“He who is on high has given His Son for the forgiveness of you! How can others who receive such a wonderful and blessed gift ignore that precious gift and withhold it from others?
Your eternal salvation does not rest on you forgiving others, but by faith in the Almighty Son of God, to forgive as you have been forgiven is walking in the ways of the Lord.
Do not cheat yourself withholding love. For it is His love for you that has set you free from condemnation, unforgiveness and be blessed by He who loves you.
Walk in His peace, with His joy filling your heart. Be as He who loves you would have you be.”
“Go in faith My people of the cross. Your words shall bring forth persecution yet many shall hear and rejoice.
The tides are swelling. The land is ripe with dissension and prejudice. Let your words be your sword for it is through My word that shall stop the battle.
Put on the full armor given to you and stand firm for the enemy is on his way. He shall attack when least expected. He shall entice, cajole, ridicule. Be aware that his army stands ready for his command.
Your armies, tanks, and commanders are lost in the war of sin. Only repentance can stop you from the eternal fires of hell. Reach out in faith and hold back your foes. Cling to the word of the Lord.
Time is near when all shall bow and heavens gates shall swing wide. Follow the path that I have laid out, for each of you have a destiny to fulfill.
My word stands, My truth prevails for all shall see the winds blow across the nations carrying with it the wrath for all who rebuke My word.
Take heed O’ leaders for your downfall is near. You cajole My truth and act so wise. Yet your foolishness shall bring you embarrassment and cheeks as red as a new bride.
Fall on your face and seek Mine for you shall be as a serpent if you reject My truth. Lead not My people to war for you shall lose. My people shall rejoice as the blood flows from your fallen soldiers.
You resist and I shall bring you down O’ nations of decadence. You shall fall as a tree in a storm, as tidal waves that hit the shores leaving nothing behind but destruction. O’ leaders across the land, your folly shall end in your demise taking the innocent along your muddy paths.
Walk tall My children for your Savior shall sweep you out of harms way. Your final destiny shall bring no pain. My gates are open, My arms yearn for all to embrace My love. Few shall see the heavens rewards for the path to hell is wide.
Rejoice O’ loved ones for I await. Your songs of praise lift My heart, My eyes shed tears of overflowing love. Reach out to those in pain for their hearts are empty from the world’s abuse. Words of hate flow like rivers down a hill spreading its vile disease of bitterness along the banks of everlasting cruelty.
Reach out O’ loved ones and catch the falling people who lose their grip and fall from grace. Kiss their heart with your kindness and love for their heart needs the passion of loving caresses. My comfort shall fill them as a jar being filled with honey. My love is everlasting.
Bring them to Me and all shall see how love can fill the largest of empties. This earthly time is short but eternity waits. My mercy is new each day, so many may face the trials of time. Time everlasting needs no mercy for you shall be joining the Father at His throne. Rejoice.”
In a remarkable story of redemption and example of the healing power of God’s love and forgiveness, an ex-convict once sentenced to 500 years in jail is now spreading the word of the Lord and baptizing the prison population he used to live among. Furthermore, he has built a remarkable friendship with the judge who ordered his lock up.
As CBN News reported, Texas-native Ron Adkins received a 495-year prison sentence in 1997, after being found guilty of several home burglaries. The then 22-year-old received 99 years for each of the five counts on which he was charged and picked up an additional five-year sentence for possession of an unauthorized cell phone. A district judge at the time, Robert Newsom upheld Adkins conviction. Little did either man know, they would one day cross paths again.
With seemingly no hope of ever being a free man again, Adkins lashed out—joining a prison gang, racking up some 250 violations, and even ending up in solitary confinement for 13 years. He found himself alone and suicidal, but a worn-out Bible he had neglected for years ultimately became his saving grace.
“Half the pages were missing because I had been using it for rolling papers. I had been smoking cigarettes with Bible papers,” Adkins joked to CBN. “All that was left of the Bible was the New Testament.”
