checks and balances

A good friend of mine is going through some legal issues. I hate using the term "some" because he is going through ridiculous legal issues. He has been slandered and put through the ringer by the District Attorneys office, local news agencies and some of Salt Lakes' "wonderful and non-judgemental" citizens. He has lost clientel over this as well as a sister who was pressured so much by certain people to basically lie (as she knew of no wrong doing) that she took her own life. And the charges keep coming... because my friend won't give in to the prosecuting attorneys desperate plea to settle this without him looking like an idiot, more charges have been filed. The sad thing is, is that this happens all the time. When the D.A's office does not have enough evidence to convict in a trial they will start looking for ticky tack charges to keep adding to your record so that you give in to the overwhelming amounts of time you are facing and take a plea deal on lesser charges. I know this because I went through it. My ex wife after I told her I wanted out of our marriage lied and said I raped her. I spent 9 months in jail facing 5 first degree felonies. The deals kept coming but so did the ticky tack charges. I'd write my kids a letter and get a protective order violation. But I knew I was innocent and I stood my ground and took it to a jury trial where the truth came out and I was found not guilty and the charges were dropped. So as I have been there watching first hand at what is going on with my friend I can't help but to think back to what I went through and see he is going through the same thing. So how does the D.A' office get away with manipulating the system without any repercussions? Its because by law they can take any little act you do that they can charge you with they will... and because its not really (in my opinion) about serving justice or protecting society but rather about power, prestige, money and fame. They care more about their win-loss record or conviction rate than they do about the publics safety. It is parlayed in Tyler Perry's "Madea goes to jail" where the D.A in that case has a 98% conviction rate but it comes out that she pads charges and criminal history.
So what can we do? Well I believe we need to stick to our guns when we truly know in our hearts we are innocent. Take it all the way to trial. If you and God know you are innocent he will see you through for one and two.... it will make the prosecuting work and if you are out after they have charged you...DO NOT GIVE THEM ANYTHING TO USE AGAINST YOU. In other words don't help them win the case. Keep your nose clean. Then when you have been vindicated make sure everyone you can know that you faced the injustice and won. Write letters to the newspapers, tell the media, let the prosecuting attorney know that he/she can't manipulate eveyone. Hopefully the checks and balances that should be in place will take notice and step in and hold those who swore to uphold the law actually uphold it.

The company we keep!

Have you ever taken a look back and really looked at the people in your life? Spouses, family,friends, co workers and even people we see and interact with every single day? What is each relationship like?.. how are the alike? Different?... Do they have a positive or negative effect on your life? How much of an effect do you have in their lives? And does any of those questions really matter? Some will say that they only associate with those who have a positive impact in their life. Others say that they keep their friends close and their enemies closer. Some form clicks (cliques) and shun those who are not like them.
Is this really how we are interpretting the desire of Jesus Christ when He said that we should love one another. We pick and choose who we want to love. In the book of 1 Peter all it does talk about is love. Between 1 Peter 4:5-21 the reference to love is used 27 times. And we know that God is love and that if you do not love then you do not truly know God. And once again... its not when you desire to love, it should be all the time. No matter what that person has done to you, you should treat them with love. Yeah they may have hurt you, lied to you or betrayed you. And you may need to be away from them for awhile. But you should also forgive them and do so out of love not as an obligation or to punch a ticket into Heaven.
So the next time you come across someone in your life... ask yourself if you have truly shown that person love no matter how they have treated you. If you haven't treated that person with love then it might be a good thing to tell that person and let them know that they are someone in your life who you love and will try your hardest to treat them with kindness and respect. I truly believe if we as a society can start doing this we will do away with clicks, families will be stronger, friendships will be closer and work will be a lot more pleasant.

The Greatest Battle Ever

Every Friday night, Saturday. And Sunday in the fall many great battles take place on football fields across the nation. Sometimes the games are blow outs as one team dominates another but sometimes the game comes down to the last play, filling the stadium with tension and anxiety... Yetbthere are games in which one team makes a tremendous comeback and wins the game in the closing moments, sending joy and euphoria throughout the whole community. That is the game and outcome I love to watch. It reminds me of the battle that is going on today between God and the devil. It may appear as if the devil is winning by a huge margin... deceiving people, tempting and lying and it works... but the game is not over... Jesus, the star of which is fighting for every single one of us, is starting to mount a comeback. With each life that is given to Him he cuts the lead that the devil has and I know that this game is going to end with Jesus trouncing on the devils head on his way to victory. He will be able to do that by having a bigger team than the evil one has. That is where we come in... everyone wants to be part of a winning team... we all know that the day will come when Jesus steps on satans head with His heel. So like every successful team we need to do some things. We need to recruit.. start planting that seed of victory in peoples hearts. We need to practice... praying, reading the Bible, repenting and then we lead by example just as the Star did. I can't wait to go into the most grandous of locker rooms after this victory and celebrate.