A Christian Atheist?

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Wow, Facebook has been providing a bunch of writing memories lately. My previous post was based on a quote I had shared several years ago. Today, I was shown an article I had written on the same date in 2010. I wrote this on another site I wrote with before this one. I found it interesting as I read it, so I decided to share it here. Is there really such a thing as a Christian atheist? Find out here…

There are certain things that don’t go together in this world. For example, in our country there are no Republican Democrats. There are other examples to continue this little game: rich poor people; people that love the Yankees AND the Red Sox; country city slickers, etc. There are very few, if any that would fit into both of each category.

So what about my title? Do Christian Atheists exist? I will take the cop-out answer of yes and no. Now some of you are already thinking I’ve flown off the deep end. There’s no such thing, you say. Partially true, I reply. But there’s more to this story.

First, let’s define both words. What is a Christian? The obvious answer is someone who believes in Jesus Christ, that he died on the cross, and was resurrected on the third day. Of course, there is much more to it, but that’s the basic definition. An atheist, as defined by dictionary.com, is a person who denies or disbelieves the existence of a supreme being or beings. So how can we have both at once?

I will answer that shortly. My main point is that I am reading an excellent book called “The Path to Prosperity”, by James Allen. It is an incredible book about the effects positive thinking can have on our lives. However, it is the powerful statement of negative thoughts that really gets my attention. He says, “where there is fear, worry, anxiety, doubt, trouble, chagrin, or disappointment, there is lack of faith….to fear, worry and doubt is to deny, to dis-believe. (p. 36) Wow! Did he really say that?

At first, I had the inclination to throw the book down. I couldn’t though because it is an e-book, and the whole computer would go with it. Besides, I’m not one for losing my temper anyway. However, as I thougth about this more, I realized how right the author is. We are commanded throughout the bible to have faith. There are countless stories about miracles that happened because of one’s faith. There are also many verses commanding us not to worry, create anxiety, or dwell on negative circumstances.

I am a Christian. I think I’m a pretty good one too. However, after reading this, I humbly realize I am part atheist. Every time I worry, doubt or fear, I am saying I don’t believe in the power and miracles God has for me. I am saying Jesus died in vain for me. I am saying it is more important for me to dwell on negative thoughts than to pray with faith for positive results. If I were God I would be seriously offended! Fortunately, He is very forgiving, and it is me I am hurting, not Him.

Once again, these words hit me hard and really made me think (that’s the sign of a great book in my opinion). It is as I make a much greater effort to focus my thoughts on the positive blessings God has for me that I share this with you. I am not here to call you an atheist. However, it is my desire to remind you again of: the power within you; using that power to be a blessing to others and making a difference in this world; and focusing faithfully on God and the blessings he has for you. I want to be known as a faithful, believing Christian. Hopefully you do too : )

Have an excellent day!

I Want To Sleep Like Jesus

An interesting thing happened today. I was reviewing some old articles I had written in the past. I then realized I had some drafts of unpublished articles that I had forgotten about. I came upon this one that I began writing… in 2015!! The article was completely done, but I never published it. Usually when that happens, I believe it’s because God wants to use it for something. I guess it wasn’t supposed to be published until now, and perhaps you are the one who needed to see it! Whether that’s the case or not, I hope you enjoy it…

 

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is one where the disciples of Jesus are on a boat and caught in a violent storm. They are in a panic and are fearing that they will drown. Amidst the panic, they come to their senses and realize that Jesus can save them. But where is He? In the middle of this storm, they find Him in a corner of the boat…asleep! The disciples wake Him up and ask for His miracle-working intervention. Jesus wakes up, rebukes them for their lack of faith, and immediately calms the storm.

If I was one of the disciples, I am sure I would be wondering…”how could He sleep during this intense storm?” I am sure that is exactly what was going through their minds. However, Jesus challenged them. He asked them why they had such little faith and why they were so afraid. I also believe He provided an example of the faith He was trying to promote. There was chaos. A crazy storm that was about to destroy them. Yet He was sleeping soundly through it all. He KNEW that God had control of the entire situation, and all He had to do was say the word and the perilous situation would be overtaken by the wonderful peace that only God can bring.

As I reflect on this story, I realize that this is the faith I want to have. There will be storms around me. However, if my faith is strong enough, I can sleep peacefully, knowing God will rebuke the storm and bring peace. The same is true for you. You may think Jesus is asleep as the storms rage around you. If so, just wake Him up! Ask Him to calm the storm, and He will respond. Even if it doesn’t immediately disappear, He will provide a peace that only He can provide.

