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The Church Within Sunday Services
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9-2-2001 Sunday Service of the Church Within #258
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Today's Service is offered by: Pastor Daniel J. Megow
Please Freely Share any of our Church Within Services with Any and All whom you feel might Appreciate them. Thank You!
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Humor of the Week
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If you can start the day without caffeine or pep pills,
If you can be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,
If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,
If you can eat the same food everyday and be grateful for it,
If you can understand when loved ones are too busy to give you time,
If you can overlook when people take things out on you when, through no fault of yours, something goes wrong,
If you can take criticism and blame without resentment,
If you can face the world without lies and deceit,
If you can conquer tension without medical help,
If you can relax without liquor,
If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,
Then…
…you are probably a dog or a cat.
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Welcome by: Pastor Daniel
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Greetings my Beloved Sisters and Brothers, and welcome once again to the Church that is Within.
For some years now I have been trying to figure out (exclusively from my own personal experience) a simple way to adequately describe the Grace of God…
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Quotes
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(From: The RSV Bible - Romans 5:1-2)
Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God.
(From: The American Standard Bible - Romans 5:3-5)
And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
(From: Frederick Buechner)
The grace of God means something like: Here is your life. You might never have been, but you are because the party wouldn't have been complete without you. Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don't be afraid. I am with you. Nothing can ever separate us. It's for you I created the universe. I love you. There's only one catch. Like any other gift, the gift of grace can be yours only if you'll reach out and take it. Maybe being able to reach out and take it is a gift too.
(From: The Urantia Papers - Paper-48 Section-7)
4. Few mortals ever dare to draw anything like the sum of personality credits established by the combined ministries of nature and grace. The majority of impoverished souls are truly rich, but they refuse to believe it.
(From: The Urantia Papers - Paper-150 Section-9)
“The transformations of grace are wrought in response to the living faith of those who are the beneficiaries."
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The Sermon
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Faith is the Investment.
Grace is the Dividend.
[End of Sermon]
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The Prayer
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Dear God,
In You I Trust.
You ALL are Within the Infinitely Loving Embrace of our Universal
Parent,
The Creator's Infinite Love to all of You,
Pastor Daniel
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9-9-2001 Sunday Service of the Church Within #259
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Today's Service is offered by: Pastor Daniel J. Megow
Please Freely Share any of our Church Within Services with Any and All whom you feel might Appreciate them. Thank You!
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Humor of the Week
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The local bar was so sure that its bartender was the strongest man around that they offered a standing $1000 bet. The bartender would squeeze a lemon until all the juice ran into a glass, and hand the lemon to a patron.
Anyone who could squeeze one more drop of juice out would win the money. Many people had tried over time (weightlifters, longshoremen, etc.) but nobody could do it. One day this scrawny little man came in, wearing thick glasses and a polyester suit, and said in a tiny, squeaky voice, 'I'd like to try the bet.'
After the laughter had died down, the bartender said OK, grabbed a lemon, and squeezed away. Then he handed the wrinkled remains of the rind to the little man. But the crowd's laughter turned to total silence as the man clenched his fist around the lemon and six drops fell into the glass. As the crowd cheered, the bartender paid the $1000, and asked the little man,' What do you do for a living? Are you a lumberjack, a weightlifter, or what?'
The man replied, 'I work for the IRS.'
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Light And Life Garden Update
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This week we had another 9 dead and/or dangerously positioned Pine trees cut down in the upper area of the property. It should now be possible to (safely) use the tractor to more than Double the size of the upper Parking area as a result.
We also this week had a fireplace installed in the Main Room, installed a new Entry door for the primary entrance and are finalizing the plans to re-model the kitchen, dining and living rooms into one large, open communal area.
As if that wasn't enough for one seven day period of time, we also were able to purchase (ONLY by the Grace of God), a new ('97) 4X4 Dodge Pickup Truck to use for the countless hauling and “relocation of resources” jobs that this property will require in it's transformation into “The Light and Life Garden.”
