Online Sermons

Staying Connected

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my

trust in You. Show me the way I should go, for to You I lift up my soul. -

Psalm 143:8

Two of the greatest inventions of my time have been the laptop computer

and e-mail. The laptop means I no longer have to stay in one place to be

productive in my business life. E-mail has allowed me to stay connected

to people all around the world with the touch of a button.

One of my greatest frustration is when either of these does not work. Sometimes e-mail cannot be used because I can't get a connection. Sometimes I cannot use my laptop because I have not properly charged it, and then the charge runs out while I am moving around. Both of these situations mean I am unable to tap into the resource that allows me to fulfill my duties in my work to the fullest.

Our personal time with God is much like these situations. God pours His

Word into our spirit, and we are recharged. This recharging has an important effect on our day. It allows us the greatest opportunity to hear the small voice that directs our steps. If we refuse to "get connected," we risk following our own ways of fulfilling the duties of our day. It sets forth the opportunity for God to speak into our spirit what He desires for us each day. It allows us to focus on God's purposes, not our own.

The only way to know someone is to spend time with him or her. The only way to discern the voice of another is to hear that person's voice. David, the author of this psalm, was a warrior, king, and businessman. He understood this principle of connecting with God in the morning. His morning allowed him to connect with God's love, renew his trust in Him, and hear His directions for his life. Shouldn't you and I do the same?

Blessed be the name of the Lord,

Shalom,

SGT T.D. Stewart

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have multiple classes in Christianity, Wicca, Religious Philosophy, three courses in Metaphysics. a course in Buddhism, a re-vamped course on Shamanism, and much more.

The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more.

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

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The Spirit of Humanity

By Rev. Kathryn Horner

E.E. Cummings once said; “To be nobody but yourself in a world which in doing its best to make you everybody else, means to fight the hardest human battle ever and to never stop fighting.” I believe this statement to be true. I further believe that we all fight such a battle. However, as we all look for our unique identity, we must understand that in spirit we are not different from one another. In our attempt to differentiate ourselves, we have too much of a tendency to forget that our spirits are connected to one another.

With this in mind if you would, please take a minute of your time and imagine yourself back to the most vulnerable moment you have ever experienced. As you go through this exercise, keep in mind that this moment is one where you had little to no control. Now imagine in your mind’s eye that you are experiencing this moment in public and there is no escape from its scrutiny. You know at this instant that their eyes are transfixed on your actions and/or responses. You also know that what is happening to you does not comprise who and what you are, but you may be the only one who knows this, or so you feel at the time. This moment is so intense that your very spirit cannot answer to what is happening around you. It feels unusually disconnected from its source however. You can sense that those around you are rendering opinion but this unfortunately is only based on what is perceived. You must understand that most people cannot identify with what you are going through. The public may pause to try and comprehend your vulnerability but still they dissociate themselves from it all. The latter you see is simply a tool employed by most people so that they may differentiate their reality from your own. They may mean no harm and yet the outcome is so different.

The picture you are creating is one played out every day all around the world toward those that have disabilities or maybe even the elderly, the weak or any number of people we may refuse to associate ourselves with. However, please also understand that this picture is not one drafted to solicit your pity toward another persons’ condition.

Stay with me for a minute more as I explain what I have come to identify as the Human Spirit and how intimately they are associated to each other.

I have come to believe that we all have something in us known as the ‘Human Spirit’. I believe it is pure from the moment that we are born up to the moment we die and maybe beyond this time.

Some of us may choose to identify ourselves in a way that can only be seen and/or touched. This may be because it is simply too demanding for many of us to venture elsewhere. So if we come to witness vulnerability, particularly in its rawest form, we tend to distance ourselves from it. Maybe the critical response that some have is due to their not knowing what to do. Maybe seeing genuine vulnerability in someone else feels so oddly foreign that it simply imparts a form of fear in some. However, is it possible that if we pay closer attention we will learn more rather then to conclude any perception as a fault of another while in their moment of humanity?