In reading those remaining pages, Adkins came to learn about God’s love and grace. He decided to quit the gang and instead join his prison’s Bible study group. He began taking ministry courses, and, after beginning to display “good behavior,” Adkins received surprise parole hearing, which was initially projected for 2095. In May 2015, Adkins was released from prison.
Once released, Adkins found a job continued to grow in his faith, sharing his powerful story with churches and criminal justice reform conferences. In doing so, he met his wife Dawn Knighton, a former felon turned Christian counselor. His return to church and faith also sparked another unexpected relationship—one with Newsom, the judge who presided over his case decades earlier.
“It dawned on me, I told pastor, ‘You know what? I think that’s the judge who sentenced me to five 99-year sentences,’” Adkins recalled of sitting in church one day listening to a guest speaker that happened to be Newsom.
The men were introduced soon after, and while the introduction was initially a little awkward, the two became fast friends, with the former felon telling CBN News that he never held a grudge against the judge.
“I never did go to prison. I never did do some of the things that Ron has done. But I’m a sinner saved by grace just like Ronnie is,” Newsom explained of the surprise friendship. “We’re brothers.”
Thanks to Newsom, Adkins now works with the local Hopkins County Sheriff’s Department to meet with inmates and share his redemption story. He and his wife have even baptized some of the prisoners and jail staff. Newsom believed the ministry has created a “mini-revival” in the community. Adkins, meanwhile, is just grateful for the second chance he has been given to rewrite his legacy and, through the mercy of God, the legacy of those he touches with his service.
“In the very place where I was sentenced to die in prison, God’s going to use us to bring dead things back to life,” Adkins told CBN News. “And that’s what he’s doing. In the jail, in the worship nights, in the prayer meetings: He’s just bringing dead things back to life.”
He who is the Almighty One wonders about those whose hearts are filled with those things other than love.
He who loves all of His children sheds tears when He hears, “There is no God.” One must have a veil of despair lifted to see His mighty works.
Breathe in the air, smell the rose, look at your spouse and tell others, “Oh but there is a God. For who in human form could create the very existence of all that surrounds us?”
Take a breath, wipe a tear, for He who loves you mightily made all that you feel. Even those deep hurts, for pain is growth.
Cry My little one’s and rejoice for all you are, all I am. And all I am, you are.
“Sin hinders the clarity of the Lord. Ye who walk in the ways of the world, your ears shall be closed to His truth. Eyes are blinded, lips parched, for there is no Living Water flowing from your well.
Let not your hearts be turned to stone for stones reveal only the tides of time. Smooth and cleaned yet there is nothing inside, except a core of cold hard stone.
Appearances may dazzle but the Lord knows the heart. The heart that cries out in love and mercy, the heart that sings and praises the Lord brings joy to the One above.
The stone lies dead in the dry river bed, nothing touches it but the sun. Vultures fly far above and see nothing there to even pick. The heart of stone closes out all and all who see, for to see would change the heart.
Woe to those who seek, but not the kingdom of God, for the stones shall bring them down. In ancient times stones buried the dead. He laid behind the stone. But in power and love He shed the stone and rose to be the Lord.
Bow before Him all ye sinners. Kneel before Him all you kings. The glory of the Lord shall spread throughout the land and only stones will not be moved.
Have mercy dear Savior for those who fall for they shall never rise.”
“O’ My children sing your songs of praise. Clap your hands, dance and sing for your voices are music to My ears.
Let all My love fill your hearts, let your music echo throughout the land. Bring praise and joy to all who hear, rejoice upon the land. Carry your tunes far and wide, bring your love to heaven. Bind the spirits who do not rejoice, send them packing with your lovely tunes.
Let not darkness invade your hearts, let not the evil one rob your songs. Lift up your hands in surrender to Me, for I am He who loves to hear the praise of My loved ones dear.
What joy it brings into your heart when love is shown, when love is received. Call out to God in all your joy, let not despair bring forth sorrow for I am with you in all you do.
