Online Sermons

By Scott Phillips

The Greatest Gift You Can Give

The kindest thing that we can do, is to offer ourselves in prayer for someone else. It is our nature to pray for ourselves and the things that directly pertain to us. However we demonstrate spiritual maturity when our devotion reaches beyond our own concerns and questions.

When we can reach not just toward God, but as we reach toward God, to reach towards others being a reconciling force in the lives of people. This is the sign of spiritual significance. This is a level of maturity we must all realize. This is the calling of all.

If you have been born again, your eventual task is to see others experience this same miraculous experience.

Some like to keep this experience to themselves for fear of not being understood or sadly, often because a lack of understanding on our part of what is needed to help others experience this same joy.

This Joy of unspeakable peace.

A portion of the Holy Presence that is Christ.

My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you," Galatians 4:19 KJV

The Need for Spiritual Children. We need to see our need for children. The yearning in the heart of a mother is for children.

The heart of the church must be touched with a desire and hunger for offspring.

This offspring will come from intimacy with the Presence of the Lord. From this, a birthing will take place.

And then responsibility begins. We must transition from one level to the other, so that we are not just thinking of ourselves, but those who the Lord is about to bring into this place. They are going to come from this desire for children.

When they come, we must love them like they are our family, our children, our flesh. Wrap your arms around them, wrap your heart

around them and bear them up in our arms.

Arms of Faith,

Arms of Prayer,

Arms of Love,

Arms of Fellowship,

In Him, By Him, Through Him, To Him,

Scott Phillips

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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.

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. 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

Becoming Ordained Online for Free

Become an Ordained minister with a single click

by JODY BARBER  

There has always been countless conflicts and bloodshed over religious matters.

These conflicts, or ‘Holy Wars,’ are a thing that I have always found both odd and sad.

For the most part, religions almost always promote love, understanding, peace, unity, and salvation on some level.

However, there have been more deaths as a result of differing beliefs and misunderstanding than casualties due to war.

I think that it’s time to find people who want to embrace religious tolerance and peace— so that’s exactly what I did.

After some time researching, I found the Universal Life Church.

Jody Barber


This church started in 1959 as a religious organization based on a central belief:

“Every person has the natural right (and the responsibility) to peacefully determine what is right as long as it does not infringe on the rights of others.”  

In more recent times, they have expanded past their original location of Modesto, California and moved to a primarily online organization.  There is still a church building in Modesto, however.

The ULC is a strong supporter for the freedom of religion, immediately stating that its members welcome and accept all faiths. Another ground-breaking achievement that the Universal Life Church has committed itself to is ‘free legal ordination for life.’

They believe that no outside force can determine if a person is to be ordained – only God. Therefore within minutes, you can become one of the ULC’s 20+ million legally ordained ministers.

I was elated at finding this church. All religious organizations seem to promote ‘religious tolerance’ until it’s no longer convenient, but this church was actually committed to not only religious tolerance, but religious love and understanding.

I was, however, instantly skeptical of the free ordination—I could not believe that someone would/could give it away so freely.

I have been a follower of a not-so-mainstream faith for many years, and was deeply interested in ministry.

Naturally, I did not believe that someone who was certified to license a minister would license me, due to my choice in faiths.

When I found the ULC, I immediately contacted various clerks of state in Georgia to validate that this type of organization was legitimate—it was! So I, too, became one of the ULC’s many ministers.

After my ordination, I further examined the ULC’s wide range of tools for their ministers.

The online church website is filled with tips on how to improve your ministry, information on perform weddings of different faiths, a collection of minister-submitted sermons, and prayer requests among many other things, including the ordination form.

The church really seems to take an interest in helping their clergy along their religious path.

So, if you’re interested in ministry and believe that all faiths can exist together in this world, the Universal Life Church might be the place for you.

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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. 

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.We also offer many free wedding ceremonies for your use.

 

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.  
 

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Universal Life Church

By Rev. Stacy Zemon

Your Grand Awakening

There comes a time in your life when you finally begin to really 'get it.' When in the midst of all your fears and incessant mind chatter you suddenly stop dead in your tracks and realize, 'Enough!' Enough fighting and crying over and struggling with ?what is.? Suddenly you grow up. And, like a child quieting down after a temper tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you blink back your tears and through a mantle of wet lashes you begin to look at the world through new eyes.