For much of my life I have experienced many such vulnerable moments that were out of my control. I have therefore also experienced the ill that the public can impart even though they may not intend to if only because they too were frightened. However, most important, I have witnessed those few that can see beyond our flesh. I believe the latter to be the peacekeepers or maybe in a time of such fragile existence, it would be better to refer to them as the peacemakers. In either case, I know that no spirit is disabled or irregular in any way, they are all, simply pure. God is said to be referred to as the ‘Holy Spirit’ and that we are created in the likeness of him. If this is true, is it then possible that this ‘likeness’ spoken of is his spirit and nothing more therefore rendering our own spirit to be pure for all Eternity? With that said, maybe our ‘mind’ is quite separate and therefore can become misaligned.

I truly believe that the human spirit does not belong to any one of us. It transcends us all. Maybe they unite to represent peace. Maybe if we pay closer attention we will learn more.

To quote another, Mother Teresa once said; “If we have no peace it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.”

Therefore, it is with her words and the following I leave you with this issue to hopefully ponder further:

To those that have little to no choice as to where or how they may express the human condition of vulnerability, I salute you each time you find yourselves in public. You illustrate true courage.

To those that have the capacity to see beyond the fragility of humanity, I salute you too. You are the teachers of wisdom and quite possibly the peacekeepers and/or peacemakers.

To everyone that gave a minute of his or her time remember this; change is constant and our only freedom is choice.

To all of the above, may you always find serenity wherever you are.

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. 

Ordination with the Free Online Ordination, button.We also offer many free wedding ceremonies for your use.


 

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.
 

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Crusades Movies

There is a good movie out now about the period of the crusades. It is "Kingdom Of Heaven". It rented and watched it on DVD this week. It's a movie I can recommend, entertaining and informative. Warning, it is very violent and bloody. But then again the crusades were a very bloody and violent time. To me it really drove home the brutal insanity of war, especially when mankind is slaughtering each other in the name of God. Very relavent to the struggles we find ourselve in at this time...

Roger "Doc".

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. 

Ordination with the Free Online Ordination, button.We also offer many free wedding ceremonies for your use.
 

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.
 

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

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Spontaneity

By John Naulin

We all want to be spontaneous. We want to grab life with vigor and shake all we can out of it!

But, some of us think too much. Our obsessive desire to analyze everything to death grabs hold and we in turn ruin many if life’s special moments. The spontaneous moments.

Here’s an example. Two individuals are faced with a romantic weekend away. Let’s see how they each respond:

The Truly Spontaneous person ?

Wow, a weekend in the mountains!

I’ll bet this is going to be an adventure. I can’t wait!

This is fun. The room is nice.

The weather is great. My partner is being very romantic.

Wow, what a fabulous time!

The trip was great. The romance ?? Great!

I can’t wait till we get another opportunity like that.

The Overly Analytical Person ?

My partner has asked me to go to the mountains for the weekend.

I wonder what he/she is after.

How should I dress? After all I don’t want seem too eager do I?

Good thing I brought all my clothes cause the weather is better than I’d thought.

What does my partner expect? After all the room was designed for sex.

Does he/she think I’m the kind of person to fall head over heals for a romantic room?

Why is he/she doting on me? Why doesn’t he/she pay this much attention to me at home?

Well, that was pretty good! I’ve still got the moves!

What was that all about?

What am I supposed to do now? Does he/she think that one romantic weekend will turn me into his/her drooling love slave?

Just how much am I willing to give up for the occasional romp in the mountains?

Exactly who does he/she think they’re kidding?

Well, if he/she thinks so little of my character, they can just go to Hell!?

An exaggeration? Unfortunately not. Too many people think exactly like this and as a result they miss out on a lot that life has to offer.

Ask yourself which person you are in the scenario outlined above. If you look deeply enough a lot will see at least part of themselves in the second individual.

Try not to over think life. Here is one way to start:

Plan a trip by not planning it. Pick a destination and make a room reservation; nothing more.

Once there, look at the paper to see what’s happening in town, or ask the staff at the motel. Explore the area. Get lost and find your way back by stopping at all the interesting little places you see along the way.

Regain the inquisitive child in you and relax and enjoy the adventure!

Grab life and shake it, my friends! What falls out may surprise you.

God provides us with so many opportunities to live …. don’t drown them with your own insecurity. Be spontaneous!

*******************************

The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. 

Ordination with the Free Online Ordination, button.We also offer many free wedding ceremonies for your use.
 

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.
 