Jesus was able to sleep peacefully as the storms raged around the boat He was on. He had 100% faith that the boat would never come close to going down as long as God had control of it. That is faith that He shared with His disciples, and wants to allocate to us. Know that God is in complete control, and you will sleep like a baby 🙂

Remember Your Power

This past weekend, my family and I enjoyed a beautiful Easter celebration. We Christians celebrate Easter as a remembrance of how Jesus rose from the dead after being brutally crucified two days earlier. I imagine the power involved in that process of bringing Jesus from dead to alive. That power is never-ending!

I’ve read several times in the past few days, a particular Bible verse. As I’ve said numerous times, I know God is speaking to me when I read the same info in various places at various times. The verse comes from Romans 8:11 which in essence says that the same spirit and power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you. Think about that. The same Godly, endless, and invincible power that was used to resurrect Jesus from being dead to universally alive is a part of your very being.

It’s very easy to take this power for granted, to not believe we have it, or to feel like we are unworthy of it. I still fight this battle regularly. However, it is the truth. This power is readily available to us. Let us remember that. Later in Romans 8 it says, If God is for us (which He surely is), who can be against us? (absolutely nobody and nothing!) Not only do you have this power, but nothing can stand against it! And it is ALWAYS with you. Another powerful verse in this same chapter says that nothing can separate us from God’s love. Here’s how Romans 8 ends… “ Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. ³⁹ No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Remember this power today. Know that you can use it to accomplish anything. And you don’t have to sweat the small stuff. Know that you have the power within you to overcome any obstacles, big or small. As you go through your day, remember your power. Be thankful for it, live in it, embrace it. It is yours and no one can ever take it from you. Enjoy the blessings 🙂

Where to Focus Your Faith

Faith can be a touchy subject sometimes. We’re supposed to have it (the Bible says without faith it is impossible to please God), but it is often difficult because we are supposed to believe in what our senses are not yet telling us. It is also difficult because things don’t always work out the way we expect, and sometimes opposite of the way we want. Even though it is for our own good when God doesn’t answer a prayer the way we want, it hurts! We have prayed for the healing of loved ones who did not heal. We have prayed for “the one” to spend the rest of our life with, and they don’t show up. We have prayed for an increase in finances only to have more expenses instead.

I am not trying to paint a negative picture here. God always hears our prayers and answers in our best interest every time. The problem is that if someone has been hurt by difficult circumstances, regardless of the fact that God has them in our lives for good, it is very difficult to trust God and have faith in Him. I get it because I’ve been there.

My faith is generally good, though there are still plenty of times where doubt creeps in. The other night I watched a sermon from Andy Stanley on the topic of faith. I know I was led there by God because what I heard could have potentially increased my faith exponentially. I wanted to share this with you, especially if you happen to be struggling with your faith these days.

The main idea that struck me was this…. instead of focusing on what God will do for you, focus on what God CAN do for you. He references a Bible verse, Matthew 8:2 where Jesus heals a man of leprosy. The man kneels before Him and says, “if you are willing you can make me clean.” He knows Jesus can heal him. However, he leaves it in His will to do so.

Why is this focus much more effective? The explanation the pastor gave was this… when we focus on what God will do, we are asking on shaky ground. It is great to have faith that something you pray for will happen. However, as I said before, God doesn’t always answer the way we would expect. You are not 100% sure of what God will do, so that leaves doubt, and at least some wonder if God will come through, especially if you are remembering other times where your prayer wasn’t answered as desired. On the other hand, when you pray and focus on what God CAN do, your faith is based on 100% assurance. You know God can do ALL things. Nothing is impossible with Him. The leper acknowledged this in his prayer.

This is very powerful to me because it provided an incredible peace. In fact, I was immediately tested on this. In the middle of that same night, I woke up and heard water running in my basement. I realized that it was the sump pump that keeps the water out, and it wasn’t shutting off. It wasn’t flooding, but that potential was there. It was 1:30 am, so there was no one to call. All I felt like I could do was pray. And I prayed in the way I learned a few hours before. Sure, I wondered if I may still awake to a flood. However, I prayed knowing that God could easily fix this problem. I left it up to Him how and with what level of difficulty or damage. After I said the prayer that way, I felt a great peace. I certainly didn’t want a basement flood to happen, but I knew that even if it did, it was still for my good somehow. The next morning, within a few hours, I had someone here to fix and resolve the problem with just a small cost.

