Universal Life Church Monastery of Massachusetts

Thursday, January 9, 2014

MARRIAGE: Make God’s word our guide, not our feelings

Sometimes we just don’t feel like being nice to our spouses or sacrificing for them. Sometimes the feelings of love and intimacy just aren’t there. We have a bad week, the kids are driving us crazy, and our spouse’s character defects seem to be out of control. Relax. Sometimes this happens in relationships and it does not mean it’s the end.

The Word of God tells us to walk by faith and not by sight, or feelings. (2 Corinthians 5:7) If we are led by our feelings, we will encounter more trouble than we’d like. Make God’s word your guide, not your feelings. God tells us to love, even when we don’t feel like it. God tells us to honor one another above ourselves, even when our spouse is driving us crazy. God tells us to love him and others, even when we are depressed, angry, or hopeless. Faith is a decision, not a feeling.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

WORK: Woman

Have you ever known a very productive woman? I mean someone who is a very hard worker and takes pride in her work no matter what kind of job it is. I think of Mother Teresa often and what a diligent worker she was for God. She did not care about money or status, she simply wanted to please God and love people.

Proverbs 31 teaches us that a godly woman uses her skills and talents and works vigorously. It talks of her taking care of her husband and children, even rising before the sun to begin preparations for the day. It also states that she works with her hands and sells various items to help provide for her family.

Furthermore, it declares that she is strong and secure in her God. She takes time to strengthen her relationship with God and this directly affects her role as a wife and mother. I encourage you to read Proverbs 31 and ask God to reveal to you how you can become more of a godly woman.

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Wednesday, December 25, 2013

MARRIAGE: Covenant

In the Old Testament, God made a covenant with his people. A covenant is a promise or agreement. God thought it important to make an unbreakable covenant with the Israelites because he loved them and wanted to commit to them and have an intimate relationship with them.

Marriage is founded on the same principle. A marriage covenant exists between two people who have agreed to partner together for life. Marriage is a covenant that allows a couple to become one flesh and is a commitment to love, honors, and serve one another all the days of their lives. (Ephesians 5:31)

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

WORK: Being excellent

I normally take my car to a certain tire repair shop and I’m normally pleased with their services. One day, though, my tire was going flat so I took it to a local store that would patch it while I shopped. The man that took care of my tire was astounding. He was professional, courteous, and very enthusiastic about his job. He won me over and from now on I will take my car to him for any tire needs.

Are you good at what you do? Do you excel or just do enough to get by? Is customer service your number one priority? If your aim is to be excellent at your profession, chances are people will want your services. Excellent customer service sells and you may even find yourself getting promotion after promotion. God tells us that whatever we do, we should do our best for him and not for man. (Colossians 3:23) Make the extra effort and go the extra mile. God is watching.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

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, December 4, 2013

WORK: Laziness a curse

If there is one thing I wish I could drill into the youth these days, I would impress upon them the blessings of having excellent work ethics and the curse of laziness. In a world of facebook, television, and video games, it seems much of our younger generation has become less concerned with getting out to “work” and more concerned with their social status.

Proverbs 14:23 states that, “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.” It is important that the youth learn that hard work will bring them the necessary means to pay their bills and that too much time doing recreational activities may cause them to be unfruitful. Let’s encourage the younger generation to diligently follow God’s design for productivity and someday they may just thank us.

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

MARRIAGE: What do you focus on?

In any relationship, focusing on the positive instead of the negative is helpful when it comes to having a joyous and satisfying relationship. Oftentimes, when couples are struggling it is because they are putting too much emphasis on the character defects of their spouse and not enough emphasis on the positive qualities.
We must consciously make an effort to focus on our partners good qualities and appreciate him/her because of them. God gave your partner to you as a gift and it is important to be able to treasure your spouse despite their character defects.

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

WORK: Personal and Spiritual Development

I’ve heard it said that today’s action becomes tomorrow’s habit. What actions are you taking daily toward your personal and spiritual development? How about toward your career?