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

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A Cosmic Moment

By by Patricia Diane Cota-Robles

An interesting turn of events we have been waiting for!

November 11, 2005 - 11:11:11

 (11) 2 + (11) 2 + (2005) 7 = 11

and by Patricia Diane Cota-Robles

http://1spirit.com/eraofpeace

This is a momentous time, and many facets of the Divine Plan are

> unfolding simultaneously. All Lightworkers are being asked by the

> Company of Heaven to redouble our efforts, and to BE HERE NOW!

>

> Eleven is the master number that reflects the transformation of the

> physical into the Divine. Our I AM Presence encoded this sacred

> geometry into our genetic patterns prior to this embodiment. For some

> time now people have been noticing 11:11 on digital clocks and

> various digital readouts. This code activates within us the genetic

> memory of the transformation we are all going through.

>

> The 11:11 code represents the transformation of the 3rd-Dimensional

> plane into the higher 4th-Dimensional plane of existence. Now because

> of the incredible changes that have taken place within every evolving

> soul on Earth, we are ready for 11:11:11. The transformation of the

> 3rd- and 4th-Dimensional planes into the higher 5th-Dimensional

> plane.

>

> On August 18, 2005, in a Divine Ceremony of Light, hundreds of

> thousands of Lightworkers from all over the world joined Heart Flames

> and created a unified Chalice of Light through which the Flame of

> Transfiguring Divine Love from the Heart of our Father-Mother God

> poured into the physical plane of Earth. This Sacred Fire raised the

> vibration of the physical, etheric, mental and emotional bodies of

> Humanity into a frequency of the 5th Dimension beyond the reach of

> the human ego.

>

> In an instant, the grip of every personâ?Ts human ego was burst

> asunder. In that moment, as one voice, one breath, one heartbeat, one

> consciousness of Divine Love, every personâ?Ts I AM Presence invoked

> Archangel Michael and his Legions of Power and Protection. These

> majestic Beings encapsulated every human ego in an invincible Ring

> Pass Not of Godâ?Ts First Cause of Perfection. This forcefield of

> Light from the Heart of God is a powerful Circle of White Lightning

> that prevents anything that is not of the Light from entering or

> leaving its embrace.

>

> Once our ego was encapsulated within this protective forcefield of

> Light, our I AM Presence breathed the Circle of White Lightning into

> Its 5th-Dimensional Heart Flame. Our ego will remain within the Heart

> of our I AM Presence where it will be bathed with Transfiguring

> Divine Love until it voluntarily surrenders into the Light and is

> transformed.

>

> For eleven weeks Humanity has been going through an intensified

> purging process to cleanse our physical, etheric, mental and

> emotional bodies of the patterns of imperfection our human egos have

> miscreated over aeons of time.

>

> The Elemental Kingdom reflects Humanityâ?Ts consciousness.

> Consequently, this purging process has been reflected in the bodies

> of Mother Earth as well. Her bodies are directly associated with the

> earth, air, fire and water elements. As catastrophic as this

> cleansing process has been, the end result will be a healing and

> life-transforming experience for all Life on this blessed planet.

>

> Now, all is in readiness for the next phase of the Divine Plan. With

> our newfound freedom from the control and manipulation of our human

> egos, and the intensified cleansing we have experienced over the past

> eleven weeks, Humanity and Mother Earth are finally vibrating at a

> frequency that can withstand the resplendent Light of the

> 5th-Dimensional Flame of the Immaculate Concept. This empowering gift

> from the Heart of our Father-Mother God will be sustained in the

> physical plane of Earth on the Holy Breath of Beloved Mother Mary and

> Archangel Gabriel. These selfless messengers of God are the Keepers

> of the Flame of the Immaculate Concept for the whole of Creation.

>

> The Divine Purpose of this Madonna Blue Flame with its crystalline

> white aura is to activate within our Twelve Solar Strands of DNA the

> genetic codings of our full Divine Potential. Without the

> interference of our human egos, and with the direct contact our I AM

> Presence now has with our physical, etheric, mental and emotional

> bodies through our 5th-Dimensional Solar Spine and Chakras, the Flame

> of the Immaculate Concept can finally fulfill its Divine Purpose.