Once again, when you focus your faith on what God can do instead of what He will do, your faith is based on 100% assurance. There is no doubt He can do anything. Instead of trying to believe God will come through for me, my prayers are like, “I know you can do this. And I pray that you do.” Unlike praying for what He will do, which can lead to some wavering because of the uncertainty, this type of prayer allows me to focus more on His promises. That actually increases my faith even more!

For me, I feel like it has taken my faith to a much higher level. It has increased my confidence and trust in God, and I am more ready to accept whatever outcome He has for me. It has also brought me closer to Him. Also, I firmly believe you will receive many positive answers to your prayers the way Jesus answered the leper. “I am willing” is what He said in the next verse. And the leper was healed.

I will share a link to this sermon here. The ironic thing is that this is only a small piece of it and not even the main point. However, it has stuck with me, and as mentioned, it is a major faith booster.

I challenge you to focus your prayers this way. Focus mainly on what God CAN do, and leave what He will do to Him. I strongly believe your faith will grow too. Enjoy the blessings 🙂

How To Be Fruitful and Make a Difference

As we go through this difficult time with Coronavirus and so many other things on our minds, there are many people going out of their way to make a positive difference for the people around them. I am eternally thankfully for these individuals. Many others have the same desire to make a difference in their world too. However, some may be wondering how you can do so.

As I was doing my Bible devotion this morning, I came upon this verse which inspired me to share this with you. For those looking to make a positive difference, I think this will certainly help: “In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.” This is taken from 2 Peter 1:5-7. Please allow me to break it down quickly for you…

Faith – Start with an excellent foundation of faith in God and His promises in your life. Be confident that His power can make a difference in your life and those of the people around you.

Moral Excellence – when you demonstrate integrity, respectability, honesty, and strength in character, you stand out in your world. People will definitely notice.

Knowledge – Where can you gain great knowledge? The Bible is an excellent starting point for increasing knowledge of how you can make a difference, or for any life topic. The internet is loaded with valuable resources on how you can enable yourself and others to grow. Use whichever is best for you, and feed your mind with positive information.

Self-control – Mainly self-explanatory on what this means, but your ability to remain disciplined with your mind and emotions, especially in difficult situations, is another thing that stands out and allows your light to shine in the darkness.

Endurance – The ability to press on in the midst of difficult circumstances.

Godliness – Reflecting the same character traits of God. This can also mean remaining devoted to God and His cause.

Brotherly Affection – We’ve seen plenty of examples already of how people are going out their way to help their “brothers and sisters” in society. Your willingness to help in any way you can easily allow you to make a difference in your world.

I believe these verses make it very clear that, if you consistently demonstrate these attitudes character traits, you can make a difference in your world. This point is confirmed in the next verse…. “The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” As we Christians grow in Christ, we develop the above characteristics. And as those characteristics manifest in our personality and we make them a part of our very being, we become more fruitful and make a greater difference in our world.

Are you looking to make greater impacts around you? I believe God is showing us how with these words. The challenge now is to focus on demonstrating these attitudes consistently, then look for ways you can make a difference. If you pray for God’s help in all of this, He will certainly help you. You can and will make a difference, and I believe this can happen almost immediately. Enjoy the blessings 🙂

 

A Biblical Way to Remove Fear

In today’s society, there are plenty of things to be fearful of. As I write this, we are in the middle of a Coronavirus shutdown. In my humble opinion, much of this has been caused by fear. Besides this, our society has plenty of other things to fear. In our country, mass shootings have become regular news, and it seems like other disasters like fires, tornadoes, etc. are happening more regularly. There is plenty of fear on an individual level too as we go through difficult situations, face difficult people, and fight the demons that remind us of past mistakes and failures.

Ok, I know what you are thinking, and I hope you haven’t quit reading yet. This site is known for positive and uplifting inspiration. Why all of a sudden the doom and gloom? Those who know me well would know that I am usually very optimistic. And I still am. However, even the best of us have things in our lives to make us fearful, and that stuff isn’t going to just go away.

The thing is though, we don’t have to let fear run our lives. In fact, the Bible is full of verses that talk about being courageous and being faithful instead of fearful. For the sake of simplicity, I will focus on one that reminded me of letting go of fear recently. It is from I John 4:18 which says “perfect love casts out all fear”. What is perfect love? Elsewhere in I John, it says that “God is love.” God is perfect love. I’ve shared this several times recently, and this article describes it in detail, but an excellent definition of love I’ve seen is “seeing God in everyone and everything.” It makes total sense. When you love someone, you are in essence seeing God in them. This definition helped me to love myself in a non-arrogant way. When you love yourself, you are seeing and becoming aware of the God presence that lives in you.

