Recommended Listening - "Silas Talk" by Mr. Rob Brown

 This is a fantastic speech that was originally hosted on the first generation Samson Society website.  Highly recommended.

Recommended Viewing

Recommended Viewing (Very cool north MS man). This Is So Good.

Fall To Your Knees & Thank God For Allowing You To Dodge That Bullet / "The Curse God & Die" Post

My sweet wife asked me last night if I thought her May 29 stroke and all the ramifications therein was / had manifested itself as punishment from God.  She went on to say that she'd been self-examining over the course of the day, trying to determine what she might have done to deserve being stricken as she was / is.

We know from God's Word that planet Earth is under the jurisdiction of Satan.  He's the ruler here, therefore our culture / society, in particular, greatly reflects his influence, and of course too, we're fallen beings and our physical bodies reflect that as such.

The Bible speaks of Satan being thrown from heaven (to Earth) with his army of rebellious angels after attempting a coup.  It also describes him as the most beautiful of all the angels prior to his removal.  He was an "Angel of Light" prior to his punishment from God.

Satan shows up in Genesis (the first book of the Bible) early on, appearing as a serpent in the Garden of Eden, and from there relative to that very first deception, he influences mankind's future on a tremendous scale.

Yet, the Bible makes it clear that God's relationship to Satan is one of master.  To use Dr. John Piper's analogy, Satan is essentially on God's leash.  This insight we can discern for ourselves from the book of Job which paints a clear picture of God's present relationship with Satan.  If you haven't read it at all or in a long while, I'd urge you to return to that book.  

Big time loss seems to be the obvious tool of assault that Satan uses on Job, but it soon becomes apparent that it's those loved ones around Job (post personal calamity) who are moreso his toolset than anything else. 

No doubt Earthly prosperity - of any ilk - is virally identifiable on a personal level.  Now, we do see Job's heart as wholeheartedly loyal to God, but still, he (nor his wife / "friends") cannot deny what's been lost (family, possessions, health) overnight because it was once intact and interwoven into his (& their) existence on Earth.

As such, those influencers cannot help but point to the now contrast and subsequently have an opportunity to comment on it.  And not at all for the better.

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Growing up with homosexual desires, particularly as a teenager, I found to be really strange, and mainly this was centered around my knowing that my peers weren't experiencing any of these bizarre attractions as I was.  Yet, were it not for these unusual sexual desires, I'd likely not have been in touch with my depravity to the degree that I was as a 13 year-old.  Therefore, sans that understanding, what heartfelt value would the gospel have had to me?  Likely very little.

To take that a step further, it was somehow possible for me to see my homosexual desires were a manifestation of a deep seated inner brokenness that was tied to my very insecure sense of masculinity.  Perhaps my parents' willingness to never single out my effeminate persona laid the groundwork there for me to begin to grasp this.  I don't know. 

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Prior to her stroke, Angie really, really, really struggled with isolating shame surrounding her anxiety.  And that shame cycle for her was tied to any and all facets of her (seemingly at the time good) health.  Now, the anxiety itself she had in check, but the shame tied to it, like so often is the case with shame, was simply too much for her to handle.

Over the past four months, she's started to recognize just how effectively in bondage she'd been to this.

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When I disclosed to Angie about my homosexual desires (very soon after disclosing to my parents), we had fallen in love and were no doubt a serious dating couple.  She was the third person on planet Earth that I told.  We were both in our early-20s at the time (Angie turns 50 next weekend).  And I wasn't ashamed in the least.  But that was all thanks to how my Christian parents had not overreacted firstly.

To circle back to my sweet wife, her parents manifested the opposite end of the reactionary spectrum - relative to almost everything she disclosed / faced whilst growing up.  Hence, Angie learned early on to keep her mouth shut about any and everything in order to protect herself.  Considering all of that, their negative / overbearing / nonsensical influence is only beginning to be emotionally exorcised from her post-stroke, and my hope, going forward, is to always be on the positive (helpful) side of that process.

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Satan, being the great influencer that he is, is not God.  He only knows what we too know through Scripture in terms of God's intent / promises coupled with what he's discerned as an immortal being who at one point in history resided within God's presence in heaven.  Regarding the latter (immortality), he's definitely been around the block, if you know where I'm coming from.

