Jesus Christ in His proper place

[Rick C. Hodgin]

.... 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.

Thank you,
Rick C. Hodgin

 

[Rick C. Hodgin]

On Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at 6:29:57 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.

"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

 

[Rick C. Hodgin]

On Wednesday, September 6, 2017 at 12:17:18 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

 

[Rick C. Hodgin]

A good follow-up statement / question and reply:

https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.lang.c/-dC-tMZeryM/t4lkvcU9AQAJ

Thank you,
Rick C. Hodgin