Universal Life Church Monastery of Massachusetts

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

HEALTH: Optimal health

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

God wants what is best for us. It is necessary to believe that our physical, spiritual, and mental health is important to God and he has provided means for us to have optimal health in all areas. God’s word is our guidebook toward a healthy and prosperous life.

When you get frustrated or disappointed, have faith that God knows your struggles and will be with you as you walk through them. He has a plan and he sees the big picture, whereas we only see the present situation. Believe that all things will work out for your good and God’s glory.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

MARRIAGE: The role of submission

Peter writes in the New Testament that wives are to submit, or accept the authority of their husbands. He tells them that godly behavior will win over their husbands and be a testimony of God’s love. He also tells husbands to honor their wives and be understanding, stating that the wife may be weaker than the husband, but is an equal partner. (1 Peter 3)

This passage disturbs many women as they feel that it is unfair to be called “weaker” and have to be submissive to their husbands, especially if their husband does not treat them well. The author here is not trying to be hard on women, but laying out a biblical model for marriage. To be submissive does not mean to be weak. Peter is talking about partnership here. No one is better than the other. It is a team effort.

Jesus and God are partners. In Philippians 2:5-7 it states, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men."

Jesus was not trying to be equal or better than God. His heart was to partner with him and serve him. Husbands and wives are to do likewise. Partner together and serve one another.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

MARRIAGE: Love

Saying, “I love you” is very common, but what do we really know about love? I think of the song, “I wanna know what love is,” by the band Foreigner and I’m in agreement. I want to know what love is.

Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 13 that, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy or boast, it is not proud or rude, it is not self-seeking or easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”

There we have it summed up for us. This is quite challenging for sure but with God’s help, we can display this kind of self-less love toward our spouses and the rewards will be beautiful!

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

HEALTH: Taking care of yourself

As we age, we tend to become more and more tired. Perhaps we are not getting enough sleep, or are overly stressed, or haven’t taken care of our bodies very well. Whatever the reason, fatigue can set in. When we find ourselves in seasons like this, it is important to first, be sure to drink plenty of water and eat healthy foods. Along with exercise, your physical body will be restored.

Second, ask God to restore you physically, mentally, and spiritually. In the book of Isaiah we read, “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even the young grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like an eagle; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:28-31 NIV

Rest assured knowing that as you do your part by taking care of your body, God will renew your strength and restore you.

©2010-2011 Minister Claretta Taylor Pam, Global Ecumenical Ministries Inc. and Universal Life Church Monastery of Massachusetts. All Rights Reserved

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

WORK: Everyone is the same to God

Regardless of your role on this earth, whether you are a doctor, a house cleaner, stay-at-home mother, unemployed, or student, you are equally important to God. Listen to what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20:

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price."

God says that he purchased us for his pleasure. The saying, “You are not what you do,” is very true and to judge people for their job status is wrong and it saddens God. Each individual is precious in God’s eyes and man-made status does not impress him. Rejoice in who you are. You are a treasure and a gift to humanity. Be proud of yourself if you work or if you don’t work, if you make lots of money or don’t make lots of money. Smile. God loves you just the way you are.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

LIFE: Giving

Most of us can relate to giving someone a gift, or blessing them with money, or assistance, and walking away with such a joyful heart! Simply giving out of a generous heart and not expecting anything in return.

We live in such a materialistic society. Greed and envy covet our hearts but we want to be givers. We oftentimes vow to be generous and have great intentions, but when extra money comes, or someone needs help, we shrink back or make excuses as to why we can’t.

Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.” As we give, whether it be time, money, or love, we can experience joy, freedom, and a sense of purpose. God summed up the Ten Commandments into two in the New Testament. In simple terms, God said to love Him and love others. Loving others requires being generous in many areas. The closer we get to God, the more we will understand God’s grace and giving nature, and thus, imitate the same.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

MARRIAGE: A prayer by Thomas Kemphis

A prayer by Thomas Kemphis

Praying for your marriage to be blessed and successful is very important. With two people living together, conflict will arise and prayer and help from God is necessary. Listen to a prayer by Thomas Kemphis regarding marriage.

“And may your love surmount every obstacle that comes your way!

May you have much joy and be the light of each other’s days.

May you always be in love and honor and cherish your relationship.
May you always see and encourage the best in each other.
May the challenges that life brings your way make your marriage grow stronger.
May you always be each other's best friend and greatest love."

This is a beautiful prayer that you can add to your prayers for your marriage and watch how God helps your marriage to flourish.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

WORK: Belief

To have a successful career, you not only have to develop a plan and work hard, but it is also important to visualize success. Jesus said that if we believe, we will receive whatever we ask for in prayer. (Matthew 21:22) Ask. Believe. Receive. It’s that simple.

Be encouraged here. Create your goals and have faith that you will achieve them. Actually visualize yourself with that new house, job, partner, or baby. Feel the excitement of the answered prayer beforehand. You must understand that nothing is impossible with God. (Luke 1:37)

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

HEALTH: Being cheerful

The human heart is an amazing organ and necessary for life. It continually pumps life through our bodies, beating about 100,000 times a day. Many things can affect the health of our hearts, such as stress and poor diet, but God tells us that it is good for us to have a cheerful heart and joy is medicine for our bodies. (Proverbs 17:22)

Having a positive and cheerful attitude is one key to abundant life. God tells us that being happy, or cheerful, is good for us spiritually and physically. With stress being so prevalent in our culture, it is important to remember to do things that make you laugh. Take time to watch funny movies or go out with friends and simply enjoy yourself. Manifest the motto: Live, laugh, love.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

LIFE: Positive expectations/Faith

“If you can believe it, you can achieve it!” Perhaps you’ve heard the previous phrase before. It may sound too good to be true, but there really is such power in having positive expectations. Living with an attitude of expectancy, or having faith as the bible describes it, can be beneficial and make a big difference in our day to day attitude.

The bible explains faith as the evidence of things not seen. It’s an expectation of what you want. Mark 11:24 reads, “…whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”

Did you get that? It says ask, then believe, and then receive! You have to believe it first before it manifests. No matter what the circumstance is or what your physical eyes see, you must believe you’ve already got it. Faith is such a powerful force. If this is a struggle for you, begin small. Believe for something small and eagerly wait in expectation as it manifest. Like the growth of a seed into a giant tree, our faith can begin as a little seed and grow to become great faith if we are determined to be persistent.