Category Archives: Theology
It’s Going To Take a Lot of Love
What would you say if someone asked you, What does Love mean to you? Would you describe it as a feeling, a moment, a relationship or connection, perhaps a state of mind? Indeed, love is difficult to explain, much less obtain, sustain, and maintain. Love is many things, yes? Well, considering the current state of the world, if we are going to get through this, it’s going to take a lot of love.
When examining the current state of our society, we are confronted with pandemic(s), violence, religious suppression, censorship of speech, advancement of unGodly living, (un)education, oppression of faith, political corruption, social activism of business, travel dangers; in short, the devolution of humanity.
Sad, but acutely true, yes? The undeniable question, then, is, “How do we manifest the change(s) that will reverse, undo, redirect, and improve our earthly lives?” The answer, obviously, lies within us.
“What I am looking for is not out there, it is in me.”
– Helen Keller
When you consciously choose to believe in God, and earnestly acknowledge and accept Him into your life, priorities become simplified, actions more obvious, fluid and natural, and joy in life more abundant. Most importantly, it is your choice whether to believe.
Change, you see, begins with you. Some individuals are blessed with an abundance of self-awareness, introspection, insight, and motivation. They are the spirits that change and lead the world. Although not intrinsically easy, getting in touch with your inner self can be achieved with a little help from above.
And amazingly, when dozens, hundreds, and/or thousands, yes, even millions of individuals, apply and manifest similar beliefs, behaviors, and lifestyles; in essence, their spirits join forces and create a synergy that can literally change the world. The formula is quite simple.
This energy “field”, if you will, is powerful, impactful, and indeed, very real. Your heart can sense and feel it. Your mind can experience its presence. An intriguing aspect, however, is that this collective energy does not truly exist on its own, but rather, only exists because it lies within each individual soul. And these individual energies combine in unison and harmony to create the equivalent of a beautiful symphony.
The wondrous and brilliant revelation of this construct is that in reality, each of us does in truth, impact the world, for good or for bad. Possessing this knowledge is a HUGE responsibility and consequently, must drive us to become the best person we can be.
The bottom line, is that YOU, are the most amazing creation in the universe. Thank God. No, literally, THANK GOD. ✝
Lotta Love, by Nicolette Larson
No Time
In the course of our lives, we have the ultimate voice in determining our path, our journey, indeed, even our outcome at the end of the rainbow. Along the way, we must determine our values, goals, priorities, interests, even our location. Most importantly, we dictate and create our attitude, character, integrity, and personal sense of worth.
Hopefully, at some point in the continuum of our lives, we embrace God, develop our faith, make choices that nurture and grow our faith, and in an essential effort, practice our faith. Bottom line, that takes time.
Our personal timelines are cluttered with avenues that consume time like a vortex. Among them; Education, Recreation, Hobbies, Relationships, Pets, Family, Work, Travel, Sports, and Faith. We must strive to become master’s of our own lives, including those things we choose to include, and excluding those things we deem unnecessary, uninteresting, dangerous, and/or distracting.
“Admittedly, life can get complicated, even complex. Without the proper grounding, personal discipline, and determination, outside factors can delay, deter, and maybe, even prevent us from reaching our desired destination. So, we must make time for the things that mean the most to us, that fill our lives with joy and meaning, and ultimately, that impact and enrich our soul.”
Is Your Life on Track?
And so it is with God. As the Creator of all things known (and unknown), we should be eternally grateful, yes? Our every breath, thought, action, and deed resonates from the Word of God. Doesn’t it make complete sense, then, that we live our entire lives acknowledging God’s Divinity, praising Him, Thanking Him, and Glorifying Him for His Mercy, Forgiveness, Support, and Grace that permeates our world, and affects our lives in the most personal ways?
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At the end of the day (and our life), will we be able to reflect on the amount of time we spent with God, gave to God, asked of God, and devoted to God? Or, will we reflect on a life of regrets, failures, disappointments, pain, sorrow, and stunted spiritual growth?
God is there whenever we choose to communicate and interact with Him. Indeed, that Free Will thing is a fickle beast, and it is incumbent upon each of us to tame it, temper it, and leverage it to build our faith and life to a point, at its end, that it will be acceptable to God so we can spend an eternity in His Grace, Love, Warmth, Comfort and Protection, in Heaven.
