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| FRIDAY | March 5 |
| Read Ellen G. White, "Samson," pp. 560-568, inPatriarchs and Prophets. "The divine promise to Manoah was in due time fulfilled in the birth of a son, to whom the name of Samson was given. As the boy grew up it became evident that he possessed extraordinary physical strength. This was not, however, as Samson and his parents well knew, dependent upon his well-knit sinews, but upon his condition as a Nazarite, of which his unshorn hair was a symbol. Had Samson obeyed the divine commands as faithfully as his parents had done, his would have been a nobler and happier destiny. But association with idolaters corrupted him. The town of Zorah being near the country of the Philistines, Samson came to mingle with them on friendly terms. Thus in his youth intimacies sprang up, the influence of which darkened his whole life. A young woman dwelling in the Philistine town of Timnath engaged Samson's affections, and he determined to make her his wife. To his God-fearing parents, who endeavored to dissuade him from his purpose, his only answer was, "She pleaseth me well." The parents at last yielded to his wishes, and the marriage took place."—Ellen G. White,Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 562. |
 G. Gordon Liddy was one of the infamous Watergate conspirators. Liddy ended up serving more jail time than anyone else in this scandal, which rocked the United States in the 1970s. One time, when trying to recruit a young woman for criminal activity, Liddy invited her to a restaurant. During the discussion, she asked how she could trust him; that is, suppose he were caught, how could she know that he would not turn her in? In order to prove to her his self-control, Liddy placed his finger over a lit candle at the table, and held it there long enough for his flesh to start burning before he removed it. His point was to show her just how much self-control he had. How does that kind of self-control compare with the fruit of the Spirit we have looked at this week? Can we find something noble and worth emulating in that kind of self-control? Are self-control and discipline always necessarily good?  In what ways might self-control become a means to fanaticism? How could we avoid the danger of making self-control a form of legalism?  Do you know someone who is suffering because of principle; that is, when tempted, they exhibited self-control like Joseph, and are now suffering some difficult consequences? How can you, either as a class or as an individual, help this person through his or her difficult time? |
| I N S I D E Story | ||
| My Brother's Prayer by U. K. RAO I live in a village on the eastern coast of India. As a teenager I got involved with a gang and began drinking. The gang was known for its violence and law breaking, but I stayed away from those activities. My younger brother, Simon, isn't like me. He has a heart for God. Even though our village doesn't tolerate Christians, my younger brother became a Christian. This caused trouble in my family, and my parents sent him away. One night I was at home drinking when Simon sneaked into the house. He came into my room and began praying. I remember saying, "Brother, pray for me." And he did. As he prayed for me, I felt the desire for alcohol leave my body. "What power is in you that when you pray to your God, I become sober?" I asked him. "God has told me to pray for you," Simon answered. "His power will help you." He invited me to attend church with him, and I agreed to go. On Saturday morning I heard a voice so real that I turned to see who was talking. The voice said, "Go to the church." I started toward the church when I met some of the gang members and invited them to come with me. They laughed and made fun of Jesus. But I was determined to go. My brother's prayers were changing me. Whenever I craved alcohol, that voice whispered, "Simon is praying for you; Jesus can deliver you." Soon I was alcohol free, and six months later I was baptized. My conversion stirred up people in my village. Some wanted to learn about God, but others were furious. Non-Christians don't want Christians near them. They wouldn't let them draw water from the well or even breathe the same air. New believers were fined or forced to leave the village. I was warned not to talk about God or Jesus to other villagers. Then the lay evangelist who was working with the new believers in our village suddenly died. The field president asked me to prepare to take his place. People who knew my background of drinking and gangs wondered at the change in me. I told them that the living God saved me and took away my desire to drink. Because they saw the change in my life, some listened and began to worship with us. Now we have 50 people worshiping in a small room each Sabbath. These people want God's power in their lives. And my greatest joy is to lead them to Jesus. U. K. RAO is a Global Mission pioneer in Orissa State, India. | ||
| Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness. email: info@adventistmission.org website: www.adventistmission.org |
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