There is a boy in Cambodia who adopted a python as his pet. His parents have no problem with this, according to the interviews they have given once this story went viral. The boy plays with the enormous snake, allowing it to crawl over him and wrap itself around his body. He even sleeps with the python in his bed.

When I saw this video I immediately related it to a saying of mine: pet sins kill. What I mean by pet sin is that one sin you refuse to give up. You feed it, take it out for walks, pat it on the head for being your faithful companion. This is as dangerous as owning a pet snake. Any animal expert will tell you that when a large snake like a boa or python stretches itself out beside you, it is in fact measuring you; the snake is looking to overpower and eat you.

The same can be said about that pet sin. While you think you have your sin on a leash it in fact is waiting for the opportune moment to bite the very hand that feeds it. And before you even know what happened you’ll find yourself with the leash around your neck and your pet sin has become your master. That sin is looking to destroy your family, ruin your reputation and leave you with nothing but regret in the wake of your own destruction. Pet sins kill. Put it down.

The Holy Spirit surprised me four years ago by telling me I had entered my promised land. A few months ago I thought about my biggest struggle and realized it no longer held any power over me. I had finally matured spiritually to the point that God could trust me with His plans.

The Israelites had spent four hundred years as slaves in Egypt. They were liberated and went on their way to a land flowing with milk and honey (Deuteronomy 31:20). However, they were still in bondage to their fears. What would they eat? Where would they live? What if…? “At least in Egypt we ate well!” (Numbers 11:5)

They were finally free, yet all they wanted was to go back into captivity-because it was familiar. Fear of the unknown can be paralyzing. It reduced a people liberated from bondage into a group of whiny, ungrateful nonbelievers. And the worst part? Their own disbelief turned an eleven day journey (Deuteronomy 1:2) into a forty year colossal waste of time.

No matter how much you beg and plead, the Lord will not bring you into your promised land until Egypt has lost all of its allure. My only regret is how long it took me to get here. Do not allow yourself to be held captive by your own fears, misconceptions and desires only to miss out on the very best of God’s promises and plans. I pray this blesses you.

 

Ah, Samson. He is perhaps the man who most reminds us of ourselves with all his imperfections and shortcomings. Regardless, he was a key figure in biblical history. His mother was barren, so his birth was nothing short of a miracle. His parents received a visit from an angel announcing the wife’s pregnancy and the child’s destiny-he was to be a Nazarite. I find it interesting that the angel had to advise the woman to not eat any unclean food. For many years, Israel had been disobedient and adopted the practices of its neighboring lands. Perhaps they had gotten into the habit of eating food that God had deemed unclean. Another clue that they were far removed from godliness and were very comfortable adopting foreign customs: they named the child Samson, which means “sun” or “sun child”.

Christian: we are to be in the world but not of it (John 17:14-16). We are to be salt and light. Do not lose your flavor; do not allow the darkness to swallow you whole.

[Side note: In Judges 13:17-18 the husband asks the angel for his name, to which the angel curtly replies, “It is wonderful.” Remember that one of the many names used to describe the Messiah is, in fact, wonderful (Isaiah 9:6). So it would seem that the angel was Christ Himself. I have to then ask myself if the three angels that visited Abraham in Genesis 18:2 were in actuality the Triune God.]

Like so many others before as well as after him, Samson had some serious character flaws. His biggest weakness? Women. Samson repeatedly disappointed his parents and defied YHVH’s law by going after foreign women. The bible states that his desire to marry a Philistine woman (an enemy of the Israelites) was actually God’s will to destroy that nation (Judges 14:4). Reading through the rest of his story we see that over and over again, Samson lets his flesh rule his spirit. Not surprising (for we are creatures of habit and in many cases, driven by strongholds) he falls for yet another Philistine woman, Delilah. She brings to mind the harlot in Proverbs 7. Delilah betrayed him for money and was ultimately responsible for his torment and death. Just how many men did she lead to their untimely deaths as they followed her into Sheol (Proverbs 5:5)? Drugs, alcohol and every other vice as well as addictions of any sort (whatever has control over you, even something as necessary as food) also brings that verse to mind.

Christian: you must strengthen the inner man so as not to let your flesh dictate its appetites. Avoid certain people and certain places where you know you don’t belong. There are some doors that we are never to peek into.

Why did YHVH choose Samson knowing how weak he would be? 1 Corinthians 1:27 comes to mind. God chooses to use the foolish to confound the wise. It is not for us to decipher or even understand. How can we, when His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9)? Ultimately, He is a God of infinite mercy and grace. How else can such a flawed man be given the honor of having his story recorded in Scripture?

Christian: you have Samson’s example to where disobedience and sin can lead.

Do not be just another weak, carnal Christian that is so prevalent in the world today. The righteous man falls seven times, and then gets up (Proverbs 24:16).

Do not stay down; crawl out of the pit if you have to. Run! Run as if to win the race (1 Corinthians 9:24). Press on toward the goal to win the prize (Philippians 3:14). There is a great cloud of witnesses cheering you on, waiting for you at the finish line (Hebrews 12:1). I pray this blesses you.