Friday, October 2, 2009

Are Your Prayers Being Answered by God - Christianity

I spent a large portion of my life praying for things that never seem to come about, like most of us. I would pray for a better life, help with solving certain problems, good health, a new car, to attract abundance into my life, wealth and happiness. I can tell you that I am in good health and have a better life than I used to but I never got the new car and seemed to have a hard time solving certain problems that I was praying for.

Now here's the catch in Christianity. If I pray for something and I get it, great God has blessed you and you must have done something good to receive what you had prayed for. If you don't receive what you prayed for within the next couple of days, maybe it isn't the right time to receive what you were asking for. If I receive what I have prayed for after that, God has answered my prayers and has given me what I needed at the right time. God knows best and I will continue to pray.

When I ask someone who prays often, how do you really know that God has answered your prayers. In Christianity, I'm talking about God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit. I'm not talking about Zeus, Krishna, or any other unspecified creator of the universe. How do you really know that your God has given you what you ask for.

Now think about this for a second, I know that as a Christian you believe in your God but what if, the Hindu god Indra has actually answered my prayer and blessed you. How do I know that Jesus is not one of the Hindu gods, hiding under another name. Could I actually be manifesting my desires from the universe somehow and I am actually God. Think about it, if this doesn't make sense to you, have you ever thought about why yours does.

The minute that I accept something as a fact, I have closed my mind to other possibilities. The world was flat at one time and now it is round. I do not accept the earth has being round, simply because someone has told me this. I can look at pictures, read books, watch movies and come to my own conclusion that there is a very good chance that the earth is round, but I can't seem to forget at one time people thought the earth was flat.

Most of us never even question what we are taught. If you were taught that Jesus, Krishna, Satan or any other god answers your prayers, that's what you probably still believe. Whether your prayers are being answered or not, does not guarantee the existence or deny the existence of God. What you're thinking caps on, Seek and You Will Find.

Eliminate Bible Propaganda

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author and a inspiration to millions of people. He has been involved in religious research for almost 30 years, and his influence in the Christian community is growing. The Holy Bible, is the core to Christian beliefs and most Christians don't even question it. Was the Bible actually written by men?

His newest book," Did God Actually Say That?" Was written specifically for Christians who are interested in gaining additional knowledge about the Bible. This book provides Christians with advanced biblical knowledge, answer some tough questions and should be read by every faithful follower of Christ.

Click here if you're Interested in Christianity.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Embrace the Idea About Learning - Shouldn't You Be Studying the Bible Regularly?

Most Christians own at least one Bible, but the idea of studying it on a regular basis, is normally considered a difficult task for those to perform. If you really want to call yourself a Christian, shouldn't you at least understand, a few things in the Bible?

Maybe something about Adam and Eve, Noah's Ark, or what about that guy, what's his name, I think he died for our sins and wasn't he the son of God, what was his name... You might think I'm kidding, but very few Christians, know very little about the Bible.

How do we get Christians to embrace the idea that studying the Bible could benefit them or change their views entirely about their religion? I've always had problems with those who consider themselves practicing Christians, while trying to convert others to Christianity with a limited knowledge about the religion itself.

If you go to church every Sunday, there's a good chance that you will have to touch the holy book of scriptures, at least once. You might even pick it up and turn some of the pages while listening to the sermon. Is this the only time during the week that you will pick up the Bible? And does this bother you?

What about those who read the Bible regularly and don't take the time to interpret it literally. Read the Bible, word for word in order to get a simple understanding of each Bible verse. Don't try to read anything into it or look for hidden messages.

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to answer simple questions or understand what your church leaders are talking about? When they mention Paul or Isaiah, are you thinking about your cousin and his friend? Spend a little more time learning about your religion and you will reap the rewards that education has to offer.

There Are Plenty of Problems with the Bible and If You Need More Help, Click on This Link Understanding the Bible

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author and a inspiration to millions of people. He has been involved in religious research for almost 30 years, and his influence in the Christian community is growing. The Holy Bible, is the core to Christian beliefs and most Christians don't even question it. Was the Bible actually written by men?

His newest book," Did God Actually Say That?" Was written specifically for Christians who are interested in gaining additional knowledge about the Bible. This book provides Christians with advanced biblical knowledge, answer some tough questions and should be read by every faithful follower of Christ.

Click Here If You're a Positive Christian Person.

My Message From God - Christian Spirituality

This is a special article to me and I would like to share it with you. It seems like, every one that I have ever met, who refers to themselves as Christians, have received a special message from God.

I would like to share my message from God with every person in the world.

