GUILTY

[Work in Progress]

WIP, remember, sometimes true love can be tough love!

Oh, believe me, you are preachin' to the choir on THAT one.

One of the jurors said after the verdict: "Well, that's a victory for the little guy".

THAT is the most inappropriate remark ever said by a juror. She was NOT convicted on legalities. She was convicted on the NERVE she had to be rich. And not very nice to boot. That is just plain wrong.

[Guest LCPGUY]

Not really. It's just a topic that's incomplete.

The point is, who ever admits to anything when they don't have the Holy Spirit to convict them?

Did you? Did I? Heck NO!

It takes the Holy Spirit to move in our hearts to change us on the inside.

What she needs is what we already have....the Holy Spirit to move her toward conviction.

It's hard enough to admit we're wrong even WITH the Holy Spirit. Pride is a problem we all suffer with.

It's ONLY because of the Holy Spirit we are enabled to humble ourselves and face our sins.

Martha needs the Holy Spirit to move her heart and help her come to repentence.

I'm sure you agree with that.

I do agree!

John :il:

[Guest LCPGUY]

Do you know how many people finally come to the Lord whan they realize they have hit bottom? Many have to hit bottom before they will every look up. Do you think Chuck Colson would have become the man he is if he hadn't had to go to prison for his crimes? Sometimes the most compassionate thing you can do for a person is allow them the consequences of their actions. That is the place where the Holy Spirit can really get their attention. When they realize that nobody on earth can help them. Their lawyers can no longer get them off. Their money and power are useless. Only God can do something for them now. And it isn't necessarily getting them out of prison, but rather releasing them from the prison of Sin.

This is what I wish for Martha. Wouldn't it be wonderful, if all this brought her to the realization that no home is truly a home without Christ in the center, no matter how grand or humble.

Island, you are so right

Cats wants, as do we all, for Martha to find the Lord. Maybe a strong dose of "tough love" is God's plan to bring her to Him.

Cheers,

Bro John

[Catsmeow]

Sometimes the most compassionate thing you can do for a person is allow them the consequences of their actions. That is the place where the Holy Spirit can really get their attention.

I totally agree, IR.

I'm not against punishment because it often brings us to our knees.

I think it's a matter of attitude. I don't delight in someone's fall but I do delight in their repentence.

My ONLY hope is she comes to repentence and meets our Lord and Savior.

I see her as if she were a sister or friend...I would only want what is right and best for her.

If greed is her sin, then I pray God will reveal Himself to her and she be set free from greed.

Just as I hope that when Jesus spared the adulteress from her "just punishment" of being stoned, he cautioned her to "go and sin no more." That's too awesome!

That's what I hope for her...and for all people who live in rebellion against the Lord.

I'd just love to see her saved!

[Catsmeow]

I think what's simply overcome me lately is an enormous sense of compassion and heaviness of heart.

My heart is so full of mercy and yearning for people to turn away from sin...I don't ever find joy or delight in "justice". I know it's just a necessary thing..and part of God's nature.

I know God is just but his justice is so magnificently tempered with His overwhelming compassion and pity for a fallen people.

See, I wish you guys understood. I don't think anyone on the board does, though.

You all just DON'T UNDERSTAND! You don't realize what a horrible, lowlife, slimeball sinner I was.

All my old photos are me getting stoned, drunk and absolutely wasted out of my mind. I would crank up Metallica or Pearl Jam or Tool or whatever...I was into the heavy metal scene and full of demons, believe me!

I was evil, evil, and evil. There's really NO WAY to put this nicely. I was EVIL.

It is absolutely nothing short of a miracle that God even wanted to waste His time drawing me. I was the lowest of the low...vile and evil.

I'd lie, cheat, gossip, steal, hate, curse...you name it, I did it.

I was pretty bad, and that's putting it nicely...

Now, I am so different from that I don't even know who or "what" that person was. I know she was evil. I know she had demons galore in her. I know she was very, very wicked.

So, when the Holy Spirit came to me, He had His work cut out for Him. He had a lot of cleaning up to do...and I was pretty filthy.

He started first with my "mouth" which was real bad...I mean BAD! Then my heart, which was hateful and vile. Then my honesty and integrity. Then my willingness to share and help others...and so on and so on..

God had a lot of work to do and He's not done yet. But boy, you have no clue how far I've come.

Other people seem like perfect angels compared to me. I won't even dare give my testimony on the boards because I was so evil. I also know that I am such a new creation now, I am opposite of who and what I was.

So, how can I EVEN look at anyone else? They all seem like saints to me when I compare how I used to be.

If God can change someone as vile as me, He can change anyone else. That's how I see it...and I long to see Him change people left and right. I pray God will pour out His Spirit on Martha and Scott Peterson and OJ Simpson and all the rest.

People need Jesus ....and they will never find happiness until they do. That's all I can say about that.

[eric]

This is a good thread and a lot of good has come from it. I've been where this lady has been and I've been where Cats has been, in spades. Conviction has to come first before repentance or the record just goes around and around. When you've been there and done that you cant help but have compassion for people like Martha. She is as deserving of Christ's love as anyone else and maybe this is the way God is showing her to find it. He showed me and He showed Cats or I hate to think where I would be today if it wasn't for the saving grace of JesuS.

She certainly wont be the first to come to know the Lord inside if it's HIS will.

Bless y'all.

eric.

[papasangel]

I apologize for the decorating her cell remark. It was catty and uncalled for and I am sorry. I do pray that she seeks repentence and turns away from her sin. But I do think that she should face consequences of her actions. She once was a stock trader so she should have known that she was breaking the rules. I think that she was hoping to just dump the stock and walk away without any consequences. What bothers me about the who scandle is that more and more companies are being found out about fraud and literally stealing hard earned money from folks who invested in the companies. Some of these folks have invested their life's savings in hopes of being able to enjoy their retirement in their golden years. Others have put money away for children, grandchildren etc and they have lost it all. Why? because of fraud, lies and plain out theft. What about these people? What about those who now have to work in their golden years and hope to be able to survive on pensions, and money they earn?

Martha was being made an example of. I would have chosen someone on the scale of Enron but the reality is that in the sea of stock Martha isn't a little fish, nor is she the big fish. She is big enough to make a media splash yet small enough that going after her is easier.

Who knows maybe through a prison ministry Martha will be able to focus on the word of God instead of making money. This may be the way that God will bring her through salvation. Or maybe not. Martha is not dumb, she is very smart and when she is ready she will make the decision on her own about salvation.

[Catsmeow]

I apologize for the decorating her cell remark. It was catty and uncalled for and I am sorry

Papas: Actually, I was giggling when I read that... I wasn't offended at all.

It was kinda cute..but it's just that if YOU KNEW how bad I was ...man, you guys would throw the book at me!

[Work in Progress]

I apologize for the decorating her cell remark.

Don't be so hard on yourself, PA. I recently saw a (fake) magazine cover with her cell done up like 'home and garden' magazine. It was hysterical. At another time, I'm sure she'd laugh too. Take it easy, you didn't do anything wrong, hon!