Archive for February, 2008

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What I Believe!

I have seen so many people searching for truth go from one extreme to another in hopes of somehow finding peace.  We often label ourselves as Christians, Atheists, Muslins, Buddhists, or whatever happens to be what you think you are for the moment.  I have come to detest labels of any kind because once you accept a label you feel like you have to defend it.  What I want to do today is state a few of the things I really believe in and also some things I don’t believe in.

WHAT I BELIEVE IN:

  • I believe in being as honest as possible. 
  • I believe in being faithful as possible. 
  • I believe in accepting responsibility for my own actions and correcting them whenever possible.
  • I believe in being a true friend with understanding and loyalty.
  • I believe in being a compassionate and kind person.
  • I believe in striving to see the best in myself and others.
  • I believe in allowing others freedom to follow their own path.
  • I believe in seeing the human race as one race in need of love for each other.
  • I believe in grace that has meaning and power behind it.
  • I believe in being the most loving person that I can be.

WHAT I DON’T BELIEVE IN:

  • I don’t believe in using grace as a cover for hurtful human behavior.
  • I don’t believe in justifying or excusing my own behavior just because I believe I am forgiven.
  • I don’t believe Bold Grace was ever intended to substitute giving our best effort to be people of love.
  • I don’t believe just because I happen to trust in God’s unconditional love that it means I have to be silent when I see injustice of any kind.
  • I don’t believe God will punish anyone for their poor choices, but I do believe there are absolute consequences to every decision we make here on earth.
  • I don’t believe in religion of any kind, but I do believe there is a loving creator that is beyond our imagination to fathom and that he does reveal himself to us.
  • I don’t believe in holding on to those things in life I feel I have failed at, but I do think every failure can be an invaluable lesson for my future.
  • I don’t believe God will leave any of us in our ignorance of how loving he really is.

In summing up let me say that all of the above are my personal convictions of life.  There are many more but these sum up the best of what I believe.  I should also say that even though I treasure the right for people to be free in making their own choices I also reserve the right to speak up against those choices when they HURT other people.

Peace to ALL

Posted by Cliff on Feb 27th 2008 | Filed in Cliff, Thoughts | Comments (13)

Hello from Tallahassee

Posted by Geo on Feb 26th 2008 | Filed in Contributors | Comments (2)

Heaven Letters

God said:
What a blessing you are to Me. I take comfort in you. Of course, I am speaking as if I were a Human Being who does not always have comfort. I am, of course, way beyond comfort, for I am in a state of total bliss. I know nothing else. I have no comparison to make. Yet I am sitting across from you now, speaking on your level. Here I am, God, sitting with you knee to knee, as if you were separate from Me. All this relative world is as if. Meanwhile, let Us enjoy.

"Beloved," I say. "I take great joy in you. You fill My heart that is already full of joy with more joy. It feels sweet to Me to have you across from Me, One to one, or beside Me or within Me. The thing is, you are precious to Me. You are a boon to Me, I, Who need no boons."

"God," you say, "As I hear your words, I feel them. I feel great stirring of love in my heart. Yet I find Your words hard to believe and easy to forget."

I say to you, "That is because the world has thrust other thoughts into your mind. You have been indoctrinated with the idea that you are not really wonderful. You have been indoctrinated that you lack some qualities, and that you are less because of this. You know, My beloved, the world has not thought so well of itself. How could it love, appreciate, and uplift you as you deserve? I, on the other hand, think well of Myself, and so it is easy for Me to see you in My light and to embrace you, My beautiful child, in the totality that you really are."

You say, "But, God, You placed me here in this world of poor perception where I would not be seen as You would have me see and be seen."

I say, "Yes, you are here on Earth as an Earthling. I gave you an assignment. I asked you to find out Who you are. By living in the forest of the world, you would disentangle yourself from the underbrush and begin to see yourself as I do see you. That means you have great opportunity to see through the mist and note yourself as one who stands tall and straight as a tree. I can tell you again and again that you are love, and yet you have to discover that yourself. Through the brambles, you will begin to see.