Why would God go out of his way to create evil people? To create people that wouldn't convert to his religion. To understand the true meaning of the one true religion. To have the ability to comprehend the truth and wisdom of Christianity.

I have been listening to Christians for years, talk about evil, the influence of the Bible on Christians, gifts from God, questioning their beliefs, lacking understanding for things that God doesn't give them or things that he takes away from them and excluding sinners from their lives.

I've been listening to Christians talk about love and caring, but excluding sinners, homosexuals and women from their church. Not allowing women to hold decision of authority or allowing them to perform certain tasks, inside of the Church.

I've been listening to Christians, quote from the Bible, with limited knowledge of the origins of that individual Bible verse, let alone the origins of their church or how Christianity was formed.

I've listened to them judge me for my beliefs and condemn others for theirs, while they are telling me about decision's they are making within their own lives, that don't support Christianity.

Just because you go to church, read the Bible or simply believe that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior, doesn't make you an educated Christian. It only makes you a Christian.

My message from God is simple. Learn more about Christianity and this will allow you to do one of two things. Either you will become a stronger Christian or you will relinquish your beliefs in Christianity.

Either way you will have learned more about Christianity and could consider yourself an educated Christian or simply an educated person.

Advanced Bible Study

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author and a inspiration to millions of people. He has been involved in religious research for almost 30 years, and his influence in the Christian community is growing. The Holy Bible, is the core to Christian beliefs and most Christians don't even question it. Was the Bible actually written by men?

His newest book," Did God Actually Say That?" Was written specifically for Christians who are interested in gaining additional knowledge about the Bible. This book provides Christians with advanced biblical knowledge, answer some tough questions and should be read by every faithful follower of Christ.

Click here if you're a Spiritual Chrsitian.

Monday, September 14, 2009

The Spiritual Goals of Meditation

The Spiritual Journey Through a Meditation Practice

The Buddhists and others say that all life is suffering. Others refer to our existence as composed of a pain body. Certainly as we look upon the human condition worldwide we see much of both, and we may wonder if there is a way out of this dilemma.We seem relentlessly programmed to make choices and decisions that lead us into further suffering.Circumstances that lead to pain seem beyond our control.

Our experience tells us that we seem to have many different parts to ourselves in conflict with each other.Sometimes we are afraid and sometimes we feel secure.Sometimes we are angry and sometimes we are calm.Sometimes we are discouraged and sometimes we are positively hopeful.You have probably heard that we have a higher self, a soul, a transcendent self, a lower self, a subconscious mind, a shadow self, a super-conscious mind, an unconscious mind, a chakra system, and even more.The apparent separation of each of these conflicting elements of us is actually a perception of separation, and that perception of separation is the actual cause of the suffering and pain.

Through meditation we are able to integrate all the illusions of separation, and merge our awareness into the unitive state where we realize the underlying infinite, conscious principle that is both the very essence of all of who we are and the absolute nature of all there is.

The Goals of the Meditation Process

There are several phases to be keep in mind as you develop your daily practice. This is not an intellectual process, but rather an experiential process of discovering first-hand what your True Self is.This discovery is not revealed by thinking about the subject or analyzing ideas about it, but rather allowing the truths to arise from the experience of direct expansions of awareness and realization.When the reality of the unity and interconnectedness of all things becomes your experience you will awaken to a new way of viewing yourself and all life.You will feel as though you have awakened from the dreams of a deep sleep.

Until you have this experience you think you are awake and directing your life through conscious decisions.When you awaken your awareness pierces through the images that your five senses tell you is reality, and you become aware of the truth that underlies all existence.You will sense that everything is created out of the same energy, and is therefore fundamentally the same fabric of existence. You will feel more connected with this fabric of creation and more awake and more in touch with everything. You will realize how absorbed in an illusion you were.You will feel reborn as you awaken into a fresh new view of everything.

The meditative practice was developed as a means of connecting with the field and consciousness of creation, and to listen to the still small voice which emanates from the infinite divine presence.Your sense of being connected with and one with the fullness of the divine will become naturaland automatic.

With each meditative experience you surrender into the greater awareness of who you are and when you return to your normal every day consciousness your awareness is changed, and with this new awareness your life changes. You know that you and the rest of manifest creation are not what you always assumed they were, and life doesn't work the way you assumed it did. The only way to know this is by direct experience. It is not known by reading, thinking, or any of the other normal ways you have come to know anything. It is by direct experience in consciousness only.

Introducing the Ego

The confusion comes from the fact that there are fundamentally two major components to who and what we are. The part of us that we think of as the conscious person is what has been developed since we were born and which we call the personality. The personality is formed from traits we have acquired from our parents genetically and energetically and our experiences in this life. Underlying the personality are many sub-identities with traits we have carried over from many lifetimes, and they are mostly composed of fundamental beliefs and emotional reactions.This collection of identities and reactions is what we call the ego.

