I’ve heard this a couple of times lately from pastors -“I would’ve not taught this if I knew what I know now”. Pastors are human too and we need to give them some slack. Can you relate?
Lately, this theme of forgiveness has been circulating where ever I go. I had to “let it out” and write about it. I ran into this video on “spiritual warfare” and the speaker shared this quote that really resonated in me…
Above is a post I shared in one of my groups (Good News Love) I created on facebook. I’ve heard there is power when we forgive each other, so I would like to start…
If any of my friends read this, please forgive me if I ever wronged you in anyway. I might’ve forgotten it, so please feel free to contact me and remind me if this will help release any resentment, offense, or hurt that will heal you.
One of the causes of “offense” is due to misunderstanding, which we all quickly prejudge. There are times I reflect on my parents fighting and it’s due to the “failure to communicate” (see “Failure to Communicate”-song I wrote). Can you relate? Feel free to share below…
For those that haven’t met me yet or haven’t encountered any offense from me…yet! 😉 I’m sure there are others that might’ve hurt you in various ways (e.g. abuse). Unfortunately, you might not ever get them to forgive you. However, God (Heavenly Father) knows and I encourage you to go to Him for healing of your past hurts.
Back in high school, a former “friend” of mine wanted to befriend me after “ignoring” me most of the later years of “middle school”. Not being a Christian at the time, I wouldn’t forgive him and shun him away. Month later, he died in a head-on-collision car accident (visiting his biological Mom all the way in Colorado). I was torn in pieces when I heard the news and wished I reconciled with him. Please don’t make the dumbest mistake as I did, reconcile with those that has hurt you before it’s too late.
During my college and post-college years, I was interested in learning more about WWII (more of the Pacific arena) due to my family’s history (grandfather got capture by the Japanese and survived as a cook and great-grandfather was presumably killed as he never returned home when scoping the vicinity for any Japanese solders). As I read more books of the horrific atrocities the Japanese did in the Philippines and elsewhere, my heart towards the Japanese grew with more hate :(.. Well, God seems to try to soften my heart by bringing Japanese students to the college I attended. Then He brought them to be my renters in the house I owned. My last renter caught me watching some WWII footage of Japan’s horrific treatment. I tried to turned it off, but he saw it and we ended up having a deep conversation. He ended up asking forgiveness for what his ancestors did. I told him no worries, but in my heart-I felt some more compassion for him and the Japanese people overall.
Lastly, this is between me and my Heavenly Father-I gave my life to Christ my freshmen year in college. I did it after hearing a testimony of this speaker at a local church in Morris. This grabbed my heart and got me off my seat to go to the front (alter) and asked God to forgive me all of my sins. That was just the beginning and still in the journey of my faith (still sinning, but trying to sin-less as I grow in my personal relationship with my “Heavenly Dad” :)..
Above are just summaries of some of my stories on forgiveness-repentance. I’ll be glad to share more, but would love to hear yours first. I would love to disclose and be open/transparent/honest with you with my personal challenges-struggles as “we” can help each other in this journey of forgiveness with the “limited uncertain” time we have on this earth…
I decided to take some time to reflect on some past “close” car accidents after a recent one this past weekend. I just thought of others as I reflected on writing about this. I just want to encourage you to always pray for God’s protection (e.g. “armor of God“) daily-not just driving, but every time you start your day…
This past Monday (February 15th 2016) after visiting a friend in Wadena, I was driving back home and almost got hit while going down main street in a town called Parkers Prairie. I can still remember a vivid scene of this almost close accident. I was driving through town and this guy in a pick-up truck just ran through a stop sign and somehow didn’t see me. I could even see his face as he just stopped almost hitting me head-on (driver’s side-me). I swerved to my right to avoid him hitting me, but thankful that he stopped. Fortunately, the weather was very nice and road conditions weren’t icy.
“Pic was taken on my way to Wadnea”
After reflecting on this, I started to remember a near head-on-collision close to my hometown of St. Paul sometime in the summer of 2015 with my mom in the car. I was going north on Ruth St. over I-94 when a car was in my lane going head-on. Thank God, that particular drive swerved back to his own lane.
Deer Encounters:
I have had two encounters with hitting a deer , but never had any damages:
My first deer encounter was when I was coming back to Morris after visiting a friend in Wheaton, Minnesota many years go (2006?). I was driving 55mph (speed limit) at night and just clipped deer as I lightly touched my brakes as I saw it “last minute” jumping out of the ditch.
