September 2025
Happy Labor & Patriot Day! I've labored in prison for almost fifty-six (56) years, having been spared the death penalty in 1972. But spiritually, I owed a debt that only the blood of Jesus could pay. He paid the price for my sin to satisfy a just God by taking my punishment on the cross. Though the law brought condemnation and death, God's mercy and grace provided forgiveness, righteousness and eternal life. The apostle Paul wrote:
". . . by the grace of God I am what I am; and His grace toward me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me" (1 Corinthians 15:10,NKJV).
All Have Sinned . . .
I'm not the only one who needs God's amazing love and grace for salvation. You do too!
Have you ever; 1) worshipped other gods, 2) made idols or images, 3) cursed in the Lord's name, 4) forgot the Sabbath, 5) dishonored your parents, 6) murdered, or 7) committed adultery [in thought or action], 8) stole, 9) bore false witness, or 10) coveted? The correct answer is "Yes!"
These are the Ten Commandments listed in Exodus, chapter 20 -- the Law of God given to Moses for the people. "The whole world is guilty before God . . . for by the Law is the knowledge of sin . . . for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:19, 20, 23). As sinners, we all fall short of God's glory, but JESUS came to save sinners [Luke 19:10]. He took our punishment for sin, and He provided forgiveness and eternal life through His death, burial and resurrection. "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23, NLT).
For believers, the Lord does not hold our sins against us! "God freely and graciously declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty of our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in the present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus" (Romans 3:24-26, NLT).
The Veil of Unbelief & Condemnation . . .
In the late '60s, the Law of God had no place in my heart to reveal my sin: pride, greed, lust, envy, fear, anger and laziness, and neither did the Holy Spirit. I chose to commit the crimes that put me in prison because I slowly "seared" my conscience [awareness of right and wrong, 1 Timothy 4:2]. Sin destroyed my capacity for experiencing the feelings and thoughts for others. Whereas after the crimes, the Law of God and man condemned me, demanding justice for my sins.
You may be able to identify with the condition of my conscience and the lack of empathy that soon enshrouded me. It was like a veil of condemnation, guilt and shame that came over my face for taking the lives of the victims. I became traumatized by the thoughts of what I had done. I recall asking myself that question while sitting in a dry creek bed with my legs cross and my hands over my face. Years later, I would find out ". . . whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord -- who is the Spirit -- makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image" (2 Corinthians 3:16-18, NLT).
Listen, I know what it is like to live behind a veil of unbelief and condemnation, a damnable accusation coming at you day and night, "declaring you to be wrong, guilty, or unfit for use" according to Webster. It was a slow, painful process for the veil to be removed from my face and eyes. You may be medicating yourself with booze and drugs to deal with the guilt resulting from your sinfulness. But, there is freedom for you now, ". . . there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The Law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our flesh. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin's control over us by giving His Son as a sacrifice for our sins" (Romans 8:1-3, NLT).
The Light of Christ . . .
My purpose is to help you remove the veil of unbelief and condemnation by faith in God's grace, so that the light of His glory may shine forth from your face. "If this Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. Satan, who is the god if this world [the Deceiver, Revelation 12:9], has blinded the minds [to our sins and addictions] of those who don't believe [in forgiveness and salvation through Jesus Christ]. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don't understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. You see, we don't go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, 'Let there be light in the darkness,' has made this light shine in our hearts so we can know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves" (2 Corinthians 4:3-7, NLT).
For almost six (6) years, I lived in blindness after the crimes, deceived by Satan and hidden behind a veil of condemnation and unbelief, until I saw God's glorious light in the distance. It wasn't the bright light that appeared to me in County jail, saying, "Whether you live or die, you are mine," but a small light of Good News from God and His people like you are hearing from me now. That if God can forgive and save me, bringing me out of unbelief and condemnation, He can do the same for you!
"Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive this new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them" (2 Corinthians 5:14-15, NLT).
Today, you have the opportunity to receive a new life free of condemnation. This doesn't mean that you don't suffer compassionately with others. "This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ's ambassadors; God making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, 'Come back to God!' For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:17-21, NLT).
Sinners Will Be Judged Podcast . . .
In this Abounding Love episode, I share that Jesus didn't come to judge mankind, but ". . . to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10, NKJV). "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved" (John 3:17, NKJV). Most people don't believe solely in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ for salvation. Without that belief; that faith; that Jesus died for our sins and rose again, there's only judgment left. But know, ". . . that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Romans 10:9-10, NKJV).
However, there's judgment coming for everyone who does not believe. Jesus said, "He who rejects Me, and does not receive my words, has that which judges him -- the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day" (John 12:48, NKJV). The Word will be the Judge. Jesus is "The Word." The apostle John ". . . saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And the one who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood and His name is called The Word of God" (Revelation 19:11-13, NKJV). John goes on to say "the armies in heaven" are accompanying Jesus to execute judgment in the earth. These "armies" are described as believers. Join me as we look into these Scriptures and many more, concerning the final judgment of mankind. Selah!
[Click here for the Abounding Love podcast episode #210 "Sinners Will Be Judged," dated 8/29/'25].
"As God's partners, we beg you 'not' to accept this marvelous gift of God's kindness and then ignore it. For God says, 'At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.' Indeed, the 'right time' is now. Today is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:1-2, NLT).
A Prayer For You . . .
Heavenly Father, I know ". . . the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). I want that gift! I'm broken from condemnation, accusations and guilt that plagues my mind night and day with fearful thoughts. I want to be free!
I admit that I'm a sinner in need of salvation. I believe that Jesus took my sin, bled and died on the cross for my forgiveness, and rose again to provide eternal life. I confess with my mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead.
If you can save Charles, there is hope for me. I call on You, Lord Jesus, so that You, Holy Spirit, may give me a new life full of faith, hope and love. Come into my heart now! Thank You Jesus for saving my soul and for making me whole! Today is my day of salvation. Amen!
"Now all glory to God, who is able to make you strong, just as the Good News says. This message about Jesus Christ has revealed his plan to you, a plan kept secret from the beginning of time. But now as the prophets foretold and as the eternal God has commanded, this message is make known to all, so that they might believe and obey him. All glory to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, forever, Amen" (Romans 16:25-27, NLT).