Tag: Christianity

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God gave each of us the right to believe as we wish


Symbol of the three Abrahamic religions.

The world is in darkness,the world is trying to extinguish the spark of light in all of us. Those that promote hate, prejudice and intolerance are trying to keep us from finding the light we have in this world. In this world of darkness there is a light to be found.  God created a spark of light within us all and most of us are unaware or unable to feel its presence anymore. When we were children that light was bright and made life wondrous and beautiful. We allowed the world around us to cover the candle within us and we need to uncover it. Place that candle on a candle stick for all to see and so it can force the darkness away from us all. We can not allow the distractions and road blocks the darkness throws in our path to get in the way of being the beings of light god wants us to be. He wants us to be peaceful, loving, compassionate and full of hope. Things such as greed, lust and fear stand in the way of most of us and they keep us preoccupied and distracted from happiness and peace.

Three religions that were spawned by the one true God, yet those three religions still are distracted and preoccupied by their differences instead of being tolerant of each other. A house divided against itself surely will fall and that is the case with the three religions if they do not learn to co-operate or at least tolerate each other. We all serve the same God, even though we have differences in beliefs on some subjects that are sensitive we can learn to accept one another. We are all brothers and sisters in the eyes of God and we should love one another regardless of our different beliefs.  I am a firm believer in freewill and the fact God gave each of us the right to believe as we wish. Of course if we choose the wrong beliefs there will be a price to pay. This though is the price of freewill and is something each of us should consider when choosing our religious beliefs. I will not state which belief is the right one for only god knows the answer to that question and it isn’t my place as a mere human to answer. I believe as I do and respect the religious beliefs of all others in hopes they will do the same for me.

 We all have to live on this planet together, we can do it as brothers and sisters in peace or continue to go down this road of mistrust, hatred and of war. The choice is there for each one of us to choose and hopefully most of us will choose the path of peace and of love than the one of hate and war. Let us all be adults and civilized, let us live together as a great family and as the unique human species we are together in harmony.

Raymond Barbier

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Commit your actions to the LORD, and your plans will succeed.


p10186We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps. This verse tells it all, we may make all the plans we wish but in the end God’s will is absolute. God gave us freewill to choose what path of life we want to follow and how we want to live our lives. His will is still present during this time and we have the freedom to choose his will above our own. If we look at God’s will like a straight line coming from the beginning of time to the end, it never wavers or changes course. Then we can see small chaotic lines going every which way around the outside of gods will and those are the will of humans. Some merge into God’s will and others just aimlessly wander until they disappear.

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Commit you actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed. When you live your life for God then all the plans you make are in Christ therefore they shall be successful. All things are possible in Christ and nothing is impossible for  God.  Jesus came to help redeem the sinners and heal the sick of body and of spirit as well. He offers salvation as a gift to all who desire to receive it. To be saved is simple for all you have to do is accept Jesus into your heart and embrace the salvation he offers.

 

The choice is yours, to live a life dedicated to your creator and your Lord and savior or a life for your own lusts and selfishness. Let God help you think in a righteous way and may your heart not be hardened by this world and all its cruelties .

God Bless

Raymond Barbier

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Embrace that spirit of hope


p10329 We tend to look outwardly for our happiness, love and for acceptance. God gave us all the tools within us to be happy, love and be loved. Pretty much anything we need to be or do is within our own selves, God gave us everything within, it is only the matter of having the faith to utilize what we have been blessed with. We can not find happiness from an outside source if we can not even embrace the happiness god gave us within. It is hard to love anyone or anything if we can not embrace the love God gives us deep inside. Once we learn to have faith in and embrace the gifts god planted within our souls we then will not worry about acceptance because we know we belong to God. As long as we don’t allow the distractions on our modern lives to get in the way and we don’t fall to the spirit of fear we shall live a happy and successful life. We must embrace that spirit of hope and the sound mind God blessed us with. We can not allow those in this world who try to make us believe we are hopeless or condemned without salvation. They wish only to drag you down with them, we shouldn’t have hatred for those people for we should pray for their souls and show them the compassion we are taught by Christ‘s teachings.

Look within yourself for the blessings god blessed you with and do not fall for the traps of our modern world.
Raymond Barbier

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For the glory of God and not for favor or for self satisfaction.


p10328We are like the moon and God’s love is like the sun, we reflect gods love for all to see. The love, compassion and forgiving nature we possess is but a reflection of God’s. Just like the moon we reflect the light of God into the darkness of this world so those in darkness can see the light. We must remember we too walk in this world of darkness and that we must be careful not to allow the darkness to dim the light we reflect. Just like the real moon we also have a dark side we must deal with, this is the nature of being human and of the flesh. The flesh craves all that stimulates and that can be coveted. Our carnal nature is one of the things we must try to resist for it is the product of our selfish nature not of our loving nature or of the spirit which god gave us. Being humble and full of compassion is the nature of our hearts and is the path to being true to the light we reflect. I believe we only reflect God’s light, love and compassion because it is his glory we do the works we do and his grace that gives us the forgiveness we need. The goodness within us sprung from the seed God planted in us therefore the goodness is God’s and we are just the gardeners.

