Book of Mark Part 1

Grace unto you,and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Pg. 71. To be a Christian: one must believe in the message of Christ endeaver to follow His teaching. Repent and believe the gospel. By turning from sin and to righteousness, not just outwardly but with the heart. Putting trust in his message for remission of sins.

Pg 71b. We learn here that simplicity should characterize all who are servants of the Lord as John did.

Pg.71c. The power of the Holy Spirit is indespensable. A person may be educated, talented,and fluent, yet without that mysterious quality which we call unction, his service is lifeless and ineffective. The question is basic, have I had an experience of theHoly Spirit empowering me for the service of the Lord.

Pg 72. Fishing is an art, and so is soul winning. We become fishers of men by following Christ. The more like Him we are, the more successful we will be in winning others to Christ. Our responsibility is to follow Him; He will take care of the rest.

Pg 72b.Everyone who teaches the Word of God should speak with authority or not speak at all. Whenever God works, Satan opposes. All who set out to serve the Lord can expect to be opposed every step of the way.

Pg 73. Prayer should not be a matter of personal convenience but of self-discipline and sacrifice. Leper healing this was a test, first of all, of the man's obedience. Would he do as he was told? He did not; he publicized his case,and as a result, he hindered work of the Lord. It was also a test of the priest discernment.

Pg 73-74. There are usually hindrance in bring others to Christ. But faith ingenious. Someone has nicked name these good friends, sympathy, cooperation, originality,and persistence. We each should strive to be a friend who display these quality.

Pg 74.Belief involves the will, and they did not want to believe. Priest did not believe, in spite of many miracles of most overwhelming evidence performed by the Lord.

Pg. 74c. Summon or call. We must drop everything. Each of us should be like Matthew, instant and unquestioning obedience. It might seem like a great sacrifice at the time, but in eternity it will be seen as no sacrifice at all. He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.

Pg 75. The joy and effervescence of the new life must be allowed to express themselves. Christianity has always suffered from man's attempt to mix it with legalism. Law and grace are opposing principle.

Pg 75b.  Christians are not obligated to keep the Sabbath. That day was given to the nation of Israel. The distinctive day of Christianity is the Lord's Day, the first day of the week.However, it is not a day encrusted with legalistic do's and don't. Rather it is a day of privilege free from secular employments, believer's may worship, service,and attend to the culture of their soul.

 Pg. 75-76. We must depend upon the instruction from the Father as to where and when to serve. We learn from the Savior's minsitry that needs does not constitute a call.

Pg 76.  Here is a basic principles of service. We must spend time with Him before we move out as God's representatives. Proclamation of the Word of God, our basic method of evangelism. Today men have access to the complete Word of God; they are responsible to believe it without the proof of miracles.

Pg. 76-77. The more like Christ we are, the more  we too will experience sorrow of being misunderstood by relatives and friends. If we set out to make a fortune, men  will cheer us. If we are fanatics for Christ, they will jeer us.

Pg. 77. This passage reminds us that believers are bound by stronger cord to fellow-Christian than they are to blood-relations when those relatives are unsaved.

Pg. 77-78. The Word of God would be sown during interim period with varying degrees of success. Some people would actually be converted, but others would be only nominal believers. All professing Christians would be in the kingdom in its outward form, but only genuine ones would enter the kingdom in its inner reality.

Pg. 79-80. It encourages us to go to Christ in all storms of life, knowing that te boat can never sink when He is in it. The soul of the man wa worth more than all the pigs in the world. Evangelism begins at home!

Pg. 81.It is impossible to be ever so near Lord without trusting him, but impossible to touch Him by faith WITHOUT his knowing it and without his knowing it and without being healed.

Pg 81-82. Open confession of Christ is of tremdeous importance. Without it there can be little growth in Christian life. A s we take our stand boldly for Him, He floods our soul with full assurance of faith. Souls that have known the throb of new life need to be fed. On way a disciple can manifest his love for the Savior is by feeding His sheep.

Pg. 82. Often the servants of the Lord appear in humbe guise.Are we able to look beyond outward appearnaces and recognize true spiritual worth?

Pg 83. The anointing with oi,. I believe was a symbolic gesture picturing th soothing, alleviatiing power of the Holy Ghost.

Pg 84. It would be well for us if we need  thus to reest more; that is, to say, if our labors were so abundant, our self-dednying efforts for the blessing of others were so continual that we could be sure that this was the Lord's word for us.

Pg.84b. Feedign of the five thousand. the disciples saw a picture of how the Savior would give himself to be bread of life for a starving world.His body would be broken that others might have eternal life.