The ego is the aspect of who we think we are that was developed over time living in a manifest existence of separation. Therefore, the ego is driven by many defenses to whatever it perceives as a threat to its comfort or existence.Most of the traits of what we think of as fundamental to be human are actually merely the defensive characteristics ofthe ego.This includes our emotional reactions, beliefs, and our judgments, criticism, and blame.Because the ego is a survival mechanism coping with the sense of separation from God, all human beings have similar reactions and defense mechanisms.Naturally, each person has developed a unique style and preference for particular defense mechanisms, but the underlying core similarities are closely similar for all people.For instance, one main core mechanism of the ego is fear.

The experience of perceiving separation from our divine source engenders a number of fears. Because the underlying reality of existence is love and light, the experience of separation isolates the ego in darkness and void to a degree hard to imagine, and the ego will do anything it can to prevent itself from feeling the terror of this pain.The ego is terrorized by anything that threatens its survival.So the ego is driven to cling to as many things as possible to give it assurance that it does not have to go into the deep void of separation or come to its end. So this powerful underlying fear drives people with many passions to accumulate, own, attach to, possess, grasp at, or control in an attempt to insulate themselves from the pain of separation and the fear of ceasing to exist.

There Is More to You than The Ego

Beneath the surface experiences of the ego is a deep and aware part of you that is aware of its connection to the divine source of love and light.It is present with you now at this very moment, but it normally operates below your level of conscious awareness.This is what we call the True Self.It is also called the Soul, Higher Self, Master Within, God Presence, Enlightened Consciousness, Awakened Self,I AM Presence, and other such names.

What defines our perception of our spiritual evolution is the gradual bringing to the surface of our awareness of the True Self.As it emerges more and more it gradually integrates its awareness into the perceptions of the ego and we experience a merging of our conscious awareness into the awareness of our Soul.I refer to this process as the soul merging, and it is a process that continues until the ego traits completely dissolve.

Whatever role the ego plays for us can be replaced and managed better by our True Self or Soul, and this is what makes enlightenment a process rather than a destination.It takes time to discover and get in touch with the many overt and subtle aspects of our ego identities, and therefore it generally takes many lifetimes to experience the complete dissolution of the ego and the full emergence of the True Self or Soul.Once a person becomes aware of these truths, the process proceeds at a much more rapid pace than he or she did prior.

Meditation enables us to disconnect from the realm of the five senses and realize our inner realities and connections in ways the five senses could never provide.There are many types of meditation and it is a good idea to try several until you find the ones that work best for you.Ihave written other articles on this subject.

Jonathan Parker is the founder and director of Quantum Quests International. For over 30 years he has been a counselor, workshop facilitator and author of one of the largest self-development libraries in the world. It is his voice you will hear on more than 1,000 CD programs he has produced. The are listed on his website and in his free print catalog.

Jonathan has university degrees in Education, Chemistry, Theology, Counseling Psychology, and Human Behavior & Development, but his life-long relentless quest for unraveling the many questions and mysteries of life also led him on a broad journey into comparative religion, quantum physics, clinical psychology, Huna, Theosophy, botany, astronomy, Sufism, nutrition, music, hypnosis, psychic phenomena, NLP, energy medicine, meditation, and metaphysics. His website is http://www.QuantumQuests.com.

His outstanding TV programs, "Mind Power," "Self-Empowerment" and "Winning at Weight Loss" have brought his results-oriented approach to millions. You can view some of his videos on his website.

His work has earned him a high standing with many companies, clinics, schools, universities, prisons, and health professionals who regularly use his programs. Olympic athletes, doctors, judges, and the clergy of many denominations and faiths have also used his programs. To date people in more than 75 countries around the world have benefited from his programs and workshops.

Jonathan Parker has been ahead of his time with many innovative applications of accelerated learning and personal transformation techniques. His wide spectrum of programs tap the deepest reservoir of human capabilities and inspire success in achieving the highest of human potentials. His programs have touched the lives of millions lifting them to achieve personal excellence and financial success, as well as realizing their dreams of vibrant health, winning performances, and reaching the heights of the human spirit!

Why Does the Law of Attraction Work For Everyone But You?

If you're not seeing any manifestations of your attractions theres a good chance you're not paying attention. The Law of Attraction is a law. You are attracting at all times. The only reason you can't see what you want to attract is because you can't see what you're looking at.

