Life of St. Paul

The Life of St. Paul interested me in many different levels.  First I wanted to know who he was beyond what the Bible says.  Then I wanted to know his suffering in relation to Jesus and how the two have parallel lives. While reading on his life, I find that I have shared some of those struggles as well.  With God by my side, I knew that I would overcome all adversaries and be used as His instrument of teaching, like St. Paul.   I also found his travels to be of interest as well, how he had use of the roads and knew the Greek language and was able to make East meet West.  No small feat by any means!  I learned that Paul was a very educated person, highly intelligent, great use of logic, creative and had clear thinking of what his subject was.  He was meticulous about Laws and keeping them.     I found Paul's time of conversion to more than humbling.  To stand before Christ "trembling and astonished", would be such a blessing today, even if blinded by the light of the Lord.  When Paul finds "his work" you almost feel a great sigh of relief and cant wait to see what happens next, which of course if his first missionary journey.  Paul to me is an extraordinary man and suffered and was blessed beyond most comprehensions.  Being stoned to near death and overcoming it to still spread the word of the Lord. This is a man I want to spend time with, almost as much as I want to spend in the presence of Jesus Christ.  The power that Paul had even in writing, to move the people of cities and inspire in his sermons, a man truly touched by God.  Paul's voyage to Rome must have been a pivotal point in his life, knowing how dangerous the trip would be and yet he pushed on.  Its a shame there are not more people in the world like Paul!  Our world already has enough chiefs, and not enough great chiefs to lead the peoples of the world back to the word of Christ and bring peace upon the world once more. By Rev. Michael Belair ******************** Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button. As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site 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

Christian Studies

Final Essay on The Four Gospels           
          

I thoroughly enjoyed "The Unvarnished Gospels".  It read like a story and I was not distracted by chapter and verse, and small print like most bibles have.  It was an easy read for me and all the participants in each gospel were so alive!

At times I felt like I was walking with Jesus and witnessing the miracles of the loaves and fishes, turning water into wine, walking on water…the remarkable healings and casting out of demons. Which brings me to the point of what Jesus taught and how he wanted to save us by making us aware of a higher calling, higher understanding, and an awareness of the limitations we put on ourselves. Jesus was patient and sometimes impatient in what he was trying to teach then, and what He taught is true for us today.

Jesus wore so many hats. He was a prophet, a counselor, a healer, a master, a psychic, a teacher, a savior and a Son of God. The works He did we can do also. And it is not Jesus but through God the Father that He (Jesus) is able to do these things.

My background is Christianity. At first, traditional teachings of the bible was the only way for me until I had an experience that changed my life. It was a visit from an angel!  For now just take my word for it because I would like to get to the meat of the Four Gospels.

It is true, that we hear more scriptures quoted from the Gospel of John regarding the four gospels, because it is direct and to the point. And, although it may seem that Jesus' portrayal in this particular gospel was out of character, I think it showed Jesus with some human characteristics which we had not seen before, at least not as pronounced, in the previous gospels. The fact that Jesus was so bold did not bother me. Wouldn't you be irritated if you had to constantly go over the lessons you were trying to teach, and  still your students didn't understand or doubted what you were saying?

This brings me to the "comforter" that Jesus said would be coming.  I do not believe this was the second coming.

Jesus, after ascending, would not physically be with them.  Jesus did not want them to feel that they would be alone and spoke of the comforter which was the Spirit of God working through each person who believed in the teachings, miracles and healings that Jesus preformed.  It brings me to the thought that when I am "spirited" (In-Spirit or inspired), moved, or motivated to do something,

things happen.

The demonstrations and miracles that Jesus did was to teach us not to be so limited in our ways or in our thinking… to go outside the box, so to speak. Since my angel experience, and it wasn't an instant transition as I had a lot to work through, I was led on a path to know my true self. It was a freeing experience for me at the time as I lived inside the box most of my life, and afraid to be who I really was. I didn't know who that person was anyway. However, traditional teachings brought me on the path for my search for truth. Much later in life, I learned to turn the knowledge I received to something I could apply in my life, and eventually saw the wisdom in it. 

Jesus knew because of His foresight who believed or didn't believe in his teachings. He states that we are not to judge least we be judged also. "And if I do judge" He states… I really don't think this is a contradiction as some may imply. My understanding is if Jesus does judge it is "right judgement" or discernment, a knowing that what He discerns is true. The meaning of "judgement"

can get so out of hand, like political correctness.

This course has given me more insight than I expected. Usually, I focus on staying neutral with no expectations except to learn what the course wants to teach me.  Previously, I did not know that Mathew, Mark, Luke and John did not live in the same timeframe as Jesus did, and I want to research that further. I started on a metaphysical path 28 years ago after my encounter with an angel. This encounter was published in the book called  "Angel Visions" by Dr. Doreen Virtue Ph.D., should you want to read about it.