There is still a Great deal of outdoor physical labor that needs to be done here before Winter sets in, so if I seem rather lax in my on-line correspondence at this point in time, know that it is Not due to any lack of Interest on my part… just a lack of time and opportunity. I Love and Cherish you All!!! I hope to have a little more time for personal and list communication once the outdoor work becomes less feasible… that is of course if the inside remodel doesn't monopolize most of it. ;-)
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Welcome by: Pastor Daniel
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Greetings my Beloved Sisters and Brothers, and welcome once again to the Church that is Within.
I'd like to Announce today that our ALL NEW S.O.W. Seeds, Story of the Week Archives at the Church Within Web-Site are Finally Finished and available for your viewing, copying and sharing pleasure. All 151 of our past Spiritual Stories are now listed at the new page by Story Title and Author, and a single click will get you to the Story of your Choice without having to guess which month and year it might have been stored in at the old archives. Please Visit it by CLICKING HERE
Is there anyone out there who couldn't use a little more (perhaps even a Lot more) Forgiveness and Love in their Life? Well then…
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Quotes
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(From: The RSV Bible - Luke 6:37-8)
"Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back."
(From: The Urantia Papers - Paper-174 Section-1)
"Your inability or unwillingness to forgive your fellows is the measure of your immaturity, your failure to attain adult sympathy, understanding, and love. You hold grudges and nurse vengefulness in direct proportion to your ignorance of the inner nature and true longings of your children and your fellow beings. Love is the outworking of the divine and inner urge of life. It is founded on understanding, nurtured by unselfish service, and perfected in wisdom."
(From: Joan Lunden)
Holding on to anger, resentment and hurt only gives you tense muscles, a headache and a sore jaw from clenching your teeth. Forgiveness gives you back the laughter and the lightness in your life.
(From: The Woods Cross TeaM - Abraham 8-6-01)
During the course of an individuals lifetime events will happen that shape the personality and also the ego. Some build a tremendous ego to cover insecurity. Some feel totally unworthy of any good thing. So when events are occurring in the present time, these past negative memories come into play, and most likely individuals will try to defend themselves as if it will heal the past. Some will build walls of defense as if it will deter all pain and their hearts become hard.
(From: The RSV Bible - Matthew 18:21-22)
Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.
(From: Mahatma Gandhi)
The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.
(From: The Urantia Papers - Paper-174 Section-1)
"When a wise man understands the inner impulses of his fellows, he will love them. And when you love your brother, you have already forgiven him. This capacity to understand man's nature and forgive his apparent wrongdoing is Godlike. If you are wise parents, this is the way you will love and understand your children, even forgive them when transient misunderstanding has apparently separated you. The child, being immature and lacking in the fuller understanding of the depth of the child-father relationship, must frequently feel a sense of guilty separation from a father's full approval, but the true father is never conscious of any such separation. Sin is an experience of creature consciousness; it is not a part of God's consciousness.
(From: Dolores Huerta)
If you haven't forgiven yourself something, how can you forgive others?
(From: The Urantia Papers - Paper-174 Section-1)
"A part of every father lives in the child. The father enjoys priority and superiority of understanding in all matters connected with the child-parent relationship. The parent is able to view the immaturity of the child in the light of the more advanced parental maturity, the riper experience of the older partner. With the earthly child and the heavenly Father, the divine parent possesses infinity and divinity of sympathy and capacity for loving understanding. Divine forgiveness is inevitable; it is inherent and inalienable in God's infinite understanding, in his perfect knowledge of all that concerns the mistaken judgment and erroneous choosing of the child. Divine justice is so eternally fair that it unfailingly embodies understanding mercy.
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The Sermon
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There is a very Wise saying that is commonly attributed to Eastern Philosophy's concept of Karma… yet virtually without exception you can find an analogous or equivalent concept in nearly Every Religion, Philosophy and Science of this world. I would be willing to stake my very life on the validity of it… on the Universal Truth of it. I would even go so far as to say that it is quite likely one of the Most Important, Immutable Laws of God's Universe.
