When we think of Samson, the first thing that probably comes to mind is his incredible strength. He is one of the most interesting and controversial guys that God ever put His hand on, a man with incredible potential that he largely wasted.
Samson could have been one of the greatest leaders in the history of Israel, but instead, his life tragically became an example of how not to live. His life was one of squandered resources and wasted potential and ability. He threw it all away because he made some subtle but serious mistakes.
His story stands as a warning of what not to do, but it is also a story that speaks of second chances.
As is typical of someone trapped in sin, Samson ignored the warnings of those around him, believing that no one understood—until he woke up one day, and it was too late. The Bible tells us, "The Philistines took him and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza. They bound him with bronze fetters, and he became a grinder in the prison" (Judges 16:21 NKJV).
That is what sin does. It blinds you. It finds you. And then it grinds you.
First of all, it blinds you. Sin causes people to do completely irrational things. We all know the story: men and women leave loving spouses and precious children to go have their so-called fling. Then they come to regret it one day. I've seen it so many times.
Don't be deceived by sin. If it comes knocking on your door, don't answer. It is a lie. You're being blinded.
Next, sin finds you. There might be an almost euphoric excitement the first time you cross the line, whether it's that first sexual encounter, the first time you steal that item, the first time you get away with that lie, the first time you have that drink, the first time you try that drug, and so on. You take the bait and then think you're getting away with it.
But the Bible says, "Be sure your sin will find you out" (Numbers 32:23 NKJV). Sin is going to find you.
And then sin grinds you. You eventually pay the miserable price. Your marriage is broken. A trust is betrayed. Your witness is damaged. Your reputation goes down the tubes. Your children are devastated, carrying deep wounds, most likely, for the rest of their lives. Perhaps there is the diagnosis of AIDS or a sexually transmitted disease. Depending upon what you have done, there even may be jail time.
Don't be blinded by sin. It will blind you. It will find you. And it will grind you. If you don't believe me, just look at Samson. Once a man of superhuman strength, taking out Philistines like there was no tomorrow, he became entertainment for the Philistines as he was grinding away.
But there is hope, because we serve a God of second chances. The Bible tells us that "the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaven" (Judges 16:22 NKJV). As Samson's hair began to grow, his strength began to return.
One night, as the Philistines were having a drunken feast to their false god, Dagon, someone came up with the idea of dragging out the sightless Samson so they could make fun of him. Samson was guided by a servant to the foundational pillars of the temple. In a final act of vengeance, he asked for strength from God and pushed the pillars apart. The temple collapsed, and Samson killed more Philistines in one moment than he had killed in his entire lifetime.
You may think, "Way to go, Samson!" Yes, Samson did have the last word, so to speak, but he also died with his enemies.
Did God give him a second chance? Yes. Was it a sad ending? Yes. Could it have been better? Yes—much better.
But thank God that He still pardons us when we sin. That doesn't mean we won't reap the consequences of what we have done. After all, Samson did.
Still, God gives second chances. We all will have our failures and sins. But the question is, can we learn from our mistakes? Can we "fail forward" and not fall into the same trap again?
Are you squandering your life right now on someone or something that has a spiritually destructive effect on you? Are you flirting with sin?
Watch out, and learn the lesson of Samson.

I remember one Christmas when I was a kid. There were a lot of gifts waiting for me under the tree. After I opened them all, I was very happy—this is, until I went over to my friend's house.
He got a toy that I did not have: a battery-operated, plastic skin diver. I thought it was the coolest toy I had ever seen. Suddenly, everything that I had received seemed worthless in comparison because, in my mind, this was the toy that I really wanted.We can be the same way when it comes to the spiritual gifts God has given us. We see the gifts that God's Holy Spirit places in the lives of certain people, and we become envious. As a result, we are not thankful for the gifts that God has given us. But, we need to realize the gifts God has placed in our lives are always the best ones for us.
Sadly, many of us are not utilizing these gifts in our lives. We don't understand our role in the church, which is upward, inward, and outward. In other words, we are here to worship God, build up one another, and reach out to a lost world with the gospel.
First, we are here to worship God. Ephesians 1:12 tells us that God has called us as Christians to live for the praise of His glory. We are here on Earth to glorify and to know the God who made us.
1 Peter 2:9 says we are "a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" (NKJV).
That is not just true of the church in general. That is true of us as individuals.
Second, we are here to build up one another. Paul said that his own goal was not merely to evangelize, but to "present every man perfect in Christ Jesus" (Colossians 1:28 NKJV).
Third, we are here to reach out to a lost world with the gospel. Jesus told us to "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit . . . " (Matthew 28:19 NKJV). And again in Mark 16, Jesus told us to "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" (verse 15, NKJV).
We must keep these principles in their proper balance. We don't want to emphasize one at the expense of another or take them out of their proper order.In Ephesians 4, Paul talks about how this balance must come into place and how our gifts play into this.It is interesting that in the early part of this chapter, Paul talks about what we have in common and how we should allow nothing to disrupt the unity of the church. Later in this chapter, he talks about what we have as individuals that is unique. He talks about how God will distribute the gifts of the Spirit as He chooses to do so.
One of the wonderful things about a healthy church is its diversity. That in itself is a witness to a divided world. It is a powerful testimony when someone can come into an assembly of believers and see that we have set aside our differences and there is unity.It doesn't mean there is uniformity. God can take the same gift and put it in the lives of two people, and it might manifest itself a little bit differently as the Holy Spirit works through human personality.
Ephesians tells us that God has given us these gifts "for the equipping of the saints, for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ" (4:12 NKJV). Another way to translate this verse is "to equip God's people for work and His service."
The word "equip" in the original language means "to put something back to its original condition." It is also a phrase that speaks of putting a bone back into place again. The idea is that we are getting back to God's original order when we do it this way, when we function as the church ought to function.

It is a wonderful blessing when you start giving out what God has given to you, as you become a part of His purpose for the church.

And the Peace of God that passeth all understanding shall keep my heart and mind through Christ Jesus, Amen. I write now after the numbness has left and the breath has returned, after the shock has diminished and the pain subsided. It has now been 2 weeks since my precious, sweet-spirited Katy Girl departed this life. My God, Jehovah Shamah, Jehovah Raphe, Jehovah Jireh, has blessed me with His love, His peace, His grace and His mercy. He has held me up as I fell in agony and pain. He has been here to wipe the tears of loss and loneliness. He has given me peace of mind and heart even when I don't know or understand. He is My God and in Him I trust. And I know, yeah, I am fully persuaded that He is faithful and able to do that which He says! As Paul and Silas, so I sit now in the midst of pain, but yet praising God and thanking Him. I thank you too, those that have prayed and sought God for me in this devastating season of my life. To God be the Glory!

In Memoriam: Katy Girl

Kato Katy Katelin - Nov 8, 1994 -Feb 28, 2009

I need your prayers, your agreement, your seeking God fervently for me. Saturday, February 28, 2009, at 3:36 PM, Katy, my 15 yr old Daschund, my partner, friend and companion since she was 6 weeks old, passed away due to congestive heart failure.

Katy passed from this life. Katy is gone but never forgotten. She was the love of my life. My partner, my companion, my special friend and confidante and a part of my heart and soul. I loved Katy with all my heart and without condition.

Katy is gone and has taken a part of my heart with her.

And Rick wept.

I stand in the midst of my loss and pain knowing and trusting the Word and Promises of God, knowing that He loves me and will work all things together for my good! And in the midst of all, I give God the Glory and Honor. Amen.