Before, there is No Time Left….
Making Sense of God – The Effervescence of Eternity
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As human beings, we interact with the world as physical organisms; that is to say, we use and respond with our senses. And as a result, we spend a lifetime conditioning ourselves in this way, yet God created us in His image, and that image reflects a Trinity of consciousness; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And to be specific, it is singularly, the Holy Spirit that God infused into our being as humans, that sets us apart from other “organisms”. It manifests itself as our conscience (aka, that little voice inside us), and guides us throughout our life; if we choose to listen to it, and act upon it.
When Jesus Christ graced the earth, as flesh and blood, like us, people could easily comprehend His authenticity and Truth, because they could speak with Him, touch Him, see Him, hear Him, even smell him. Indeed, they got a taste of eternity, without even knowing it. Similarly, To Believe is To See.
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Upon His physical death, brilliant Resurrection, and subsequent glorious Ascension, however, our physical senses became inadequate to directly experiencing Jesus Christ, the human being; the physical organism. To be sure, God supplanted the memory of the physical Saviour with non-direct methods/alternatives to positively communicate the still, living Jesus Christ to humanity.
Miracles, His work through others, nature/environment, the Holy Spirit, and Supernatural events have been recorded in time that point to the fact and reality that Jesus Christ (along with God and the Holy Spirit) is Alive and is living in eternity. Body, Mind, and Soul are humanity’s trinity in the image of God, and our Portal to our next life.
“Likewise, where our human and physical senses end (hear, see, smell, touch, taste), our Divine or Godly senses begin. Space and Time (body), via balance and equilibrium; Intuition (mind), via ESP; and Divine Communication (soul), via faith. Collectively, these eight senses work together to enable and empower our ability to recognize, acknowledge, and embrace the True God throughout our entire earthly life, preparing us for a real, personal, and tangible reunion with God, upon our physical death.”
Credit: Pixabay
And because we were truly created in His image, it is understandable that we travel a similar path leading us into eternity. Our physical birth, life, suffering, joy, pain, free will, and death, perfectly mimic that of Jesus Christ. And it similarly goes without saying, that our destiny is an ascension into heaven for our Final Act. But only, if we truly Believe in God, His Divine Nature, His Unbridled Power, His Perfect Being of Forgiveness, Grace, Love, Judgment, Justness, and His Eternal Presence. For I is Singular For But One.
Achieving Heaven is truthfully simple, albeit perhaps not easy, yet completely within our control. Established rules provide boundaries and desired/expected behaviors (Bible), and Free Will affords us the opportunity to create our own unique future via our thoughts, actions, and ultimately, accountability.
You Can’t Stop The Truth
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As human beings, each of us is a complexity of experience, genetics, knowledge, opinion, bias, fear, judgment, and imperfection. Throughout our lives, we have gathered information, formulated thoughts, conclusions, and feelings. We react to our environment, especially to other people. Our core values direct our life whether we are aware of it or not.
Facts are indisputable, measurable, and descriptive aspects of physical things in the world around us. They are discovered, formulated, documented, proven and are real. Information is the totality of individual details of anything and everything. Facts and information help us make sense of the world and all that is in it, via dictionaries, reference books, diagrams, formulas, instructions, etc.
“And then there is Truth… Ah yes, those things that exist in a vacuum, that many times cannot be seen, heard, touched or proven, but merely acknowledged… Things like; time, good and evil, the universe, electricity, life itself… and God.”
Photo Credit: Pixabay
There are truths we more readily accept because we don’t or can’t perceive the difference they create by their existence, and then, there are Truths we protect with our lives; justice, freedom, goodwill, fair play, safety, philanthropy, love… and our Faith.
Try as we might, and people have; we cannot prove or disprove faith. Truth can not be compromised or erased. Facts are not the truth. Indeed, that is the fundamental essence of it and which defines it. To understand faith, you must possess it. To understand Evil, you must recognize and know it. To understand goodwill, you must demonstrate it. To comprehend God, you must experience Him. This is precisely why Good and Evil exist in the world; so that people know the difference between them and can recognize them when and where they exist.