>

> Since the fall of Humanity and the sinking of Lemuria aeons ago, the

> portal of the Flame of the Immaculate Concept has been almost

> dormant. The central core of this portal pulsates above the Island of

> Bali, in the South Pacific. Since the fall, Mother Mary and Archangel

> Gabriel have only been able to project a minuscule fraction of the

> original intensity of this Sacred Fire through this portal for the

> benefit of Humanity.

>

> For millennia, Mother Mary and Archangel Gabriel have been patiently

> waiting for Humanity to burst the bonds of the human ego and raise

> the vibration of our Earthly bodies effectively enough to connect

> with our 5th-Dimensional I AM Presence. Now that this has been God

> Victoriously accomplished, the portal of the Flame of the Immaculate

> Concept above Bali can once again be opened to full breadth.

>

> Since our I AM Presence is at last in position to take dominion of

> our Earthly bodies, Mother Mary and Archangel Gabriel can breathe the

> 5th-Dimensional frequencies of the Flame of the Immaculate Concept

> through the portal in Bali. This empowering Sacred Fire will then be

> available for every Lightworker to breathe into our Heart Flames, and

> then into the physical, etheric, mental and emotional strata of Earth

> to bless and uplift every evolving soul and every particle of Life on

> the planet.

>

> In order to grasp the magnitude of what this means, we must remember

> that the Immaculate Concept is the Divine Blueprint of our full

> Divine Potential. When we were first breathed into existence from the

> Heart of our Father-Mother God, we were encoded and empowered with

> the fullness of the Causal Body of God. This means, literally and

> tangibly, all that our Father-Mother God has is ours. We lost

> awareness of this profound Truth when we fell into chaos and

> confusion and became entrapped in the fear-based consciousness of our

> human egos.

>

> Now, all of that is being reversed. Once again, the portal in Bali is

> going to be opened to full breadth. Mother Mary and Archangel Gabriel

> are then going to breathe the Flame of the Immaculate Concept through

> the portal into the genetic structures of our Twelve Solar Strands of

> DNA. When this Sacred Fire enters our DNA, it will activate the

> Divine Potential that was encoded there at the time of our inception.

>

>

> These codes have been dormant since the portal of the Immaculate

> Concept over Bali was closed after the fall. This is the main reason

> Humanity has so easily accepted, and acted out of, the erroneous

> belief that we are worthless sinners and worms in the dust.

>

> Mother Mary and Archangel Gabriel cannot just wave a wand and open

> the portal above Bali. In alignment with Universal Law, the call for

> assistance must come from the realm where the assistance is needed.

> In order to accomplish this facet of the Divine Plan, Lightworkers in

> the physical plane serving on behalf of all Humanity must ask for

> this Divine Intervention and offer ourselves as a Cup, a Holy Grail,

> through which the Light of God will flow to open the portal of the

> Flame of the Immaculate Concept.

>

> Lightworkers around the world are being called to assist the Beings

> of Light in the Realms of Illumined Truth and to serve as surrogates

> on behalf of Humanity. There will be approximately 100 Lightworkers

> from around the world who will travel to Bali on a sacred pilgrimage.

> We will serve as physical transformers to open the portal of the

> Flame of the Immaculate Concept. In addition, hundreds of thousands

> of Lightworkers from around the world will join in consciousness with

> the Lightworkers in Bali and project their Light into the portal in

> Bali from myriad locations on the planet.

>

> In synchronicity with the 11:11:11 cycle unfolding on Earth, this

> activity of Light will involve an eleven-day window of opportunity.

> For the five days preceding November 11, 2005, 11:11:11, and the five

> days following that momentous day, Mother Mary and Archangel Gabriel

> will orchestrate the opening of the 5th-Dimensional portal of the

> Flame of the Immaculate Concept in Bali, and the activation of the

> Divine Potential within the Twelve Solar Strands of Humanityâ?Ts DNA.

>

> During these eleven days, we will be working in the Eternal Moment of

> Now. Anytime you can join with us in consciousness and add your Light

> to this Activity of Light will be right and perfect. Ask your I AM

> Presence for guidance, and you will know how best to weave your

> magnificent Light into this Divine Plan. There is no right or wrong

> way to do this. The Divine Intention in your heart is what matters.

