"Man gets life with mercy..."

As I got the newspaper out of the box this morning, I looked at the main headline on the front page that read, "Man gets life with mercy in killing of area minister". This headline kind of struck me in a different way than I believe it was meant to. The article is about a young man, U.S. Army Spc. Daniel Smith, who has been on trial this past week in Huntington, WV, for his role in the the June 2008 robbery and killing of the Rev. Mark McCalla, a 48 year old pastor of Huntington's Highlawn Presbyterian Church. Pastor McCalla was an avid outdoorsman and was taking target practice on the morning of June 19, 2008, when two young men showed up, Smith and Pfc. Stephen Wilson, after driving from Fort Drum, N. Y., where they were both absent without leave (AWL). This was a horrible crime that was totally unnecessary; based on the descriptions given of Pastor McCalla, I am sure that he would have given them anything they requested without them having to kill him.

The Herald-Dispatch article said, "It took jurors about 90 minutes to agree upon the guilty verdict. They needed another 70 minutes to return the life with mercy recommendation. The mercy recommendation means Smith could be eligible for parole in 15 years, but Prosecutor Tom Plymale said any eligibility would be delayed at least 22 additional years because of Pratt's (Wayne Circuit Judge) robbery sentence." Smith's parents both testified in the sentencing phase and asked the jury to recommend mercy for their son, who turned 24 years old this week. "'I'm begging for you to do it,' testified Talton Smith. 'He's a good man.'" The Public Defender asked the jurors to remember Smith's "honorable service to his country and testimony from his friend's, who called Smith a good person and credited him with saving a fellow soldier from suicide. 'Some day maybe the good in him can come out again,' Lewis (defender) told jurors."

"HE'S A GOOD MAN" ???!!! I'm sorry, but a "good man" does not commit such a horrid act with such malice and then have no remorse whatsoever, until he knew he was found guilty; that's when he begged for "mercy". "HONORABLE SERVICE TO HIS COUNTRY" ???!!! And yet he was AWL from his post in Fort Drum, N.Y.??? Again, I am sorry, but someone who is honorable does not leave their assigned position without prior approval - - my dictionary defines "honorable" as "worthy of honor; upright; a title of distinction or respect." Does that describe Spc. Daniel Smith, or for that matter, Pfc. Stephen Wilson? In fact, none of us are really "good" or "honorable" people....In Luke 18:19, Jesus Himself says, "...Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone." This was in response to a young ruler who asked Him what he needed to do to inherit eternal life.

Paul, one of the most faithful and devoted servants of Jesus Christ in the Bible, came to realize that he was a sinner and worthy of death. In Romans chapter seven, Paul came to understand the true meaning of the law; the law is fundamentally good, but the result of the law is to bring into the open the power of sin. Many people think they can be sanctified, set apart for only Christ's service, by keeping the law. Jesus Christ and His blood Sacrifice is more better and powerful than the law, therefore the only way to be sanctified is through the blood of Jesus! In Romans 7:15-25 we find Paul's explanation of what happens when one tries to be sanctified by keeping the law; "For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I {would} like to {do,} but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not want {to do,} I agree with the Law, {confessing} that the Law is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good {is} not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin." In this passage, Paul uses the word "flesh" to denote the personality of man controlled by sin and led to selfish desires instead of being led to serving the One True God. Paul is relating his experience as a believer here; in a non-Christian there is no battle, just the bondage of a sinful nature. "For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death" (Romans 7:5).


All of us as human beings were born into this world with a sinful nature and we all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. From the moment we are born we start down a path toward hell and eternal death, but God has prepared and offered a way for us to avoid that and reach eternal life in heaven with Jesus. That is the "MERCY" of God; not getting what we deserve, which is eternal death in hell. But by His "GRACE" we receive eternal life in heaven with Christ! Grace can be defined as God's undeserved, unearned favor, goodness, kindness and love shown toward us....Grace is a free gift that cannot be earned, only received!!!