As a Christian by choice (you know, that Free Will thing), I believe in my heart that God is Truth, God is Light, Light is Truth, and that Truth is Unconditional, like Love and Compassion. I acknowledge God as my savior and strive to practice His Truth daily, in spite of the fact I am an imperfect being. Indeed, I am imperfect so that I can recognize God.
To fully experience life and grow as a human being, it is essential to face the truth, every time and in every way. The Truth strengthens and enriches your soul. It crystalizes priorities and solidifies motivation. It makes your hopes and dreams achievable and is the basis for happiness.
You can’t stop the Truth, and Only the Truth will set you Free!
Faith As A Power Source
Intrinsic motivation has always intrigued me as a chess game intrigues a chess player. Indeed, I have been driven my entire life, by multiple forces, yet one plateaus above all others.
Something inside me responds with energy and inertia when I am told I don’t have the skills, resources, determination or vision to accomplish some objective. Is it simply a desire to succeed? Or perhaps, the appeal of a challenge? Maybe, to seek an opportunity to help others? Or, to gain their approval?
“I believe, in my heart of hearts, the driving force that catapults and propels me forward to accomplish any worthwhile objective is the resulting opportunity for me to Witness that God provides whatever is necessary to accomplish His goal(s) through a sinner like me.”
Photo Credit: Pixaby
In short, I wholeheartedly crave the ability to credit God as my Power Source in every meaningful thing I do in my life; to Witness to Him as my Lord and Savior. To use His Power in my life to help others, to learn from others, and to help others find themselves and their faith. Collectively, to grow His kingdom on earth.
I have asked myself many times, could it really be that simple? Is God that powerful? Is He that omnipotent? Amazingly, is God that Real? The answer, simply, is yes, Yes, YES, and YES!
“For some, personal power is derived by knowledge, others by the desire to succeed. Still, others believe in a survival instinct of sorts, and yet others rely on successes that build self-confidence. Certainly, there is no singular right answer. All I know is that my motivation comes unilaterally and explicitly from my faith in God and all He provides, allows, bestows, offers, and wills.”
Photo Credit: Pixaby
Much like an athlete sets goals for him/herself, their focus yields a building block approach. The football player focuses on the next First Down before the Touchdown. The Nascar driver each lap, before the finish line. The Christian, the next opportunity to Witness, before their personal salvation and resurrection. We are all, in fact, competitors and participants in the game of Life. And, to be successful and grow, we must remain focused and aware of what is directly in front of us each and every day, regardless of the longer-term objective, goal, need or desire.
You see, faith is an incredibly powerful source of energy and Truth. Both emanate from a single point of origin, God the Father. Energy is created through inspiration, survival, fear, need, desire, protective instincts, indeed, love. Truth, however, comes solely from God, is not to be confused with facts, and by design, is accompanied by and rooted in morality. Man possesses no innate morals as morals are learned and man is imperfect. True and objective morality, therefore must emanate from the creator as He is the teacher and is perfect.
Most assuredly, many people have heard the phrase, “Trust your Instincts”, yes? And, in many circumstances and scenarios we face in our lives, our
instincts come into play and focus on determining our actions and behavior. Yet, at the core of our spirit and being, those instincts we all possess, are founded in morality, and morality originates singularly from God. The point being that God influences and largely, controls the higher level direction and trajectory of each of our lives, whereas, we are simply charged with our thoughts, actions, behaviors, and ultimately, our choices.
In the end, collectively, a large objective of human life lies within each individual discovering their (our) purpose in life. Once found, life transforms and ascends into something much more meaningful, worthy, and impactful; for us, and for all the other people we come into contact with, along the way. Here is praying, hoping and wishing each of us is open to learning as much as we need to live a Purpose Driven Life. In the big picture of eternity, it’s your life, so live it like you mean it. Who do you want to be? God Bless and Be Well.
Mind, Body, Soul – The Harmonic Symphony Of Faith
Pixaby.com
As a young Christian, I was an Altar Boy, learned the Holy Mass in Latin, respected the Institution of Church, and accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior. Life was simple; you honored God with your life, you became more familiar with the Bible, and you consciously attempted to avoid Sin.
