Who's right?

I don't understand why it is that everyone believes that their religion is the "True Religion" I was watching a documentary about different religions and Bill Maher was interviewing people of different faiths. He asked them why they believed what they believed and they we're all so committed to there beliefs. I thought to myself  "they all can't be right!" I mean...how does this work? You have the christian who believes that the only way one can get into heaven is to confess Jesus as Lord. Then there are other religions who don't believe that's necessary at all. You have so many religions with different  rules, truth is we are all human beings with a sinful nature, with which we have a really hard time keeping in check. I just find it hard to believe that a loving God who made us human beings with all the imperfections that comes along with this sinful nature of ours would punish us by throwing us in an eternal fire called "Hell." That's like telling a tiger not to act like a tiger, we all know the nature of the beast. How can you punish a tiger for acting on it's natural instinct? Same with us, now as humans we should at least try to exercise some self control, but if the real truth were to be told we're not even able to live without sinful thoughts let alone sinful actions! Tell me.. how this is possible? Religious people are taught to die to themselves, to deny the flesh-in other words fight their human nature. Again telling the tiger not to act like a tiger. I believe that God knows our condition, He knows us-all about us and thank goodness contrary to what many may believe-I believe he sees straight to our hearts and He judges based on our intentions and not so much our actions. I said all this to say we are only human, we'll never be without sin so may I suggest that you simply treat others the way you want to be treated.

What do we really believe?

I called an old friend yesterday (a member of my former church.) We greeted one another, she asked how I was doing I told her I was doing great and immediately was turned off by her response. She went on to say how God looks out for us (Christians) that's why we always do well and everyone else struggles. She said we're His own-He's ours, we're special to Him and on and on and on. Funny thing is...as I was listening to her I was having my own inner dialogue. I remember thinking, wow she really believes this! Then I thought to myself, "I used to believe this!" This was a very weird experience! I asked myself  how did I manage to get sucked into that kind of thinking? There are all of these people in the world around us who don't believe in or serve the God that we do, yet they breath the same air, and have access to all the things that we do. How in the world does one group of people manage to think they're more special to God than everyone else? I'll tell you...by hearing exactly what they want to hear. The bible says "For God so loved the WORLD that he gave his only begotten son."  It is that simple, it  doesn't specify a certain group of people. I now believe that the relationship for those of us who believes in God is a very private one,  it's a very personal one on one relationship between  God Himself and the individual. No matter what religion we 're apart of  He has created everyone and He knows every single thing about us inside and out. He knows what He does and does not  mean to us and He totally understands our condition.  What do I mean by our condition? Our sinful nature, God knows what we battle with and our desire to conquer it. He also know that this flesh of ours is weak, that's why He gives us  His grace and mercy and lots of it!  There's no group of people /religion who are better than or more loved than any other, if that were true then everyone wouldn't experience the same circumstances such as sickness, sorrow, loss or what have you. Bottom line...God loves us all, whoever- whatever-however we may be He knows all about us and still....His love for us is 100% unconditional. That my friend is good-very good to know.

Blessings,
Selah 

Let Go.....and Just Go With The Flow

Hello it's been a while...I've been so busy riding this huge wave that I call "LIFE". This thing can certainly throw some wicked curves! If someone had told me I'd be here this time last year I would have rebuked them with my little religious self(giggles). Wow, we reeeeeeaaaaaalllly don't know what all is in us until the pressure begins to mount, this statement is so very true. We'd like to think we know ourselves well, of course we do to a certain degree but who are we really??? When we want something or someone even that we can not have? When we have to wait much longer than we anticipated? When we've always tried our very best to play fair and treat others the way we wish to be treated and still experience hurt, betrayal and deception. Hhhuuuummm....who are we really? We are who we've always been-that's who. I believe that when we experience these trying times every good quality that we thought was in us is still there, we just get the oppotunity to become aquainted with the less appealing of ourselves. I say the "real you" the very essence of who you are never changes it only grows. Oprah said something profound that I absolutely love. She said when you do something wrong or bad "It's what you did-not who you are." My God! That is so freeing! So many of us get stuck in that very place where we fall short because we fail to realize this wonderful truth "It's what I did...it's not who I am." If everyone were able to do this we'd reach our fullest potential! If you have done something you're not so proud of, if you've been carrying shame whatever it is that's causing you to be stagnate...remember "It's not who you are beloved-it's what you did." If you offer a sincere apology, ask for forgiveness from whomever you feel you may need it and they're not ready to accept it then leave it with them because at this point you've done your part. Turn around, walk away, allow yourself to rise above it and get on with this gift of life that we're blessed with making the most of every moment.

In His Love,
Selah