DCLM Daily Manna 29 May 2025 — How Not To Handle Gifts

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TOPIC: How Not To Handle Gifts (DCLM Daily Manna 29 May 2025)

KEY VERSE: “And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron” (Judges 16:3).

TEXT: Judges 16:1-9

1Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her.

2And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him.

3And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron.

4And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.

5And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.

6And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee.

7And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withs that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.

8Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.

9Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.

Message

Many times, people appear to selfishly and arrogantly arrogate to themselves the exaggerated influence and power that are given to them by God or a higher authority. This misplaced and elevated sense of importance makes them resort to self-management and self-conceit. Very often, the result of this posture is a disaster with far-reaching consequences.

Also Read: Open Heaven 29 May 2025 – Waiting On God

This was the experience of Samson who was raised by God to be a judge in Israel. He was a Nazarite, which means he was fully set apart solely for the service of God. And he was greatly successful in the assignments. But it would seem that the more successful he was, the more careless and self-conceited he became. He depended on his raw, physical strength, and ignored his reliance on and devotion to God. No record of his time of worship or raising an altar for God. Samson became vulnerable to the sin of immorality until he landed on the lap of Delilah, the wily and treacherous Philistine woman. She got into a deal with the rulers of their nation to entice Samson to reveal the source of his great strength so they could neutralise him.

Blinded by lust, Samson soon began telling lies and making jokes about his God-given power. It must remain the greatest marvel of all time that Samson did not consider it odd that Delilah seemed focused on the source of the greatest gift he received from God.

Also Read: DCLM Daily Manna 28 May 2025 — The Joy Of True Worship

Our gifts from God are meant to honour Him, render acceptable service to the Lord, and serve humanity. And because we receive gifts from God, there is no room for boasting, showmanship, or playing to the gallery. Retaining the gifts for enduring service and usefulness requires discipline, discretion, and deliberate restraints in the face of provocation and temptation to misuse the gifts.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
A gift brings a lift to the wise and a drift to the unwise.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
1 Samuel 17-18

Deeper Life Daily Manna For Today 2025 was written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.

GOSPEL REALM: STEPS TO SALVATION
1. Admit that you are a sinner. "For all [humans] have sinned, and comes short of the glory of God....[and] the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent now. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ...[for] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that God loves you and Jesus died for you. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
4. Invite Jesus into your life through prayer of faith. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)