NOW THAT is GOD

By Internet - sent by Rev. Richard Cooke



It was one of the hottest days of the dry season. We had not seen rain in almost a month. The crops were dying. Cows had stopped giving milk. The creeks and streams were long gone back into the earth. It was a dry season that would bankrupt several farmers before it was through.

Every day, my husband and his brothers would go about the arduous process of trying to get water to the fields. Lately this process had involved taking a truck to the local water rendering plant and filling it up with water. But severe rationing had cut everyone off. If we didn't see some rain soon...we would lose everything. It was on this day that I learned the true lesson of sharing and witnessed the only miracle I have seen with my own eyes.

I was in the kitchen making lunch for my husband and his brothers when I saw my six-year-old son, Billy, walking toward the woods. He wasn't walking with the usual carefree abandon of a youth but with a serious purpose. I could only see his back. He was obviously walking with a great effort ... trying to be as still as possible. Minutes after he disappeared into the woods, he came running out again, toward the house. I went back to making sandwiches; thinking that whatever task he had been doing was completed. Moments later, however, he was once again walking in that slow purposeful stride toward the woods. This activity went on for an hour: walking carefully to the woods, running back to the house.

Finally I couldn't take it any longer and I crept out of the house and followed him on his journey (being very careful not to be seen...as he was obviously doing important work and didn't need his Mommy checking up on him). He was cupping both hands in front of him as he walked, being very careful not to spill the water he held in them ... maybe two or three tablespoons were held in his tiny hands. I sneaked close as he went into the woods. Branches and thorns slapped his little face, but he did not try to avoid them. He had a much higher purpose. As I leaned in to spy on him, I saw the most amazing site.

Several large deer loomed in front of him. Billy walked right up to them. I almost screamed for him to get away. A huge buck with elaborate antlers was dangerously close. But the buck did not threaten him...he didn't even move as Billy knelt down. And I saw a tiny fawn lying on the ground; obviously suffering from dehydration and heat exhaustion, lift its head with great effort to lap up the water cupped in my beautiful boy's hand. When the water was gone, Billy jumped up to run back to the house and I hid behind a tree.


I followed him back to the house to a spigot to which we had shut off the water. Billy opened it all the way up and a small trickle began to creep out. He knelt there, letting the drip, drip slowly fill up his makeshift "cup," as the sun beat down on his little back. And it came clear to me: The trouble he had gotten into for playing with the hose the week before. The lecture he had received about the importance of not wasting water. The reason he didn't ask me to help him. It took almost twenty minutes for the drops to fill his hands. When he stood up and began the trek back, I was there in front of him.

His little eyes just filled with tears. "I'm not wasting," was all he said. As he began his walk, I joined him...with a small pot of water from the kitchen. I let him tend to the fawn. I stayed away. It was his job. I stood on the edge of the woods watching the most beautiful heart I have ever known working so hard to save another life. As the tears that rolled down my face began to hit the ground, other drops...and more drops...and more suddenly joined them. I looked up at the sky. It was as if God, himself, was weeping with pride.

Some will probably say that this was all just a huge coincidence. Those miracles don't really exist. That it was bound to rain sometime. And I can't argue with that... I'm not going to try. All I can say is that the rain that came that day saved our farm...just like the actions of one little boy saved another.

I don't know if anyone will read this...but I had to send it out. To honor the memory of my beautiful Billy, who was taken from me much too soon... But not before showing me the true face of God, in a little, sunburned body.

*~THAT'S GOD ~*
Have you ever been just sitting there and all of a sudden you feel like doing something nice for someone you care for?

THAT'S GOD! He speaks to you through the Holy Spirit

Have you ever been down and out and nobody seems to be around for you to
Talk to?

THAT'S GOD! He wants you to speak to Him.

Have you ever been thinking about somebody that you haven't seen in a long time and then next thing you know you see them or receive a phone call from them?

THAT'S GOD! There's no such thing as coincidence.

Have you ever received something wonderful that you didn't even ask for, like money in the mail, a debt that had mysteriously been cleared, or a coupon to a department store where you had just seen something you wanted, but couldn't afford.