U.S. Army Spc. Daniel Smith was found guilty and then was recommended for mercy by the jury. Aren't we all guilty? Yes, we are! But we also are recommended for mercy by a God that loves us through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son, our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ!! "This is how God showed his love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him" (I John 4:9). All any of us, including Smith and Wilson, need to do to receive this free gift of salvation is to call out the name of Jesus and admit we are sinners, believe that Jesus died for our sins, confess our sins to Him, and confess Jesus before others; "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 10:13). I pray with all my heart that Smith and Wilson do not miss the opportunities placed before them by God to hear and receive the gift of salvation, therefore being able to receive TRUE 'MERCY" offered by the One who died for them, not just the legal mercy offered by a jury and a judge. So instead of the headline reading, "Man gets life with mercy in killing of area minister", it should read, "MEN GET LIFE THROUGH MERCY AND GRACE BECAUSE OF THE KILLING OF THE ONE AND ONLY SAVIOR"!!!!!

Jesus gave His life voluntarily and was crucified, dead and buried. He then rose from the dead and He is now sitting at the right hand of God Almighty. He is waiting for YOU to call out His name and come to Him as you are, a sinner in need of His MERCY and GRACE......

I RECOMMEND LIFE WITH MERCY AND GRACE!!!

WILL YOU RECEIVE IT?????

"See, he's not just anyone, he's my son."

Today, August 20th, 2009, is my Son's (Dustin Clark) 26th birthday......

HAPPY 26TH BIRTHDAY, BUDDY!

As I am beginning to write this new post I am listening to a song by Mark Schultz called "He's My Son". When I first heard the name of the song I assumed it was God talking about His Son, Jesus, but when I finally listened to the lyrics I understood that it was from the eyes of a father watching his son growing up and struggling through some type of trial or tribulation; the father is praying to God for protection and guidance for his son......WOW! It brings back so many memories of my son, Dustin, as he struggled growing up and as Debbie and I prayed for him and loved him through those difficult times.

As parents, we doubted our ability many times to be able to raise our kids, Danell and Dustin, the way God intended for us to; as Proverbs 22:6 says, "Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it." There were days that I wasn't sure I was training them in the way they should go, which was my responsibility as their father....There were many nights like the nights mentioned at the very beginning of the song by Mark Schultz; "I'm down on my knees again tonight, I'm hoppin' this prayer will turn out right. See, there is a boy that needs your help. I've done all that I can do myself His mother is tired, I'm sure You can understand. Each night as he sleeps She goes in to hold his hand, And she tries not to cry As the tears fill her eyes."

We made so many mistakes, but the one thing we did do right was to continue to pray to God, lift them both up to Him, and trust that God was in control and would lead them in the right direction in spite of our mistakes.....AND HE DID!!!!! Today we have two wonderful adult children that are Christians and are hard working, responsible, and loving parents of our seven wonderful grandchildren!!

OK; back to Dustin....He struggled through so much as he came up through school, all the way from Pea Ridge Elementary to Barboursville Middle School and Cabell Midland High School. I am so thankful that he received Christ into his life at a young age, because I know that is what got him through all of the deep valleys, but as his father I wanted to do so much more for him that I just couldn't do. I spent many nights watching and praying over him; again, more lyrics from the song tell the story - - - "Sometimes late at night I watch him sleep, I dream of the boy he'd like to be. I try to be strong and see him through, But God, who he needs right now is You." At times, as parents, it is so easy to turn your children over to God, but then there are those times you want to do it all for them yourself....The right thing to do is to "let go and let God"!

I always believed and felt from the very start that God had something very special in store for Dustin. As I learned to turn him completely over to the Lord and allow God to work with him and through him, Dustin began to develop a loving and compassionate heart that had a true desire to learn more about God and His Word. He began reading and studying the Bible and applying it to his life and then one day He received a "calling" from God to become a Minster of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; PRAISE THE LORD!!!! He currently is seeking the Lord's guidance as to what he is to do next and where he is to go....He is seeking His face and continuing to obey and follow as he waits upon the Lord.

There are times that he still struggles through difficult situations and circumstances as he tries to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit in his life, and there are still times that I wish I could protect him from what I see coming; once a dad, always a dad and once a son, always a son. I still pray for him and watch over him as I did when he was my "Little Buddy", only now he isn't sleeping in my house and he is my "Big Buddy". More lyrics from the song "He's My Son" express what was in my heart as a younger father looking down at my younger son, but they also express what is in my heart today as I think about how much I love Dustin, how much he means to me, and how proud I am of him; the prayer continues with these words - "Can You hear me? Am I getting through tonight? Can You see him? Can You make him feel all right? If You can hear me Let me take his place some how. See, he's not just anyone, he's my son."