Good Works may not get you into heaven but they are the result of the goodness God planted within us.
So Good  Works are done for the glory of God and not for favor or for self-satisfaction.

Just some thoughts on a Thursday morning.
Raymond Barbier

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We must choose as well as Believe.


MP910221000The power to be happy is in our own hands, no outside force be it circumstances or another person can change how we feel unless we give it the power to do so. Too many times I have seen people who allowed the opinions of others and circumstances to effect their mood as well as negatively influence their self-image. God gave each of us a spirit of hope and not one of fear or negativity, the world is what brings fear and negativity into our lives. The good news is we can choose not to allow the negativity or fear to effect us and keep ourselves in a positive and happier mood. The words and actions of others have effected so many people negatively in life that they have no self-worth or confidence. The ability to achieve anything you desire is within us all, it is something we must choose as well as believe.

God gave us all the power to live a happy, productive and love filled life, we just have to realize that the power is within us and accept the gift as well as be thankful for it. That is what Jesus was trying to say when he was talking about the faith of a mustard seed. All things are possible in Christ and with faith, to choose to believe and have faith is the key. God wants all his children to be happy, confident and live in love with each other.

Just a few thoughts for all to ponder
Raymond Barbier.
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All we can do is learn from our past and work in the present to make a better future.


MP900426559Seems the person we all judge the hardest is ourselves, We hold ourselves to a higher standard and expect to achieve it. We tend to forgive and overlook other people’s faults and mistakes much easier than our own. We can have compassion for every one around us but we seem to find it hard to have compassion upon ourselves. We need to learn we are also human just like everyone else and we can’t be perfect or without flaw. We must accept ourselves for who and what we are and forgive ourselves for our shortcomings. We always have room for improvement but we must realize we are beautiful and good as we are. We should build upon what we are and not try to destroy that which makes us unique.

We definitely need  to wake up to the reality that we are who we are and that it isn’t that bad being an imperfect human.  It is quite relieving to know we are like everyone else in the fact we are imperfect and make mistakes. We just need to learn from those mistakes and improve what we don’t like in ourselves as well as embrace the light that dwells within. God made all of us the way we needed to be in order to learn the lessons of life he set before us. We can not live in the past or the future because we live in the present and we shouldn’t dwell on what was or what might be. All we can do is learn from our past and work in the present to make a better future.
MP900399589We need to love ourselves and one another in the same way God and Jesus loves us.We need to accept the grace given and give as much grace as we can to ourselves and others. God gave us the spirit of love, and of a sound mind not of anger or fear and Jesus taught forgiveness and compassion.  For the spirit of love, forgiveness and compassion is not only meant for others but also for ourselves as well. For it is hard to love, forgive or have compassion on others if you can’t even have it for yourself. The sound mind comes with loving oneself and having the compassion to forgive yourself. With a sound mind you will find that there is very little others can say or think about you that will matter much. You will only be concerned with the truth and not of opinions and/or hear say.

 Listen to the heart God blessed you with and not the mind that the world helped program.

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Raymond Barbier

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I embrace the tender heart within me and accept that which makes me who and what I am.


It is amazing how there is a tender side to everyone if they allow it to show. How we tend to hide that side out of fear, the fear of either being hurt by others or being labeled as someone who is a sissy or too nice for their own good. Being macho, tough and/or cold never gets anyone anywhere but alone and unhappy. For you should be that tender-hearted person god made you be, this does not mean to allow others to walk on you it means simply to forgive those that do and side step those that may. Forgiveness and acceptance of each other and our shortcomings is what Jesus tried to teach us, turn the other cheek and to love even thy enemy. We cannot be a hurtful and hateful person without suffering many pains and losses due to our lack of compassion and love. I rather suffer as a person of love and compassion than to suffer for being hateful and bringing suffering to others. Think what you may of me, my philosophy and the way I view this world we live in, I am what am and I cannot be anything other than which I was born to be. When I tried to be what others expected me to be I suffered with unhappiness, anger and sometimes depression, I choose to be me and be happy as I am than to worry about the opinions of others. If someone is not a positive influence on me I simply avoid them and wish them the best and then seek out the more positive people around me. When anger does strike me I let it out and then put it out so to move on instead of hanging on to the negativity it brings. I embrace the tender heart within me and accept that which makes me who and what I am. I accept and embrace what makes those I meet who and what they are as well. It is the differences between us that make us such a wondrous and unique species.

May peace and compassion be your guides through life.
Raymond Barbier

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Have faith, Trust in god and live life Christ like as possible.