Pixaby.com
And then you grew up to join the world of Adults. Life became more complex, more interesting, more opportunistic; indeed, more dangerous. New emotions were born, along with the awesome sense of independence, responsibility, and choice; yet was fraught with anxiety, fear, learning, self-awareness, and sense of purpose. Self-doubt became a familiar foe, and uncertainty, as well as unsureness, occupied the top floor in your mind.
Adulthood was a vast swimming pool, inhabited by a plethora of personalities, agendas, boundaries, opportunities, detours, dangers, and few reassurances, if not, real and true friends.
Pixaby.com
Even as a young child, then youth, and now, adult, I’ve possessed a unique ability to recognize patterns, whether they be mathematical, associative, visual, environmental, behavioral, societal, or spiritual. Patterns, when examined and analyzed, yielded profound insight, dare I offer to say, wisdom when combined with personal experience and knowledge.
Mind, Body, and Soul, is one of those amazing euphemisms that lends itself to analogies, corollaries, and logical deduction. My intuition leads me to associate it with the traditional Christian prayer and Mass opening symbology, i.e., “In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit”. Specifically, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Indeed, Christianity is steeped in Trinity, as in things grouped in three’s.
Let’s begin appropriately with the Mind and how it relates to the Father. The mind is the head or leader of the body, as is the father in a family. It is the origin of thought, ideas, innovation, solutions, and planning, as it relates to the body, as is the father as he relates to his family. Likewise, its primary function is to protect the body, like a father protects his family.
Following, the Body is to the Mind as the Son is to the Father. Both are inherently submissive, take direction and are dependent upon their predecessors. Until fully trained or conditioned, both grow by learning via cause and effect relationship. Both mature from creation and both share an intensely intimate relationship with their Master. Both provide iterative feedback in an ongoing fashion.
And, at last, the Soul and its comparison with the Holy Spirit. As the soul represents the ethereal origin of our human/mortal component of Christianity and our existence, the Holy Spirit shares that role with the Father and the Son. Each represents intangible, yet necessary if not essential form and function as parts of the whole.
“Collectively, with each scenario, a synergistic force is manifested when the three components combine and function or work together. The mind, body, and soul join forces to establish and identify each of us as human beings. And, accordingly, the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit meld into what we can only define or describe as the Supreme Being, sometimes referred to as the Divinity. God is what I refer to as the Incomprehensible Truth. Omnipotent, Present and Eternal.”
Most notably, God is the divine and harmonic symphony of Peace, Love, Joy; and Life. We exist solely because of, and for, His preference and direction. It is in our, or more precisely, your best interest to acknowledge His existence and presence. It is, however, your choice to accept Him as your personal savior and King.
Bottom line, to Believe is a Bittersweet Symphony. Accountability with Eternal Life. God Bless you and Be well.
(This article is dedicated to my Parents (Leonard & Agnes), whom I miss greatly, yet whom I undeniably know I will see again. Love you.)
Up Where We Belong
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All of us have this insatiable desire to belong, to share, to possess the knowledge of our future; to be able to influence our future. Indeed, to become our future. And what hangs in the balance, what buoys our spirit, humbles our minds, and drives our determination; is faith.
Faith, in knowing there is much more to life than meets the eye; faith, in our salvation; faith, in life after death; faith, in God, The Son, and the Holy Spirit. The kind of faith that people have been persecuted for having since the beginning of time, faith for which people have died, faith that people protect with their lives.
To be sure, the fundamental construct of faith is founded in the future, in knowing the past, in trusting God, in loving life. And the reality of our collective existence is distilled into a single universal truth; to Believe is to See.
As much as our faith is centered around our singular existence, relationship and respective accountability with our Creator, it likewise is circular in nature, in that it involves the impact our lives have on others and others impact on us. The whole of our being can best be described as an interconnected, interdependent conscious organism (spirit), et. al.
We spend our entire lives searching for those worldly areas where we belong, yet spend precious little time searching (and preparing) for the eternal life where we will belong into the infinity of time. We must consequently examine our lives and ask ourselves; What are our priorities in contrast to what should be our priorities?