Therefore, in my opinion, one of his most precise offensive tactics is to attempt to set us up to be vastly emotionally compromised via others' reactions to us - whether as children, young adults, or otherwise, or in some cases unfortunately, through us.  So how does he do this?  I think it's mainly via blind ignorance.

Think back on Satan's deceiving of Eve in the Garden of Eden.  She wasn't alone whilst dialoguing with the serpent.  Aloof Adam was right there with her, and he said not a word before she handed him the same piece of fruit to eat from.  I imagine Adam not understanding his own ineptness within that critical situation until it was far too late.

There's no doubt that it's downright fun at times kicking someone while they're down through our collectively compromised ideals (finger pointing).  I know this firsthand just as you do.  As such, Adam too was likely instantly enlightened to this just as soon as he witnessed Eve chomp down on that forbidden fruit.

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In closing, we may very well be most at risk via Satan's influence by none other than the reactions of those around us (& vice versa).  

So, knowing that, how did I answer Angie's question last night?

With great care (which unfortunately isn't always the case depending on my mood).

Thanks be to God for giving me the wisdom to (mostly) have learned - today - to answer my sweet wife's hard questions carefully.  (It's taken a long while).

I cannot tell you the number of times I've not fared so well relative to my reaction to whomever - friend, child, spouse, etc., and I have the bullet wounds to prove it.

May God temper my heart to see far above personal circumstance, all the while being keenly aware of my being susceptible to both repose or knee jerk (or anything in between) reactions that may not serve anyone well except "The Prince of the Power of the Air" himself.  

Armor me Lord Jesus from Satan's influence over my influence as well as the influence of those around me.

Samson Society - The No Bull September Briefing

 

THE NO BULL BRIEFING September 2020

Whoa, Nellie! There's COVID In Them Thar' Hills!! Due to the ongoing Covid restrictions in the foreseeable future, the Spring Cruise of '21 will have to wait for '22. Basically we have found it difficult to get venues to commit to a date on the calendar (many churches are still shut down or severely restricted). The domino effect from there makes it a no-go, at least for coast-to-coast in Spring of '21. However, we are trying to salvage a pared-down version of the tour, sans large group venues. Yes, Covid sucks. Currently the plan is to get the boys (Nate, Aaron, and Tom) out to key cities where we have multiple groups or large numbers of Pirate Monks. Our goal is to get the word out about Samson Society in this age of Covid, encourage men fed up with isolation, and have the usual rollicking good time with each other. We'll keep you posted. Updates and cruise communications: samsoncruise21@gmail.com Samson Slack Channel: #samson_cruise_21 What About the Retreat??  We're Still ON, But ... It's FULL Registrations for this year's annual Fall Retreat have been brisk, to say the least. That, combined with Covid-compliance limiting our numbers, means this year's retreat filled up almost as soon as we opened registration. Soooo, We're Planning A Virtual Retreat for Nov. 20-21 That's right, a virtual retreat! All the same speakers, breakout groups with live discussion, and even a live Samson meeting. All the fun of a regular Samson retreat, sans the bottomless cups of coffee, hugs and firepit. We will be sending out a special email with details for registration and log-on instructions. New Online Silas Training Course Everyone needs a Silas, and everyone can be a Silas. However, many guys who've had a positive Silas relationship really want to be a good Silas themselves but don't feel up to the task. Being a Silas is simply a matter of being authentic, a good listener, and available. Our new Silas Training Course is a quick, four-part video series featuring Samson Society founder, Nate Larkin, followed by a 90-minute live workshop. We need MORE Silases! If you've had a Silas for 30-45 days, you're ready to BE a Silas. Watch the training videos and sign up for the first workshop (October 11, 6:00PM Central, sign up available on the website soon). If you've been a Silas but you'd like to be a better Silas - take the course, you'll be glad you did! How to access the Silas training course: Go to the Silas portal and login at https://silas.samsonsociety.com/login  Navigate to the "Resources" tab on the left-hand side and select "Courses." Then select "Silas Training" to enroll and begin taking the course. This is the Beta version of the Silas Training Course - we are keenly interested in your feedback. "Sex, Lies, and Videotapes" by Roger C (first in a four-part series) I was raised in a small town in rural Northwest Florida, or “LA” as we called it (that’s “Lower Alabama” for my northern friends). My parents came from farming families and my dad worked in a factory. When I graduated from high school, I went to a military academy in New York. Only the seniors were allowed to have cars, so most of us took opportunities to travel to New York City through various clubs that bused us down on weekends. My roommate Pat, a street-wise city boy from Los Angeles, and I went down on one trip. As we walked down one street, we saw a man with a small folding table with a crowd. Curious, I walked up to see what the commotion was about, while Pat kept walking. He had three half walnut shells and a pea and was shuffling them around then asking the people to bet on which shell held the pea. I followed along and guessed correctly...out loud. The rest was a blur, but the crowd cheered me on to join in, and somehow $20 left my wallet as I placed a bet, guessed wrongly, and lost $20. When I told Pat my story, he sprung into action to find the con man who had stolen my money, but he was long gone. I learned that the “crowd” actually worked with him to pull naive folks like me into the game. I felt foolish, of course, and was out $20, but the lesson was not lost on me. I’ve had other occasions to make poor decisions when I relied on what I thought I knew or saw, only to later find out that the world is not as it seems. Everyone is not to be trusted and we live in a culture where illusions and lies, smoke and mirrors, mislead us, and where people make money off those false beliefs.           READ MORE Because You Asked ... Yes, Covid has taken a toll on Samson House contributions. As we say, "Samson doesn't have dues or fees, but we DO have expenses." We try very hard not to badger you about money, simply letting the quality of our community do our talking. That said, if you value the mission of Samson Society, please consider a monthly contribution or a one-time major gift. You can give HERE, or text Samson House at ‭(719) 722-3545