>

> The five days leading up to November 11, November 6-10, will be final

> days of cleansing and preparation. During these days, listen to your

> I AM Presence. Pray, meditate, be in nature, open your heart to

> Godâ?Ts Infinite Love and be at Peace. On November 11th, the portal

> of the Immaculate Concept in Bali will be permanently opened to full

> breadth, and Mother Mary and Archangel Gabriel will begin flooding

> the planet and all her Life with the 5th-Dimensional Flame of the

> Immaculate Concept. This is a day of wonder and joyous celebration.

> The next five days, November 12-16, will be days for assimilating the

> Flame of the Immaculate Concept and allowing the sacred space for the

> activation of the patterns of perfection from the Causal Body of God

> within your DNA structures. By the end of the eleventh day, your

> Earthly bodies will be calibrated to a higher frequency, and you will

> be able to withstand more Light.

>

> And so it is.

Beloved I AM, Beloved I AM, Beloved I AM.

*******************************

The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. 

Ordination with the Free Online Ordination, button.We also offer many free wedding ceremonies for your use.
 

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.
 

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

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God's strength relies on servant obedience

Have you discovered that life hurts, that it's unfair and that it just keeps coming no matter what you do?

And it's the mundane, everyday stuff, such as relationship issues at work or home, that wears us down.

While it's been said somewhere, "The things we face will either break us or strengthen us," in the context of my Christian walk, I want both, not one or the other. Here's what I mean:

If I allow the unpleasant stuff I face everyday to break down my natural self-reliance to overcome them, forcing me to face the reality that I'm not cracked up to be what I think I am, then I'm in position to gain the heavenly perspective I need to become the vessel through which God works. Thus, this enables me to overcome the stuff that would hinder me and accomplishes God's purposes in and through me.

I know that's convoluted to the natural mind and makes no logical sense, but as a Christian, it brings life that has eternal value to me and to others. And it's that perspective God is in the business of teaching us and the lesson we need to learn and not run from.

Scripture teaches strength through weakness (1 Cor. 12:9), meaning when I surrender my self-reliance and where-with-all to God's purposes, then God can work through me. That doesn't mean I put aside my natural gifts, strengths or abilities, but I let God lead, direct and use them for his purposes.

If, however, I go out into the world thinking I'm going to conquer it and overcome the obstacles I face with my strength, I will be bloodied by that battle. I become jaded, resigned, bitter, resentful and weak in spirit because life will chew me up and spit me out -- because life does that.

So for the disciple, God is into changing that perspective of self-reliance, that "it's all about me" excuse that fills my life, like he did with Moses (Exodus 3:1).

When Moses was called by God (the burning bush), God waited for Moses to step forward. Only then did God speak to him, and in so doing began teaching Moses about himself, followed by the mandate to go and set his people free, knowing Moses' character full well.

Through his obedience, Moses learned about the nature and character of God, not only through God's purposes but the power of God through him to accomplish those purposes. But Moses wouldn't know that until after the fact, after he "gave in" to God. There was no up-front assurance other than "I will be with you."

God works the same way today. He teaches us about himself through his purposes for us. The collateral benefit we get is to know God by what he does through us and those experiences change us, through this obedience our perspective changes as did Moses'. But like Moses, we won't know that until after the fact.

We go from "Who, me, God?" with all the fear, anxiety and excuses to "Yes, God" with all the assurance that God will be with us. But there's a step in between we must take. Will we cooperate?

You see the only way the world is overcome is by the power of God (John 16: 33) and that power is through us as God works through us according to his purposes (1 John 5: 4, 5). The wrong perspective results in spiritual impotence and the only cure for that is obedience.

The Rev. Norm Hooven is pastor at New Heights Fellowship Church in Bellefonte. He can be reached at revnorm@juno.com.

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. 

Ordination with the Free Online Ordination, button.We also offer many free wedding ceremonies for your use.
 

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.
 

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I've been thinking...

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I have been thinking about something I would like to share with you.

It occurred to me the other day something that I have fallen prey

to. We have started a new church here in Clinton, Ms. We have

had limited number of visitors from Pentecostal background, so many

are not sure what to expect exactly.

A benefit that I did not fully appreciate previously, I now

understand. When you take an existing church, no matter it's

history, there are possibly hundreds and maybe thousands of people

who have walked through the doors, many multitudes have prayed, been

healed, worked with, been related to, backslidden, raised around,

ect connected to an EXISTING Local church.