Now I know that I cannot live Dustin's life for him and I know that I shouldn't try, and I don't. But that fatherly instinct kicks in and your heart breaks when you see your child going through something that is difficult or heading into a hard trial and you want to protect them from the hurt by going through it for them. Instead, I must step back and allow God to go through it with them as He teaches them something new and important for their spiritual growth; what I need to do is the right thing that I did when they were younger - - PRAY!!!

Dustin is somebody special and he is special to God, as we all are. God is preparing him for a special ministry He already has waiting for him; what exactly, where exactly, and when exactly, I don't know.....But this I do know - - I will continue to pray for and watch over him every day and every night as I continue to turn him over to God and joyously watch as God grows him into what He wants him to be.

Heavenly Father, Dustin is important to me and what happens to him is important to me.....For GOD, he's not just anyone, he's my son! Please let him know YOU are there; as much as I care and try to do for him GOD, who he needs right now is YOU! LORD, please bless him in a special way on this special day and show him the way YOU would have him to go. Thank YOU LORD for my children and grandchildren and may their lives be dedicated to YOU and devoted to serving YOU only, now and in the future. In Jesus Christ's name I pray. Amen.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DUSTIN! I AM VERY PROUD OF YOU! MAY GOD BLESS YOU INDEED, TODAY AND EVERY DAY!!!

I AM SO GLAD YOU ARE MY SON!!!!

Love, Dad!

My "Unquenchable Love" For My Wife

"Place me like a seal over your heart, or like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, and its jealousy is as enduring as the grave. Love flashes like fire, the brightest kind of flame. Many waters cannot quench love; neither can rivers drown it. If a man tried to buy love with everything he owned, his offer would be utterly despised" (Song of Solomon 8:6-7).

WOW!!! I can't express how strong my love for my wife, Debbie, is better than this Scripture expresses for me! "For love is as strong as death,......Love flashes like fire, the brightest kind of flame. Many waters cannot quench love; neither can rivers drown it." I love my wife with all of that strong, fiery, passionate love these verses speak of, but I also love my God that much and much, much more! That is why I can love my dearest and closest friend with such a deep, hot, strong, and enduring love....The even stronger and deeper love that I have for the one who loved me enough to die for me, Jesus Christ, allows me and helps me to love Debbie the way that I do!

God's Holy Word is saying here that when we experience true earthly love that we should desire to be our partner's most precious and treasured possession. It is saying that this true love cannot be quenched, nor bought; for if we attempt to buy it, that action alone shows that we despise it. I know that for the past 32 years Debbie and I have been "two as one" as we have made it very clear that we truly do belong to one another....We are each other's most precious and treasured possession. On Thursday, August 20, 2009, just a few days from now, we will celebrate our 32nd Wedding Anniversary. It has been a wonderful and exciting 32 year journey!!! Now I won't try to lie to you and tell you that it has been an easy or perfect 32 years together. We have had our love's flame drenched by many streams and rivers of doubt, frustration, trials, and hurt, but that flame has never been quenched - God's love for us and our love for Him has been the fuel that has kept that fire burning!....We have definitely had to work at making it work and last! Anything that is worth anything and important to us takes energy, time, and effort. There have been times throughout our relationship that we have said harsh words and acted unloving toward each other, but we have always been able to go to the Lord and to each other and receive forgiveness. To be successful in marriage and in life, we must remember that we, as individuals, and as couples, are a "work in progress" in the hands of our Creator and Lord! If our Lord is willing to take the time to work on us and our relationship day to day, then why shouldn't we also be willing to work on our own relationship? Debbie and I have been able to learn over the years how to love and forgive one another and to "build a bridge, get over it, and move on."

We have made beautiful memories together as we have parented two wonderful children together, Danell and Dustin, and then have become the proud grandparents of seven great kids; Ashleigh, Christian, Nicolas, Michael, Kaylee, Cesylia, and Abigayle. We have also had two sets of wonderful supporting parents throughout our marriage....I can honestly say that we probably would not have made it to where we are today if not for the love of our parents! My Mother and Father, Sylvia and Charles Clark, have gone on to be with the Lord, but Debbie's parents, Freda and Dan Kimsey, are still part of our support system today. I want to say a big "Thank You" to them all; I appreciate all that they have done for us over the years!