Here is the saying: “What Goes around, Comes around.”
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The Prayer
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Dear God,
Remember how hard I used to fight to take and keep Control of every little thing? I thought if I Didn't, that I would totally Lose control, or that my life would be Out of Control. I was Terrified that if I gave up my own Control, that I would be under everybody Else's Control. I was even afraid to give You control of my life… remember? In Retrospect, I can see how silly and Immature I was. Little did I realize at the time, that when I was Willing to give You Total control of my life, You would give me back Self-Control. I think it was a Very Good Trade, don't You? It Sure has relieved a lot of the unnecessary Stress I used to childishly and frantically cling to. Thanks God… You're the Best!
You ALL are Within the Infinitely Loving Embrace of our Universal
Parent,
The Creator's Infinite Love to all of You,
Pastor Daniel
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9-16-2001 Sunday Service of the Church Within #260
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Today's Service is offered by: Pastor Daniel J. Megow
Please Freely Share any of our Church Within Services with Any and All whom you feel might Appreciate them. Thank You!
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Humor of the Week
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There was No humor this week.
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Welcome by: Pastor Daniel
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Greetings my Beloved Sisters and Brothers, and welcome once again to the Church that is Within.
Let us Mourn those who have lost their human lives in this week's horrible disaster.
Let us Mourn with those who have lost their Loved Ones.
Let us Mourn the loss of our feelings of safety.
And let us Pray for a United World that will no longer allow this kind of tragedy to occur.
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Quotes
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(From: The RSV Bible - Psalm 23)
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
(From: The Urantia Papers - Paper-34 Section-6)
"The kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit." And throughout every trial and in the presence of every hardship, spirit-born souls are sustained by that hope which transcends all fear because the love of God is shed abroad in all hearts by the presence of the divine Spirit.
(From: The Urantia Papers - Paper-34 Section-6)
"When I invite you to love one another, even as I have loved you, I hold up before you the supreme measure of true affection, for greater love can no man have than this: that he will lay down his life for his friends.
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The Sermon
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This week our world has seen and felt the abhorrent consequences of a passion for hatred, revenge, ignorance and intolerance.
This week our world has also seen and felt the Praiseworthy benefits of Compassion, Unity of Purpose, Heroism, Courage, Personal Sacrifice, Generosity and Love.
Let us each be guided in our Hearts and in our Souls and throughout our Lives by the things that we have seen and learned from this horrendous tragedy.
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The Prayer
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God, Bless us Each.
God, Bless our Leaders.
God, Bless America.
God, Bless our World.
Amen.
You ALL are Within the Infinitely Loving Embrace of our Universal
Parent,
The Creator's Infinite Love to all of You,
Pastor Daniel
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9-23-2001 Sunday Service of the Church Within #261
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Today's Service is offered by: Pastor Daniel J. Megow
Please Freely Share any of our Church Within Services with Any and All whom you feel might Appreciate them. Thank You!
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Humor of the Week
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“DILBERT'S RULES OF ORDER”
1. I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day. Tomorrow is not looking good either.
2. I love deadlines. I especially like the whooshing sound they make as they go flying by.
3. Tell me what you need, and I'll tell you how to get along without it.
4. Accept that some days you are the pigeon and some days the statue.
5. Needing someone is like needing a parachute. If he isn't there the first time, chances are you won't be needing him again.
6. I don't have an attitude problem, you have a perception problem.
7. Last night I lay in bed looking up at the stars in the sky, and I thought to myself, where the heck is the ceiling?
8. My reality check bounced.
9. On the keyboard of life, always keep one finger on the escape key.
10. I don't suffer from stress. I am a carrier.
11. You are slower than a herd of turtles stampeding through peanut butter.
12. Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy and taste good with ketchup.
13. Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
14. Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.