"I say you are love, and you may think you are heartless rather than full of love. This shows how off-track you have been. The love you seek so strenuously outside you is the love you already contain, the love that you are full of, are made of, are the embodiment of.

"When you do see with eyes of love, you will see as I do see. You will see the bright light you are. You will see more than flesh and bone. You will see more than good intentions. Your heart will be lighted, and you will begin to see the Vastness that you are, that I AM, that We ARE. You will, plain and simple, begin to see with the eyes of love that always were. It is as if you had been wearing dark glasses, and now you have taken them off.

"It is like you were clad in beggar’s rags one minute and then, suddenly, you are wearing the silks of a prince. Never mind what you have seen in the past. See now."

Now, beloved, I take your hand to My lips, and I place My hand on your heart, and now you will blossom and grow as a Child of God can grow. And so you do, My fledgling angel. And now you fly buoyed by your own heart. Now you encircle the world to heap blessings on it. And now you are blessed.

Posted by Geo on Feb 24th 2008 | Filed in Geo, Love, Oneness, Truth | Comments (29)

Reconcile & Harmonize

"Your mind is not your mind. It is God’s gift to you to recognize, to reconcile, to harmonize with His creation." –Anonymous

This is powerful to me because growing up we are told to use our minds and learn as much as we can so we can become successful, yet as we become adults we learn to judge and be judged based on what others think of us and it seems like we lose the gift to think for ourselves and be confident in who we are.  Why is it so scary to think for ourselves, be confident in ourselves, be confident in our decisions and be proud of our lives and our stories?

I was at our local meat market today and while I stood and waited for my order to get placed I had to stand there and listen to this man lecture this poor woman behind the counter on the book of Romans. He was trying to persuade her into coming back to his church. The lady taking his order use to teach Sunday school and stopped teaching because she didn’t like the politics of her church. This guy was practically falling over the counter trying to convince this woman that Church is the only thing that will give her the answers to life. He told her that she had to be careful playing around in the war of the religious vs the non-religious.

As I stood there waiting for someone to check me out she happened to be the one to take care of me. She seemed very relieved to get away. I told her that I thought what she did was very courageous. She said, "what do you mean"? I told her that it is hard to think for yourself when you are being controlled by other peoples interpretations of the bible. She smiled soo big at me and then I told her that she should try reading the bible on her own and keep and opened mind while she is doing it.

I don’t know if I should have said anything to her, but I followed my heart and she seemed to respond to it. She had some questions for me so I told her about our website and I told her that I typically like to use my own mind and follow my heart and it seems to lead me toward peace. She assumed I went to some kind of Church and I told her that I went to Saint Mattress of the Springs. She giggled and I wished her the best!

I don’t know if she will check this out or not, but if you do my advice to you is this: Keep your heart and your mind opened and stay true to who you are AND never stop searching. Just trust in yourself because for me that is where God truly is.

Peace

Posted by Mindy on Feb 22nd 2008 | Filed in Grace, Mindy, Peace, Thoughts | Comments (11)

Grace by Connie

The following is a poem written by my southern counsin Connie and I thought it was so powerful that it should be posted for all to see. 

GRACE
 
I started out the journey,
Determined was my cry -
"I’ll keep the law for Jesus
Until the day I die!"
 
That’s the way that I began.
I walked that way awhile,
The Law Book my companion
For many a weary mile.
 
The road was steep, the nights were dark -
I could not find my way.
The law just seemed to emphasize
My failures every day.
 
"This does not work the way I thought,"
I bitterly cried in pain.
"The more I try, the more I fail.
It seems I cannot gain!"
 
That’s when Jesus came to me
And threw the book aside;
Then as He placed my hand in His,
He shook His head and sighed.
 
He said, "My child, I’ve kept the law.
That’s not your job, you see.
No, your task is to hold my hand.
Come on!  Just follow me!
 
