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markdohle

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  1. Look my friend, people in hell don't go there by accident, nor are they surprised. God's judgment is always true, he sees to the core of each soul, and each soul accepts God's judgment. For a soul in hell, heaven would be worse. Jesus said that those who seek will find, how that works I do not know. I would think either one kneels at the name of Jesus out of love, or out of necessity, because of who Jesus is, he is Lord. We either go through the door of God's mercy or God's justice, there is no other way. We are told to leave judgment up to God, meanwhile, we should share the Gospel and show the fruits of our faith. I pray for all. Peace Mark
  2. Of course, there is much that we cannot fathom;-). I don't argue about this since it has all been said, the debate or conversation about evolution. I just disagree about me being a fence sitter. That is your characterization, has nothing to do with anyone else. Darwinism will most likely be replaced with a different understanding (theory) about how it works. I do think the 'atheistic' aspect of it will disappear over time. Peace Mark
  3. I disagree ;-). Science, when true, is also the word of God, for the laws of nature and the process of evolution are part of that. God is the author of all things, that is what the book of genesis taught, not science. Peace Mark
  4. Lots of things that are not mentioned in the bible, but are facts none the less. Like 'germs', 'bacteria', 'atoms' etc. I do believe you go too far on your fence sitter analogy. Many Christians believe that there was a process involved in how things got to be where they are now.....evolution is one word for it. Though from God's point of view, everything is happening 'now'.
  5. Many Christian do accept some form of evolution, but not the atheistic understanding of it. For me it is obvious that there is an underlying infinite intelligence in this process (evolution), no way could it happen by blind, unconscious, meandering process. This infinite intelligence is revealed to us through Jesus Christ. Peace Mark
  6. I agree with you Wayne, self-knowledge is the surest way to repentance. I guess this self-knowledge grows as we allow grace to expand our ability to embrace our need for forgiveness and healing. Surely this leads to deeper compassion and empathy for others. peace mark
  7. We should never lose hope, yet boundaries are important as well. You did well, love the fact that you trusted God enough to continue your prayer ministry to him. Peace Mark
  8. Thank you for your comment. I do believe that each human being has a burden, a thorn in their side that keeps them in the knowledge of their need for continued grace from Jesus Christ. I understand regret, the struggle to overcome it, as well as learning that it says nothing about Jesus' love for me, nor my relationship with Jesus Christ. We grow in trust, by simple trusting when we feel the opposite. So yes, your are right, I do see in his suffering, my own. That is what empathy is I believe. I seek to encourage those I write in prison, not figure them out or to really try to change them. People as they mature in their faith walk, slowly learn of the Lords faithfulness in their lives even when they feel at their weakest. This man knows he needs to pay back his depth to society, he also knows of the Love of Jesus Christ. You have good insights into human nature, thanks for your comments my friend. Peace mark
  9. This prisoner admits his crime and is a Christian, a devout one. His main fear is giving into an old way of life. He is not going back to his old friends. His main problem is allowing God's mercy to sink in, but he is working on that. I am sorry for your friend. Peace Mark
  10. Regret, pain, loss and tears (A prisoner’s sorrow) I am writing a prisoner, his name is Roger, who has been in prison for a many years, but, hopefully will be getting out soon on parole. He is I believe one of those who will not be going back in. At least that is prayer for him. In his last letter he talked about regret and if I could give him some insight into dealing with it. I am not sure if I helped him, but since I have my own weight of regrets, I guess I do have some experience in dealing with it…..as I would suppose, most people do as well. Below is some of what I shared with him. I did not want him to think that he was alone in dealing with his past, that we all carry some weight around in our souls, even if it is often hidden. One day it will come out. I believe that as death nears, we do review our lives, or as the NDE’s talk about, have a live review. So