This is a benefit I realized pretty quick we did not have. We have

been here in Clinton for about 18 months, in fact we started our

"church in a day" a year ago November 12th and dedicated the

Building about 10 months ago. Our location is on a major road. We

have put out thousands of fliers, run adds in papers, had front page

coverage in our paper, even made it on a couple of television

stations in addition to being on the Radio for 12 of the 18 months

we have been here. Honestly, the results from these efforts have

been considerable less than I would desire. (I understand it is a

sowing process.) We have had a fare number of visitors considering

we are a New Pentecostal Church in a very Baptist town. I am

guessing we have had somewhere around 200-250 people who have

visited with us. Maybe more.

When we do have visitors, we try to put our best foot forward.

Often I feel like the smallness of some of our crowds is a little

off putting, like on a midweek we might have 10, and two or three

visitors come in, they sometimes seem to feel a little awkward.

So what do we do, we try to present ourselves as loving, kind,

intelligent, concerned and interesting. I confess in the back of my

mind I have been concerned of what they thought about "US". It

occurred to me the other day that I need to quit worrying about what

they think about "US" and focus our efforts on helping them be

impressed with our God.

That is the crux of my rumination here. It is a hole we can fall in

when we are overly concerned about what they think about "US" and

how we do things, when our focus of prayer is, "Lord, help me to

help them see you and your wonderful lovely way! Help me to

illuminate in their spirit the power of Faith and Healing in your

Name." It does not matter if they become members of our church,

but that they hear the Only Saving Message, Feel the Grace of God

and know that there are people that love THEM.

People are not near as concerned about us, as they are themselves

and how we and our Faith will impact them.

The word in fact states, "He uses the foolish things to confound the

wise and the weak things to confound the mighty." Our ability to

reach our culture, both small and great, rich and poor will stem

from our ability to let God flow through us. We can improve

ourselves in learning, practice and pursuit of excellence. However

all of these are simply disciplines, no matter how important, but at

the end of the Day it is GOD that will draw people, save people,

deliver people and bring them, plant them and establish them in THE

CHURCH. Pharaoh was not impressed with Daniels ability to speak or

dress, but it was his obvious connection with God.

My prayer is simply this,

Empower me with Wisdom and the Ability to Reflect and Communicate

the Glory and Power to those who we come in Contact.

It is about Him. I have purposed in my heart to quit worrying

about what someone would think about us as a church and me as a

preacher. Sure we are going to continue to put our best foot

forward, but our focus is to communicate and iluminate HIM.

The Answer to every problem and the source of salvation is,

In Him, By HIm, Through Him.

*******************************

The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. 

Ordination with the Free Online Ordination, button.We also offer many free wedding ceremonies for your use.
 

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.
 

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

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Hardships Prepare and Teach

Being forced into hard circumstances or situations gives us a new perspective on life. Things we once valued no longer hold the same value. Things that were of lesser concern become very important, and what we once thought important no longer holds such importance.

These hard circumstances allow us to identify with the sufferings of others. They keeps us from having a shallow view of the hardships of others and allows us to truly identify with them. Those who speak of such trials from no experience, often judge others who have had such hardship. It is a superficiality of life experience that often permeates this shallow perspective.

Those who have walked in and through hard times immediately have a kinship with others who have walked there also. They do not need to explain; they merely look at one another with mutual respect and admiration for their common experience. They know that these trials/life experiences worked a special thing in them. This trials and lessons help perceive the life trials of others.

It is impossible to appreciate any “valley” experience while you are in it. However, once you have reached the “top of the mountain”, you are able to appreciate what terrain you have passed through. You marvel at what you were able to walk through. Troubled times have yielded more than you ever thought possible. You are able to appreciate the beauty of the experience and lay aside the sorrow and pain it may have produced.

These hard circumstances and lessons work in us for a greater purpose . . . to be able to recognize what others are going through . . . to have compassion and understanding for them. . . to comfort and help them as a fellow human being.

(One cannot truly understand another until they have walked in the other’s shoes.)

Loving our fellow brothers and sisters . . . as we love ourselves.

Where have we heard this before?We serve . . . they later serve . . . everybody serves . . . a very simple WIN/WIN equation.

Shalom

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