That law became my gift to you
Many years ago.
As long as you stay by my side,
Your sins won’t even show!"
 
That’s the day I found His heart
And gazed upon His face.
Since then, I’ve come to know the law
That’s all gift-wrapped in grace!

Posted by Cliff on Feb 20th 2008 | Filed in Cliff, Contributors, Grace | Comments (4)

One Road, Many Modes

As I was driving to work this morning I was thinking about a question that was asked here on Bold Grace. Here is that question: “Just curious, do you need Jesus to have the Kingdom of God or will other ways suffice?”

Cliff answered, “yes”. Now I am not sure what Cliff was answering yes to but here is my take.

According to the writers of the gospels Jesus said this, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”.
Also the writer of Acts wrote: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
I BELIEVE BOTH! Does that shock you? To many who read here at Bold Grace that may come as a SURPRISE! Let me explain.

Back to my ride to work this morning. As I was driving along the thought came to me that the road I was driving on is the same one I drove on out in San Francisco, California back in October of last year (2007). But how could that be the road I was driving on this morning was in White Oak, Pennsylvania! Here is how……… ALL ROADS are connected! It may be by another road but in reality it is the same road! Men may call the roads by different names but the road is the SAME ROAD! It also occurred to me that ALL ROADS lead to the SAME PLACE! How you may ask do all roads lead to the same place? Because ALL roads take us to our destination. Then it came to me that there are many modes of transportation on these roads. Some trucks, some cars, some motorcycles, some bicycles, some walkers, some skate boarders, and some even ride scooters.  So how does all of this relate to the question of is Jesus the only way? Well here goes my feeble attempt to explain.

The ONE ROAD that mankind travels is Jesus Christ. Now how many of you have ever traveled a road and did not know the name of that road? All of us right?
You see the Old Testament Prophets spoke of a Redeemer coming that would make a straight road to God. One who would “stand in the gap” as a bridge, i.e. road. I travel over roads and bridges daily that take me to my destination without ever knowing the name of that bridge or road. But yet it still gets me to my destination.

So if Jesus is the ONE ROAD then what are the vehicles that travel that road? What are those different modes of transportation? They are the self and spiritual ways that mankind travels. Some are Atheist, some are Christian, some are Muslim, some are Hindu, and some are (fill in the blank). Now my question is this…” does a mode of transportation say a car or truck know the name of the road it travels?  No! Does that car or truck not knowing the name of the road stop it from getting to its final destination? No! So what is the final destination of mankind? Home with the Creator of the Universe.  You see just because I drive on the Jesus Road in a vehicle called Christianity in order to get to my destination it does not mean my brother who drives on the Jesus Road in a Muslim vehicle will not get to his/her destination! ALL are driving on the same road! It is called JESUS! He is THE WAY! He is The Path in the wilderness. He is The Light that Lights EVERY MAN that comes into this world.

He is THE ONLY ROAD Available! There are no others! But there are many modes of transportation on that road. So when you see your Muslim brother on the road say hello and wish him peace. When you see your Christian sister say hello and wish them peace. When you see the Hindu child wish them peace. When you see the Atheist wish them peace. Because they are all traveling the same road as you only in different vehicles. That ROAD is JESUS!

Peace to you my Fellow Traveler
Geo

Posted by Geo on Feb 19th 2008 | Filed in Freedom, Geo, Grace, Love, Mercy | Comments (20)

Many Are Called But Few Are Chosen!

I posted this back in August of 2007 but I thought it was a good time to re-post it at this time.

The following E-mail was sent to me from a Christian who is truly searching for answers. 

How are you? I’m good.  Just wanted to ask you a question.  What does Matthew 22:14 mean exactly. I’ve read it but I’m not sure what "Many are called but few are chosen" means.  Called for what and chosen for what?
When you have some time just let me know!