THAT'S GOD. . He knows the desires of your heart. .

Have you ever been in a situation and you had no clue how it is going to get better, but now you look back on it?

THAT'S GOD! He passes us through tribulation to see a brighter day.

In all that we do, we need to totally give HIM Thanks and our blessings will continue to multiply.

NOW THAT'S GOD!!!!!!!!
Don't tell GOD how Big your storm is.
Tell the storm how Big your GOD is!
HAVE A BLESSED DAY
GOD LOVES YOU

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have many classes in different aspects of  Christianity, two in  Wicca, several in Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so become an ordained minister today!

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 enjoyed the new spiritual article directory.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

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.

Masters of Religion

First let me say how much I enjoyed each lesson. Since this is the first course I have taken with ULC Seminary I am very much impressed with the program. I have looked forward each week to receiving a new lesson to read and study. Having been raised Catholic I found the lessons on Bible Basics, The Old and New Testaments to be very helpful since we never really studied in depth the Bible in any of my formal education.

The lesson on effective Bible Study has been very helpful when preparing my Sunday messages for our Worship Services each week. Having purchased a tab-register and gluing into my Bible has help speed up finding various parts as needed.

The lesson on Worship only confirmed that what I have started with our Church here in Salem, Oregon has been done correctly.

The next four lessons couldn’t have come at a better time as I was working with a couple on Marriage preparation and divorce issues. These lessons only supported what I had been telling this young couple and gave me great confidence in dealing with them. As it turned out I was able to find away to work with them to determine that a Christian Marriage could not be performed at this time. They were able to make that decision because of my taking this program and I am very happy that I chose this class as my first through ULC Seminary.

I found the lessons on the History of Christianity to be very informative. Actually to my surprise the second course I enrolled in was The Life of St. Paul and was timed perfectly to fit in with these lessons.

The lesson on Religious Denominations was very interesting and helped me in understanding; that when I say we are a Bible based Non-Denomination that we do not need to be affiliated with any named denomination. We are teaching and living the Bible.

I look forward to continuing my education with ULC Seminary.

Rev. Don Eck

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have many classes in different aspects of  Christianity, two in  Wicca, several in Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so become an ordained minister today!

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 enjoyed the new spiritual article directory.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Christian Studies

Thanks so much for an eye-opening course and a great book. The first part of the book that I read was the glossary. This was an education all in of it self. For example Baptism (baptisma) and Baptize (baptizein) means dunking, cleaning, washing or bathing. The word Church (ecclesia) means assembly, meeting ,or" calling everybody out to meeting". Gaus comments that "here essentially is the great struggle in reading the new testament, not to view earlier events in light of later developments." Other words that I  found interesting were Diciple (mathetes) and Master (didaskalos).  Mathetes means student and didaskalos means teacher. Finally I should also mention repent (metanoein) and repentance (metanoia). "The literal significance of the words is " changing your mind or a change of heart". Amazing. When I started reading the book,This christian was in for quite a surprise especially with all the different words used. Whenever I read a new book I always underline sentences or words that are meaningful for me. One sentence I underlined was " It's enough for the student to become like his teacher and the slave like his master". Amazing!. What this means to me that with a bit of patience and effort we can all become Christlike Jesus. Now that's good news. Here's another one I underlined "And they went out and called on the people to have a change of heart, and threw out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and cured them".Now isn't that a simple version of salvation just to have a change of heart. Finally I can't end this essay without mentioning this sentence I underlined. "In the beginning was the Word,and the Word was toward God,and God was what the word was.Now all the bible translations I have ever read ,it reads"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,and the Word was God".In Gaus's translations there is a seperation of Word from God. Wow! that really made me stop and think. If this translation is true then some traditional doctrine Christians have always taken for granted would have to change. Anyway, I will be thinking about and meditating on this for a long time to come. God Bless Rev. Terry G. Rempel ******************** Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so become an ordained minister today! 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 enjoyed the new spiritual article directory. Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Gospel of Thomas

Essay for the Master of the Gospel of Thomas Course

Reverend Sharon J. Mayer

Reverend Raymond Thompson used personal touches and interests to enhance the study of The Gospel of Thomas. His insightful studies of the course information make for interesting reading and leads one to further study of the subject matter.  The course is very interesting and thought provoking. I am not sure I agree with all of the course materials but will certainly hold Reverend Thompson’s thoughts in mind during any further study of the subject. As each of us learn based on our own lives, interests, and understanding a good lively debate will help with the study of any subject.

