Judge Israel. Is it easy to understand t</span></span><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">h</span></span><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">is
passage? Not at all. Nevertheless we </span></span><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">d</span></span><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">o
see the variegated choices of God in Israel’s Judges - especially
in Samson from the tribe of Dan.</span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2">It
is good for all of us to take a page out of Billy Graham’s book! He
too did not understand the meaning of parts of the Bible, nor the
wisdom of God behind some of His leadings. But very early in his
ministry in the High Sierras - he came to a serious and sober
decision. To God he made the following promise: “Lord, I do not
understand many things in Your Word. But from this day forth - by
faith I will always declare - ‘The Bible says!’”</font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2">I
too by faith take the entire Bible as God’s Word. I find I can
meditate over it all - from Genesis to Revelation. Much of it then
comes clear. And what does not - I confidently hold in abeyance,
knowing that God in His timing will make it clear to me.</font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><b>Our
Psalm for the Day - 126:6 RESTORE OUR FORTUNES, O LORD! <font size="3">“He
who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home
with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.” </font></b><span style="font-weight:normal">This
is a meaningful Psalm, and a meaningful verse. Father, we believe
Your faithful promise here. We embrace it. We say, “It shall be as
You have said!” </span><b><i>Hallowed be your :name!</i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
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