Tag Archives: Religion and Spirituality

by | March 18, 2013 · 5:04 pm

The differences we have divide us only because we allow them to.

017Why cant the many religions of the world come to peace with one another? Why must we have hatred for those who either believe different or don’t have a belief? I never could understand how one person could hate another because of their religious beliefs, race or even nation origin. We are all human after all, we all are brought into this world in the same manner and we all leave it in the same state. We all want happiness for ourselves and those we love and we all have the same basic needs to survive. The differences we have divide us only because we allow them to. Our diversity as a species is what has since the dawn of humankind made us a resilient and thriving species. It gave us the ability to survive many climate changes and challenges.

I have had many friends of different religious beliefs and never judged them one way or another because of their beliefs. If I did judge them it was by how they treated me and others around them. We had many disagreements on religious ideals but we didn’t allow them to become a stumbling block in our friendship. Sad thing is even within a religion there can be division in belief and that sometimes even leads to violence within it. Is it the religion that causes this violence and division or is it caused by the darkness within some of those within the religion.

Either way, I will always be one who believes in every persons right to believe as they wish and I will respect what ever choice they make. I also will not turn away anyone as a friend nor anyone in need because of their beliefs.

I know how I believe and how I chose to be may not be popular and may be looked down on by some in my religion and in others as well, but It is how my heart tells me to be and that’s what I choose.

Ray Barbier

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by | March 2, 2013 · 1:19 pm

The Battles Ahead will be won

eyeI face many battles ahead of me in this short life God has blessed me with. Some are battles forced upon me by the world I live in, others are battles of my own making through the choices made in my life. Some are battles within the heart others are battles with and within the mind. None of the battles will be easily won, but they will be won through faith and with love.

No other person can fight these battles for me, but I will not stand alone in these battles I face. He is always with me and he that is within me is greater than any enemy I shall face ahead.

I once walked in fear, I once lived in doubt and now I choose to walk in faith and to live in love.

God Bless you all

Ray Barbier.

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by | February 17, 2013 · 2:22 pm

Mankind wasn’t ready for his level of love

DSC_0337There once was a man who taught peace, forgiveness and love. He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind and even raised the dead. He did all of it in love and for his father. Mankind wasn’t ready for his level of love and mercy and many saw him as a threat to their position and or power and in the end they put him to death. There once was a man who was more than just a man who suffered torture, chastising, ridicule and in the end a horrible and painful crucifixion. He laid his life down in love to save the same people whom put him to death. He died to save the Jews and the Gentiles alike and through him we all can be saved.

Jesus was God’s love manifested in human form, sent to teach us,save us and to be the bridge between humanity and God. Love comes from God and Jesus and we are supposed to be the propagators of God’s love. We are to love one another, we are not to judge or to be as the Pharisees were.

Be thankful, forgiving, loving, caring and live your life in Christ doing as he has taught us to do.

Ray Barbier

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by | January 29, 2013 · 4:15 pm

Sometimes I get inspired to write

062Sometimes I get inspired to write, other times I just write for the sake of it. Either way I follow my own path and try not to do anyone any harm. I know not what my actual purpose is as of yet but I walk in faith the best a man can. I seek truth, knowledge and the wisdom they can contain. I try to share what I know as well as learn from the sharing I do. I try to be open-minded so I do not become someone unable to learn or grow. I try not to offend though sometimes there is no way to totally avoid it. I am who I am and that is all I can be, what I am becoming is what God has planned for me. So the path I follow may be my own but it is the path God has led me to walk at this time.

God Bless

Ray Barbier

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by | January 27, 2013 · 11:36 am

Time to open you eyes, time to let go of what was

003Time to open you eyes, time to let go of what was and the things that shall never be. Most of what you want you don’t really need and probably would just bring you unhappiness in the end or just a short moment of joy that is hollow. Time to be appreciative of the things God has blessed you with, He has given you things that money, gold or Jewels could never get you. Love, Peace, Hope and last but not least his grace. He gave you a family, friends and another day for you to cherish them as well.

Time to put the fear away for faith is stronger and time to put away greed it only leads to the ruin of your life. Lust is just an perversion of love and is what has caused so many divorces, broken hearts and even some wars along the way. Selfishness is a true enemy of happiness and it stands between us and god.

 Temper your heart with the love of God, Tame your mind with the Gospel and put all of your heart, mind, body and soul into walking in faith. Do everything you do for God and not for your self.

Ray Barbier

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by | January 26, 2013 · 10:43 am

Yelling at an oncoming storm

012Last night I had an interesting dream, I was standing before what seemed to be the front door of a house I lived in years ago. I noticed the wind from a storm brewing outside had opened the screen door so I went to go close it and looked at the approaching storm and said to it “I am a follower of Christ, I live in Christ, I rest in Christ, I fight on the side of Christ. Before I said these things the door was being difficult to shut but afterwards it shut easily and then the dream ended. Just one of those interesting dreams that you want to share and remember because how odd it seemed. Yelling at an oncoming storm and confirming my Christianity to it as if to let it know I was ready to face the storm.

