Recently I observed Christians infighting over whether Jesus is the Lord.
These are his words:
21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.22Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’23Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
The word Lord can mean a person who has authority over others, or it can mean God, as in the Lord.
To Jesus, this was not important. It was never about Him.
And though Jesus believed in forgiveness, he clearly states that obedience to the Will of the Father is required to enter the His Kingdom in Heaven.
This requirement then is not just devotion to Jesus, but a true oneness with the Spirit. You may name drop Jesus, but when you knock on his door, he will not know you.
Charity work, good character, compassion alone will not buy your ticket to heaven, but these are the effects of spiritual growth. These are the fruits of ascended consciousness.
The way to tell the difference is when you do these things because you care. You care about others ‘ suffering and want to help. You have compassion for those who have made mistakes, even though it’s their own fault. You do the right thing because you know it’s honest and fair, not because people are watching. You want to be the hand of God, not for any credit in this world or the next, but because you want others to see The Way to a better life.
Then Jesus will know you as a brother or a sister and you will live in the same house as your Father. And like Him, it will never be about You.
https://cmberger53.wixsite.com/lightheavens/post/lord-jesus
Saturday, February 16, 2019
Sunday, February 3, 2019
Saturday, January 26, 2019
America wasn’t good enough for you?
You had to Make it Great Again?
Didn’t your momma ever tell you?
Don’t fix what ain’t broken!
A rising tide is said to lift all ships.
So what happens when we tear down everything good in America? What happens to our institutions, our people and our children?
What happens when we demonize one group of people just to lift up another?
That is when the tide turns.
The tide is on its way out. A little gratitude for living in a free society, a little compassion for those who want to live here too, would have made America Greater.
You had to Make it Great Again?
Didn’t your momma ever tell you?
Don’t fix what ain’t broken!
A rising tide is said to lift all ships.
So what happens when we tear down everything good in America? What happens to our institutions, our people and our children?
What happens when we demonize one group of people just to lift up another?
That is when the tide turns.
The tide is on its way out. A little gratitude for living in a free society, a little compassion for those who want to live here too, would have made America Greater.
Meaning of Love
Remember the famous line from the movie/book Love Story: “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.”
The spoken line was so emotional, and back in the 70’s it was quoted everywhere as well as printed on all sorts of merchandise.
Despite crying through the end of the movie, I never really understood why Love means never having to say you’re sorry. What did I know of Love?
Were the characters saying I love you and I automatically forgive you, or were they saying I love you and I understand you. I know you are sorry.
I know you did not hurt me on purpose and I know you never want to do that again.
Yet, the apology must be spoken, because it lies pregnant in the perpetrator’s soul until the words are at last spoken.
The response is a spoken form of forgiveness, a dismissal of the offense: Love means never having to say you’re sorry. Except, that it does. An apology is the balm that soothes the soul.
An apology of heartfelt sorrow delivers a message of love, and a wish to heal the wounds of the relationship. The hearer wishing to forgive and forget utters the famous words. Or something like that. It’s ok. Forget it. Or I forgive you, and friends hug and make up.
The duality exists here as it does in all facets of life. Never forget to apologize. It’s like forgetting to love. You didn’t mean to cut her, but how will she feel if you don’t bandage the wound.
The spoken line was so emotional, and back in the 70’s it was quoted everywhere as well as printed on all sorts of merchandise.
Despite crying through the end of the movie, I never really understood why Love means never having to say you’re sorry. What did I know of Love?
Were the characters saying I love you and I automatically forgive you, or were they saying I love you and I understand you. I know you are sorry.
I know you did not hurt me on purpose and I know you never want to do that again.
Yet, the apology must be spoken, because it lies pregnant in the perpetrator’s soul until the words are at last spoken.
The response is a spoken form of forgiveness, a dismissal of the offense: Love means never having to say you’re sorry. Except, that it does. An apology is the balm that soothes the soul.
An apology of heartfelt sorrow delivers a message of love, and a wish to heal the wounds of the relationship. The hearer wishing to forgive and forget utters the famous words. Or something like that. It’s ok. Forget it. Or I forgive you, and friends hug and make up.
The duality exists here as it does in all facets of life. Never forget to apologize. It’s like forgetting to love. You didn’t mean to cut her, but how will she feel if you don’t bandage the wound.
Monday, January 7, 2019
An Eye for an Eye
A 7 year old girl was killed when a man drove by the car her mother was driving and opened fire. The car was full of children.
This thug shot into a car full of children to get revenge on the mom, and it was the wrong mom. It was a case of mistaken identity.
Just think how reckless, how evil that is. What immoral soulless monster does this?
It’s a lot like a drone bombing a house full of children to get at an enemy. If one is wrong, what makes the other right?
Is the difference in the shooter? One is a criminal and the other, the man behind the gun, is a soldier and by extension a government?
Does the needs of the many really outweigh the needs of the few? Does not evil only repay with evil? We take our opportunity to destroy one evil, and create more hatred, more pain and death and more evil.
This is why every single attempt at peaceful resolution of conflict has the potential to cancel lifetimes of suffering.
The thug will go to jail. The child will be buried. Both lives are over. Many lives are crushed in both households. Nations go to war and the dead never go unavenged.