Its similar to being in a room for so long that you don't hear the aquarium or the fan until it shuts off. You notice it only when you are conscious of it. The Law of Attraction is a shift in your consciousness just as the sound of the fan is a shift in your consciousness. You weren't conscious, or aware of it being there, even though it was there buzzing around you all the time. You don't notice it because you aren't consciously paying attention to it. Step back from your usual perspective of your understanding and try to watch yourself from without. The purpose for this is to see what you couldn't see before. What you may notice is how people interact with you. How circumstances, opportunities and people are matching your vibration and level of attraction while you fail to notice them....just like the sound of the fan in the earlier example.

The law of attraction is always responding to the vibration of all points of consciousness.

When you consciously look for the nuances of your attractions, you will see it everywhere. It will be like that fan or aquarium that you will now notice because you've chosen to be consciously aware of it's humming presence.

Decide to attract something small. Perhaps a gum or a quarter. Then let go and pay attention to the people offering you a gum while under your foot is someones lost quarter.

"When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change" - Wayne Dyer.

Devin Scannura is committed to helping others create their ideal lives by matching their new inner beliefs with their dream life and then applying the law of attraction.

Get a free copy of his ebook by clicking here => http://www.smashingbeliefs.com

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Places to Stay in Canada on Fishing Trips

Canada fishing is some of the best in the world with a wide variety of challenges. If you decide to have a go, you need to know about the best places to stay.

There are many different ways to plan your next fishing trip to Canada. You could plan to stay at a campground (in a tent or RV), in a rustic cabin or even in a small motel. Some people choose to have accommodations in a town or city nearest to their fishing area, so that they can have the amenities of an upscale hotel. For many fishermen, however, a stay in one of the Canada fishing rentals located right on the lakes and rivers where they'll be fishing is the way to go. No matter which province you choose for your fishing vacation, Canada fishing accommodations will be there to provide you with a comfortable and authentic outdoor experience.

One of the most luxurious and well-known fishing accommodations in Canada is in the province of Ontario. The Kesagami Wilderness Lodge, located on Kesagami Lake in the northern part of Ontario, is a four star fly-in fishing accommodation. Being a fly-in location means that the only way to reach this place is by airplane, making it a truly secluded and wilderness filled area. Kesagami Lake is perfect for trophy Northern Pike fishing, because it's relatively shallow and contains a number of weed filled bays. Fish here have been known to reach as big as 50 inches long and 30 pounds in weight, making this a truly world class destination for Northern Pike. With American Plan-style accommodations (three meals a day included in your stay) as well as recreation rooms and other amenities, a stay here at the Kesagami Wilderness is a great choice.

Another great place to stay at in Ontario is the Lake Obabika Lodge. Canada's only four diamond fishing accommodation (rated by the American Automobile Association/Canadian Automobile Association), this beautiful setting offers not only great fishing, but many other activities as well. From wine tastings to wilderness hikes and even a feng shui class, this lodge is a perfect destination for families that might have different vacation tastes. Fishing in the area includes Northern Pike, trout and bass.

There are many places to choose from for your Canada trip, and picking a location that will suit all of your needs (such as fishing guides, a great lake to fish on and even included meals) can make your trip very memorable. Fishing in Canada is a great way to return to nature.

Rick Chapo is with NomadJournalsTrips.com - visit us to read more fishing articles.

Your Feng Shui Garden?

Feng Shui is the oldest form of gardening dating back many millennia to China. The fundamental traits of Your Feng Shui gardening are:. Feng Shui gardens are built to look as natural as possible. Mixing shapes and sizes is an imperative component in these gardend gardens. The Chi, or cosmic energy, needs to flow openly and smoothly through its vicinity to form harmony and balance in the garden.

The natural flow of energy from a feng shui garden allows for peace and tranquility, but also for keeping your mind focused by 'clearing away the clutter.' When you clear away the clutter in your home, you clear away the clutter in your mind as well. Having a feng shui garden can also be a great way to relax and to really have a chance to enjoy your back yard.

Yin and Yang energies are freebie to one another. The front garden is more Yang whilst the back garden is more Yin and the non-public side of your life. Hanging plants will lift energy or permit energy to flow. It isn't important what sort of unique home decor you have, or what your landscape and garden yard dcor is -- a wind chime will add charm, and can make a delicate sense of this Eastern mystique. A collection of correctly tuned wind chimes mixes in with the forces of nature to make a feeling of balance compatible to the feng shui philosophy. A collection of correctly tuned wind chimes blends in with the forces of nature to create a feeling of balance compatible to this ancient philosophy.

A feeling of calm and peace washes over each ear. With May fast approaching, tuned wind chimes also make perfect gifts for Mummy's Day.

Get Your Free Copy Of Feng Shui 101 at Your Feng Shui