This is your Grand Awakening. The moment when you realize that it's time to stop hoping and waiting for happiness, safety and security to present themselves to you on a silver platter. You come to terms with the paradox of life that miracles occur all the time, and yet there aren't always fairy tale endings (or beginnings for that matter) to situations or relationships in your life. You realize that "happily ever after" must begin with you and within this realization a sense of self-empowerment and serenity emerges.

You awaken to the fact that in your humanness you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who you are. And that's okay. You learn the importance of loving and championing yourself, and in learning to do this you discover a new found sense of confidence born of self-approval and self-love.

In the moments that flow from this Grand Awakening, you stop blaming other people for the things they did to you (or didn't do for you). You realize that the only thing you can really count on is that you are a child of God and that things in your life will change. Knowing this, you stop fearing and learn to embrace the unexpected. You learn that people don't always say what they mean or mean what they say, and that not everyone will always be there for you, and that it's not always about you. You begin to appreciate the gift of learning to take care of yourself, and in this process a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance.

You stop judging and pointing fingers, and you begin to accept people as they are, and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties. You learn to forgive. And you realize that much of the way you view yourself and the world around you, is a result of all the messages and opinions that have been ingrained into your psyche. And you begin to sift through all the crap you've been fed about how you should behave, how you should look, what you should wear, what you should do for a living, whom you should sleep with or marry, and what you have the right to expect of yourself and others.

You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. And you begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really stand for. You learn the difference between wanting and needing, and you begin to discard the doctrines and values you've outgrown or should never have bought into to begin with. And in the process you learn to go with your instincts and with the Divine Guidance you feel inspired by.

Inside of your awakening, you come to know that it is truly in giving that we receive. And that there is incredible bliss and glory in creating and contributing, and you stop manipulating your life because you simply don?t trust that everything is perfectly alright just as it is. You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a by gone era, but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build a just and righteous life.

And you learn that you don't know everything. It's not your job alone to save the world, and that you can't teach a pig to sing. You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility, and about the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say "no." You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry. Then you learn about love in its almost infinite varieties. You discover who to love and how to love them, how much love to give and when and how to express your love. You learn not to project your needs onto a relationship, and to see them as they really are, not as you would like them to be. You stop trying to control people, situations and outcome. You realize that just as people grow and change, so it is with love.

And you learn that being alone does not mean being lonely. You come to the realization that you do deserve to be treated with love, kindness, sensitivity and respect and that you are no longer willing to settle for less. You allow only the hands of a lover who cherishes you to honor you with their touch. In the process you internalize the meaning of self-respect.

You learn that for the most part in life, you get what you truly believe you deserve, and that much of life truly is self-fulfilling prophecy. You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for, and that wishing for something to happen is different from working toward making it happen. You also learn that while no one person can do it all alone, each of us makes a difference because of our individual contributions.

As you step right into and through your fears, you know that whatever happens you can handle it. And you start enjoying your life and not squandering it living under a cloud of impending doom. Yes, life doesn't always seem fair. You don't always get what you think you deserve. Sometimes bad things do happen to good people. However, this isn't because God is punishing you or failing to answer your prayers. It's just life happening now. And there is always a valuable lesson inside of painful experiences if you can only see what that lesson is.

You learn to be grateful and to take comfort in the simple pleasures of life. Things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about; a full refrigerator, clean running water, a long hot shower, laying down in a comfortable bed at night without fear that you and your loved ones will be killed while you sleep.

Slowly you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself, and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself. And to never, ever, settle for less than your true heart's desire. And you smile in the quiet moments of realization that you are being true to yourself. And you make a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting, and to stay open to every wonderful possibility. Finally, with courage in your heart, and with God and your loved ones by your side, you take a stand. You take a deep breath. Like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, you fly into the new life you have designed as the new you. And you know that the sleeper has awakened.

Copyright 2002, Reverend Stacy Zemon

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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.

Ordination with the , is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.We also offer many free wedding ceremonies for your use.


 

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.
 

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Sunday School Lesson

ULC Seminary Sunday Schools Lessons

ULC Sunday School

www.ulcseminary.org

Universal Life Church Seminary

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Sunday School Lesson 7 by Elizabeth

HOW I KNOW GOD LOVES ME

SCRIPTURAL CHOICES

Deut 7:8 But because the Lord love you, and because the Lord will keep His promise to your fathers, the Lord protects you with a mighty hand.