My second deer encounter was coming back to Morris on 59 (state highway) last year with almost similar “touch and go”.
Car Stalled
I had a loose battery in my car and finally got it fixed after getting stalled in the middle of I-94 (going back to Morris from St. Paul) in a hot summer of August of 2015. Fortunately, I was able to start my car after a quick adjustment of the positive wire. Luckily, it started right away during a 10mph bumper to bumper 2 lane only slow traffic. It was kind of embarrassing, but would laugh and grateful to God getting me of this situation safely.
Car Accident(s)
I’ve had to at least share one (“only”) car accidents…so far (God willingly..no more). My freshmen year in college, I was driving back to Morris during a winter storm with some friends. This was a time that we didn’t have any social networks of alerting us “no” school. I was driving back to UMM with some college friends. Interstate I-94 was pretty slipper and this semi truck was nearing my bumper going fast. Being a “rookie” driver (1st year driving), I was scared, so I pushed the accelerator to avoid this near semi-truck getting close and suddenly the car ahead of me pushed their brakes. To avoid a head on-collision of this vehicle’s bumper. I swerved to the right immediately avoiding this car’s back. However, I didn’t want to go to the ditch, so I swerved to the left back to traffic. Unfortunately, I hit this car’s side door and caused a dent (my car insurance went up after this 😦 ). I was thankful that the accident didn’t get as worse that it could’ve been (e.g. no one got hurt-“things can be replaced, but lives can’t”). After this accident, I’ve learned to not get stressed out when a big semi-truck driver is behind me or I just try to avoid getting close to them if possible. Sometimes, you can’t avoid certain situations, so I usually just trust in God with prayer as I listen to praise music on the radio during “challenging driving circumstances”.
-Fatal (Others) 😦
What Would You Say If Your Wife Was Ripped Away?
Article by Marshall Segal Topic: Death & Dying February 19, 2016 desiringgod.org ” “..Nine short months later, now an assistant coach with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Monty Williams found out last week that his 44-year-old wife had been killed in a head-on car accident. The other driver was driving 92 mph (in a 40-miles-per-hour zone) when she crossed the center line and careened head-on into Ingrid Williams’s SUV. Three of their children were in the car with her; each survived with serious injuries…”
This past Sunday, my local church had some guest speakers after a weekend conference (Friday’s notes & Saturday’s notes) for women in our fellowship community. I was actually personally praying for this weekend conference for God to personally touch my sisters in the Lord. Well, I came to church yesterday morning after unintentionally staying up too late. I was so blessed that I had to share…
Here were the songs Cherish led our church family into praise and songs…dancing too!
“Freedom in this place..”
“We Want Change in the Spirit”…open my eyes to see , my ears to hear..on what your saying God…to me”
“Bringing order, bringing life….Father you know best”
“Consuming Raging Fire”…fire,fire, You are our consuming fire”..burn me up, burn me up,….consume me, consume me,…He is residing in me”.
-return to the 1st love
During worship, I felt some spoken words to me, so I had to write these down..
“I’m royalty, I have destiny…I’m waking now, it’s time to shine. I was born for such a time as this..”
“We worship you Jesus…let everything that has breath praise the Lord”
“8”For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.”–Isaiah 55
Other Songs led by Cherish:
Q: God’s ready, are you?
A: feet of readiness (Ephesians 6)
This was a word that led me to write this..
“You feel you are not significant, stop comparing/measuring (2 Corinthians 10) yourself with others around you. You are significant (see 1 Corinthians 12) and loved in God’s eyes
“my determined purpose is to know your Word”
Word-“freedom”
-Pat F. share
Sal’s: I thought of this old cartoon… Tom and Jerry (devil keeps chasing God’s people)
Rebuking demonic spirit (see 1 John 3) of a popular death metal band member Sharing God’s love with “Love Bombs” “no one is perfect, will keep changing/growing until we are taken to Heaven” (our next Salvation)
Can’t be lukewarm or mix (e.g. Sprite & Coke can’t be mixed together, one or the other has to be totally dumped out for pure drink of one)
” 22 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.”–Matthew 10:22-24 & Mark 13
Q: Are you willing to change your thinking? (e.g. religious traditions)
A: Renew mind (e.g. Romans 12)
“8”For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. 8For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. 8″For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. 8For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 8For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways.” This is the LORD’s declaration.”