“At the opposite end of the spectrum is the beginning of new life, of being born, of witnessing the miracle itself, of acknowledging and accepting the awesome responsibility and privilege of becoming a parent. And most importantly, nurturing, assisting, influencing, valuing and respecting that precious and amazing life; for it is your legacy as a child of God, your responsibility as a Christian, and your opportunity to enhance, enlighten and empower another ‘soul’ to serve and praise the Creator.”
– (Excerpt from My Amazing Life Is Not In Vein, Michael Cerkas)
Robert Eddison
To belong to anything involves prescribed values, thinking, behavior, priorities, commitment, and restraint. Yet the key to these aspects is rooted in free will, not in indentured servitude. Each of us chooses where we belong, in part, by our desires, and in LARGE part, by our actions.
In choosing where we belong, remember that Love trumps Hate, Good is more powerful than Evil, and actions indeed have consequences. So, in those famous words of the Grail Knight (portrayed by Robert Eddison), in the 1989 film classic, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade….. Choose Wisely.
God Bless You and Be well.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (Holy Grail Scene)
(Up Where We Belong: Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes)
Who knows what tomorrow brings
In a world few hearts survive
All I know is the way I feel
When it’s real, I keep it alive
The road is long
There are mountains in our way
But we climb a step every day
Love lift us up where we belong
Where the eagles cry
On a mountain high
Love lift us up where we belong
Far from the world below
Up where the clear winds blow
Some hang on to used to be
Live their lives looking behind
All we have is here and now
All our lives, out there to find
The road is long
There are mountains in our way
But we climb a step every day
Love lift us up where we belong
Where the eagles cry
On a mountain high
Love lift us up where we belong
Far from the world we know
Where the clear winds blow
Time goes by
No time to cry
Life’s you and I
Alive today
Love lift us up where we belong
Where the eagles cry
On a mountain high
Love lift us up where we belong
Far from the world we know
Where the clear winds blow
Love lift us up where we belong
Where the eagles cry
On a mountain high
Love lift us up where we belong
These Are The Moments
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Some things in life are very easily explained, like why you get wet when it rains. Or, how light penetrates darkness. These things in our physical world teach us cause and effect, action and consequence, and in a sense, past and future.
They are tangible, things we can experience with our senses. And then, oh yes, Then… there are matters of the heart. The things that make it beat faster, swell up with love, fracture with sadness, hopeful with anticipation, joyous beyond belief.
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Oh yes, Belief. That tiny little voice in your head that reminds you who you are, why you’re here and how to live a disciplined, yet fulfilling life. And most importantly, who to thank for everything.
If there is one thing I’ve learned in my life, it is that there are NO coincidences; None. Every thought, word, action, event, disaster, success, relationship, outcome; each and every second of every minute of every hour of every day of every week of every month of every year of every person’s life… Has an interdependent function, meaning, and significance.
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Our job? Simply, our job is to learn to recognize the presence of God in our life, appreciate the true gift that it is, and to just maybe, as we accumulate knowledge, experience, and perhaps create some wisdom; connect the dots between all the seemingly unrelated occurrences in this world to create a Mosaic of Life that represents something much larger than each of us are individually. Our goal is to live our life to create and share something of a Divine nature.
Those “aha moments” will come when you least expect it, perhaps in a dream, or while watching an eagle grace the sky, or a golden sunset casting magnificence on the landscape of your life. For me, it is these, and most assuredly, when I have or create the opportunity to spend time with my family. Those moments are magical.
“It takes time, sensitivity and awareness to learn to recognize these moments. Without question, they are fleeting, unpredictable and finite in nature. Yes, these are the moments you (we) must treasure, cherish and grasp for as long as we can. Because, you see, they almost always involve someone we love, someone we lost, someone we left, someone we admire, desire to help, or someone with whom we want to share our lives.”
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Indeed, we must live our lives in a deliberate manner, intent to interact, to serve, to love, to forgive, to be thankful, and to be humble. For there are no guarantees in life, no money back refunds, no do-overs. And as beautiful and fulfilling as life can be, it is, by its very nature, not fair. Free Will empowers us to make our own decisions as we navigate the obstacles, dangers, multiple paths, and people to journey toward the horizon of our existence and presence here.