Above all else and all others, our One and Only True God has been the biggest reason that Debbie and I remain married and deeply in love with one another today!!!!! For without Him we would not have been able to continue along our journey together and continued to love each other and our family as we have. We have claimed His promises to us that he would never leave or forsake us, that He would always be with us through every single trial and tribulation, that He would never give us more than He knows we can handle, that He would give us New Strength to make it through each new difficulty, that He always be in complete and total control of every situation, that He is a loving and compassionate God, and that He will always do what is best for us!!! HE HAS NEVER FAILED US YET AND HE NEVER WILL!!

Debbie Danell (Kimsey) Clark is my best friend, my confidant, my best buddy, the Mother of my children, my "most treasured possession", the one"who possesses me", the "object of my love and passion", my lover, the "love of my life", my wife, and the best gift I could ever dream of or imagine from a loving God!

Debbie, I want to wish a Wonderful and Happy 32nd Wedding Anniversary!!!

I also want to thank you for the best 32 years of my life and for putting up with me and being patient as God has continued to do a work in and through me throughout the years. As my friend has said about he and I numerous times, and I have been quick to agree each time, "We have definitely married up and we are 2 truly blessed men!" Debbie, thank you for the true honor and privilege to be your husband, lover, and friend....God has truly blessed me, INDEED!!!!!!!!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY AND MAY WE HAVE MANY MORE YEARS OF "UNQUENCHED LOVE" AND PASSION FOR ONE ANOTHER, BUT ALSO, MORE IMPORTANTLY, FOR OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST!!!!

MAY WE CONTINUE TO BE "TWO IN ONE AND ONE IN TWO"!!

A Faithful, Promise Keeping God!

God is a faithful God who keeps His promises! Many years ago God promised to use me fully to make an impact on the world for Christ's sake, but unfortunately I lost site of God's calling in my life and failed miserably....Thank the Good Lord, He did not give up on me!
As the years went by and grew older, I began to seek God's will in my more and more and one day He restated His promise to me....About three years ago, just when I was wondering if God had forgotten His promise to me, He renewed His Calling to me and His promise as well!!! He said, "Darrell, just continue to follow and obey, walk by faith and not by sight, and be patient and wait upon me; do this and I will answer your prayers and keep my promises."
I began doing just that and this past Wednesday night, on August the 5th, God answered my prayers and fulfilled His promises to me He had made years ago....Central Baptist Church in Ashland, Kentucky, voted to issue a call to me to be their next full time pastor; PRAISE THE LORD!!!! God has truly blessed me to allow me the privilege to serve Him and His people on an everyday basis!! I count this a true honor and privilege to serve the people at Central Baptist Church!
I have been serving there as the Interim Pastor for the past four months, helping to prepare the congregation for their next permanent pastor; transitioning them with God's direction. God has truly blessed over those four months as He has been doing a work in and through me and the church! Now I must shift gears into working long term plans as we seek God's will for us in spreading the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the neighborhood, the city, the country, and the world. Over the past four months God has been orchestrating a "spiritual symphony" where He brought two Christian bodies together to play a wonderful and beautiful tune. Now we corporately have the responsibility to seek God's guidance as we tune the instruments, rearrange the sections, learn the songs, and then play the music for the Lord!
Our most difficult and vigorous work is ahead of us, but I am up for it and I know the faithful people at Central Baptist are as well. If we will continue to stay focused on Christ and His mission for us, continue to follow and obey, walk by faith and not by sight, be patient and wait upon Him, and remember that He is a faithful God that ALWAYS keeps His promises, then He will answer our prayers and fulfill the promises He has made to us!!!!!
Serving The One and Only True God has been an exciting journey and I can't wait to see what He has in store around the next corner!!! Thank you Lord for keeping your promises!!!!! AMEN.