below is what I shared with him. I need to say in passing, I have learned a lot from him. About perseverance against strong obstacles and starting over as he has done and will continue to do when he is released. Quote “Dear Roger, You asked about ‘regret’ and how to deal with it. We all have regrets in our lives. Some, over embarrassing moments, others, about serious wrongs that we did over the years, some more severe than others because we knew what we were doing and not just overwhelmed with emotion or passion when committed; they were free, evil, acts. Regrets, which are wounds that we place on ourselves, can rise up from time to time. For when we sin against another, we also sin against ourselves. However, to feel sorrow over our past can be something positive if we do not wallow in false guilt, which is a waste of time. Growth in self-knowledge comes from our contemplating what we have done in the past and from that knowing what we are capable of doing now and in the future. It is not always easy, but if you do feel regret, bring them into the presence of the Lord Jesus who knows, understands and has already forgiven you. Now you just need deeper healing for yourself and for those you hurt. You can pray for them, also if you can, if it is possible, to ask them for forgiveness. If they give it or not, are less important than you actually admitting it…..it takes a weight off and also leads to deeper compassion for others, as well as being able to forgive those who have hurt you in the past as well as the present….though it is always a struggle because of our powerful emotions. Pain goes deep, emotional pain the deepest. We each carry a burden, but until we learn to love ourselves and accept fully the healing mercy of the Lord we will go in circles bemoaning our past. Tears of sorrow are healing, tears of self pity are of a different nature altogether. We need to look to the Lord and not to our feet like Peter did when he was walking on the water towards the Lord. He began to sink, yet the Lord reached out and pulled him up, as he does you on a daily basis. You are God’s child, his son, his beloved, never forget that. Allow God’s love to fill you with compassion for your-self, self hatred leads nowhere. One point, do not be afraid of the different types of inner experiences, for they pass and another will take its place. It is from the stand point of faith that you learn to trust and not get swallowed up by inner storms. When you start on the path of faith, the Lord will want you to grow in self knowledge, which is humbling, for it is based on truth. Do not fear the truth about yourself, for in that you learn to embrace your need for mercy and healing. To deny that is only to allow it to grow unchecked and over time can become a devouring flame. Christ Jesus died for you, would have died if you were the only human on earth, that is what God’s love is….infinite, incomprehensible, other….so don’t try to understand it from how we humans love. Our love is finite, very comprehensible because it has limits. If God loved the way we do, well yes, we would be in deep trouble, yet Christ Jesus shows us something different my friend. When you see others there in the grip of some passion, or depressed, or overwhelmed with guilt, have compassion for them, and if possible let them know of God’s love. Speak to them in everyday language, using scripture only if it helps you to share your experience of the Love you have experienced in Christ Jesus. So, your regret, can lead to deeper healing, or to just more worthless guilt that leads nowhere. When you feel ‘negative emotions’ open up that chamber in your heart to the love, light, mercy and God’s love for you and those there with you…everyone you see and interact with is the beloved Child of God and how you treat them is how you treat Jesus Christ. When you fail, just get up and if you can make amends.” End of quote’ As a Christian who has received the mercy of God through Jesus Christ, I have only hope for all and so I encourage others no matter what their inner feelings and emotions are to trust in God’s love and mercy. God’s love is not predicated on how we feel at any one time. True faith has a deep trust in the Lord’s love; that nothing can separates us from if we seek mercy, compassion for ourselves as well as others. What we receive, we are to give back, to become channels of God’s love and grace. We are Christ arms to embrace, he speaks through us when we share our faith and encourage others, and when we show compassion it is His Heart that flows through ours. We are called to truly understand and deepen our understanding of what it means to belong to the priesthood of the faithful.