Well I know it’s not an interesting article but it was one of those things I got a feeling to write about.

God Bless

Ray Barbier

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by | January 25, 2013 · 6:52 am

The power of prayer with true faith is a powerful thing

026Prayer, Faith and their power to heal the body, mind and soul is questioned by science everyday. Yet they try to dismiss, debunk and deny the miracles that God blesses many with the miracle healings still occur. I have witnessed a few healings in my life from a tumor disappearing, clogged arteries clearing and no damage or sign of a heart attack after someone had one. I have also seen cancer being stopped as well. One could argue misdiagnosis but in most of the cases the illnesses were diagnosed by several doctors and was known of for many years. The power of prayer with true faith is a powerful thing and regardless of the skepticism of scientists and those who are non believers we must continue to keep faith and pray for the sick and those in need.

Faith and prayer go together, one without the other is almost useless.

Ray Barbier

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by | January 17, 2013 · 5:20 am

With a new day we have a new chance to change our ways, our path and our destination.

DSCF0001Each morning we wake we are given another chance at living life. With a new day we have a new chance to change our ways, our path and our destination. Some people try to argue we do not have freewill or free choice and that we are but the product of pre-conditioning and circumstance. Well to a degree we are, but the kicker is we can choose how we react to such and we can choose to go a totally different way than the pre-conditioning and circumstances would dictate. So with the gift of another day of life we also have the gift of freewill and free choice to make that day what we chose.  We also have the ability to surrender our right to choose and to leave it to God’s will. There is also the choice not to choose and let chance and the circumstances we encounter make or day as well. Which way will you choose? Will you take the helm and take responsibility for both your good and bad choices? Will you choose to let chance and circumstance to make your day or will you leave it to the Will of God?

No matter which way you decide I urge you to remember where all your help comes from and who gave you this day and the freedom to live it as you choose.  Remember to thank God each day for the gift of life and the freedom to choose.

Ray Barbier

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by | December 6, 2012 · 6:17 am

Just like faith, Love is an important part

Corcovado jesus

Love, Love of other living things and people. The love Jesus showed and shared during his years with us. Just like faith, Love is an important part of being one of God’s children. With a world growing ever more violent and full of hate, we need to focus on the love of god and the love he wishes us to have and share. Hate is not the opposite of love as some may think it is the absence of love. Do not mistake hate for anger, anger is a reaction to a bad situation, hate is the lack of love and respect for another person, place or thing. In example look at when Jesus got angry at the temple due to all the money exchangers, etc. Jesus did not hate the money exchangers he was angry at them for turning the temple into a place of greed. Jesus still loved them all but was very disappointed in them for their lack of respect for God and his Temple. Jesus taught love in many ways such as turning of the other cheek, his healing of the sick and also his forgiveness for sins. His greatest expression of love was allowing himself to be persecuted, humiliated and crucified in order to give humanity salvation. We should learn from Jesus’s teachings and put aside our hate and minimize our anger as well. All humans are prone to make mistakes and sin for it is a part of our nature to do so. We should love one another regardless of sin or shortcoming. It is sin we are to dislike, not the sinner and we should focus on helping each other to overcome the sin. Shouting hateful words or trying to put another human being down because they sin is quite hypocritical since we all bear the weight of being sinful natured creatures.

The pointing out of each others sins is useless and unproductive, Instead we should focus on study of the scriptures and being loving and caring to one another. For there is no need for someone else to point out our sins, we are all already aware of them. So love one another and be supportive of one another.

“And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? – Mathew 7:3”

God Bless
Ray Barbier

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by | November 12, 2012 · 6:26 pm

There is always hope and Salvation

p10108Nobody is useless, nobody is beyond help. As long as they are alive they can improve, change be transformed and Saved by God, Jesus and the holy spirit. Even the most vile of humans can be born again and saved by the grace of Jesus. The love God has for us all he gave us his only begotten son and that son Jesus offered himself up in sacrifice for all our sins. So how can anyone truly be a lost cause or beyond help if the sacrifice of Jesus was for all of humanity? There is always hope and with acceptance of Jesus there is salvation. Don’t let that old devil try to fool you that you are not savable or that things are hopeless, he wants you to doubt the promises and power of God. He wants you to lose faith and be fruitless for God. Just remember the devil is a great deceiver and can make you think things are fact when they are fiction. Put your faith in God and Jesus and learn to put the lies and deception of the evil one behind you. Let the bible be your guide through life. Most of all pray and give thanks daily if not multiple times a day.

God bless

Raymond Barbier

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