• Jesus Christ in His proper place

    From Rick C. Hodgin@21:1/5 to Rick C. Hodgin on Wed Sep 6 10:01:36 2017
    On Wednesday, September 6, 2017 at 12:58:35 PM UTC-4, Rick C. Hodgin wrote:
    President Reagan explaining the concept of the separation of church
    and state:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYFk9A62Q0c

    "I think I understand how Abraham Lincoln felt when he said, 'I
    have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming
    conviction that I have no where else to go.'"

    -----
    "Now I realize it's fashionable in some circles to believe that
    no one in government should encourage others to read the Bible,
    that we're told we'll violate the Constitutional separation of
    Church and State established by the Founding Fathers of the
    First Amendment.

    "The First Amendment was not written to protect people and
    their laws from religious values. It was written to protect
    those values from government tyranny."

    -----
    "We must be cautious in claiming that God is on our side. I
    think the real question we must answer is: Are we on His side?"

    -----
    "No matter where we live we have a promise that can make all the
    difference. A promise from Jesus to soothe our sorrows, heal our
    hearts, and drive away our fears. He promised there will never
    be a dark night that does not end. Our weeping may endure for a
    night, but joy cometh in the morning. He promised if our hearts
    our true, His love will be as sure as sunlight. And, by dying for
    us, Jesus showed how far our love should be ready to go: all the
    way, for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten
    son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but have
    everlasting life."

    How would our nation be different if more people in positions of power, influence, and authority, took time to do this as well when they too
    are alone, to come before God in solemn prayer asking for guidance, to
    put his trust and faith in One greater than himself, and to acknowledge
    that he needs guidance from a solid foundation.

    http://s3.amazonaws.com/mtv-main-assets/files/resources/prayinggw.jpg

    People ... leaders ... anyone with a decision ... how glorious it is
    to see that person upon their knees, in prayer, unto God, coming before
    their Lord and Savior asking for guidance, asking for forgiveness, so
    that He might make their paths ahead. It gives a person such a sense
    of assuredness, such a sense of peace. It is amazing.

    And, so you all don't think I'm entirely a stuffed shirt, I would add
    this: And if need be, with only the man, God, his prayers, and the
    painter and his canvas there in the midst to record the moment for
    posterity, though nowadays we'd say his friend was there with a cell
    phone, or maybe his Solo Shot camera:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kygT-Yizj8s

    -----
    God wants us doing the things we are doing in this world, but He wants
    us doing them for Him. He wants us to do them in subjection to Him,
    so that we are not doing bad things, are not being immoral, are not
    harming others, but are working our talents, labor, and efforts in
    making the lives of those around us better, of helping to free them
    rather than enslave them (to money bondage, or to artificial con-
    straints bondage like copyrights or patents).

    You have great talents. Great attributes. Free time. Personal
    interests. Unique abilities. God wants to have you come to Him
    and first ask forgiveness for your sin, and then to move in this
    world using all of those abilities you have ... but with a renewed
    purpose, one that He will give you, one that will light up your
    life and the lives of those around you from the inside out.

    You will know a true servant of God, a true born again through the
    saving blood of Jesus Christ person ... by their actions. You
    will see in them the changed heart, which runs contrary to the
    former heart they had, and the heart of the people in this world
    who are not yet saved.

    Jesus has a purpose for us, both here on Earth, and in eternity.
    It is to come to Him and ask forgiveness, and then to go out and
    teach others about Him. He wants the same for you as He has for
    those who have come before you to salvation. He wants you to reach
    out and give them the same gift those before you received, the gift
    of teaching, of the knowledge of sin, judgment, condemnation, and
    more importantly, salvation through Jesus Christ.

    -----
    With the things you do, the knowledge you have, the abilities you
    possess ... you can make an impact in this world for Jesus Christ
    by the things you already know and do in your life ... just by
    bringing them in subjection to Him (getting rid of bad stuff, and
    having Him lead you to increasing good stuff).

    You can shine in this world for God. You can make a difference
    in real people's lives. The ground is planted, the crops have come
    up, and the harvest is at hand. People everywhere are tired of
    being beaten down by the evil forces at work in this world. People
    everywhere are looking for those lights who will lead people into
    all truth and righteousness, and not as pretenders, not as tricksters.
    God doesn't call anyone into falseness, but into real, honest, true,
    service to Him, His Son, and by the guidance of His Holy Spirit, so
    named because His Spirit is separate and distinct from other things.

    -----
    Use those things you have for God. Come to Jesus and ask forgiveness
    for your sin, and then watch Him change your life and work miracles
    in people's lives around you. Watch your heart be torn asunder by
    the changes from within. It will be a new you, a positive you, a
    crying you, a filled with joy and joyful tears you. It will be the
    eternal you brought to bear upon this sin-laden world. It will be
    the contrast between the flesh and the spirit unrolled before your
    eyes so that you can say, "My my my, I had no idea."

    -----
    His love ... living within you ... guiding you toward everything right.
    It's who Jesus is. It's what He does for those He saves. It's what
    He'll do for you right now if you'll ask Him to forgive your sin, and
    to replace your hard heart with His heart of love.

    I look forward to seeing you in Heaven.