It is not known exactly when the Gospel of Thomas was first written and there is debate as to whether or not it was the basis of the known Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John or if they were the basis of the Gospel of Thomas. Considering that most of the early history of the teaching of Jesus would have been verbally passed along no one is really sure of the exact dates of any of the books of the known Bible. In the Book of Acts it was said that anyone teaching about Jesus should be someone who had walked with him and had personal knowledge of his teachings. As time when on most of those who had walked with him were scattered or had been killed and others who heard the information took up the teaching. Many different versions of what was said or taught were later written down. Keeping in mind that what is said is sometimes not what is heard or written down much later it is so important to find an early text to back up information and teachings.

The text was a Coptic translation from Greek and other fragments of the text have been found in other areas than the one found near Nag Hammadi so it is known that the Greek version was used in Egypt as early as the second century. It is thought that the saying of Jesus in The Gospel of Thomas are in a more traditional form that the known gospels. They also show a Gnostic point of view of what Jesus was saying and teaching as apposed to the known gospel teaching to the different cultures. It is interesting that the Gospel of Thomas was the only complete text found at Nag Hammadi. We often hear that when we are ready the truth will appear and if indeed these are the lost and “secret” saying of Jesus maybe there were to be found intact at that particular time and place to advance knowledge

So what was the text not added to the known Bible? There were multiple texts available when the church decided to consolidate according to Cannon and the books chosen were those that most reflected the thoughts of the Church Fathers of the time. With so many ideas of what was actually taught and what was to be the final teaching of the Church many writing were left out of the Bible. Many were considered too controversial to be added to the core of the church teaching. In the Coptic Gospel of Thomas there is no narrative of the passion which was the core teaching of the church. The writer was not interested in the death or resurrection of Jesus, but consolidates the sayings and states understanding of the words would lead to eternal life.  Since the church teaching was based on the death and resurrection the text did not fit into the ideas the church wanted to have as part of the Bible.  

I am sure that when each of the 114 sayings is read by  people with different backgrounds and walks along the path of knowledge there will be many perspectives of what is being read and the level of understanding will vary greatly.  Not all of us have had the encounters that Reverend Thompson experienced on his path.

Using the information given in the course and going forward will give a good grounding on what was in the text as found in Egypt. I am so very glad that all of the texts were not burned or lost to collectors and can be shared by those seeking knowledge of the early instructions given to believers. As saying one states: “Whoever finds the interpretation of these sayings will not taste death.”

Additional reference material from my personal library used for course;

The Nag Hammadi Library; Revised addition. James M. Robinson, General Editor, copyright 1988

The Nostic Bible, Gnostic Texts of Mystical Wisdom from the Ancient and Medieval Worlds; Edited by Willis Barstone and Marvin Meyer, copyright 2003

Lost Christianities The Battles for Scriptures and the Faiths We Never Knew; Bart D. Ehrman, copyright 2003

Lost Scriptures Books that Did Not Make it into the New Testament; Bart D. Ehrman, copyright 2003.  Bart D. Ehrman chairs the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is considered an authority on the early Church and the life of Jesus.