“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.” – Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
As a point of emphasis, the most important Moments I have found in life revolve around my relationship with God. That relationship nourishes me daily and provides me reassurance, direction, forgiveness, gratitude, and love, among other things. It enriches my soul and gives me purpose for being. It is exhilarating, personal, and reliable. I am a better human being because of God and His love for me. That’s all I know for that is all I desire. Everything else is a bonus.
Bottom line, do not fear love, seek it. Do not ask for forgiveness, live it. Do not seek role models, be one. Do not live a life that creates regrets, do what your heart and soul speak for you to do. Do not worry that God may not recognize you, Know that He is there because He created you and Loves you.
God Bless you and be well.
(This article is dedicated to my wife and two sons, each of which have brought happiness, joy, hope, direction, and reverence to my life. I love you all)
I Could Not Ask For More (Edwin McCain)
Lying here with you
Listening to the rain
Smiling just to see the smile upon your face
These are the moments I thank God that I’m alive
These are the moments I’ll remember all my life
I found all I’ve waited for
And I could not ask for more
Looking in your eyes
Seeing all I need
Everything you are is everything to me
These are the moments
I know heaven must exist
These are the moments I know all I need is this
I have all I’ve waited for
And I could not ask for more
I could not ask for more than this time together
I could not ask for more than this time with you
Every prayer has been answered
Every dream I have’s come true
And right here in this moment is right where I’m meant to be
Here with you here with me
These are the moments I thank God that I’m alive
These are the moments I’ll remember all my life
I’ve got all I’ve waited for
And I could not ask for more
I could not ask for more than this time together
I could not ask for more than this time with you
Every prayer has been answered
Every dream I have’s come true
And right here in this moment is right where I’m meant to be
Here with you here with me
I could not ask for more than the love you give me
‘Cause it’s all I’ve waited for
And I could not ask for more
I could not ask for more
Recognizing The Hand Of God
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The nuances of life abound in our everyday physical world. Nuances in thought, context, demeanor, intent, knowledge, emotion, experience, and determination. Indeed, how we think about something profoundly impacts what we think.
Our senses, all eight of them, equip us to interact, impact and experience our physical world. The first five, everyone has been taught to recognize (see, hear, smell, taste, and touch). The next three, I believe complement and extend each of our ability to interpret the world, above and beyond the physical context.
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There is a sense of Space and Time, which I equate to balance and equilibrium; something I collectively categorize as the “body“. A sense of body is the accumulation of our five core senses, empowering each of us to holistically feel the physical world along with our place in it.
Next, there is the phenomenon known as ESP (Extra Sensory Perception), similarly viewed as Intuition, a sense or feeling of future events, truths and/or knowledge. This inexplicable sense is possessed and felt by some more than others, and I refer to it as the “mind“. Most who have experienced it will unequivocally swear it is as real as the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the sun that warms us.
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And the culmination of these senses that takes us to that “next level”, is faith. It is our “soul” and it literally lives forever and uniquely identifies each of us as does our physical fingerprint, personality, and spirit. The soul is that part of us that separates from our physical bodies when we die.
Some people may react to the concept of soul and spirit with confusion, amazement and/or denial. I choose to believe in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, so it is a very short “leap of faith” for me to acknowledge the reality and presence of my soul.
Following is a snippet from my book (in progress) that speaks to this construct:
“Accordingly, this is a story about the power of faith, salvation and literal eternal life. A life, however, not confined to our physical senses, but rather, life thought of in terms of consciousness, energy, relationships and contentment; more like metaphysical life. Viewed in this construct, life obliterates the earthly limitations that envelop, partner, bound and seemingly dominate our existence and thoughts.
Eternal life is an existence and state of mind that is manifested or channeled through self-awareness, courage, vision, trust and what I refer to as Incomprehensible Truth.
In a world where we have been effectively taught to let our mind and imagination ‘go wild’ in exercises that have created science fiction, entertainment and new product development, we have been equally conditioned to limit or exclude that imagination when applied to God, mortality and eternal life.
In much the same way that everyone acknowledges Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and characters including Superman and Batman, there are bridled expectations when the subjects of religion, Jesus Christ and the afterlife are broached.