Every trigger is a cycle of death. There is no way to weigh the outcome of righteous evil. Such is karma an endless war.
Tuesday, January 1, 2019
Ringing in a New Year 🔔
Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow;
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.
An old church custom, ringing the bells was a more-than-symbolic tradition for warding off evil. This is significant because bells vibrate and carry the message of our spirits with the sound.
Joyful bells ring in the start of marriage and they toll to mourn the passing of a loved one.
The bells ring in a new year with good intentions and high hopes!
As we welcome a new year, I remember those I lost and pray for those in need.
We don’t know what the new year will bring, but we can brighten and cheer and lend an ear when needed.
As Pope Francis said ‘You pray for the hungry. Then you feed them. This is how prayer works.’
No one is perfect, but we can choose to be God’s instruments, to shine a light in the darkness and ring a bell to spread cheer. Make someone smile when you remember them. Ring a bell. Today you will find them on doors and phones 😇
God bless each of you and your families and Happy New Year! 🔔 🎵 🛎 🎶 🔔 🎶
Ring, happy bells, across the snow;
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.
An old church custom, ringing the bells was a more-than-symbolic tradition for warding off evil. This is significant because bells vibrate and carry the message of our spirits with the sound.
Joyful bells ring in the start of marriage and they toll to mourn the passing of a loved one.
The bells ring in a new year with good intentions and high hopes!
As we welcome a new year, I remember those I lost and pray for those in need.
We don’t know what the new year will bring, but we can brighten and cheer and lend an ear when needed.
As Pope Francis said ‘You pray for the hungry. Then you feed them. This is how prayer works.’
No one is perfect, but we can choose to be God’s instruments, to shine a light in the darkness and ring a bell to spread cheer. Make someone smile when you remember them. Ring a bell. Today you will find them on doors and phones 😇
God bless each of you and your families and Happy New Year! 🔔 🎵 🛎 🎶 🔔 🎶
Wednesday, December 5, 2018
A Good Deed Goes Unpunished
You’ve read the adage ‘No good deed goes unpunished.’
The concept goes back to biblical times and before. We’ve noticed that the universe seems to reward our generosity with spite.
This is of course because we seek credit for it.
Knowing this I recall once doing a needed favor for a friend knowing full well I would reap misfortune. I did it anyway. I couldn’t think of a way to do it anonymously.
I wasn’t as clear on this concept then as I am now.
Every action begets an equal and opposite reaction.
So why do good and reap evil?
Only one power negates this effect. The power of Love.
A mother is expected to care for her children. Her love does not provoke ire.
A stranger is not expected to provide for another. His actions provoke the universe. It’s unnatural and will be punished. The most extreme example is Christ sacrificing his life because he dared show us his love. Yet his love saved him for it is the most powerful force in our world.
So yes, I was moved to help a friend. I’d do it again.
I’ve suffered consequences from each sacrifice I’ve made to help another.
Sometimes I forgot to consider myself. It’s unnatural and it’s caused suffering to myself and others.
Those times, I punished myself and the universe didn’t have to.
So do good because you care and not for credit. You may suffer anyway, but at least you will be able to live with yourself.
When you do good, you relieve a measure of suffering. According to the law of karma, the suffering must be paid for elsewhere. We read of gurus who take on a measure of someone’s karma in order to help them. Now you see anyone can do this in the manifest world. We may not have the same degree of understanding as a guru, but we all have the capacity to help and love.
A simple example: do you have some relatives in need? The holidays are coming. Could you help them out, and would doing so mean one or two less Christmas presents under the tree for you and your family? What really makes you feel better.
The concept goes back to biblical times and before. We’ve noticed that the universe seems to reward our generosity with spite.
This is of course because we seek credit for it.
Knowing this I recall once doing a needed favor for a friend knowing full well I would reap misfortune. I did it anyway. I couldn’t think of a way to do it anonymously.
I wasn’t as clear on this concept then as I am now.
Every action begets an equal and opposite reaction.
So why do good and reap evil?
Only one power negates this effect. The power of Love.
A mother is expected to care for her children. Her love does not provoke ire.
A stranger is not expected to provide for another. His actions provoke the universe. It’s unnatural and will be punished. The most extreme example is Christ sacrificing his life because he dared show us his love. Yet his love saved him for it is the most powerful force in our world.
So yes, I was moved to help a friend. I’d do it again.
I’ve suffered consequences from each sacrifice I’ve made to help another.
Sometimes I forgot to consider myself. It’s unnatural and it’s caused suffering to myself and others.
Those times, I punished myself and the universe didn’t have to.
So do good because you care and not for credit. You may suffer anyway, but at least you will be able to live with yourself.
When you do good, you relieve a measure of suffering. According to the law of karma, the suffering must be paid for elsewhere. We read of gurus who take on a measure of someone’s karma in order to help them. Now you see anyone can do this in the manifest world. We may not have the same degree of understanding as a guru, but we all have the capacity to help and love.
A simple example: do you have some relatives in need? The holidays are coming. Could you help them out, and would doing so mean one or two less Christmas presents under the tree for you and your family? What really makes you feel better.
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