The Secret Teaching of Jesus, Four Gnostic Gospels, Translated and with an Introduction and Notes by Marvin W. Meyer, copyright 1984

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

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers and lots of free online sermons for your use. 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

Master of Religion

Master Of Religion: Lesson 17-History of the Church III

 The Journeys of Paul: Paul and Barnabas continue their journey and came to Pisida, here they were invited to speak in the synagogue where Paul preached a good sermon. This was the first recorded sermon of Paul. Acts 13: 16-48 versus when Paul preached to the crowd before him.
Paul sermon was very clear about his will from God and that he sent from him to the human race to give them a good news about God words to his people and saving them from destruction of mankind.
Paul traced the promised through the history of Israel, and he spoke of how God had stood beside them in all their trails and tribulations: God had promised not to forsake them, God had promised to send a savior and God did just what he said he would, if anyone doubted that Jesus was that savior, the resurrection was the proof that his or her doubt was mistaken.  The resurrection of Jesus stands at the heart of the gospel. It was something that God did, and doing it God confirmed fulfilled that promise of Salvation.

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

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers and lots of free online sermons for your use. 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

Master of Religion

I enjoyed this degree path: “Master of Religion”. It covered a lot of material from basic to advanced, and was done in a clear and logical way. The instructor is clearly knowledgeable and sincere.

I was intrigued by the two “versions” of Ten Commandments as given in Exodus and Deuteronomy.

And especially insightful was how the first few verses of the Protestant, Catholic and Hebrew versions of the 10 Commandments in Exodus differ (The Protestant and Catholic versions leaving out the context of who G-d was speaking to).

Also, the instructor said that the Jew and Gentile are saved the same way. 

However, some denominations teach the Jew was saved by keeping the law before the time of Christ (BCE, before Common Era), but NOW (CE, Common Era) the Law is done away and everyone is saved by faith.

However:

1. The Dead Sea Scrolls have shed light that the Jews of BCE did not believe in salvation by works. They believed they were saved through the Covenant of Abraham, the covenant of faith. And the Law was simply the lifestyle of an already redeemed community. The giving of the Law (Torah), the covenant of Mt. Sinai, does not negate the covenant of Abraham. All of G-d’s covenants are eternal. As an Israelite they were born into the covenant of Abraham. And had a part in the Olam Haba (the World to Come) by virtue of this covenant of faith unless they did something heinous to lose this status. According to Jewish understanding gentiles could also be assured a place in the World to Come by obedience to the covenant they received from G-d through Noah. In which one was considered a Noachide Chassid, a Righteous of the Nations. It too is a faith covenant with the Noachide laws as the halachah, or lifestyle, of a righteous non-Jew.

“Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and [from] fornication, and [from] things strangled, and [from] blood. For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day.” Acts 15:19-21

The Jewish Encyclopedia states that the Acts 15 reference is the first written example of the Noachide laws (outside of the Torah itself).

2. The denominations who claim the Law/Torah is done away cannot even agree on what parts of it are done away. In addition the Torah itself states that it is to endure as long as heaven and earth remains (which were the two witnesses G-d called on to witness the giving of the Torah in the first place). Jesus agreed saying “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach [them], the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:17

Also, the Jews that believed in Christ (who constituted the first congregation) continued to keep the Torah/Law:

“And when they heard [it], they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:” Acts 21:20.

Paul is twisted by many to be interpreted that the Law is done away in Christ. I do not believe he taught that. If he in fact did, it would invalidate Paul since he would be contradicting the Torah itself as well as Jesus. Peter warned regarding misinterpreting Paul’s writings by those unlearned in Torah: “As also in all [his] epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as [they do] also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.” 2 Pet 3:16

Also in the course Constantine is mentioned.

True he did stop persecution of the Christians. However, he was no sweetheart. He was the head of the Emperor Cult of his time being worshiped as God (Sol Invictus, the Unconquerable Sun). He merged the prominent state religion of Mithraism with the faith in Christ, creating a new religion. He was a Sun worshiper and murdered some of his family for fear that they might seek his throne. He outlawed the Biblical holy days of Sabbath (the 7th day) for SUNday (in honor of the Sun God), Passover for Easter (1st SUNday after the first full moon after the Vernal Equinox, the feast of Ishtar). The church then exterminated those who would not go along with it by abusing the power of the state.

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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. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

The Universal Life Church offers hand-fasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge selection of Universal Life Church  minister supplies. Since being ordained with the Universal Life Church for so many years and it's Seminary since the beginning, I've been enjoying the spiritual article directory.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar