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An
Outreach Publication of the Church of Christ at
Creekwood |
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Hooked! Between
June 2002 and November 2005, Annie Donnelly of What did she do with the money? She gambled it! Donnelly
spent as much as $6,000 a day playing the lottery.
“She obviously had a gambling problem,”
said Donna Planty, assistant district attorney.
“She appeared Donnelly, desiring to win big, ended up losing big! She broke the law, and she will have to suffer the consequences. Investigators believe Donnelly may have won lottery jackpots of $5,000 or even $25,000, but not enough to repay the money she has stolen – a debt which she will ultimately have to repay. She also faces four to 12 years in prison for her theft. Donnelly’s problem describes a problem ALL of us have: the problem of SIN. Sin claims to offer pleasure and excitement (and it may – for a while; cf. Hebrews 11:25). But when we engage in sin, in the end, we lose. We lose our dignity, our freedom, and our hope. A wise person has observed: “Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.” Similar to the imagery of using "bait" to catch a fish, James describes how we are tempted to sin: “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death” (James 1:14-15). The process begins with our own desires, and if we “take the bait,” we are “hooked,” and on our way to destruction! But through Christ, we may be set free from the "trap" of sin. He died on the cross to pay the price for our sins, and to set us free from its power over our lives. When we believe in Him and trust Him (Acts 16:30-31), turn from our sins in repentance (2 Corinthians 7:9-10), confess Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ (Acts 2:38; 22:16), our sins are washed away. We are no longer under its bondage and condemnation. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Then if we will CONTINUE to strive in walk in faithful obedience to Him, then He will CONTINUE to cleanse us from our sins (1 John 1:7-9). Each of us has been “hooked” by sin - and when we "gamble" with our soul….we lose! ONLY Christ can set us free – and He will, if we will trust and obey Him. David A. Sargent, Minister Church of Christ at Creekwood *“Woman Steals $2.3 Million to Gamble,” by Frank Eltman, Associated Press Writer http://www.comcast.net/news To Subscribe to "Living Water" send a blank e-mail to:
HTML version: subscribe-livingwater@lyris.dundee.net Follow this link to locate the church of Christ nearest you: www.churchzip.com Archived issues of "Living Water" can be accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org
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