Deut 7:9 Know therefore that the Lord, your God, He is God, the Faithful, who keeps promises and has mercy with all.

Psalms 33:5 God loves righteousness and justice: therefore, the Earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

Psalms 91:14 Because God loves me...He knows my name.

1John 3:1 Listen up! Pay attention! Looky here!

What marvelous love God has given us that we should be called the sons of God

1John 3:2....we shall be like God because we see God as He is.

1 John 3:11 For this is the message that you will learn from the beginning, that we must love another.

John 16:27 For the Father (God) loves you...

Romans 5:5 And hope never disappoints because the Love of God is everywhere around us and lives is put into our hearts by the Spirit of God.

1Timothy 1:5 But the aim of this teaching is Love that flows from a pure heart a good conscious and sincere faith

2Timothy 1:7 For God does not give us fear but power and love and good behavior.

1Peter 8 In conclusion, live in harmony, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate tenderhearted, courteous and polite.

METAPHYSICAL READINGS

From "Speaking Science of the Mind" by Ernest Holmes.

God has many names and his names expose many different attributes.

God is Absolute God cannot be limited.

God is perfection.

God is All the Substance, Life, Power, Love, Beauty Intelligence in the Universe.

God is Alpha, the beginning.

There is but one source of Being that is GOD and we are connected with It at all times.

The Cosmic mind is the mind of God.

Creation is God making something out of Himself, by becoming the thing He creates. Therefore, we are truly all sons of God.

The Creator, the Unchangeable, the Indestructurable that is behind and responsible for all existence. The thought of God goes on forever.

Man makes use of the same Laws that God uses. In ourselves is the same nature that we find in God. We are like God we are God as us. We walk and talk with the Father (GOD) within us. We have but to speak and He answers.

God indwells (Lives in) everything He creates.

The God within us is the Divine Mind. Our regular (mortal mind) mind is used to describe the mind that gathers information through our senses of touch, sight, sound, taste, smell; remember, The Divine Mind is the real mind.

Our desire to be happy, prosperous and well is from God.

Emmanuel means "God with us".

God the First Cause, the Great I AM, the Unborn One, , the Uncreated, the Absolute, the Unconditioned, The One and Only Spirit, Creative Energy, Love, Wisdom, Intelligence, Power, Substance, Mind. The Truth. The Principle.

The Divine Spark, Birthless, Deathless.

As we recognize the attributes of God they become ours to use, we become "enlightened."

God knows nothing outside Itself. It is the Center and Circumference of everything that exists. It has no enemies, no differences, no otherness, no apartness it is Undivided. Complete and perfect in Itself. It is All. It cannot be hindered in any way shape or form. In moments of real inspiration we realize that God is All.

One Life flows through ALL.

The I Am is the Light of the world.

The Word was with God and God was the Word.

Love is the self-giving of the Spirit of God through the desire of Life to express itself in terms of creation.

Love is a synonym for God.

Love is free from condemnation and free from fear.

Love is a Cosmic Force whose power is irresistible.

Man is the objectification of God in human form. The idea of God is manifested in the body of people.

People are the highest expression of God on this planet.

We are not God, but the reality within us is God.

God is All-powerful.

God is All Knowing, All Perceiving.

God is constant Presence of the Whole God is everywhere.

God is IN all man and all things.

God is always at peace because there is nothing to disturb it.

Our Oneness with God brings peace.

God is Personal to all who believe in Him.

God is responsive to all who approach Him.

The Presence is God. We should turn to the God within which is the Father in Heaven, recognize It as the One and Only Power in the Universe and unify with it, identify with it, declare our words to be that of God. We should stand aside and let the One Perfect Life flow through us.

We are one with the Goodness of God.

Unity is the Oneness of God with Man. Jesus taught, "That they may all be one, even as You, Father, are in me and I am in You and they also are in us."

HOW I KNOW GOD LOVES ME

DISCUSSION SUGGESTIONS

You are One with God

Because Gods ways are your ways

God Loves you......You are love, you give love and you get love.

Who else loves you?

Who else do you love?

What else do you love?

God is Joy (happy) .....You are Joy (happy)

Who makes you happy?

How do they make you happy?

How do you make them happy?

What things make you happy?

