Joseph and Samson

 It is always inspiring to study the characters in the bible,their successes and failures.Their lives can be great examples in our christian walk .Their life stories serve as a reminder and warning to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things.Joseph and Samson are popular biblical characters ,different characters though especially in the areas of temptation and pressure. Like us,they are also human beings,dealing with disappointments,attitudes and temptation.

JOSEPH

Many of us are very familiar with the life story of Joseph.We know that he was sold by his brothers and became a slave in Egypt.Anybody who is in his shoes can have feelings of discouragement ,be resentful or vengeful.Perhaps he can question God why He would allow these things to happen to him when he did not even do anything to hurt anybody.But there was nothing in the bible that says he had these kinds of feelings.His attitude towards God never change.His attitude was right with God.He continued to have fear and obedience to God.Joseph was an attractive man so while he was in Potiphar's house,Potiphar's wife wanted him to sleep with her.He was young and he could have several excuses for him to yield to this temptation.He could have been lonely ,away from his family in a foreign land,or perhaps potiphar's wife could have been an attractive woman.But in Gen. 39:2,Joseph choose to flee.And for that he was accused by potiphar's wife of attempting to rape her.He was placed in a dungeon.In the end we know that he rose from the dungeon to the second highest position in the egyptian empire.Joseph is a great example as a man who under pressure became victorious because wherever he went and whatever he did,the Lord blessed and prospered him.That includes his family and people around him.Joseph was faithful,patient ,trustworthy,obedient and has a grateful heart even when he was forced to endure painful and difficult circumstances.

SAMSON

Samson's character on the other hand was far different from Joseph.Samson was consecrated to God through the vow of his mother.He was born as a Nazarite,and he was to be a nazarite all of his life.Samson's weakness for philistine women has created trouble for him and the philistines.Samson's uncut,long hair was the source of his physical strength.It made him have the"superman" power.He killed a lion with his barehands,seized the jawbone of a donkey and killed 1000 philistines.Just like superman,vulnerable to kryptonite,in his life story,samson had a crack in his armor and his greatness is sapped.In the end,we know that Delilah wore him down and told her the truth that if someone would shave his head and broke his nazarite vow,his strength would be gone. This was Samson's downfall.He was then captured ,tortured and mocked by the philistines.Samson was lustful,involving himself with a protitute, spoiled,selfish and wants what he wants now.He wants to get his own way.These were his stumbling blocks in heeding to God's commands and warnings.He disregarded his parents and God's commands.In the end,Samson had a realization of what he did and his selfishness.He asked the Lord to gim him another strength . In his final act,samson destroyed the philistine's temple in Gaza and killing 3000 philistines.He died with them.

Lesson

 Joseph was a picture of great strength,his inner strength which comes from God.With this his integrity,obedience and faithfulness to the Lord never faded.He was a great example of how we should live our life and walk in our faith under pressure,pain and circumstances.Samson on the contrary,has relied on physical strength but when it comes to his inner being,he was trapped by his own passions.He paid the price of his disobedience to God.Even though Samson's life was never a happy ending,we learn that when God has a plan ,he can use people,no matter how imperfect they are to accomplish his overall purpose and still bring something good out of their failures.
We also learn that since we are human beings,we have weaknesses .These are reasons enough to become totally dependent on God's strength and not on our own.God never fails to warn His people.There will always be consequences associated with evil just like Samson.But for those who remained obedient and faithful just like Joseph,God holds out His wonderful promises and will bring out blessings out of difficult circumstances.

If we listen to what the bible speaks and learn through the lives of His godly people and through our past experiences as well,we will find ourselves living in a life with a godly purpose and joy.
　　

TRIALS vs TEMPTATION

People are often confused between the words  trials and temptations.In our everyday battle ,when you are engulfed by feelings of weakness or entrapped by loss of self worth or feelings of defeat,it is good to discern  temptation from tests or trials.To be able to know the difference,every christian needs to have a" spiritual check"and this entails knowing and meditating on God's word.
A trial has a goal of strengthening the christian.It reveals to the person an area of weakness and God may allow it in our lives so we can trust in Him in a deeper way.Once we surrender our weaknesses to God alone,it drives us to a greater dependency on Him.Then we become stronger after each trial.In 2 Cor. 12:10:,Paul says,"That is why,for Christ's sake I delight in weakness,in insults,in difficulties.For when I am weak,then I am strong."And in Nehemiah 8:10 says ,"The joy of the Lord is your strength.".
Temptation on the other hand is an enticement for us to do evil.It aims to destroy us and it always includes sin.Sometimes those temptations are aimed at meeting God given desires and drives in a wrong way.God does not tempt us.In Lam. 3:33,His word declares,"For He does not willingly bring afflliction or grief to the children of  men."And in James 1:13-18,God does not tempt anybody.
Before Barnes and Nobles in my area  closed a few months ago,I got lucky  to acquire Charles F. Stanley's book ,"WHEN THE ENEMY STRIKES".It just makes me sad that a lot of bookstores here in America have closed and that includes christian bookstores.One of the stories in the book really caught my attention and it lingered in my mind :

A man once came to me and said,"Pastor,I've lost my job.I've been trying to find a new job for eight weeks,but I'm not having any success.Do you think the devil caused me to lose my job? Is he tempting me,or is God trying me?
"I asked him,"How did you lose your job?Were you fired for something you did,or was you company going through hard times and needed to let people go?"He said,"I think it was a combination.The company was going through a reorganization after a merger,and I was one of the last people hired.If I did anything wrong,it was that I didn't do enough to show why I was more valuable than the other guys in my same position."
"I'm not sure promoting yourself would have made any difference,"I said.He thought for a few seconds and then said,"You're probably right.""What kind of job are you looking for,"I asked him."Well ,I was a first-line supervisor on an assembly line,""Did you like that job?" I asked. "It paid well,"he said.
That isn't what I asked,"I said,"Did you really enjoy it?Did you look forward to monday mornings?"
He hung his head,"No," he finally stated." I really didn't enjoy that job."
"What would you like to do?"I asked."I'd really like to coach a softball team and teach physical education in a school.I have a teaching degree,and I love sports."
I said,"Sir,you weren't being attacked by the devil when you lost your job.You were liberated by God.!"
"What dou you mean?""You are seeing this job loss as an attack from the devil because you're without work and without income right now.I see this as a time of trial in your life---God is revealing that you have been in the wrong line of work,given the talents and desires He has built into you.God is trying to get you to see that you need to be applying for jobs in schools,and until one of those jobs shows up,you need to be substitute teaching,helping out with a softball team,or doing something to put yourself into position to be hired as a teacher!"I didn't  have to say anymore.
This man's face lift up as if I had turned a light onto him.He had enthusiasm in his eyes."That's it,he said."I've been thinking the devil stole my job.The truth is that God wants me to have a better job!It may not be better in pay,but it sure would be better for me."God can show you how to live with a little less money",I assured him."And here's one thing I've seen happen again and again.When people work in a job they love,financial opportunities come their way.God provides."
This man clearly was experiencing  a trial from God--a trial intended to move him into job that God desired for him to have.
(Charles F. Stanley',"When the Enemy Strikes",The Keys to Winning Your Spiritual Battles)