Being positive is not an easy task, but it is the most rewarding path to follow. Negativity is a path that usually leads to self-destruction and the harming of all those around you. Your attitude towards life effects everyone around you in one way or another. It may not be intentional but when your negative you bring others around you down and even cause them harm sometimes. Though there is a time for negativity but it is not something that is meant to occupy your life for any great amount of time. Positivity on the other hand rarely ever causes harm, it usually lifts up the spirits of those around you, heals the emotional scars within your self and it tends to attract positive people into your life. The hard part is realizing that happiness and/or positivity is generated within yourself and is not supplied from an outside source. God gave you the spirit of compassion, love, positivity, creativity, healing and much more. He did not give you the spirit of fear, anger, envy, lust, greed or any other negative emotion or action. The negative is something you created or accepted from the world around you. The lack of faith, low self-esteem and a poor self-image are spawned from the acceptance and embracing of the negativity in your life. If you face negativity with faith in god and with love within your heart then you can not fail.

God wants all his children to be happy, healthy and live a good life, he does not want us to suffer nor to be lost in the darkness of sin. He gives us all we need to face off any enemy and to stand in the face of any storm, he planted a seed within each of us that we must cultivate. We must plant it in good soil and feed it with that which is good or positive. The only external force that can bring you happiness and positivity is God. He can work from within you and through those around you as well. Even an enemy can be a messenger or a finger-pointing the way, God will approach you in every he can to get you to see truth and to feel his love. Jesus taught us to be non violent, to love one another, to forgive and to be compassionate. All positive emotions and actions, all part of the path of righteousness. To judge is not our part to play, and to turn any sinner away from god is a sin in its self. Be positive, Have faith, Trust in god and live life Christ like as possible.

 

Though no man or woman can be without sin, all sin can be washed by his blood except blasphemy of the spirit.

Raymond Barbier

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Love each moment you get in life


65242 Life is a road that will eventually come to an end when our time is up, the length of the journey  is not as important as the experiences we have along the way. We can choose to spend the whole journey looking backwards at where we have been, looking forward to what yet may come or just keep focused on the place we are at. Getting fixed on the past or on what come in the future only distracts us from the importance of the present. Seize the moment, live for today, live in the now and live each day like its your last are words of wisdom passed to us from the sages of the past. There is no other time as important as now, we must remember the past and its lessons as well as plan for the future but if we ignore the present then we miss out on life itself. Waste little energy or time on the negative emotions and focus on the positive ones so that your experiences of the now are positive for you and those around you. Forgive those whom have done you harm and seek forgiveness for your own mistakes and wrong doings. Love each moment you get in life for we have such a short time to live here in this interesting world.

Try to be a positive influence on this world and avoid feeding the ego, for the ego is self-centered and cares only for itself. Selfishness is like an infinite void that can never be filled while Selflessness is like a renewable fuel source for when you give you receive and therefore there is never a void to fill. The bible teaches us it is better to give than to receive and it also teaches us to be humble. It also teaches us to be swift to hear, slow to speak and  be slow to anger. Listen and you will learn many things, be low to speak and you may hear more as well as avoid saying things out of haste. It is always wise to be slow to become angry for many misunderstandings and quick tempers have started feuds and great wars. Life is short so live it happily and with as much compassion as you can muster. For we all have faults and none of us are without sin. It is much harder to point your finger in accusation of another when yourself are guilty of a sin that is equal in stature. For all sin is the same except for blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. So none of are greater or lesser than the other in life and non is without blemish.

 

May God will be your guide through life and his love be the foundation you build upon.

Raymond Barbier

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Choices, Consequences, free will and Indecision.


IMG_1078fbIn this life we can either be a force for good or a force for evil. Most of us walk a thin line between the two, but eventually one side or the other we shall fall to. It is better to choose your path and stick with it than to waver between two, this is an easy way to become lost as well as confused. Though we all have to go through the middle of the road syndrome in order to make a choice of which path to follow, but to stay in the middle of a road for too long one may be ran over. Even in the bible there is a reference to  this idea .

“Revelation 3:15-16: ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. “

Of course being lukewarm in this verse is referring to being a part-time Christian or one does not love god and worship him full heartedly. The bible teaches this and the fact one can only serve one master as well as a house divided upon itself shall fall. One should be one minded and walk one path as well as choose which side he will be a force for. Doubt, Fear, Indecisiveness are the enemies of us all, for they only confuse and distract one from truly living life and serving the forces they choose. For I am a firm believer in free will and believe the spiritual / religious path one walks is solely a personal decision and they have the right to believe in the way they desire. But with free will comes both a price to pay and the responsibility of who and what may have been influenced or effected by the choices made.  So always think and ponder on both  the choices before you and the consequences that surely will follow. Choose your path wisely and walk in faith, if you choose wisely then in the end you can pass away thinking or speaking the verse “2 Timothy 4:7 – I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. “ .

Until that day comes I pray that we all can walk in faith.

Matthew 7:7 – “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

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