  11. Yes, call it murder, just legal. Sad state of affairs. Peace mark
  12. Eventually, they kill their conscience. I am talking about those who do them. However, I have met quite a few who woke up and now work for pro-life. Peace mark
  13. About abortion, Pro-Life and Pro-Choice A good friend of mine, who is not a Christian, but a thoughtful man, actually like a brother, wrote me and disagreed. He is a man who does care for others, we just start from a different place. He did mention in his note to me that if Universal Contraception was available it would take care of a good deal of the problem. His name is Marco and if anyone met him would like him for his passion and depth of insight into many of the problems that we are dealing with at this time. We both know and understand that the women who get abortions go through a horrendous process and many never get over it. Hence a central problem if not the main one for the abortions issue. I am not pointing fingers at anyone, for I have friends and family who have procured abortions….life is messy and chaotic. Marco, "I think there is universal access to contraception. I believe that is another question. However, when the sexual act is reduced to 'play' without regard for consequences is a problem. Marco, one reason you are interested in the rights of animals is that they are not objects to you, nor are they commodities, they are real living creatures. I don't always agree with everything you say about animal rights, yet people need to stop looking upon animals as things' and in that I applaud you. The same goes for the 'fetus'. Funny, when a woman wants to have an abortion, it is a fetus. When she wants to keep it, it is a child developing. We use words to protect us from understanding the evil in what we are doing. Cruelty to animals for instance. We can call it sport, or scientific experimentation etc. That way we don't have to face the suffering we cause other animals. We label them. We also label the life in the womb as a 'fetus' or 'mere tissue''. Or the 'Woman's right to choose ', mind-numbing repetitions to cover over the conscience. I can't believe that during the democratic convention a woman got up and bragged about getting an abortion, how it helped her in her career.....so the life in her womb was a commodity, mere tissue, if she wanted the child, I doubt she would think in those terms. Abortion is murder, which is legal, just as mercy killing in this country will soon be. When something becomes a law, it matures, grows and can get out of control. Like in the Netherlands… doctors are starting to choose on their own who is to live or not. That was not the intention of 'mercy killing', yet when doctors overstep they are not persecuted. Roe and Wade was introduced with the intent of allowing abortions for women in danger......now it is a right for all woman to get an abortion for any reason. However, the issue goes beyond my thoughts on the issue, or yours. It is here to stay; like I said… for it to lessen significantly or to even go away, cultures would have to change in ways that are impossible. So all anyone can do who is pro-life is to stay calm, loving and compassionate. Life is very, very, very, messy. Becoming violent, insulting and physically aggressive only makes things worse for everyone. My post was not directed at people who are pro-choice but towards those who understand the sacredness of life in the womb so that they will not despair, or get angry or violent. I do not underestimate our potential for violence, in me, you, or the gentle old lady who lives in her apartment."
  14. When I wrote this piece, I was not trying to change anyone's mind on the subject. I was really speaking to those who are pro-life and are very passionate about it. We need to speak out, without worrying about change, only God can touch hearts, and that includes mine. To become bitter, or judgmental in the way the Christ Jesus told us not to do is to become what we are fighting against. It is important that in speaking truth, we never forget the dignity of those we are seeking to help and be with. Tamela, you are entering into the experience of those who suffer. You are not standing outside making harsh judgments, that is not our place, so good for you. The Lord will use you in a powerful way. A good friend of mine, who is not a Christian, but a thoughtful man wrote me and disagreed. He is a man who does care for others, but I feel he goes along too much with the current climate in thought. Below is my response to this difficult situation. "I think there is universal access to contraception. I believe that is another question. However when the sexual act is reduced to 'play' without regard for consequences is a problem. Maco, one reason you are interested in the rights of animals is that they are not objects to you, nor are they commodities, they are real living creatures. I don't always agree with everything you say about animal rights, yet people need to stop looking upon animals as things' and in that I applaud you. The same goes for the 'fetus'. Funny, when a woman wants to have an abortion, it is a fetus. When she wants to keep it, it is a child developing. We use words to protect us from understanding the evil in what we are doing. Cruelty to animals for instance. We can call it sport, or scientific experimentation etc. That way we don't have to face the suffering we cause other animals. We label them. We also label the life in the womb as a 'fetus' or 'mere tissue''. Or the 'Woman's right to choose ', mind-numbing repetitions to cover over the conscience. I can't believe that during the democratic convention a woman got up a bragged about getting an abortion, how it helped her in her career.....so the life in her womb was a commodity, mere tissue, if she wanted the child, I doubt she would think in those terms. Abortion is murder, that is legal, just as mercy killing in this country will soon be. When something becomes a law, it matures, grows and can get out of control. Like in the Netherlands. Doctors are starting to choose on their own who is to live or not. That was not the intention of 'mercy killing', yet when doctors overstep they are not persecuted. Roe and Wade was introduced with the intent of allowing abortions for women in danger......now it is a right for all woman. However, the issue goes beyond my thoughts on the issue, or yours. It is here to stay; like I said. for it to lessen significantly or to even go away, cultures would have to change in ways that are impossible. So all anyone can do who is pro-choice is to stay calm, loving and compassionate. Life is very, very, very, messy. Becoming violent, insulting and physically aggressive only makes things worse for everyone. My post was not directed at people who are pro-life but towards those who understand the sacredness of life in the womb so that they will not despair, or get angry or violent. I do not underestimate our potential for violence, in me, you, or the gentle old lady who lives in her apartment." Peace Mark
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