Do you believe in redemption?

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If anyone ever qualified for the death penalty it would be James Holmes - the Aurora theater shooter/murderer.

I do believe in the death penalty. My only qualification is that our present justice system is not always righteous. There are times when prosecutors lie, withhold evidence or distort evidence. So it is possible that an innocent person could be convicted. Not so in the case of James Holmes.

What do I feel in my heart? Am I angry and resentful that he will not be put to death? Never mind the fact that if he had been given the death penalty, the appeals would go on for another ten or twenty years. That aside, what do I feel?

Is James Holmes beyond redemption? Oh, another thing: let's get rid of the mental illness issue. Have we forgotten about demon possession? That is Holmes real problem. And that is not an excuse for his behavior but something that should move us to compassion.

How does someone get demon possessed? Does it just happen all of a sudden through no fault of their own? I don't think so. I think it is the progression of sin acted upon and practiced. Choices are made; anger, hate and resentment build and in a subtle or dramatic way an invitation is given.

Can you, have you prayed for James Holmes? Wouldn't it be wonderful for the sin in his life to be untangled and his life and soul to be redeemed?

Would you like this to be true in your life?

"If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are half way through. We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness. We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it. We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace. No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others. That feeling of uselessness and self pity will disappear. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows. Self-seeking will slip away. Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change. Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us. We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.

Are these extravagant promises? We think not. They are being fulfilled among us—sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them."

These promises are made after Step 9 in a Twelve-step program. I have found it to be one of the most rigorous and demanding programs of Christian discipleship. I have learned and done things that have transformed my life; things that were never asked of me in the 40 years of being a Christian.

If you would like this to be true in your life I would be glad to help you start the journey.