The Love A Friend Left Behind

"WILLIAM CHARLES SEEGMILLER JR., 56, of Huntington, loving husband of Patricia Whitt Seegmiller, passed away Saturday, August 1, 2009. Bill, as he was known to his family and friends, was the son of the late William Charles and Lorena Melrose Seegmiller. In addition to his wife, Bill is survived by his son, William Tyler Seegmiller of Huntington, his wife's three children, who he loved and cared for as his own, Erin Stone Wesol and her husband Nick of Fairfax, Va., Jacob Stone of Richmond, Kentucky, and Rachel Stone of Spartanburg, South Carolina; one precious new grandson, Beckett Reid Wesol, of Fairfax, Va........Online condolences may be conveyed to the family at http://www.beardmortuary.com/." (The Herald-Dispatch Online Obituaries).

I attended Bill's funeral today and was able to see and talk to Pat, his wife, Jacob, & Erin. Pat & Bill were good friends of mine & Debbie's when we use to be members at Beverly Hills Baptist (BHB)...We had their kids in youth and childrens Sunday School for many years and they were friends of our children. I really liked and loved Bill and still like and love Pat...Bill was always a likable person and treated me with respect and kindness every time that I saw him, even since leaving BHB many years ago. I did not claim to be one of his "closest friends" or "buddies", but we did get to know each other through the years.

Today I realized that there was so much about Bill that I either did not know or seemed to overlook and not see....As I sat there hearing the wonderful, respectful words from his "children" and wife being read and/or spoken, I understood that there was a very special side to Bill that I had allowed myself to miss. When we attended the same church together and our children were involved in the same activities together over many years, I knew that his "children" included three "step-children", Erin, Jacob, and Rachel, and one child of his own, Tyler. But to be honest, I never really gave it a second thought because the "step-children" treated him just as though he was their "real dad" and he treated them just as though they were his "real children".....They had a wonderful relationship and family and never acted like there was anything "different" about what they were doing and how they were doing it; there was no special attention given to the fact that they were not biologically connected. They were "real" to each other!! That is something very special!!!

The children talked today about how Bill had loved them and treated them just like his own and that they realized that he didn't have to. That got me to thinking about my son, Dustin, and my "grandson", Nicolas; Nicolas is Dustin's stepson, but no one would ever know by the way he treats him and loves him! In fact, Nicolas calls Dustin "Dad" and people have told them how much they look alike, not knowing they are not biologically connected. It takes a very special person to receive a child into their lives that is not a child "of their bone" and make them feel like they are genuinely their own....Bill Seegmiller and Dustin Clark are two of those very special people!!!!

I also knew that Bill had some very serious health issues throughout his years but today I really learned what a brave man he truly was, as he went about his daily routine never complaining or feeling sorry for himself. It made me realize how I need to take better care of myself physically and how I need to appreciate my situation more.

Watching the pictures of Bill and his family today, I saw how much Bill loved his wife and children and it reminded me of how I need to show my love and appreciation for my wonderful wife of almost 32 years, my children, and my grandchildren more than I do now....Bill left this world quickly and unexpectantly this past Saturday, but before he did he fully showed his love for his family and left a wonderful legacy; his life showed Christ's love to the world through the love he had for his family, loved ones, church family, and friends! Will my life show the same testimony? I pray that it does, but I realized today that I need to take the time to love my family more and with better quality!

Bill Seegmiller's love, life, and testimony taught me something as I realized I did not know him in this life as well as I thought I did or as well as I wish I did....I believe that I could have learned a lot more from him if I had paid a little more attention to his life while he was living it. I am thankful and blessed for the time I did know him, but I am really thankful for what God showed me and taught me today as I heard and saw the love that Bill left behind! Thank you, Bill!

Genuine Worship Experiences

“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24 - Holman CSB).

WE ARE TO WORSHIP GOD EVERY DAY!!!!

Here of late, in our services at Central Baptist Church, especially our Sunday Morning Worship Service, we have been emphasizing and focusing on the true and genuine individual and corporate worship experience….We have been moving to a better understanding that worshiping God is what it is all about; not just making sure that we have 3 hymns, 3 prayers, 1 solo, 1 offering, 1 sermon, and 1 invitation before we finish. It is a must to realize that what we do and how many times we do it throughout a worship service is not the important thing, but instead what is of the utmost importance is that we do it with a spirit and attitude of holy reverence and joyful praise for our Almighty God!!

Our worship experience should not start when we walk through the doors of the church building or after the first prayer is prayed….Worshiping God on Sunday mornings should begin the night before with preparation through prayer and Bible study, as well as making sure we are properly rested so as to give God our very best offering of praise. We all should ready our hearts, minds, and bodies to hear and receive what God has to teach and show us.