SUPPORT@SAMSONSOCIETY.COM WWW.SAMSONSOCIETY.COM

Recommended Reading from Desiring God. I needed to read this today.

 https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/holy-is-who-you-are

The 14-Year Disappointment

This past weekend, I dropped in on a former friend who also happens to live within our 'hood.  Keep in mind that we'd only seen each other in passing over the past 14 years simply due to proximity / logistics (our neighborhood is not large), and more often than not, I refused to even make eye contact due to the discomfort his presence caused me.  

My reason for dropping in was obligatory, but what I wasn't expecting from him was his warm welcome on this Sunday afternoon.  He ushered me into his living room, and despite the fact that we immediately got down to business, I could sense that he didn't want me to rush in the least.  What was reconciling too was returning to that very space.  His living room.  That's where our friendship had last left off.

As a result of this juncture, it was apparent to me that the fly in our platonic ointment had somehow been seemingly removed.  Therefore, I took hope from this reboot relative to my rejection scar eventually healing up completely.

And to top it off, he agreed to my formal request (tied to why exactly I was there to begin with).  So, all in all, I walked out very different than I had walking in.  

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In looking back on this tonight, I believe my former friend's change in outlook relative to my value (to him) as a human being was tied to me proving him wrong.  And this was in regards to me having been faithful (in spite of his unbelief in me being able to do so) to who I set out to be (in his eyes) 14 years prior. 

I remember distinctly my former friend / neighbor having an awful lot of baggage (as did I) that he brought with him into the relationship when we were both so much younger.  And it was baggage that he at least wasn't willing to explore / unpack with me at the time.  And unfortunately (or fortunately), I found this out via a swift decoupling.

This guy was intelligent too.  And we had similar interests.  Close to the same age, etc.

It sucked to see this relational schism occur, but I prayed for reconciliation nonetheless.  I just had no legitimate ill will against this man.  I could not discount his hurt despite how he hurt me.

Who would have thought reconciliation would actually someday occur?  

I know we all have experienced friendships that naturally fall apart for various reasons over time.  And those are simply part of life's circumstances (to be included as well within the dynamics of Samson Society).  But, hopefully few of you have experienced a friendship literally jumping the tracks as this one did for me back in 2006.  When this occurs, it's jarring and concussive.  Literally to the point of leaving you not knowing which way is up.  And it can have you questioning repeatedly your own motives whilst perhaps too losing faith in the concept of friendship as a whole.

Thanks be to God for what occurred this past Sunday afternoon.  I'm still smiling.

If you, dear reader, are still holding out hope for a (seemingly) long dead friendship, continue to pray for healing.  Reconciliation is super sweet and well worth the wait.