Based on the definition above, I see perfect love as seeing God in every person or situation. When you see and remain focused on God in something, it automatically brings great peace! You know that God has full control of the situation. Instead of remaining fearful, it is much easier to have faith and know that the situation will turn out right, even if it doesn’t go exactly as we think it should.

The key is to stay focused on God. See Him in every person, and in every situation. When you consistently do this, you will feel more empowered. This empowerment and peace will overshadow the fears that you had before. It may not exactly make those difficult situations go away, but you will be able to rise above them so much more easily. God will never let you down. That enough is able to dispel all fear. He is there for you always. Enjoy the blessings 🙂

A Sick Reminder of Who I Really Am

I have been a practicing Christian for over 30 years. I have also been a student of the Law of Attraction (which I believe works hand in hand with Christianity) for the past ten. Even with those long time frames, I still receive reminders that I am not applying the power of each in my life as much as I could. Here is a recent example…

Over the past weekend, I was battling a sickness, a mini flu bug. On Sunday, it was a major project just to get off the couch or out of bed. I didn’t eat much, so I was further weakened because of that. I missed a fun family gathering, but passed the day watching a Nascar race, and just enjoying a peaceful day.

Monday would be my first day back to work after a week vacation. We are discouraged from taking the first day off after a vacation, so since we were experiencing a windstorm in the Buffalo area of almost hurricane force all day and night (an unusual event in our city) I thought maybe the school I work at would close and I would get another day to recover. I actually found out Sunday night that the wish was granted, and an immediate peace came over me as I would indeed get another day to recover without having to call in.

The problem was that when I woke up early Monday morning, I felt just as bad if not worse than I felt the day before. It was then where I realized that a lot of this sickness had to do with my thinking. Sure, I know sometimes God allows us to become sick for reasons only known to Him. And I thought maybe this was one of those times. However, as I lay there, I still decided to get my mind thinking correctly and aligning it to who I really am. You see, who I really am (and who you really are) is a being that shares the spirit of God. The kingdom of heaven is in our midst, which after looking up a true definition of midst, I learned that it means our essence or very being. Another Bible verse says in HIm we live and move and have our being.

I was reminded that the Spirit that I am a part of is perfect and whole. It is never sick, and in fact does not even know sickness. At that moment, I said a prayer asking that I would be led to keep my mind focused completely on who I really am. As I lay in bed and did this, an almost immediate peace took over. I fell asleep for about two hours. When I woke up, I felt wonderful! Sure, I was still stuffy and coughing and had some lingering effects of the sickness. However, I easily got out of bed, made some breakfast, and did my morning routine as if it was a Saturday (even though it was a Monday). I took the day slow, but felt better and better throughout.

Did I heal myself? No, God did. However, I am willing to take some credit for the time frame in which it happened, and I thank God for answering my prayer. I prayed that I would keep my mind focused on who I really am instead of focusing on the sickness. Remember, a key idea of the Law of Attraction is that the thoughts and ideas you focus on are the outcomes that manifest in your life. As that prayer was answered, and I kept my mind focused correctly, I believe the healing happened faster than it would have otherwise.

I thank God for this excellent reminder, and I share it willingly with anyone patient enough to have read this far. Remember who you really are and who you really belong to. God is with you in every moment, and you are with Him every moment. And when you keep your mind focused on this truth and the truth of whatever it is you are looking to get through or accomplish, you are much more likely to see it come into being. Enjoy that blessing 🙂

A Simple Way to Allow God to Do His Thing

I am lucky enough to have many blessings in my life. I am very thankful for the wonderful things God has given me. However, I believe I would receive a lot more from God if I simply stayed out of His way and let Him do His work in my life. God is limitless, yet I often put my own finite body and plans in the way of His, which are much more powerful and prosperous than my own.

