This is a letter I received after I wrote Barack Obama about the situation in Jena, Louisiana. I love it
Thank you for contacting Senator Obama about the situation in Jena, Louisiana. Barack stands with those who stand for justice in Jena, and he is speaking out strongly on this issue. As he said recently, “The thousands of Americans from every race and region who have descended on this small Louisiana town carry forth the legacy of all those who sat at lunch counters and took freedom rides to strike a blow against injustice wherever it may exist. When a noose hangs from a schoolyard tree in the 21st century and young men are treated in a way that is not equal nor just, it is not just an offense to the people of Jena or to the African-American community, it is an offense to the ideals we hold as Americans. I renew my call for the District Attorney to drop the excessive charges filed in this case, and I will continue my decades-long fight against injustice and division as President.” "There are a number of signs that the system is not working in this case. It’s a problem when criminal charges are brought against some students for fighting, but not others. It’s a problem when a public defender doesn’t call any witnesses. And it’s a problem when a prosecutor decides to try teenagers as adults for a school fight, a charge that could leave them in jail for the majority of their lives. That is why I join my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus in calling on the judge to consider all the relevant factors and calling on the District Attorney to drop the excessive charges brought in this case. And I, along with other members of the Congressional Black Caucus, will continue to monitor this case closely." "Going forward, we have to fix our criminal justice system. Whether it’s Jena 6 or Genarlow Wilson, it’s long past time for us to admit that we have more work to do to ensure that our criminal justice system is fair. We must ensure that both victims and defendants can receive equal justice under the law, regardless of race, wealth, or other circumstances." Thank you again for contacting us.
Sincerely, Obama for America -------------------------------------Paid for by Obama for America
Friday, September 28, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
Why There's Evil In the World (MY 200TH POST!!)
I am remembering a quote from the first Bruce Almighty movie starring Jim Carrey where "God" is speaking to Bruce and He tells him that now He is God he has all this power except he can't make someone love him. He says, "No one can make someone love them not even God." or something like that. Now I don't think God is unable to force someone to love Him, I just believe that that is not His way. Which brings me to the subject of this post, Why there's evil in the world. I would have to say that is one of the biggest reasons why atheists are atheists or young people are cynical about the Bible or God. Why would a good God allow evil in the world? They wonder. Because of choice and freewill. God loves us all so much that He refuses to be a dictator but instead gives all of us the choice to choose good or evil. When someone chooses not to love Him or listen to His words then they choose the way of Satan.
Why does bad things happen to good people? First of all no one is good, we all deserve hell but we have been given the gift of Jesus Christ's blood to wash away our sins. This gift is to show that God desires us to come back to Him. But we hear all the time about children and churches and other horrific things happening in the news and we just wonder why God why? Don't ask God ask the devil. Ask why did he use those people to do those things. Because of the freewill that God gives all of us, some will choose to follow the devil and do evil things. It was their choice to do those things. We shouldn't blame God but Satan, he is the one keeping people from choosing the right way of life. If we all chose the way God wants us to go, then this would be a wonderful world.
There will be a time where there won't be evil in the world. But that time will come after Jesus has come back. That's why it's our job as Christians to get as many people as we can to use their freewill to choose to follow God and accept the gift of Jesus Christ. After Jesus comes back, we will all live in Heaven until the earth is swept away of all the evil and then we will live on earth in complete paradise.
3 John 1:11 "Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God."
Revelation 21:3-7 "And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."
He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son."
Why does bad things happen to good people? First of all no one is good, we all deserve hell but we have been given the gift of Jesus Christ's blood to wash away our sins. This gift is to show that God desires us to come back to Him. But we hear all the time about children and churches and other horrific things happening in the news and we just wonder why God why? Don't ask God ask the devil. Ask why did he use those people to do those things. Because of the freewill that God gives all of us, some will choose to follow the devil and do evil things. It was their choice to do those things. We shouldn't blame God but Satan, he is the one keeping people from choosing the right way of life. If we all chose the way God wants us to go, then this would be a wonderful world.
There will be a time where there won't be evil in the world. But that time will come after Jesus has come back. That's why it's our job as Christians to get as many people as we can to use their freewill to choose to follow God and accept the gift of Jesus Christ. After Jesus comes back, we will all live in Heaven until the earth is swept away of all the evil and then we will live on earth in complete paradise.
3 John 1:11 "Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God."
Revelation 21:3-7 "And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."
He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son."
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Saul, Paul, Osama Bin Laden
If you had the opportunity would you take Osama Bin Laden in and lead him to Christ? Could God use him? What if he showed up blind at your house saying that he was changed what would you do? That's exactly what I was thinking when I was reading about Ananias and the request God gave him to take in Saul and lay his hands on him so that he is healed. As many Christians know, Saul was a murderer of Christians. It says in Acts 8:3 and 9:1 that he imprisoned and killed men and women just because they were the disciples of the Lord. So ofcourse, Ananias had some doubt when God asked him to take in such a man and in Acts 9:13-14 he said,"Lord, I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name."
Can you imagine the thoughts of the others as well? What about those who had their family killed or in prison because of Saul, can you imagine how they must've felt after God said in Acts 9:15 "Go for he is a chose instrument of mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel."
Can you imagine what would happen if Osama Bin Laden suddenly became baptized the way Saul did and changed his name and began preaching that Jesus is Lord. The people who saw Paul preaching had their doubts and said "Is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on His name and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?" Sort of like, who does he think he is? Why should I listen to him? But we now not only listen to him but we study Paul's words in the Bible and He is known to have written some of the most profound scriptures in the Bible.
