I think Kate's Law should have passed, and I believe we need to buckle down on illegal immigration, especially when they are violent offenders. What makes a crime by them a little worse than by an American is that they "aren't supposed to be here." They are "the problem" of the country they came from, and disrespected our laws and government by sneaking over here and then attacking its citizens. It multiples the disgusting act by being here illegally and then committing a crime.
But I have heard a lot of stories in the news of crimes being committed by American citizens. Yes, they "belong" here, but they are disrespecting human life, including the American way of life and people's livelihood and safety. The illegal immigrant is doing the same thing, but add to that the fact that they disrespected our government by violating its laws of immigration.
Well, let's face it. Our politicians, whether Republican, Democrat, or Independent, cannot solve the problem of sin. And isn't that what is at the heart of crime? Sin in the heart! We can't blame guns, because knives, trucks, explosives, and other weapons have been used. It is not the gun that pulls its own trigger, and crime is done when a sinful heart is on the other end of that gun with an evil will to commit harm to another individual.
Remember that physical injury is not the only harm that can be done by an individual; slander and harming someone's reputation with lies and a false witness is a crime as well. It might not always be punished, but it is a crime nonetheless. With freedom comes responsibility. You might have the freedom of speech, but not the freedom to slander or harm others with your words. Your freedoms do not trump the freedoms and rights of others. You cannot breach the peace with your religion or your protests. Everything must be done in a peaceful and organized way if this is to remain a civilized society.
1 Corinthians 15:33-34: "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame."
Our fine police officers are "putting out fires," so to speak, by trying to fight evil and protect the innocent, something that deserves our adoration, respect, and gratefulness. If everyone desired to do what's right, and respected the lives and property of others, then they would have an easier job such as helping people who locked themselves out of their house, or got in a car accident. Those who say we do not need police officers are ignorant of the human heart. Every day we have to die to self and put others first because we have the sin nature in us from the time we're born until the day we die. It's a constant battle. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:31: "I die daily."
Police officers risk their lives every day to protect people, and often do not get thanked for doing so. Job or no job, they are still good people to pick a job that puts them in harm's way to protect others. Every occupation has some "bad eggs" in it, some corrupt individuals who bring shame to that career and/or the organization they work for. But the vast majority of police officers work in humility to protect people and keep a civil union so that we do not become an anarchy, where everyone is doing what's right in their own eyes and many are getting hurt. Law and order are at the core of a civilized society, and it works WELL.
Plain and simple: if you do wrong, you deserve your punishment. If someone shows mercy to you, then praise the Lord! But you cannot demand mercy; you can only ask for it. If you do not get it, you must face your punishment. If a police officer thinks you are doing wrong and says, "Freeze! Put your hands up!" you need to stop, put your hands up, and be quiet until you are given your time to speak, preferably with your attorney. Go through the process. Yes, it has failed a few, but it allows for a fair trial. If you don't have an appreciation for that, take a trip to a third world country, and then come back and thank the Lord you have the privilege to live in America.
Jesus actually is pleased with you if you are punished wrongly and take it patiently. He respects that. Don't forget you can pray to an Almighty God who loves you, and can work behind the scenes on your behalf. He can change the hearts of kings; He can change the hearts of American political leaders and corrupt officers. 1 Peter 2:20: "For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God." Proverbs 21:1: "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will."
Remember Joseph in the Bible? He was wrongly accused and sent to prison. God was with him, and he was put in charge of the other jailors. He was well respected because he didn't allow his circumstances to change his heart. He kept serving the Lord, no matter where he found himself, whether it was after being sold as a slave by his jealous brothers, working for a wealthy man in a leadership position, being falsely accused and put in jail, or being promoted to the second in command of the greatest nation on earth at the time: Egypt. All those hard times and times of responsibility were training grounds for something greater God had in store for Joseph, and then he was ready for that huge job that led to him saving many lives, including the lives of his family. What was meant for evil, God used for good.
Church leaders and Christians, it is not the job of the politician to save the souls of the American people. That job belongs to Jesus, and that must be communicated by the church because that is Jesus' plan. Politicians must uphold the constitution and make sure our rights are protected and we have freedom of religion so we can do our jobs as ministers of the Gospel. But if we do our jobs and get out there and evangelize, write, sing, preach, hold Bible studies, work in the community in a faith-based organization, volunteer at church, create a blog, or even just be a witness at your job, we can reach people's souls, and lead them to the ONLY ONE who can forgive sin and cleanse a heart: JESUS CHRIST. HE is the hope of the world, not Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. God can use people to make good change in this world, but they cannot take care of the core of the problem. When you sweep away all the mess and complication of the matter, burn off all the extraneous issues, and get down to the bottom line, it is sin. Sin is by definition a rebellion against God and his commands. How do you find out who God is and what His commands are? Read the Bible, and study it. Jesus is STILL the answer for modern mankind.
2 Timothy 2:15
Imagine if we had a spiritual REVIVAL in 2016, repenting of our sin on our knees in humility to God? That would change the WORLD! May it start with me.
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