God is happy He made you ......Your Mom and Dad are happy God made you

What makes you happy when you are with Mom and/or Dad?

What do you do that makes Mom or Dad happy?

What fun places do you and Mom or Dad go to?

God is Beauty because He creates beauty...You are beautiful

What things that God created are beautiful to you?

Suggest: sunshine, flowers, pets etc.

What beautiful thoughts do have?

God is Peace ...You are peace

Peace is calmness, harmony, freedom from worry or stress

What things are full of peace to you?

Suggest: a pleasant voice, a smile, a hug,

When are you peace?

Suggest: being nice to siblings, sleeping, thinking

HOW I KNOW GOD LOVES ME

GAMES SUGGESTIONS

During the reading and lesson session I suggest playing in the background or take separate time to impress with music selections and or sing along.

Kids Bop Gold or 7 CD

Here comes the Sun

How sweet it is to be loved by you.

I'll be there

Happy together

Yellow Submarine

You are the sunshine of my life

Raindrops keep falling on my head

Good morning sunshine

Dancing in the street.

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During the lesson and discussion after the readings:

Have the kids make circular discs from foam sheets, labeled as appropriate

Love, joy, peace, courage, kind, happy, etc

To be used in hopscotch games

Let them pick a favorite disc and use it as a marker for their throw stone

Alternatively, label the hopscotch squares as appropriate then use special stones you have brought in that each child as selected one from to use as a throw stone.

If the boys do not want to play hopscotch, they can draw a map of their home, school, church, park, and friends' houses and use appropriate labels to demonstrate where they find love, peace, joy, etc.

HOW I KNOW GOD LOVES ME pg 2

SUPPLIES NEEDED

Kidz bop gold CD

CD Player

Colored Chalk

Concrete area or wooden area to draw on the floor

Drawing Materials

Building Materials

Blocks, legos, paper cut opts etc.

Adhesive

Glue, gluesticks, etc

Scissors

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

Online Sermons

So You Want to be Happy?
By Scott Phillips

As we walk down the road of life, we have a choice of how we approach life. I would like to give you how I try to approach to life. I see this same approach in scripture. If I may say, the approach of those I have considered in scripture, there was an attitude towards life that captured their minds and powered their life that is identifiable.

From Abel, to Noah, To Abraham, To Jacob, To Joseph, To Moses, To Joshua, To David, To Christ, To the disciples. They had a philosophy of life that if we can learn to follow it, we will find what the world and it's trinkets cannot supply. I will use the eleventh chapter of Ecclesiastes as my scriptural basis.

"Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days."

Take a risk, playing safe is for wimps.

"Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth."

Give. Live your life based on what you can offer and not what you can get. Let your motivation be, who can I help, how can I help, what can I do. Leave a Mark. A spirit of generosity should define

the character of God's people.

"If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be."

Everything is a product of something else. It rains because the Clouds are full of rain. A tree falls and where it falls there it is. Don't over-analyze things, take a deep breath, say a prayer and

chill out.

"He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap."

Don't be pessimistic.

When I was a teenager, I had a drive to do better than average in money. I was not content to work for minimum wage while I saw that my hard work was making money for the man that was my boss. So I saved my money and purchased lawn equipment that would help me buy the tools to do better. I remember when I had finally saved enough,

my Dad went and purchased what I needed with the money I had saved.

I ran an add in the classifieds that week and on that Friday and Saturday I had worked hard and made more money than I had to that point.

As time passed, many times I would get up in the morning and look at the weather and would make a decision based on what the

weather looked like, and often the forecast was wrong. I remember many times my dad would tell me, " He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap." So even when the clouds were dark in the morning, I found that as the sun rose it would burn the clouds off more often than it would rain.

If you're looking for the perfect day to do something, the perfect day will never come. Don't wait for the perfect scenario, work towards making your own scenario. Don't wait for someone to hand it to you, work towards it, work for it and you will find that it is not how hard you work, but can you plan to make things better.

I learned then as a young man, you got to be willing to work the minimum wage job, to save the money to buy the equipment to do better. Some think they are too good to work a low paying job. What happens, they never reach beyond a certain point because they are not willing to do the hard dirty work to get where they want to go.

"As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good."

Your not God. You don't know everything. So don't let it stop you from doing something. Be busy doing the good you can. Sow Baby Sow, because something good will come up.