9″As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
“–Isaiah 55
Detroit Man Wrongly Convicted of Murders When He Was 15 Freed After Serving 9 Years
CATHERINE THORBECKE,ABC News 1 hour 49 minutes ago (Wednesday, June 8th 2016) yahoo.com ” The murder convictions for Davontae Sanford, now 23, have been vacated by Judge Brian Sullivan, and all charges dropped against him, Maria Miller, an assistant prosecuting attorney at the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, told ABC News today.
Sanford was serving a 37-to-90-year sentence for a quadruple homicide he was convicted of in 2008, his attorneys said. Sanford was 14 years old when he pleaded guilty to four counts of second-degree homicide at the advice of a now-suspended attorney.
Heidi A. Naasko, a pro bono attorney for Sanford, told ABC News today that a hit man, Vincent Smothers, confessed to 12 murders two weeks after Sanford was sentenced in 2008. ..
The painful lessons of the Central Park Five and the jogger rape case
Jill Filipovic Fri 5 Oct 2012 17.32 EDT theguardian.com
The unfinished saga of the Central Park rape case shows that if police coerce suspects, the victims of a horrible crime multiply “..”Police officers want to get the bad guy, but too often they pick what they believe to be the most plausible story and ratchet the facts into it. By the time the police are interrogating a subject, they’ve determined that the person is probably guilty of the crime. The goal of the interrogation isn’t to learn the truth: it’s to solidify guilt. “..
Sleep deprivation may sound relatively benign, but it’s been widely used as a powerful instrument of torture. Depriving a person of sleep removes their ability to think and act coherently. They have delusions and hallucinations, and the desire for sleep becomes so desperate that a person deprived of it will often do almost anything for reprieve – including, as happened in the Central Park case, admitting to murder. ..
The Central Park Five all took back their confessions upon being formally arrested. They were kids who had been kept awake for nearly two days and interrogated without attorneys present; they were told if they confessed, they could go home. The stories they told in their confessions were inconsistent with each other and with the physical evidence. Several of the boys said they stabbed the victim, but there were no knife wounds. Their stories varied on the location of the crime, the description of the victim and the timeline of the crime itself. There was little physical evidence tying them to the rape and beating. They were prosecuted and convicted anyway. ..
In the meantime, Matias Reyes, the man who actually raped and nearly killed the Central Park jogger, continued on his spree of serial rapes throughout New York City. Reyes had violently assaulted several women before the Central Park rape, including his own mother; the same year he committed the Central Park assault, he was also actively breaking into women’s apartments and stabbing out the eyes of his victims so that they couldn’t identify him after he raped them. He killed at least one of them…..
In 2002, while in jail for rape and murder, Reyes admitted to the Central Park rape. DNA evidence tied him to the crime. Tellingly, even after a judge vacated the convictions of the Central Park Five, police commissioner Ray Kelly stood behind the police work that put five innocent young men in jail:
“The judge’s ruling has neither exonerated the defendants nor found any collusion or coercion on the part of the police.”
Police officers are human and mistakes happen; that’s forgivable. Refusing to alter bad practices and placing your own interest in convicting someone ahead of truth and justice? That’s not…”
The Central Park Five Official Trailer #1 (2012) – Ken Burns … – YouTube
Updated 10:59 PM ET, Fri June 27, 2014 cnn.com “..A dark chapter in recent New York City history stands to close with a proposal for the city to pay a $40 million civil rights settlement to five black and Hispanic men wrongfully convicted in the horrific beating and rape of a white female jogger in Central Park in 1989, a source with knowledge of the settlement told CNN on Friday…
The proposed agreement between the city law department and the five men — who served between seven and 13 years in prison — averages about $1 million per year of incarceration, according to the source…
One of the men, Kharey Wise, served 13 years in prison. Kevin Richardson, Antron McCray, Yusef Salaam and Raymond Santana Jr. each served about seven years…
In 2012, filmmaker Ken Burns, along with daughter Sarah Burns and her husband, David McMahon, produced an award-winning documentary about the infamous case. …
“It will finally give some closure and bring a measure of justice in this tragic case. The five men were just teenagers when they were wrongly convicted. … Their story has come to symbolize the immense challenges we continue to confront when it comes to race in this country, but it is also the story of five men maintaining their dignity in the face of injustice and now, of the collective power to acknowledge and correct our mistakes.”
Sarah Burns told CNN that it was time for the story of the Central Park Five “to be over.” ..
The victim, Trisha Meili, kept her identity hidden for 14 years until the publication of her book, “I Am the Central Park Jogger.”
