From: takeaminute+noreply@googlegroups.com
Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 11:25:08 +0000
Subject: Take a Minute Digest for takeaminute@googlegroups.com - 1
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- -- Thursday, 8/26/10 -- IS IT WORTH IT? -- Judges 16:21 [1 Update]
http://groups.google.com/group/takeaminute/t/806d2b158f36fce
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Topic: -- Thursday, 8/26/10 -- IS IT WORTH IT? -- Judges 16:21
Url: http://groups.google.com/group/takeaminute/t/806d2b158f36fce
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From: "J.R. & Bonnie Ricks" <j-r-and-bonnie@dogwoodministries.org>
Date: Aug 25 06:42PM -0500
Url: http://groups.google.com/group/takeaminute/msg/e06d057b158f423
Take a Minute is a daily devotional ministry of
Dogwood Ministries, Inc.
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for Dogwood Ministries addresses
IS IT WORTH IT? -- Judges 16:21 NIV
Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to
Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding in the
prison.
Samson was born a blessed person. Before he was even conceived, God had
told his parents about him. the Lord had given them instructions in what his
mother should do while she was pregnant and how the boy should be raised.
Before he was conceived, Samson's life was dedicated to God's service. The
outstanding blessing that God gave Samson was his incredible physical
strength. But, as we've seen, Samson preferred to allow his own physical
desires come first before God's plan for his life. In the end, he had to
face the consequences. Instead of killing him, the Philistines preferred to
enjoy tormenting and humiliating Samson, so they gouged out the great
warrior's eyes and forced him to grind grain where everyone could watch him
walking in circles. The question that comes to mind is, was Delilah worth
it?
This is the question you and I should ask ourselves every time we choose to
place our own desires before what God would have us do. Is it worth it? Is
whatever we're doing worth the natural and spiritual consequences that will
surely come behind it? God has promised to forgive us of our sins when
we're truly repentant and ask for forgiveness. But He does not remove the
consequences of sin. They are still there looming in the near distance.
For instance, if you live in the United States and you cheat on your income
tax, you're going to get caught eventually. And the Internal Revenue
Service is not known for its forgiving attitude. If you rob a bank, you'll
eventually end up in jail. If you talk about one of your friends behind his
back, eventually he's going to hear about it, and your friendship will come
to a screeching halt. Many people are divorced because a spouse was
unfaithful in one way or another. A woman who drinks during pregnancy can
almost be guaranteed to have a child with fetal alcohol syndrome. If you
play in traffic, you're bound to get run over.
The lesson here is that God has a plan for each of our lives. Before you
and I were conceived, God knew our names. He knows everything about you and
me. And He loves us more than we can imagine. What we have to do is
decide... when sin presents itself as more enticing than following God's
plan. when we are swept away by what we think we really want to do instead
of what God would have us do. we need to ask ourselves. "Is it really worth
it?"
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is
faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when
you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up
under it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV
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