Abel was bold enough to offer what he had. Cain stopped when the first time he failed.

Noah, saw coming destruction, but that just fueled him to believe, "I can build a boat and live to see another better day."

Daniel, was a slave. But he was the best slave, and his devotion to his position elevated him to a ruler of rulers.

If your looking for an excuse to quit, you already have. However if your looking for a reason to keep going, here it is.

Faith is my forecast. No matter what cloud may arise on the Horizon. It's not going to stop me from sowing or reaping. If the clouds get full of water, it will rain. If the wind blows, the tree will fall. However these are simply facts of our existence. I am not going to let a little rain dim my view of the future.

With God is My Guide, he knows where I am going. I don't worry about tomorrow. I can only take this day, time and season and make the most of it.

It is this philosophy of life that caused God's people to triumph.

We have hope. Hope for tomorrow. Hope for our children. Hope for the Church. And Beyond.

Will you have troubles? Will you face trials? Will you get sick?

Broke, disappointed, discouraged?

Yes.

But that is not the end. There is a Great Day Coming. Your First Day in heaven as you stroll down the golden avenue.

When you taste of that clear water, and eat that heavenly fruit,

When you see Paul and Bartholomew.

Oh, it will be worth it all. All your prayer, all your giving, all your sacrifice, all your trials, all your temptation.

"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (19) For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God." Romans 8:18-19 KJV

It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus.

Live your life in Anticipation.

The Miracles, The Revival, The Healings, The Harvest, The Deliverance, The Joys.

In Him, By Him, Through Him,

Scott Phillips

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To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link.

Rev. Long created the ULC seminary site to help ministers learn and grow their ministries. The Seminary offers a huge catalog of materials for ministers of the Universal Life Church, as well as an online seminary program and a chaplaincy program.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Online Sermons

I've Been Thinking

By Scott Phillips

I have been thinking about something I would like to share with you.

It occurred to me the other day something that I have fallen prey to. We have started a new church here in Clinton, Ms. We have had limited number of visitors from Pentecostal background, so many are not sure what to expect exactly.

A benefit that I did not fully appreciate previously, I now understand. When you take an existing church, no matter it's

history, there are possibly hundreds and maybe thousands of people who have walked through the doors, many multitudes have prayed, been healed, worked with, been related to, backslid, raised around,

ect connected to an EXISTING Local church.

This is a benefit I realized pretty quick we did not have. We have been here in Clinton for about 18 months, in fact we started our "church in a day" a year ago November 12th and dedicated the Building about 10 months ago. Our location is on a major road. We have put out thousands of fliers, run adds in papers, had front page coverage in our paper, even made it on a couple of television stations in addition to being on the Radio for 12 of the 18 months we have been here. Honestly, the results from these efforts have been considerable less than I would desire. (I understand it is a sowing process.) We have had a fare number of visitors considering we are a New Pentecostal Church in a very Baptist town. I am guessing we have had somewhere around 200-250 people who have visited with us. Maybe more.

When we do have visitors, we try to put our best foot forward. Often I feel like the smallness of some of our crowds is a little off putting, like on a midweek we might have 10, and two or three visitors come in, they sometimes seem to feel a little awkward.

So what do we do, we try to present ourselves as loving, kind, intelligent, concerned and interesting. I confess in the back of my mind I have been concerned of what they thought about "US". It occurred to me the other day that I need to quit worrying about what they think about "US" and focus our efforts on helping them be impressed with our God.

That is the crux of my rumination here. It is a hole we can fall in when we are overly concerned about what they think about "US" and how we do things, when our focus of prayer is, "Lord, help me to help them see you and your wonderful lovely way! Help me to illuminate in their spirit the power of Faith and Healing in your Name." It does not matter if they become members of our church, but that they hear the Only Saving Message, Feel the Grace of God and know that there are people that love THEM.

People are not near as concerned about us, as they are themselves and how we and our Faith will impact them.

The word in fact states, "He uses the foolish things to confound the

wise and the weak things to confound the mighty." Our ability to reach our culture, both small and great, rich and poor will stem from our ability to let God flow through us. We can improve ourselves in learning, practice and pursuit of excellence. However all of these are simply disciplines, no matter how important, but at the end of the Day it is GOD that will draw people, save people,

deliver people and bring them, plant them and establish them in THE CHURCH. Pharaoh was not impressed with Daniels ability to speak or dress, but it was his obvious connection with God.