Pg 84-85. The church has seen in this miracles a picture of the present age and its close. Jesus on the mountain represents Hrist in His present ministry in heaven, interceding for hi speople. The disciple represent His servant, buffeted by the storms and trials o flife. Soon the Savior will return to His own, deliver them from danger and dstress and guide the safe to the heavenly shore.

 

Yours in Christ,

Andrew Blackman

 

 

 

 

Book of Matthew pt. 4

Grace be with you, mercy,and peace,from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father,in truth and love.

 

Pg 48. The marriage must be taken in full aspect of salvation, including union with Christ.Culminating in glorification at the marriage supper. Rejection of the invitation to attend constitutes disloyalty to King,as well as discourtesy to Son. The kingdom had now been expanded to include individual from all races and background there is an election few are chosen. And yet individual response is essential.

Pg 48-49. Christians are responsible for obeying laws, paying taxes, praying for those in authority, and actively speaking out and standing for God and His laws in government. The example of Christian individual in the political system demonstrate how God uses them to be both salt and light to the world.

Pg 50. Lord was emphasizing that service for Him was more important than human position of honor. The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honor is humility. Leadership position should never be goal in themselves, but should always be viewed as opportunities to serve Him.

Pg 51. Religious leaders living was obtained by extorting wrongfully from others. In the body of Christ today many clergy men are overstating about giving more in tithes and offering when the congregation have more financial need themselves and the church can't help them. They were stumbling blocks in the way of sinners coming to repentance and conversion. Many were looking to their leaders for direction.

Pg 52. Our desire as believer in Christ is to do His will for the country. Jesus longed to gather Israel under his wings. The nation, unlike chicks that naturally run to their mother in time of danger willfully refuse to turn to the Lord. He will remove his presence from nation until the Great Tribulation.

Pg 52-53. As a pregnant woman birth pain indicate that her child will soon be born, so these universal conflicts, and catastrophes will mean the end of this inter advent Age is near.

Pg 56. This metaphor teaches that when Lord return there will be true and false servants. Christ is master and the journey is the inter-advent period. Servants are living during the Tribulation, responsible to represent the interest of the absent Lord. They are each given  responsibility according  to their individual abilities.

PG 57.  Nations are those people living during the Great Tribulation on earth at the time of second coming of Lord. All Gentile will stand before Christ  who then separate them the saved, from the lost, in a manner reminiscent of the wheat and tares. Thus, the saved are invited to come into and share the blessing of His kingdom. The basis of their acceptance seems to be their treatment of other in humble service for the Lord.

Pg 58-59. The food or Passover meal. The bread and wine of Passover reinterpreted to signify Jesus sacrificial death for the forgiveness of sins, and the means of covenant renewal for many.

Pg.60.  The imperative watch means to keep awake in order to be prepared for whatever might come. The prayer for the cup to pass is not due to Jesus fears of death. Cup represents the wrath of God against sin, which divine wrath Christ would incur on the cross as man's sinbearer.His total submission to the will ofthe Father causes Him to obedient, even substitutionary death.

 

Yours In Christ,

Andrew Blackman 

Answers for Master of Chaplaincy Studies, Lesson 2

ANSWERS FOR MASTER OF CHAPLAINCY STUDIES - LESSON 2
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I've known a man who has this mark bestowed on him. I have known him for many years. This mark is made evident in many ways. He certainly walks with God and prays at EVERY event and happening. He prays as if he is speaking on a personal level with God himself. He talks to Him about what he wants and needs and about the needs and comfort of those he serves. He pastors a church now. But, years ago he was the head chaplain for the Texas MHMR system. He taught me many things in my youth and one of the most riveting and profound of his teachings was that of how to pray and study scripture. He is one of the most unique people I have ever met in my life. He has come in and out of my life for more than 15 years, and always in a ministerial position of services and care.

Quite a few people has noticed something different about me. They make comments about my level of intelligence being over their own, which I
strongly stand against and tell them truthfully that I in fact have very little education (formally) and a low IQ rating. They have said that I understand extremely complex problems beyond a doctorate level, although I have difficulty much of the time in expressing the these, and their solutions, in simple enough terms to be understood.

The gifts and abilities of my calling are those of understanding, memory, grasping technologies, kindness and the ability to completely forgive, usually before the offense has been dealt. I have an uncanny ability to speak with gentle persuasion, manipulation and diplomacy in a way which creates peace, harmony, understanding and solutions(usually temporary). I am able to say things, or ask things which create motivation in people, and have of late used this ability
to get people all over the world to ask the all-important question, "Why do I believe whatever I believe?" My question invoke feelings and stir emotions and present a curious series of information and understanding that contradicts what is taught in the world at large, most of it focused on scriptural truths. One of the many delightful and positive side-effects of this kind and gentle prodding is that people are eager to understand and research their beliefs to validate the things that they hold true, and to share what they themselves will learn by studying with those around them. One of my goals is to use ALL of these abilities to help people understand that we are one and we need to be united AS HUMAN BEINGS.