This was my response:

First, let me say that if you really believed the way the traditional church has taught this you would have to be scared to death.  Because the clear indication is that only a few very fortunate people will ever get to Heaven.  Even out of those who were later invited (good & bad), if you didn’t have the right garments on you were cast out.  Does that sound like the same Jesus who said “Forgive your enemies, pray for them, and love them like you would love yourself?” or the Jesus who hung on the cross and his last words to those same people that he had taught this parable to was “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” 

Now here is what I think:  Jesus was talking to his fellow countrymen, the Jews.  He was teaching them in a parable that they above all people were invited to enjoy the wonders of the Kingdom of God and all its glory.  Now they rejected his invitation and continued on a path of self-righteousness, bitterness, judgment of others, and he was telling them that there would be consequences to their choices.  We read later in Mathew 24 that he speaks of the consequences even in more detail pointing to the future when the temple would be destroyed as well as much of Jerusalem in 70AD.

By the way the Kingdom of God is: Rom 14:17For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
 
What should be made clear here is that all of us still have choices to make and the choices we make can determine weather we live in the peace and joy of God’s Holy Spirit.  If we choose like the Jews to continue to wear our own suit of righteous clothing we will not enjoy peace, but if we choose to believe we have a suit of righteousness that has already been provided then we find a peace that is not gained by our performance.
 
We know the parable could not have been talking about Israel’s final condition because there are far too many scriptures that teach otherwise.  Let me quote you just a few.
    
Rom 11:26-36
26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, there shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.
29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counselor?
35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
 
I could go on and on, but I will stop here.  I would also ask you……..What does your heart say?  Will God cast out the many into a HELL of endless torture, or will he do what he said he would do and SAVE THE WORLD and show MERCY to All?

Posted by Cliff on Feb 18th 2008 | Filed in Cliff, Peace, Thoughts | Comments (33)

I See Perfection in Hitler!

The following is for my beautiful and favorite cousin Connie in answer as to why I believe Hitler had perfection within.  I hope this helps at least explain why I believe the way I do.  I wrote this awhile back and have made only a few changes.

I have stated many times in the past that I see God in virtually everyone.  The question always arises: Cliff, are you telling me you see God in someone like Hitler, Jeffery Dahmer, or some other really disgusting human being?  The answer is always the same, it is always YES.  But how can that be?  Let me explain.

All of us have been trained by our religions (especially christianity) to look at a person’s performance in the flesh as to whether or not they are good or bad.  They try to deny it, but the organized church does classify sins and as long as you don’t commit the really bad ones by their standards you are in the acceptable circle.  I used to work with a person who would really get upset if someone uttered God’s name in an unacceptable way.  This person would go on and on how disrespectful that is and they would never do such a thing.  This person also judged other people very harshly when they used His name in ways they didn’t approve off. 

Now here’s the rub, that same person committed adultery in their first marriage and married the person they were sleeping with.  Of course they repented, so I guess in their mind they now have the right to judge others of sins they don’t commit.  I have seen this same type of thing play out in almost every person I have ever met.  People always judge others on things they themselves may not have a problem with, but if you look closely in their lives you WILL ALWAYS find sin.  Not sometimes, not once in awhile, but ALWAYS.

I can look at people like Hitler and see God because I know that under the right conditions or circumstances any one of us could have been a Hitler, and if you think otherwise you simply need to look at the story of David the King.  He was a man after God’s own heart and yet he did commit adultery, murder, lying, deceiving, and did it all justifying in his own mind that it was OK.  I won’t print the story but you can read about it in 2 Sam chapters 11,12, & 13. 

Only God knows the full story of any human being’s life, and it is arrogant of any of us to think we are some how better and more deserving of Christ’s sacrifice then someone else.  If you lived 200 years ago and was rich would you have owned a slave?  I hope that I wouldn’t have, but I can’t say for sure.  If you were taught from birth that Israel and the United States are evil empires and should be destroyed in the name of Allah, would you seek their destruction?  I hope not but I can’t say for sure.  If you were horribly abused as a child would you grow up and hurt others?  I hope not, but I can’t say for sure.