    Thank you,
    Rick C. Hodgin

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Rick C. Hodgin@21:1/5 to Rick C. Hodgin on Wed Sep 6 09:58:25 2017
    On Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at 6:31:16 PM UTC-4, Rick C. Hodgin wrote:
    ... out front of all of our endeavors. Leading the way in light, in
    truth, in righteousness, in holiness, in full guidance in all things.

    Steve Lawson on a restorat (2 minutes):
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUmBtUWXxa4

    Jesus first. Other things second. It is the natural way of things
    because He is the Creator, and the advisor ... but who will listen?

    Will you listen?
    Will you hear Him out about your sin?
    Will you answer His call to be with Him in paradise?

    Streets of gold. The river of life. God Himself and you ... face to face.

    You'll never get a better offer. Be wise. Receive His free offer of eternity, His free offer of a new body, His free offer of a mansion in Heaven, His free offer to forgive you of every hurtful, sinful, hateful
    thing you've ever done.

    You need to be saved. You need Jesus to save you.

    Don't let it be:

    "We warned you of the dangers ahead, but you said: Don't judge me."
    https://i.pinimg.com/236x/2a/52/ac/2a52ac4a65ba60567e031106d45e6450--book-jacket.jpg

    President Reagan explaining the concept of the separation of church
    and state:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYFk9A62Q0c

    "I think I understand how Abraham Lincoln felt when he said, 'I
    have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming
    conviction that I have no where else to go.'"

    -----
    "Now I realize it's fashionable in some circles to believe that
    no one in government should encourage others to read the Bible,
    that we're told we'll violate the Constitutional separation of
    Church and State established by the Founding Fathers of the
    First Amendment.

    "The First Amendment was not written to protect people and
    their laws from religious values. It was written to protect
    those values from government tyranny."

    -----
    "We must be cautious in claiming that God is on our side. I
    think the real question we must answer is: Are we on His side?"

    -----
    "No matter where we live we have a promise that can make all the
    difference. A promise from Jesus to soothe our sorrows, heal our
    hearts, and drive away our fears. He promised there will never
    be a dark night that does not end. Our weeping may endure for a
    night, but joy cometh in the morning. He promised if our hearts
    our true, His love will be as sure as sunlight. And, by dying for
    us, Jesus showed how far our love should be ready to go: all the
    way, for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten
    son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but have
    everlasting life."

    -----
    It does not make you weak to acknowledge your need of God in your life.
    It is the natural way of things. We are new creations in this universe,
    and like newborn babes we need help. We need guidance. We need real assistance in making our way. And whereas we grow up in these bodies
    in this world, we have not yet encountered the spiritual realms at work
    against us as we have the annoying neighbor, the bad driver, the bully classmate or co-worker ... but those invisible spiritual things are
    just as real as the things we can see, and they are the forces creating
    all of the hostility and tension in this world.

    It takes a wise man to step back from the day-to-day, moment-to-moment
    minutia of this world and ask the bigger questions. It takes a man not
    looking only at the here-and-now, but pondering larger things, examining
    their life and the lives of others with a scrutinizing eye. It takes a
    soul searching for the truth, and not just floating along life as it
    comes, not ever stepping back to ponder truth in any real, meaningful
    way.

    If you are willing to take that big picture look at things, to look out
    and see the world as it is, to seek the truth in finding the answer as
    to why things are the way they are ... then you will be able to find it
    if you simultaneously seek for the whole truth, because God Himself will
    lead you to it.

    Only those seeking the real truth will find it, and only when they press
    in with passion and vehemence and a full truth-seeking effort. But for
    all who do, their lives are forever changed by God as He draws that soul
    to Jesus Christ to ask forgiveness for sin, to be born again, and to
    then have their eyes opened to a world they never knew before, but one
    so powerful it overshadows this flesh-based existence.

    -----
    Each of us is a sinner. Each of us needs to be forgiven. Who will be
    willing to self-examine their lives in light of scripture, in light of
    God's all-seeing, all-knowing scrutiny? You can fool me. You can fool
    your spouse. You can fool your children. You can fool your pastor.
    You can fool everybody ... except one. On Him, you'll never get it
    past Him, for He sees straight through to your heart and He knows your everything.

    ... and He loves you anyway, despite all your sin, all your evil doing,
    all your hate slung to and fro against the people in your life .. He
    still wants to forgive your sin more than He wants to judge you for it.

    Please ... examine your life against God's scrutiny. Come to the place
    of seeing your sin as sin, of acknowledging the harm you've done, and
    the people you've hurt, and the hurt you've done to yourself. Come to
    the foot of the cross, and look up at the blood pouring out of the
    dying Savior and say, "Lord, forgive me, for I am a sinner and I need
    to be forgiven."

    He will save you today. Right now. This very moment. Ask Him to
    forgive your sin and pass today, right now, this very moment, from
    eternal death to eternal life. He will change your life forever, and
    give you an eternal home that will endure in the paradise of God's own
    domain in Heaven. Face-to-face, able to speak to the Creator, able to fellowship with Him, able to learn and know all that is learnable and
    knowable.

    It is His promise to us. It is what He is offering through forgiveness
    of sin by Jesus Christ. It is our future ... IF we will receive it.

    Thank you,
    Rick C. Hodgin

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)