Sincerely,
    Dr.Rev. Ronald "Aaron" Norris

Master of Religion Course from Universal Life Church

Lesson12

How was the convening of ecumenical councils to settle theological rows beneficial to both church and state?

 

The Nicene Council is considered by all as the first Ecumenical Council of the Church (Roman Catholic Church). It was occasioned by the Arian heresy which in effect denied the divinity of Jesus Christ. The major product of this council was the Creed, the "Nicene Creed"; but it also addressed the date of Easter, and the place of the Patriarch of Alexandria

Many changes to the religion of Christianity were about to take place at that council, including:

Formulation for wording concerning the Trinity .

 

·        Changing Verses of Bible

·        Eliminating certain verses and books from the Bible

·        Declaring Arian's "unitarian" (belief in the Unity of God) as heresy

·        Changing the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday

·        Changing the date of Jesus' birthday to December 25th

·        Introduction of Easter (pagan worship called "Feast of Ishtar")

·        Church of Roman "officially" became the "Universal Church of the Holy Roman Empire" (the word 'Catholic' means 'universal'

By bringing changes the church would be united and could get on with the tasks fitting its work.

 

2. What were the rows over the Trinity and the natures of Christ and how were they settled?

 

The disputes over the Trinity were almost at a crescendo pitying east and west against each other by emperor Constantine exercising his authority and calling a meeting of the bishops in 325 at Nicea .By doing this and overseeing the meeting Constantine was setting the tone this debate continued. The debate was again tackled in 681 with a conclusion Jesus was both divine and human.

 

The council of Nicea dealt primarily with the issue of the deity of Christ. Over a century earlier the use of the term "Trinity" could be found in the writings of Origen (185-254) and Tertullian (160-220), and a general notion of a "divine three", in some sense, was expressed in the second century writings of Polycarp, Ignatius, and Justin Martyr. But the doctrine in a more full-fledged form was not formulated until the Council of Constantinople in 360 AD

 

3. How did the theological row between Augustine and Pelagius illustrate the practical approach of the Western church thinkers as opposed to the Eastern church thinkers? What impact do the views of Pelagius and Augustine still have on the Christian church today?

 

Pelagius (ca. AD 354 – ca. AD 420/440) was an ascetic who denied the need for divine aid in performing good works. Pelagius was declared a heretic by the Council of CarthageRecent analysis of his thinking suggests that it was, in fact, highly orthodox, following in the tradition established by the early fathers and in keeping with the teaching of the church in both the East and the West. ... From what we are able to piece together from the few sources available... it seems that the Celtic monk held to an orthodox view of the prevenience of God's grace, and did not assert that individuals could achieve salvation purely by their own efforts.

. Augustine wrote four letters specifically on Pelagianism, "De peccatorum meritis et remissione libri III" (Three Books on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins) in 412, "De spiritu et litera" (On the Spirit and the Letter) and "Definitiones Caelestii" (Caelestius's Definitions) in 414, and "De natura et gratia" (On Nature and Grace) in 415. In these he strongly affirmed the existence of original sin, the need for infant baptism, the impossibility of a sinless life without Christ, and the necessity of Christ's grace. Augustine's works are intended in part for the common people and thus do not address Pelagius or his disciple Caelestius.

               The views of both Pelagius and Augustine still resound throughout the churches today with many denominations being based upon different interpretations of the issue of justification.

Christianity course Lesson 11

Lesson 11

How was Christianity's favorable relationship with the state from the time of Constantine both a blessing and a curse?

               The time of Constantine could have been seen as a blessing in that the emperor had a vision and converted to Christianity a short time later  it was after this conversion that the christian faith had another turn in which it was to meet in churches and not in secret in the catacombs as such a branch of Christianity was formed for those who did not wish these large sermons  this was  monasticism .The over all advantage was protection as it was know with the state with this protection came power and wealth .Constantine returned properties to the church and created the day of sun as a day of worship "Sunday"

Where the barbarians the foundation for subsequent Western European civilization only because of their Christianity?
Why, or why not?

The so called barbarians entered a world that had lost its might as the empire collapsed ,the Romans had developed hygiene and education amongst other things such as roads as the barbarians entered the remnants of the roman empire they made settlements in Spain, France and England taking the christian influence with them once they had been converted due to the size of the population the influence soon spread.This then became a defense against the huns and further attacks from other religions around 6^th century.

 

After Christianity came to Ireland, how did they maintain the light of culture during the Dark Ages?