Thank you for the inspiring, and mind expanding views of this course.

In His service,

Rev. Nancy Kimes

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Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site 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

Christian History

A Time Without Schisms AND THE "SCHISMS" CONTINUE… on and on, perhaps as long as the spirit is housed in a human body, or leaves hang on the limbs of a tree, but for sure, as long as the ego is in control of man's soul. My family came to what is now the United States in the middle 1700's.  Family oral tradition passed on stories of priest within my mother's family that broke with the Catholic church over the requirement of celibacy, but also over the political control that had replaced sincere spiritual matters.  They settled outside of Philadelphia (in Reading, Pa.) and organized the first Lutheran church and later other Lutheran churches in North Carolina and Tennessee.  As former priest, they were educated and wanted an education for their children in the new world, so they went in search in their new communities, for good teachers, as well as building new churches.  However, when two brothers moved south and married two Methodist sister (who were teachers), the family faith would have their own schisms. Again like the Eastern and Western Catholic church they would split.  Those in the North remained true to the original Lutheran believes and the two moving to the South gave way toward the Methodist faith.  Of course like myself these Methodist children would marry and the schisms of faith would continue, some believing one must have his head and body dipped under the water and other believing just a few symbolic sprinkles for cleaning was enough to show the world you had made a commitment of faith to God. Being highly developed in my right hemisphere I was not one to follow the minister or my parents when told "to do as I say for I know best."  If they all believed in the same God, how could they all be right, I questioned.  I loved my family and all the extended families.  However, I could not understand all of the many religious family members who each disliked the other - for sure they had the "one and one only" path to finding God.  Nevertheless, they all agreed on one point. "All Catholics were going to hell! Had not our ancestors risk their lives to come to a new unknown land to flee the evil Catholic Church?  I wasn't allowed to play with Catholics at school or date them in college.  I even dated a Muslim a few times and while my family did not like the idea they were sure if I brought him to church with me he could be converted. But they were equally sure that a Catholic was set in his ways and could not be changed, and thus, he was doomed to hell.   Well, I did date a Catholic even one that was studying to become a priest. (We kept his faith a secret and I did not take him home.) I learned, actually the two of us believed almost the same things.  He did not "buy into" his faith 100's anymore than I did mine.  What I knew foremost, was this guy had a soul of so much love and compassion for mankind that he could love my family even though they could never love him. Thus, I knew too, the part about all Catholics going to hell was not right. Of course the "celebrate priest" rule put limits on our relationship, but the schisms were put aside for a wonderful friendship where we both saw the honoring of Love for God, self, and mankind as equal duty, and if love always came first who need all the other "stuff."  We both felt Jesus himself, and perhaps even the Buddha had came to tell mankind we had our focus too much on the ego and it's need for power and not enough on Love, Compassion and Forgiveness.  Knowing my friend's heart to serve mankind I can see why he may have chosen the path of priest as a career path, but for me that same heart chose a path as a professional student studying psychology, philosophy and religions around the world to help find a reason for all the schisms and a way to live in peace with one another without the schisms.               I have been enrolled in two classes in the History of the Christian faith this semester.  The local class has many elder students like myself seeking answers to "why."  I wonder about my Catholic friend, the priest. Has he studied the whole history behind his church as given in these last lessons, or does he have to remain blind to it to remain Catholic.  I am finding to remain Christian harder and harder after my studies in Christian History, but then again, I have studied most world religions and could not adopted them either. In the study of religion the leaves of faith come in so many colors.  As a child most of the leaves seemed to be green.  As an elder facing the fall season of my life cycle I am finding myself less and less religious but more and more spiritual. Perhaps when the wind comes to snatch me away from the tree and gravity finds me on the ground looking up at the big tree I will finally begin to see it was never about the leaves or me but about the big picture - THE TREE.  In fact, as a creative dreamer I could see this almost as a child, but it often appears religious people know more about facts, rules and power than creative imagination that might allow them to see the whole tree before that final snip of the wind that takes them to look from below the tree and see the whole picture. There is a legend that the American Indian came to know God through the voice of Mother Nature but he allowed the coming of the big white sails (thought to be birds at first) with white men aboard to trick his vision and he gave way to their ways. However, it is predicted that a time will come when the native American Indian will remember the ways of his Father and he will teach the white man to return to listen to the voice of Mother Earth and Father Universe. Nothing is possible if mankind cannot dream of it first… Cars instead of buggies, electric lights, phones, computers etc.  If this legend should have any truth within it then I choose to dream of time without schisms….. PEACE.        Rev. L. Francis ******************** Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button. As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site 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