THAT IS SUNDAY MORNING; WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF THE WEEK???
Do you take time out of each day of the week to worship your Heavenly Father??
Do you wait until Sunday morning to give Him praise and honor?? Your answer to these questions will determine the quality and direction of your spiritual life!!

When we worship God every day that we live, we are truly blessed, but if we decide to not worship Him, for whatever reason, we loose out on so much that He desires for us to experience! God belongs at the very center of our lives every day and He gives us opportunities to worship Him through our words, our actions, our reactions, and our attitudes….As a child of God, we must put Him where He belongs in our daily walk - ALWAYS FIRST!!!!

I Thessalonians 5:18 says, “in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”….This should remind us to praise God in every circumstance of our life!! Sometimes, when things become overwhelming, we don’t feel much like praising and worshiping God….God’s Word is very clear: In every and all situations, our Heavenly Father makes His wonderful love, grace, and strength available to us, therefore, in all circumstances, we should thank Him and worship His Holy Name!!!!!!!

When we worship God with a sincere heart, every day, He will guide our steps and bless us abundantly, every day….

Have you worshiped God with a sincere and genuine heart today???
Please take the time to give Him thanks & honor your Heavenly Father!!!!

Atheist Really Do Believe

There was a little old lady, who every morning stepped onto her front porch, raised her arms to the sky, and shouted: "PRAISE THE LORD!"....One day an atheist moved into the house next door. He became irritated at the little old lady. Every morning he'd step onto his front porch after her and yell: "THERE IS NO LORD!".....Time passed with the two of them carrying on this way every day.....One morning, in the middle of winter, the little old lady stepped onto her front porch and shouted: "PRAISE THE LORD! Please Lord, I have no food and I am starving, provide for me, oh Lord!
The next morning she stepped out onto her porch and there were two huge bags of groceries sitting there. "PRAISE THE LORD!" she cried out....."HE HAS PROVIDED GROCERIES FOR ME!"
The atheist neighbor jumped out of the hedges and shouted: "HA! HA! THERE IS NO LORD I BOUGHT THOSE GROCERIES!!"....The little old lady threw her arms into the air and shouted:"PRAISE THE LORD! HE HAS PROVIDED ME WITH GROCERIES AND MADE THE DEVIL PAY FOR THEM!
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An Atheist is “one who denies the existence of God”, according to the Merriam Webster Dictionary.
When we as Christians decide that we do not need God to help us with our problems, trials, or tribulations; when we decide that we can do everything ourselves, are we not also, at least for those moments, denying the existence of God? At those times in our lives, we are saying that there is no God who can take us through our situations, therefore we need to take care of it all alone....OK, I agree; that is a little bit of a stretch, but you must agree that there is some truth in that concept.
I also believe that it is a stretch, quite a stretch, to say that our Heavenly Father, the Creator of all things, does not exist! To deny the existence of God when there is so much evidence around us, everywhere that we look, I believe, is foolish.
The Word of God says in Psalm 14:1, “The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good.” Mitchell Kahle, an atheist and the founder and president of Hawaii Citizens for the Separation of State and Church, uses this Scripture to say that “Atheists are often branded as amoral or wicked” by Christians and Bible believers. In this Scripture God is not looking down from heaven at just the atheist, but instead He is looking at all mankind and sees that they have all played the fool. This is referring to one who denies God's moral control of the world and who are morally perverse and profane toward God and God's people; the psalmist sees people all about him acting like fools.
As Followers of Christ, we are not saying that all atheists are “fools”, but again I say that I believe it is “foolish” to believe there is no God. In fact, I believe it is “foolish” to not believe that God is a sovereign God and is in control of all that effects us. I especially believe that it is “foolish” to not trust in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord, for without Jesus in your life you have no eternal future in heaven. Please don't be mistaken though, you will have an eternal future! It will instead be a future of eternal death and destruction in hell.
Mitchell Kahle also says, “that the freedom of belief includes the freedom to not believe;”....The problem here is that atheists actually do believe; they believe that there is no God! I say that freedom of belief allows you to believe what you choose. If you believe there is no God, that is your choice. Just please don't ask me to not believe that you are foolish; that is my freedom to believe, as I trust and believe on God's Holy Word.
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