Pastor’s Corner

Do you know, What chickens serve at their birthday party? You're right, Coop-cakes.

Wednesday 3/1

Prov. 28:17 "A murderer's tormented conscience will drive him into the grave. Don't protect him!"

Gen. 9:6 confirms for us what the burden is of taking someone's life. "If anyone takes a human life, that person's life will also be taken by human hands. For God made human beings in His own image." In other words "being made in God's image" means with the driving need of human fellowship. Just think: that just as we need others in our life He yearns for us in His presence.

Today many states refuse to carry out capital punishment, however, I have talked to many people who live in prisons and their testimony is that those inmates who are incarcerated, that have committed murder are a tortured group of people. They are placed in solitary confinement from the rest of the prison population. This is a far more brutal torture on those inmates, and many of them in time either become insane, or commit suicide. Even the emotional supporters of the prison are fearful to counsel in person, so they place them in one room with barred dividers, which in turn furthers the aloness of isolation.

The word tormented in this verse refers to the oppression of a guilty conscience. The violence and the wickedness of murder always leads to a tortured conscience. Even many of the men who have served in war which required them to kill opposing troops caused these troops to need emotional assistance. Personally, I believe that those veterans who are homeless & drug hazed are due to failing to know Christ, or have enough spiritual guidance through their return to civilian life.

In comparison doing good gracious service has eventual benefit to those who carry out, these tasks.

The willful murderer becomes a fugitive who is racing toward his doom. Thus we should be aware of the internal harm loaded on those who interfere with justice. Freedom of the soul is possible only to those who come to the forgiveness & cleansing of God in their lives. While I was volunteering in Folsom prison, with a total population of violent men, I found out early on, of the deep, deep, deep, load these men carried every minute of their life. Much to my amazement speaking of these feelings early on with them brought greater release. Upon speaking of these burdens and them sorrowing in the loss of the other person. Many times often after this process I sensed their desire to experience God's forgiveness & cleansing and then came the flow of "His cleansing flow" as the hymn calls it.

So Go With God for He alone can provide a soulish healing. Even from the most innate sorrow. Let's pray that we may in some way pass this along to our world. To those vets who suffer from this burden, and seek relief from it by drugs rather than surrendering to God their burden. Also to those inmates who are burdened with this heavy, and almost inpossible soulish weight.