Success in your career will have a direct correlation with your success in personal and spiritual development. Growth is a process and we ought to challenge ourselves to continue growing all the days of our lives. Developing growth plans in various areas of your life will benefit you incredibly. Take some time and create a spiritual, personal, and career growth plan. Don’t settle for mediocrity.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

The Veil is Torn

One of my favorite scenes in the Passion of the Christ is where upon releasing His spirit, we see that there is an earthquake and the temple veil that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place was rent (torn) in two. The bible says that the veil was torn from top to bottom. On the surface, this does not appear to be a big deal. Anyone can rip a veil right? Wrong. The temple veil measured about sixty feet high and four inches in width. No human could have torn the veil—it was supernaturally torn by the power of God to show that God had opened a new way for everyone to approach Him. We no longer had to rely on Priests to go into God’s presence on our behalf and atone for the sins of the people. Instead, the Most Holy Place was now readily accessible because of the work Christ completed on the cross.
It symbolized that because of the shedding of Christ’s blood, atonement for sin had been made for all people.

God has always desired an intimate relationship with man. Until sin showed up, God walked in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. He conversed with them and enjoyed a close connection with them. It was never God’s plan for man to be cut off from His presence. But Joyce Meyer says it best: He knew that His holiness was so powerful that it would destroy anything unholy that came near it. Simply phrased, God’s glory and sin do not mix. He is a holy God and sin is like a foul, rotting stench in His nostrils. Hence, there had to be provision—a way to ensure that man could have access to Him. Christ is that provision. His death on the cross, the shedding of his blood to atone for sin, ensures that anyone who believes in Him and claims Him as Savior would have free access to the Father. No priests. No veils. It’s just you and God. Samudaya attests that there is a cause for suffering. In this instance, Christ suffering paved the way for our reconciliation to the Father, once and for all.

19Therefore, brethren, since we have full freedom and confidence to enter into the [Holy of] Holies [by the power and virtue] in the blood of Jesus,20By this fresh (new) and living way which He initiated and dedicated and opened for us through the separating curtain (veil of the Holy of Holies), that is, through His flesh – Hebrews 10:19-20

We have full freedom and confidence to enter the Holy of Holies. We can approach God’s throne without reservation. However, if we are living a worldly lifestyle or not abiding by the holy standards as set by God, coming before His presence might be a problem. Sin separates us from God. It impedes our ability to hear God and receive the fullness of what He has for us in this day and time.

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

I Dare You to Ask For It!

And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us.15And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him. – 1 John 5:14-15

I dare you to you to ask God for it! It does not matter if your request is big or small or if your desires are critical or superfluous. We all have the right to approach God’s throne of grace with boldness and expectation. God does not require that our prayers be lengthy. They do not need to be replicated in Shakespearean tongue. Prayer is simply a conversation between you and God. If you typically greet someone with “hey, honey what’s going on” or “I missed you,” then begin your prayers the same the way. God would love it if you spoke to Him with adoration and affection.

The key is not to allow fear or feelings of inadequacy to rob you of your right to approach God. The enemy would love to deceive you into thinking you need experience or have to meet certain criteria in order to pray. This is a lie! The word of God says that when we pray, we can ask anything of our Father, according to His will, and He listens to and hears us. No where does it explain that you need courses in seminary, need a college education or even need to know how to read. Prayer is simply opening your mouth and speaking from what’s in your heart. Remember, God knows your heart. He knows what you need even before you open your mouth.

So, when you approach Him, be bold. Ask for the desires of your heart. If it is not something you should have, then God will not open the door which still works in your favor. If that is the worst that can happen, then go for it! Before Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, He proclaimed, “Father I thank you that you hear me and that you always hear me.” God hears our prayers. He always has and He always will.
The passage goes on to expound on prayer: 15And (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him. The bible says that God’s answers to our prayers—when they align with His will—are yes and amen. Because we know with all surety that God’s answer is yes, we should not be afraid to ask Him anything. Jains believe in satya which is speaking the truth. When you pray speak truthfully and be bold.