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

Cliff Feb 27th 2008 02:49 pm Thoughts, Cliff 13 Comments Trackback URI Comments RSS

13 Responses to “What I Believe!”

  1. Jenniferon 27 Feb 2008 at 2:59 pm link comment

    Cliff
    Great post
    Awsome

  2. kevin beckon 27 Feb 2008 at 5:14 pm link comment

    Cliff,
    There you go…coming up with a creed! :)

    Great stuff, bro. Especially the “as possible” comments. It seems to me that we’re always doing everything to the best of our abilities at the moment. We can’t do anything but actualize the possible. And that takes a lot of undue pressure and guilt off.

    Thanks,
    Kevin

  3. Bruceon 27 Feb 2008 at 9:43 pm link comment

    Most of all, I’m glad you don’t require that I believe as you do to be accepted by you. Even though I probably do…

  4. Cliffon 27 Feb 2008 at 10:11 pm link comment

    I think that God thinks of us much like we think of our own children. We always want the very best for them and always hope they make good choices, but we love them no matter what. At least that’s how I see my children. And I should say also that I want the best for my children for their highest good and not to fulfill some ego need of mine. Oh what the heck do I know??????

  5. Don Ron 28 Feb 2008 at 10:28 am link comment

    Excellent summation, Cliff. Well done.

  6. john ton 28 Feb 2008 at 11:18 am link comment

    Good list……….and still we search :)

  7. Bettyon 29 Feb 2008 at 1:40 am link comment

    “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shall be saved, and thy house.” Acts 16:31 Just remember that Jesus is not a religion, He is a Person who loves you enough to die that you and I might live forever with Him.

  8. brucedon 29 Feb 2008 at 8:05 am link comment

    Betty, what is it about the “Lord Jesus Christ” that one must believe to be saved? And even more so, what is it we are “saved” from?

  9. Cliffon 29 Feb 2008 at 8:06 am link comment

    Betty, He didn’t die that we “MIGHT” be saved. He Died to let us know that we are SAVED.

  10. Nancy da jooon 29 Feb 2008 at 6:04 pm link comment

    Cliff,
    You always hit a grand slammer!
    Amen and AMEN.

    Shalom to you all!
    Nancy

  11. grahamon 29 Feb 2008 at 7:06 pm link comment

    Excellent!

  12. John T.on 29 Feb 2008 at 7:34 pm link comment

    Hello Cliff

    My wife wanted to thank you for such a beautiful post. She works in the health field and loved it so much she is going to post in her clinic office. Her name is Denise.

  13. Cliffon 29 Feb 2008 at 11:06 pm link comment

    Life is the great teacher of all good things and it will not allow any of us to miss class. We will either come gladly or we will be dragged, but surely we will all be taught what we need to learn.

    Thank you for each and every comment.

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