One explanation that warrants further analysis of credibility, addresses the inability, or more aptly, the unwillingness of human thought to acknowledge or attempt to consider the likelihood of eternal life, the existence of a conjoined physical life and soul or spirit, and the reality of conscious continuity after physical death.”
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As evidenced above, contemplation about our presence, our being, our longevity in life; indeed, eternal life can require a lot of energy, imagination and an ability to connect the dots to construct the complete picture.
And this discussion brings us to the “Hand of God”. The presence of our Creator can be felt, seen, heard, touched and experienced in the multitude of natural, living and sculpted features He created in our physical environment, including the inhabitants.
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God’s fingerprints are unmistakably evident on nearly everything in the world; you see, He created it all. The breathtaking beauty of a newborn child, the glow from a golden sunset, the majesty of a flying eagle, the delicate whisper of the wind as it caresses pine trees, the sweet melody of a flute, the magnificence of the Rocky Mountains, the splendor of Niagara Falls. The presence of God can be witnessed in all that is good, and all that can be good.
The truth of the matter is that all of creation is merely a reminder of the vast beauty, power, and grace of God, as a symbol of His Love for us and His desire for us to be happy, to love one another, and most importantly, to Love God and to spread His Love throughout humanity.
So, the next time, you encounter someone or something that abounds with beauty, radiance, and goodness, remember all of it originates with God. Give Thanks, demonstrate Gratitude and practice Humility as you walk the path of your journey. God Bless you. Be well. Look for the Good – Always.
Brooks and Dunn (Believe)
Old man Wrigley lived in that white house
Down the street where I grew up
Momma used to send me over with things
We struck a friendship up
I spent a few long summers out on his old porch swing
Says he was in the war when in the navy
Lost his wife, lost his baby
Broke down and asked him one time
How ya keep from going crazy
He said I’ll see my wife and son in just a little while
I asked him what he meant
He looked at me and smiled, said
I raise my hands, bow my head
I’m finding more and more truth in the words written in red
They tell me that there’s more to life than just what I can see
Oh I believe
George Strait (I Saw God Today)
I just walked down the street to the coffee shop
had to take a break
I’d been by her side for eighteen hours straight
I saw a flower growing in the middle of the sidewalk
pushing up through the concrete
like it was planted right there for me to see
the flashin’ lights, the honkin’ horns
all seemed to fade away
in the shadow of that hospital at 5:08
I saw God today
Chorus:
I’ve been to church
I’ve read the book
I know He’s here, but I don’t look
near as often as I should
Yeah, I know I should
His fingerprints are everywhere
I’d just slow down to stop and stare
opened my eyes and man I swear
I saw God today
I saw a couple walking by they were holding hands
Man, she had that glow
yeah I couldn’t help but notice she was starting to show
I stood there for a minute takin’ in the sky
lost in that sunset
a splash of amber melted in the shades of red
Chorus
I got my face pressed up against the nursery glass
She’s sleeping like a rock
My name on her wrist wearing tiny pink socks
She’s got my nose, she’s got her mama’s eyes
My brand new baby girl
She’s a miracle
I saw God today
What If…
What if… There is indeed a God;
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What if… God created the Universe and Humankind;
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What if… Humankind was given the gift of Free Will;
What if… through the gift of Free Will, Humankind determined their future and fate;
What if… that future and fate included where Each Human being spends their eternity;
What if… that eternity was defined as Heaven and (or) Hell;
What if… Those that believe in God create their own Heaven after physical death;
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What if… Those that believe there is no God, create their own Hell after physical death;
What if… Heaven is an ethereal consciousness with only Beauty, Peace, and Love;
What if… Hell is an eternity of Darkness, Pain, Fear, void of God and Light;
What if… We had this Gift all along and never realized it could be that Powerful;
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What if… God left His Consciousness for us to have by simply Choosing to have it;
What if… The Bible was in fact, the Truth of Life Everlasting, of Good and Evil;
What if… Our physical life is but a single phase of the transformation of form;
What if… Our Mind and Spirit truly live Forever;
What if… The Future is ours to create;
What Then?
The Inspired Verse 