I am currently reading “A Course in Miracles”. It is a somewhat complicated, yet thorough course that teaches what I am mentioning here. That is, relying on the Holy Spirit as a guide instead of my own ego-based, very limited wisdom. As long (it is made to take a year to get through) and sometimes difficult as the course is, there are plenty of small gems to be found and immediately applied. I share one of them today, which comes from chapter 18 part 3…

“I who am host to God am worthy of him. He who established His dwelling place in me created it as he would have it be. It is not needful that I make it ready for him, but only that I do not interfere with his plan to restore to me my own awareness of my readiness, which is eternal. I need add nothing to his plan. But to receive it, I must be willing not to substitute my own in place of it. ”

In plain English, this is saying that God who lives in you, is a part of you, and never leaves you is willing and waiting to work on your behalf. If you don’t see things happening, you may want to reflect on whether you are indeed in His way and not allowing Him to do His great work in your life. How can you hinder God? As the quote says, we can do that simply by trying to do it all ourselves and trying to add our own wisdom and work to a divine plan of blessing He already has for us.

I sometimes feel guilty and shameful when I think of this. How can I dare try to out-do God in my own limited wisdom? Why would I even think about getting in His way and not let the all-powerful God work on my behalf? The good news is that the minute we ask for forgiveness for something like this, we are instantly forgiven. At this point the key is then to yield, let God do His work, and watch the blessings begin to pour into our lives.

For me, and hopefully you, this is great news! You don’t have to do it all. In fact, the only thing you need to do is to be sensitive to His presence, pray and ask Him for blessings, and then wait for two things. One is to allow him to guide your steps and determine what action you need to take. Once you do that, your next task is to simply step back and allow Him to work. When you do that, your blessing will manifest at the proper time.

This makes it all sound very easy, and it is! The hardest part for most of us is giving up the temptation to run ahead of God and make things happen in our own power. I recommend the advice above and believe that you are a worthy dwelling of God and His spirit. Know He wants to work on your behalf, and let Him do it. Even though I still go too fast at times and create unnecessary stress, I know first-hand that when I slow down, stop striving, and allow God to work in my life, that’s when miracles happen. And they will happen for you too. Enjoy the blessings 🙂

How to Live in the Kingdom of God Now

Is it possible to enjoy the benefits of God’s kingdom right this second? Don’t we have to wait til we get to heaven to truly experience God’s kingdom?

I can only imagine what heaven will be like. I believe it will be far greater than anything I could possibly imagine. However, who says I have to wait until I die to experience God’s kingdom?

The truth is, the kingdom of God can be experienced by me and anyone else right here, right now. How do I know? For the Bible tells me so. Luke 17:21 says that the kingdom of God (some translations even call it the kingdom of heaven) is within you. Other translations say that the kingdom of God is in our midst. Either way, this tells me one thing…. The kingdom of heaven is part of me and I am part of it. It is all around me and it is all around you. Whenever you are consciously aware of it, you can experience the kingdom of heaven NOW!

Another popular Bible verse advises to seek first the kingdom of God and all else will be given to you. (Matt 6:33). Knowing that the kingdom of God is within you and in your midst, you are in essence seeking what you already have. A great thing is that all you can ever want to be or have is a part of this great kingdom of God. So when you seek the kingdom first, it’s no wonder that all else is added to you!

So how do you experience the kingdom of God on a regular basis? Simply be consciously aware of it. Remind yourself constantly that you and the kingdom are one. Remember, it is within you and all around you. Mentally “seek first the kingdom” as often as possible during the day. As you do so, your faith, love and joy automatically increase! This is because they and all other positive emotions are fruits of the wonderful kingdom of heaven that, as you are constantly aware of them, automatically manifest as you seek the kingdom first. Of course then, you begin to experience miracles on a regular basis.

Remember, the kingdom of God is something that can be experienced any time. Seek it first, and all will be added unto you. Enjoy the blessings 🙂

A New Direction in Faith

Hello my loyal and cherished readers. Every once in a while we are prompted to move away from a successful endeavor to respond to a greater call. In an effort to positively impact as many people as possible, I felt the calling to focus on a more specific area of self-help and personal development.

As a result, I have created a new website which I hope you will continue to follow. It is called God and Mind Power. The themes I am focusing on to help you and hopefully many others enhance your life are being aware of and accessing the power of God that so readily shares, and using one of His greatest gifts effectively…that is the power of your own mind.

I realize many of these same themes are shared at this site, and after 4 years of developing this site and meeting so many great people, I am certainly not giving this site up. I would hope you would still enjoy the almost 400 articles I have available here. It’s just that, as I said earlier, I feel the need to narrow my focus and start from scratch in doing so.

Once again, I thank you for your loyal readership on this site. The goal is to help you take your life to the highest level possible. I promise that does not change with a new site. As always, feel free to share your thoughts, comments, and anything you believe will help impact more people. Enjoy the blessings 🙂