15. A pat on the back is only a few centimeters from a kick in the butt.
16. Don't be irreplaceable - if you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted.
17. After any salary raise, you will have less money at the end of the month than you did before.
18. The more crap you put up with, the more crap you are going to get.
19. You can go anywhere you want if you look serious and carry a clipboard.
20. Eat one live toad the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.
21. If it wasn't for the last minute, nothing would get done.
22. When you don't know what to do, walk fast and look worried.
23. Following the rules will not get the job done.
24. When confronted by a difficult problem, you can solve it more easily by reducing it to the question, "How would the Lone Ranger handle this?"
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Welcome by: Pastor Daniel
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Greetings my Beloved Sisters and Brothers, and welcome once again to the Church that is Within.
So… How would you like that Served today?
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Quotes
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(From: The RSV Bible - Corinthians I 12:4-11)
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of working, but it is the same God who inspires them all in every one. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are inspired by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
(From: The Urantia Papers - Paper-92 Section-4)
The essence of his teaching was love and service, the loving worship which a creature son voluntarily gives in recognition of, and response to, the loving ministry of God his Father; the freewill service which such creature sons bestow upon their brethren in the joyous realization that in this service they are likewise serving God the Father.
(From: The Urantia Papers - Paper-102 Section-3)
Religious desire is the hunger quest for divine reality. Religious experience is the realization of the consciousness of having found God. And when a human being does find God, there is experienced within the soul of that being such an indescribable restlessness of triumph in discovery that he is impelled to seek loving service-contact with his less illuminated fellows, not to disclose that he has found God, but rather to allow the overflow of the welling-up of eternal goodness within his own soul to refresh and ennoble his fellows. Real religion leads to increased social service.
(From: Woodrow Wilson)
There is no higher religion than human service. To work for the common good is the greatest creed.
(From: Damien Hess)
Service...
Giving what you don't have to give.
Giving when you don't need to give.
Giving because you want to give.
(From: The Urantia Papers - Paper-193 Section-2)
Salvation is the free gift of God, but those who are born of the spirit will immediately begin to show forth the fruits of the spirit in loving service to their fellow creatures. And the fruits of the divine spirit which are yielded in the lives of spirit-born and God-knowing mortals are: loving service, unselfish devotion, courageous loyalty, sincere fairness, enlightened honesty, undying hope, confiding trust, merciful ministry, unfailing goodness, forgiving tolerance, and enduring peace.
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The Sermon
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In the wake of the most terrible and unnecessary tragedy to be perpetrated within the boundaries of the U.S. of A, there has resulted Much Grief, Much Sorrow, and well neigh Universal Mourning. But something Else has resulted Also. Have you Seen it? Have you felt it? Have you become a Part of it? Has It become a part of You?
I'm talking about Compassion made Manifest… I'm talking about Giving even in our own Need, without thought of returns, without consideration of repayment, without even for a moment caring “What's in it for me? Am I talking about Prayer? Sure. Am I talking about Love? Indeed… of the Purest Kind… and in Motion! I'm talking about Loving, Unselfish, Service… to man and to God… Service TO our brothers and sisters, and Service With our brothers and sisters… Service To our Loving Creator, and by God, Yes, WITH our Divine Creator Parent.
One of the Ministers speaking at the Nation's Prayer service said, “Service without Love is Not Ministry.” I thought that Really Profound and Insightful. It got me to thinking… Service without Love isn't really even Service! Is it? I mean… True Service is done entirely Because of Love. Isn't it? Love for the other person… Love for God… Love for an Ideal… Love for Righteousness… Love for Truth, Beauty, Goodness…
I haven't found Anything in Life more Rewarding, more Gratifying, more Validating, more Love Producing… more In Personal Touch with God… than Giving out of Love and Compassion and Friendship, whatever I Can for whomever will benefit by it. When ya do something Loving for another, doesn't it make you Feel Good inside? I sure does Me… it feels like God inside! You've felt it Haven't you? Of Course you have! Wouldn't you like to feel like that All the time? Well… Couldn't we?
All it takes is just One more Act of Loving Service… every Month… better yet, every Week… or how about even every Day… dare we even consider Every Waking Moment?