Rejoice My children, rejoice.
The angels dance upon the clouds, throughout the universe all will cheer. For when your voices raised in love all the angels sing. Let not the times that you are in, the wars, the cries, the times of tears, lead you down a path of pain for you are closely in My hand.
Rejoice O’ children of the Most High God, He awaits the music to fill the sky. Sing loudly, stomp your feet, clap your hands for evil does not like joy.
Praise ye O’ loved ones, your God is listening on the throne. Ring out your words of praise to Him to loves to hear the sounds of joy. Sit in silence for a moment’s time, reflect upon all He’s done. From the cross He came to you to fill your hearts with glee. Rejoice My children for you are free.”
“The wolves are hungry and on the rampage. Their teeth are bared; their noses sniff with the scent of all who turn from God’s precepts.
Oh My children, bow in humble adoration for what is to come you shall escape. Your love, faithfulness, and obedience will be rewarded. Those who turn away have no concept of true pain and suffering. Their fates are beyond imagination and the Lord your God sheds tears of sorrow for they know Him not.
Praise Him, give honor and glory to His name for there is none greater. The suffering that shall come cannot be reversed. He has spoken and deaf ears and stone hearts reject all that He is and says. They shall regret their decision. Pray for them for their suffering shall be great on earth and eternally.
Let not the world steal your joy, your peace, or your salvation, for that is the goal of the wolves who lurk about waiting to pounce. Stand firm My children, let not the stone hearted misguide you. They are lost – you are not.
Reach out in love and if your love is rejected, dust off your feet and move on for there are still those who sit on the fence of destitute and salvation.
Be at peace and walk in My ways for I am the I Am.”
It may seem odd to some that as a Christian I have often wondered about the verse in Matthew 22:39 that says that we are to “Love your neighbor as yourself.” When I read that for the first time my immediate thought was, “What if you don’t love yourself?”
I know Christ is the perfect example for us since He showed His great love by dying on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. But does that mean that I have to die on a cross or step in front of a bus to save someone from being hit?
Those of us that were raised in abusive homes were not given examples of love. Many were not shown what love is or taught how to show love. So as adults why would we not be confused about this loving others as ourselves verse? Many hate themselves!
I asked the Lord about this the other night and He gave me some examples of showing love to others. He did not include dying on a cross or stepping in front of a bus. He brought to mind a few examples from my own life that I would not have connected to “loving others as yourself.”
One example was when I was in Walmart during the summer months and a lady stepped up beside me to look at some similar products that I was looking at. She had on a beautiful summer dress and I just couldn’t help myself, “Oh, I love your dress! It looks so good on you and so comfortable.” I exclaimed. Her face lit up. “That’s showing love” the Lord said.
Another example was helping a neighbor find her little dog that got out of the fence and ran off. “That’s love” the Lord said.
When a lady stepped up beside me in the drug store and mentioned her son had just died I could see the anguish in her eyes and tears filled mine. I asked if I could give her a hug and she let me. “That’s love” the Lord said.
The lady in line ahead of me at the grocery store was short a dollar and was going to put something back. I handed her a dollar. “That’s love” the Lord said.
Yesterday a lady was in line behind me to check out and had 2 items and a heavy baby carrier with her infant asleep inside. I had several items in a basket. I told her to go ahead of me. “That’s love” the Lord said.
The examples continue each day as the little things I do pop up here and there. He’s showing me that we show His love throughout our days by the kind, considerate, and “loving” things we do. Berating someone is not love but a smile to a stranger, a kind word, encouraging someone, stepping up to protect someone, sending a card, calling someone to say happy birthday, cheering at their accomplishment, all is showing love. We don’t have to have what I call BIG love events (stepping in front of a bus) to be examples of Christ’s love in a hurting world. All the “little” things we do and say can make or break someone’s day.
Wow, I guess His example of being love and showing love isn’t so hard to understand after all. Now some of us need to learn how to love ourselves like that.
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