My prayer is simply this,

Empower me with Wisdom and the Ability to Reflect and Communicate the Glory and Power to those who we come in Contact.

It is about Him. I have purposed in my heart to quit worrying about what someone would think about us as a church and me as a

preacher. Sure we are going to continue to put our best foot forward, but our focus is to communicate and illuminate HIM.

The Answer to every problem and the source of salvation is,

In Him, By Him, Through Him.

Scott Phillips

*******************************

The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more.

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. 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

Universal Life Church

By REV. KURT FONDRIEST

SAMMY THE SNOWFLAKE

So many years have passed since I had to tell this story. However, every now and then someone like you will ask, ‘Whatever happened to Sammy, the snowflake’, or you might say to me, ‘Naw, that’s all made up’. But I can assure you, there’s no need to doubt. Doubting sometimes takes away our imagination. And a world without imagination is a world without hope, dreams, music, laughter or just the joy of the life of living. So, why don’t I tell you of the little raindrop who wanted to become a snowflake. All it would take was a miracle, something that is always around us, just like now. However, we sometimes grow up in a way that we forget the child within, the child who is waiting to be told a beautiful story, the child who we are’ simply a miracle in the making.

Now do forgive me if I lose my thought, for I have been known to embellish here and there. But isn’t that what storytellers do’ It was the first day of the new weather and, what’s that, you’ve never heard of the first day of new weather’ Let’s see, maybe you know it as the creation. Ah, I see you nodded your head. So, it was the first day and all was going the way it was supposed to go. We all had so much to learn back in those early days. My rays were so much more vibrant than they are now. Oh well, age does that. I was in charge of The Atmosphere Academy for Young Weatherlings. It was a beautiful first day of light and I was so proud because that was my department. All the clouds were numbered by the stars. The class was on how to be a raindrop 101. I had so many students so wet with their wishing to learn. There were the clear little droplets so attentive, so proud, so rainfull. There were the cloudy droplets, you know, young ones who were not quite sure of it all yet. I must admit that I thing we were all somewhat cloudy on that first breath of time. And there were also the thunder droplets who wanted to be different, not troublemakers, but in need of a lot of rainfull reminders.

Now on the third cloud were the gentle fall droplets and this is where I first got a glimpse of Sammy. I had just finished raincall and had begun class. I still remember the topic, How Can we Fall to Earth in Our Own Special Way. Oh so many winded, ‘pick me, pick me’. I must say learning was different back then. Sammy is one I called on. ‘Well’, he softly spoke, ‘I think, no, I know we choose the way we fall to earth.’ I asked him to go into rainfall, or detail as you might know it. ‘Um’, he flowed, ‘it’s all about reflection. What do we take with us as we fall to earth’ Is it just from here to the ground, or do we absorb the journey downward to the face of the earth’ ‘Good answer, Mr. Sparkle’, I said. You see that was Sammy’s last name. Yes, Sammy Sparkle, address: 3 Star Drift, Cloud Cuff Corner. He was the third droplet of Day and Doppler Sparkle.

Sammy was like any other droplet his age except for his ability to reflect. This was a drowning gift for him and would also become the reason that the other droplets would tease him. You see, Sammy had a wish, a secret wish, one that, if others knew, he could or would be teased about. What was his wish you ask’ Well, Sammy wanted to be a snowflake. Yes, you heard me right, a snowflake’the white cold flakes that glisten as mirrors of spectrums. Now I know you have wishes, too, right’ We all do. But do all wishes come true’ And are all wishes good for us’ You see, wishes can be beautiful or they can become a storm of a nightmare.

Now Sammy grew and was becoming one of the best and quickest raindrops. ‘Speedy silver steamed the Sammy’ is what all his droplet mates were calling him. By now he had graduated to the Elevator Evaporator Club. These were the fastest raindrops to fall and evaporate back to the skyway rainshop. Sammy enjoyed all types of falling to earth, especially on a good cold front from the winter whisper. I can still hear the whisper’s chanting his name, ‘Sleet, the Sam’.

Now you know days, or time is not the same here as they are down on the fields of earth. Why 100 years in your time is just a cluster of clouds coming and going across the canvas sky. So time moved on in Weatherland and Sammy grew up and excelled, the first in his class, I must precipitate.