 

 

When st patrick was captured in england h was taken to Ireland where he remained for six years until his escape .Ireland was not as an enlightened country like the rest of Europe in that they lacked the knowledge and infrastructure that had happened elsewhere in the roman empire .While in France, patrick joined a monastery until he was at least 43 he then went back to ireland where the masses were slowly converted from paganism to christianity. On ireland they had created Celtic monasteries due to the successful conversions and did not feel the influences of medieval Europe as much.

Universal Life Church

Historical Jesus Course from ULC

Historical Jesus

By

Rev. Ronald L. Catherson

 

 

What surprised me most about these lessons is that there is little that we know of Jesus other than what is written in the Gospels.  But after some thought, I realized why would there be a detailed history of the man Jesus?  After all, He was not born in the palace of a King or in any sector of the ruling class.  He was not even born into a family of a leader in the Jewish community.  He was the son of a carpenter and of a peasant girl from the northern outer portion of Israel.  Why would anyone think of Him any differently as any other Jewish male in a Roman controlled country?  So all we really have are the Gospels to tell us who Jesus was.  And that they do.

 

Jesus started and ended life here on earth at the "bottom" of society.  His birth was in a stable, not even a good Inn.  His death was as a common criminal on the cross of execution by the Roman officials.  Even His own Jewish comrades were against Him.  This was surly not a person that books would be written about the details of His life.  But a few books were written and they changed the world, the Four Gospels.

 

The reason these four books changed the world is because, as the Gospel of John clearly tells us, Jesus was God and God was Jesus.  They were one and the same.  If you saw Jesus you saw the Father and if you saw the Father you saw Jesus.  God does not need, and thus Jesus does not need, a lot of written historical documentation to change the world.  What Jesus needed was a few good men and women.  And He chose them very well.

 

These men and women told the stories of their lives with Jesus and the events they saw with their own eyes that the man of Jesus accomplished.  He was truly a man of love and compassion for all human kind to include children and women and the outcasts of the society of that time.  He was a healer of not only illness and of being possessed, but He healed the souls of many that His life touched. His teachings touched many for years after His death and they continue to touch others to this very day and will continue to touch lives forever. 

 

Jesus did not only teach by parables and miracles; He taught by His own behavior and actions.  He did not just say to love one another, but He did love one another.  He loved all humankind to the point of death.  Also, not only did He love all humankind but He loved God, His Father.  Jesus, being fully human while being God (what a mystery this is!), felt all of the hardships of human life.  He knew what it was like to be rejected by the people He grew up with because a prophet is not accepted by his own kin.  Also, He was rejected by the people, the Disciples, who knew Him the best.  They saw and heard everything that He did and said.  Yet, when the time came, they ran!  They ran and locked themselves in the upper room.  They left Him alone to face the rulers of the time, Roman officials.   John was the only Disciple at the foot of His execution.  But even during this time, Jesus continued teaching.  What a great teacher He was and is.  His lessons were also about forgiveness as well as love. 

 

Jesus' message to the world was one of love with forgiveness.  There is nothing greater than this degree of love and nothing else needs to be written about Him. Any details of His life would be useless words compared to what we do have about Him, the Son of God.

Master of Religion

I am enjoying doing the Master of Religion Course as I find it very interesting. In Lesson 11, we are dealing with the problem of abortion, which is a very thorny question to which there is no definitive or immediate answer. I am sure most people will agree that we do not have the right to terminate life, even though that life is still in the mother's womb. I think that every child has the right to be born - whether disabled or not - and make its contribution to the world. Many children have been born disabled but yet have produced  a high standard of life. In my opinion, medical necessity should really be the only criterion for abortion - to save the mother's life. If a women does not want children, then surely in these days she can find a way of not becoming pregnant. Young people in particular should be encouraged to ensure safety in their sexual adventures which would prevent the need for possible abortions In every responsible home, the parents should encourage their children to act safely in these matters, although there is never a 100% guarantee. But should the unforeseen happen, in a responsible home the matter can be solved in a proper way. Ultimately, if a woman does not want to have the baby for herself then I am sure arrangements can be made for adoption quickly after birth.  Many childless couples would love the chance to adopt.  I have known this to happen on a number of occasions with very satisfactory results. Rev. Derek Kemp ******************************* 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.

Sermon on the Mountain

Grace be unto you,and peace from God our Father,and from the Lord Jesus Christ. The Sermon on the Mount indicate that the message deals with the inner state of mind and heart that is the indispensensable of true Christian discipleship.It delineates the outward manifestation of character and conduct of true believers and genuine disciples. Thus, the life of the believer, described by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, is a life of grace and glory, which comes from God alone. Jesus states the spiritual character and quality of the kingdom He would establish,and the basic qualities of this kingdom are fulfilled in the church He would establish.

 

Yours In Christ,

Andrew Blackman