Now I am not saying that Osama Bin Laden shouldn't be punished for his crimes of 9/11 or to belittle the sufferings of his victims and their families. But I just wanted to show the capacity of God's forgiveness and power to use anyone for His kingdom no matter what they've done.
When you say your prayers for the victims and their families of 9/11 today pray for the terrorists as well, ask God to open their eyes to peace and to Christ and to show them their way of doing things is not the way.
"Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!" Romans 5:7-10
Can you imagine the thoughts of the others as well? What about those who had their family killed or in prison because of Saul, can you imagine how they must've felt after God said in Acts 9:15 "Go for he is a chose instrument of mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel."
Can you imagine what would happen if Osama Bin Laden suddenly became baptized the way Saul did and changed his name and began preaching that Jesus is Lord. The people who saw Paul preaching had their doubts and said "Is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on His name and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?" Sort of like, who does he think he is? Why should I listen to him? But we now not only listen to him but we study Paul's words in the Bible and He is known to have written some of the most profound scriptures in the Bible.
Now I am not saying that Osama Bin Laden shouldn't be punished for his crimes of 9/11 or to belittle the sufferings of his victims and their families. But I just wanted to show the capacity of God's forgiveness and power to use anyone for His kingdom no matter what they've done.
When you say your prayers for the victims and their families of 9/11 today pray for the terrorists as well, ask God to open their eyes to peace and to Christ and to show them their way of doing things is not the way.
"Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!" Romans 5:7-10
Click on the picture and read the words
Monday, September 03, 2007
Differences in sin?
I know I have mentioned this before about how in God's eyes sin is sin. All sin leads to death (Romans 6:23) and it's all been paid for by Jesus Christ. However, this blog is to show how some sin are worst then others because of consequences.
Yes in the previous blog I talked about how as humans we all will fall and make mistakes but we have to realize that consequences from these mistakes can and will vary and bring us further back from the plans God has for us. For an example a man who has an affair. Yes he had weakness and yes he can be forgiven through Jesus Christ but he also can suffer losing his wife, family and he can also suffer other consequences such as diseases. God can and will forgive him but he still will have to deal with repercussions in his life to get back on track.
If you are a person who are currently paying for consequences in your sin, go back to God and prayer and sometimes you may have to suffer to get through it. But the best thing is we serve a merciful, graceful God who still loves us and still will put us back on track if we are willing.
Yes in the previous blog I talked about how as humans we all will fall and make mistakes but we have to realize that consequences from these mistakes can and will vary and bring us further back from the plans God has for us. For an example a man who has an affair. Yes he had weakness and yes he can be forgiven through Jesus Christ but he also can suffer losing his wife, family and he can also suffer other consequences such as diseases. God can and will forgive him but he still will have to deal with repercussions in his life to get back on track.
If you are a person who are currently paying for consequences in your sin, go back to God and prayer and sometimes you may have to suffer to get through it. But the best thing is we serve a merciful, graceful God who still loves us and still will put us back on track if we are willing.
Sunday, September 02, 2007
MY SUNDAY NOTES
Here is some absolutely awesome things my pastor spoke on today!!!!
1. As Christians we live a cleansed life which is not always a clean life but we stay cleansed through the blood of Jesus
2. A True Holy Life is a cleansed life. You have to believe with your heart that you are forgiven through Christ and you are walking in love
3. Your repentance is NOT a response of God's Forgiveness it is a Result! God forgave you first! and because you know you are loved by God you repent. Guilt and Finger pointing is NOT the way to get someone to come to Christ/church that is manipulation! but telling them they are loved and that love will change them!
4. TRUE HOLINESS is from THE INSIDE-OUT NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
5. Homosexuals should be open to come to church even if they stay homosexuals. Homosexuality is a sin just like everything else the church doesn't condone it BUT Homosexuals should be accepted and welcomed in church just like couples who live together and not married, or people who lie, or people who don't tithe! The more people consume themselves of God and hear/read His Word and know they are loved they eventually will change.
STOP TELLING SINNERS IF THEY CHANGE EVERYTHING IN THEIR LIFE THEN THEY CAN COME TO GOD! GOD WELCOMED THEM THE MINUTE HE PUT JESUS ON THE CROSS TO DIE FOR ALL OUT SINS!!!!Scriptures used: Acts 26:14-16Matthew 5:8Hebrews 12:14-17
1. As Christians we live a cleansed life which is not always a clean life but we stay cleansed through the blood of Jesus
2. A True Holy Life is a cleansed life. You have to believe with your heart that you are forgiven through Christ and you are walking in love
3. Your repentance is NOT a response of God's Forgiveness it is a Result! God forgave you first! and because you know you are loved by God you repent. Guilt and Finger pointing is NOT the way to get someone to come to Christ/church that is manipulation! but telling them they are loved and that love will change them!
4. TRUE HOLINESS is from THE INSIDE-OUT NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
5. Homosexuals should be open to come to church even if they stay homosexuals. Homosexuality is a sin just like everything else the church doesn't condone it BUT Homosexuals should be accepted and welcomed in church just like couples who live together and not married, or people who lie, or people who don't tithe! The more people consume themselves of God and hear/read His Word and know they are loved they eventually will change.
STOP TELLING SINNERS IF THEY CHANGE EVERYTHING IN THEIR LIFE THEN THEY CAN COME TO GOD! GOD WELCOMED THEM THE MINUTE HE PUT JESUS ON THE CROSS TO DIE FOR ALL OUT SINS!!!!Scriptures used: Acts 26:14-16Matthew 5:8Hebrews 12:14-17
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