I know that within every person that commits terrible acts against mankind there is a story and only God knows that whole story, but He has demonstrated to all us in His son Jesus the willingness to love even the worst of us.  Paul makes this clear in his description of how God saved him.

1 Tim 1:12-17
12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners — of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.  

Every person I meet has sin in their life, and every one of those sins is dealt with in the same exact way.  They are shown mercy because of what Christ did, not because of what they do.  It is an insult to the sacrifice of Jesus to try and offer Him anything in exchange for His mercy.  I love because he first loved me……..It’s not the other way around as the church often teaches.

Lastly, the main reason why I see God in every human being is because only in that vision can we enjoy peace.  If I make the judgment that even ONE person should not receive His mercy I immediately condemn my self to doubting my own mercy and God’s ability to redeem.  Believe me, I have been there and I know that statement is true.  His blood either covers all our sins or we will live in constant doubt of our own redemption.  Seeing God does not excuse the actions of the person you are looking at, but it does change how you see yourself. 

Jeffery Dahmer paid for his actions in ways that we can’t imagine right here on earth, but God’s GLORY & LOVE is more then capable of destroying all that ugliness in his life and I am absolutely confident that God welcomed home the sweet little Jeffery that was created in His own image.

So, the bottom line is, God is ABLE, and He has given us all the ability to see Him in ALL of his creation……..OH, WHAT A SIGHT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN.  Thank-you Lord Jesus.

Posted by Cliff on Feb 15th 2008 | Filed in Cliff, Thoughts | Comments (35)

Listen to Bold Grace Radio (BGR)

If you missed last nights show or if you listened to it live you know we again had tech difficulties the first 15 minutes so I have edited the show and it is now  ready for download. Or just click on the Talk Shoe ICON over on the left of this page.

The Show was a GREAT one!

The guys & gals discussed "Leave These Things Behind"  (Hebrews 6:1&2) and various other topics

Listen to Last night show HERE

 Thanks to everyone who participated either live or in the chat room! And we invite all to call, text or just listen in to the live shows and to download old shows.

 

Peace

Bold Grace Radio LIVE  (BGR)

Posted by Geo on Feb 14th 2008 | Filed in Audio, Freedom, Oneness, Truth | Comments (4)

Leaving Law, Gaining Love!

Can one truly learn to love if they are connected to law? 

Most of you know by now that there are two basic ideas that I have strong convictions about.  One is that God is Love and that his Love will never fail any of us.  Second, is that He has sent us on a journey that is all about learning to Love.  Sometimes those of us who have taken strong positions about Grace are accused of being too wishy washy about living life, and I have even been accused of not believing in anything.  Actually there couldn’t be anything farther from the truth.  

Christ came to teach us that you can’t make a law that really explains what love is.  Some may argue pointing to verses that connect the law to love such as in Gal 5:14  For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.  Now the problem with this is in our inability to follow the law.  If we could do that then certainly it would lead us to be loving people, but the reality is that we don’t even come close to fulfilling the law.

So, how can we learn to be a loving person?  I think the answer is given to us in the same chapter that I quoted above.  We must leave the law in order to gain love.  Listen to the next verses.   Gal 5:18, 22, 23
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Anyone who tries to keep you under law is keeping you under a curse. Gal 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”

And he is not just talking about the Law of the old covenant. Gal 3:21 “Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.”  You see Paul clearly says “A LAW” meaning that it doesn’t matter what kind of law you come up with it just won’t give life.  

So, back to our question, “how can we be a more loving person?”  Well the answer is really simple.  When we begin to believe that God loves us period, and that our inability to observe any type of law will not change that fact, then we can begin to reflect the same love that he has shined on us.  1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us. 
 
Yes, we may spend our entire lives here learning what LOVE is really all about, but maybe that’s exactly why we’re here.  And maybe we will learn the lessons of LOVE regardless of the choices we make because God can take our good and our bad choices and reveal his love in all of them. 

Posted by Cliff on Feb 12th 2008 | Filed in Cliff, Love | Comments (11)

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