Now, I’m getting to it, the snowflake part. Let’s see, I believe, no, I remember just as if it was yesterday. It was the turning of the breath from the one voice, a Saturday night. I was told, as were all teachers of the sky that it was the moment of the miracle. This night would be one of the holiest on your earth. You see, it was the night of our creator’s son’s birth. All time was vibrant in motion. Not a single spirit was left unsounded. Now, I stormed ahead a little here. Let’s go back to that very morning. All the heavens were spiraling in every imaginable direction. We had to choose the exact point from which the lighted messenger would laminate so that the kings and the shepherds could find their way. Sammy, so excited, came up to me. ‘Teacher Ray, I must speak to you’.

‘Oh now, Sam’, I said, ‘We are all so busy. Why, aren’t you on the twinkling team for tonight’’

‘Yes’, he said so fast. ‘But I want to’’

Oh no, I thought. Here we go so early in the day, personal choices. I must confess at times I don’t know why each soul has been given this gift since the start of this thing called time. So many abuse it or claim it to be their birth rite never thinking it is not theirs. It is not an individual thing but rather, a group way of thinking, a decision that expresses what is the most good for the wholeness. If we all got that, the world would turn oh so much more peaceful on its axis. No wonder she needs the seasons to hug her all the time. Oh, but back to Sammy.

‘Well, what is it you wanted to do’’ I asked.

Sammy, so serious said, ‘I want to be a snowflake.’

‘A what’’ I sun shouted.

‘A snowflake’, He softly said.

‘I know. I heard you. I just wanted to make sure you heard yourself.’ ‘ Sam’, I said. He knew when I called him Sam that I was being sunny serious. ‘You can’t be a snowflake. You’re a raindrop. Then, for the first time in the millennium Sammy was wetless, or voiceless. He reflected off of me for a moment. Then he squirted out, ‘I’m everything. I’m a part of you. You are a part of me. I reflect you into beautiful colors so that songs will be written. I express your warmth and the whisper’s coldness of calm. I fall into the oceans and return to the clouds. I dance among the greenness of the earth and stray from the dryness of her voice, the desert. I echo the songs of the sky on rooftops. I mirror the caterpillar’s cocoon into winged expression of colors in flight. A part of me stays there when I fall just as a part of me stays here in the sky, just as forever is.’

My soggy student taught me a lesson. He sprinkled the wisdom of the holy child that was to be born this night onto my bright soul. But I was not the one who could grant Sammy his wish. No, it was someone beyond someone. Not a person, a sun, a star, a planet, a moonbeam, a blade of grass, a sparkle of ice or a thought in time. It was the creator of all which is all whose one name is unconditional love.

‘Why a snowflake, my teacher, Sam’’ I dulled my brightness as I asked.

‘Because snow is snow. Oh so white, a pure reflection of our spirit’s heartbeat’, he smiled.

I could tell my eyes were falling into clouds. ‘Samuel’, I whispered, ‘You need to go to the loving source and ask about this beautiful sight you have.’

He flowed around me and echoed into my ear, ‘I know. Off I must go.’

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Online Sermons

By Scott Phillips

What do dreams mean?

In Him By Him Through Him

I am not feeling well tonight. I took some Niqel and laid down to go to sleep and couldn't. I came over to the computer and a very loud thought came to me, "What do dreams mean?" So, here is the momentary inspiration that came to me. I believe this is for someone in particular, however maybe you will get inspired or encouraged from it.

What do dreams mean?

Have you ever wondered this? Sure we all have the dreams that make no sense. Others we have inspire fear, confusion, weeping and laughing. These are not the dreams that I speak of. In my opinion most of our dreams are a way our mind blows off steam and helps us start each day with a clean slate.

There are dreams that are inspired by evil. We live in a world of two realities: Physical that is experienced though our physical senses and spiritual that is experienced by our spiritual senses. It is important to be able to wash somethings from our mind and know that it is nothing but an attack and attempt to gain access to our thoughts to bring fear and confusion. These dreams, that leave you troubled -- pray over them, walk with caution and entrust it into the hands of God. Rebuke the Devil in Jesus Name, plead the Blood of Jesus and quote scriptures of praise and hope. Sometimes the Devil shows his cards when he attacks you in your dreams and you are able to walk with wisdom and no what ever he says, there is no reason to fear because he is a liar and the father of them.