“I guess there are lots of theories out there but I just don’t know and it’s almost too confusing for me to understand,” she told CNN in 2003, referring to the false confessions given by the five men. “I’ve had to come to peace with it by saying: ‘You know what? I’m just not going to know.'” “
Miscarriages of Justice ~ (1)Central Park 5 Case ~ Bad Confession (youth) Part 1 of (3)
Central Park 5 case concerns 5 youths that were running wild around central park assaulting persons.They were arrested and soon after a woman Trisha Miley was found raped and badly beaten and unconcious. They were interrogated and 4 out of 5 of them confessed to raping the woman. Subsequently a serial rapist and murderer Matiais Reyes operating in that area was caught and he admitted to raping that woman. It appeared the teenagers were innnocent. Post DNA…Why did they confess to a crime they didn’t commit. Disturbing and uncannily accurate confessions; and who is to blame? Did the police hold and interrogate them long enough to deceive and trick them into confessing. Were they merely parrots to police interrogators? ..
The Central Park 5 talk about their struggle for redemption!
Sunday 5 June 2016 23.19 EDT theguardian.com “…The father of a former Stanford University athlete convicted on multiple charges of sexual assault has said his son should not have to go to prison for “20 minutes of action”.
Brock Turner, a former swimmer at Stanford University, was on Thursday sentenced to six months’ imprisonment and probation for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman.
The 20-year-old from Dayton, Ohio – who was convicted of three felonies, including assault with intent to rape – faced a maximum of 14 years in prison.
But Turner was expected to spend only three months of a six-month sentence in county jail after the judge, Aaron Persky, said positive character references and lack of a criminal record had persuaded him to be more lenient. Prison would have a “severe impact on him”, the judge said…”
Jesus’ trial had nothing to do with justice. The only witnesses were his enemies who wanted him killed. The judge was only interested in avoiding problems with the local leaders and even he was uncomfortable with killing this man.
Jesus did not die for anything he had done wrong. It was our guilt and shame he was carrying.
On the Trial of Jesus, tektonics.org “..a) Jesus Himself filled the disciples in after the Resurrection.
We consider this to be the most likely answer. Jesus was with the disciples for 40 days after the Resurrection – plenty of time to relate the sundry details of what happened once the more theological stuff was out of the way. And certainly, Peter would want to know what his Lord had been put through as he was waiting anxiously in the courtyard…” 12 Reasons Jesus’ Trial Was Illegal Part 1 rcg.org Jesus Before Pilate – A Fabricated Trial? , from youtube.com Scholar Sees 4 Views of Jesus in Accounts of Death
By PETER STEINFELS
Published: March 27, 1994 nytimes.com “..He goes on to discuss how the Gospels’ portrayals of the role of Jewish authorities in Jesus’ trials were colored by later conflicts between Christians and Jews, with lethal consequences for the Jews. Similar Look at Nativity..” Experts’ Evidence for Jesus’ Trial, from youtube.com “Uploaded on Mar 31, 2011
Dr Dirk Jongkind, a Research Fellow at Tyndale House, pieces together the earliest manuscript evidence for the New Testament and shows how it tells the story of Jesus’ trial before Pilate. Find out more at our website: http://tyndalehouse.com” Site of Jesus’ Trial FOUND! from youtube.com “Published on Jan 5, 2015
Archaeologists in Jerusalem say they may have uncovered the remains of Herod the Great’s palace, the site where the trial of Jesus Christ may have taken place prior to his crucifixion. “
Texas Judge resigns after being caught texting instructions to prosecutors to help win convictions In Crime by Poor Richard/October 25, 2013/54 Comments/ poorrichardsnews.com “Texas district Judge Elizabeth E. Coker is stepping down from the bench after being caught engaging in a massive perversion of justice. A whistleblower revealed that Corker was sending text messages to prosecutors with suggestions on questions to ask in court in order to secure a conviction.
from Houston Chronicle:
..
Her resignation also opens the door for a flurry of re-trials for anybody convicted in her court sessions. By trying to illegally secure convictions, Coker opened Pandora’s box, and now the state of Texas will have some massive legal knots to untangle…”
“On The 700 Club Wednesday, Feb 17.: An estimated 20-thousand innocent people sit in American prisons because of wrongful convictions. Marvin Anderson was one of those people. He was sentenced to 210 years for a rape that he didn’t commit. Find out how he was finally set free….”http://go.cbn.com/6591
Any other samples of legal cases out there that was “fair”, “unfair”, or “both”? Thoughts, comments, stories, feedback, etc.. on any of the content mentioned or not mentioned above?…
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