Dreams that mean something, what do they mean?

I have over the years had a number of dreams that have stuck with me.

A few I can recall small details and they played out in my mind like a riddle that caused me to ponder over them and wonder, 'What does this dream mean?' I have met a few people that seemed to have some insight into dreams, however more often than not; I still was left a little unsettled, because I knew this was not the meaning of it.

In living for God, often a dream can be the source of confusion, because we grasp on to some detail of it, and when things don't pan out just like we anticipated our grip on where we are can be shaken.

An example of this is when I was in Bible School; I had a dream of my future wife and I. We were married and living in a house that we in time moved in when we got married. In this dream, I came in and found a little red headed girl greeting me. So, for the time that transpired from this dream, I always knew I would have a red-headed little girl. Over five years transpired and my wife and I got married, moved into this house that was in my dream and we were expecting our first child. We chose not to find out ahead of time, and I basically told everyone, I know it will be a red headed little girl. That day on delivery, I walk through the door and I am as much surprised as happy when I am carrying a silver haired little boy. I remember that moment in the delivery room, and the Doctor is holding it up by his little leg, and I see as he proclaims, Mr. Phillips you have a baby boy. I remember saying, "I thought it would be a girl."

Many of the things in this dream came true, but the ending of the dream and my interpretation was not true. I still don't know what that little girl means, however I know that God gave me the dream, but it did teach me a lesson way back then, Things are not always what they appear.

If you look back in scripture, the dreams God shares with us are an allegory of sorts and leave the dreamer in wonder. That is one thing that I pinpoint as a dream that has meaning in it, because there are facts in it that cause me to go hmmm. And I am able to recall it into the day and days later.

The next thing, is unless God wants you to know what it means, the dream serves as a confirmation for some future event that God has ordained and planned for you.

Example, I have a friend who a few years ago was assisting a large thriving church. In the dream he walks out, or sees out the doors of the Church he is at then and looks into row upon row of cornfields.

People begin to walk out of the field and find salvation. He thought, We are about to have a Revival here. They did and are having revival in that church. However ironically, He recently was reminded of this dream. He now pastors and lives in a town that as far as the eye can see surrounding this town is row upon row of corn. The other day in prayer or ministry, God reminded him of this dream and it served as a marker of confirmation, I am in the will of God.

It is my opinion, dreams are not meant to direct our lives, but later in life to bring confirmation of where we are and what we are doing.

Joseph, we don't see that he ever understood the meaning of his dreams. He only told the details of the dreams; he did not ever elucidate the meaning. However, in that moment, when his brethren were kneeling before him he had a revelation toward his brothers, he was able to exclaim without laying blame.

This is important to grasp, our lives experience pain and hardship, however God is able to take the most terrible things in our life and use them to place us in circumstances where we could not have gotten otherwise. We should follow Joseph's example and release the wrong and understand in faith, I can be thankful for this, because it is setting me up for a special blessing.

Joseph said it this way: But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.(KJV)

This is the purpose of most divinely inspired dreams. I would say this is the purpose of most things that come into our life from a spiritual source, prophecy, visions and Words from the Lord. Don't relegate your life to a dream or a prophecy.

Live your life, take everything one step at a time and be led by God. Just as Joseph could not have conspired his way into a position, if it is a God given dream or prophecy it will happen if you will just do what is right.

Don't second-guess where you are or what you are doing because of a dream you had years ago. There are some things we don't know and never will know. It could be that the dream helped you in some unforeseeable way, warned you or prepared you for something that was about to happen or will happen.

The steps of a good man are ordered of the Lord.

What God has for your life is a plan of goodness and grace. Who can know what God is doing and the why of it all? At times I consider the little girl in my dream. I wonder over it and laugh at myself. I have many things that I am anticipating that are a product of something that was inspired by God through dreams and impressions in prayer.

I have one dream that the whole dream is a picture of harmony and peace then everything goes haywire. In the end, I have killed this giant and from its decapitated head I am pulling souls that it devoured. There is simply no way for me to know what the allegory of all of it is, but I do go forward in caution and confidence, knowing in the End I win.

For whomever this is for, don't worry over the details of your dreams. Just keep doing what you know to do and one day it will all make sense. Until then, I am going to bed. Sweet Dreams,

In Him, By Him, Through Him,

Scott Phillips

*******************************

The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more.

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. 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