Really though, the Best time I've found to do Loving Service is Right Now. Anytime you're at a loss as to how Best to Be in Service… Just ask God for the answer. That's One question that Never Fails to get an answer… maybe not in Words, but Always in Opportunity.
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The Prayer
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Dear God,
How may I Serve You today? How may I Serve You Right Now?
You ALL are Within the Infinitely Loving Embrace of our Universal
Parent,
The Creator's Infinite Love to all of You,
Pastor Daniel
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9-30-2001 Sunday Service of the Church Within #262
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Today's Service is offered by: Pastor Daniel J. Megow
Please Freely Share any of our Church Within Services with Any and All whom you feel might Appreciate them. Thank You!
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Humor of the Week
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After dying in a car crash, three friends go to Heaven for orientation.
They are all asked the same question: "When you are in your casket and friends and family are mourning upon you, what would you like to hear them say about you?"
The first guy immediately responds, "I would like to hear them say that I was one of the greatest doctors of my time, and a great family man."
The second guy says, "I would like to hear that I was a wonderful husband and school teacher who made a huge difference in our children of tomorrow."
The last guy thinks a minute and replies, "I would like to hear them say......
LOOK!!! HE'S MOVING!!!!!"
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Welcome by: Pastor Daniel
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Greetings my Beloved Sisters and Brothers, and welcome once again to the Church that is Within.
Life is about making choices…
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Quotes
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(From: John Stuart Mill - 1859)
The only freedom which deserves the name is that of pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it. Each is the proper guardian of his own health, whether bodily, or mental or spiritual. Mankind are greater gainers by suffering each other to live as seems good to themselves, than by compelling each to live as seems good to the rest.
(From: Albert Einstein)
My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind.
(From: Woodrow Wilson)
You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand.
(From: Confucius)
While you are not able to serve men, how can you serve spirits?...While you do not know life, how can you know about death?
(From: The Urantia Papers - Paper-118 Section-10)
The love of the Father operates directly in the heart of the individual, independent of the actions or reactions of all other individuals; the relationship is personal--man and God.
(From: The RSV Bible - Corinthians I 2:10-12)
God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For what person knows a man's thoughts except the spirit of the man which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might understand the gifts bestowed on us by God.
(From: The Urantia Papers - Paper-176 Section-3)
“Have I not all this time taught you that your connection with the kingdom is spiritual and individual, wholly a matter of personal experience in the spirit by the faith-realization that you are a son of God? What more shall I say? The downfall of nations, the crash of empires, the destruction of the unbelieving Jews, the end of an age, even the end of the world, what have these things to do with one who believes this gospel, and who has hid his life in the surety of the eternal kingdom? You who are God-knowing and gospel-believing have already received the assurances of eternal life. Since your lives have been lived in the spirit and for the Father, nothing can be of serious concern to you. Kingdom builders, the accredited citizens of the heavenly worlds, are not to be disturbed by temporal upheavals or perturbed by terrestrial cataclysms. What does it matter to you who believe this gospel of the kingdom if nations overturn, the age ends, or all things visible crash, since you know that your life is the gift of the Son, and that it is eternally secure in the Father? Having lived the temporal life by faith and having yielded the fruits of the spirit as the righteousness of loving service for your fellows, you can confidently look forward to the next step in the eternal career with the same survival faith that has carried you through your first and earthly adventure in sonship with God.
(From: The RSV Bible - Psalm 15:1-3)
O LORD, who shall sojourn in thy tent? Who shall dwell on thy holy hill? He who walks blamelessly, and does what is right, and speaks truth from his heart; who does not slander with his tongue, and does no evil to his friend, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor
(From: Cicero)
Be sure that it is not you that is mortal, but only your body. For that man whom your outward form reveals is not yourself; the spirit is the true self, not that physical figure which can be pointed out by your finger.
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The Sermon
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The Greatest Philosophy, the Greatest Book, the Greatest Theology… are All Powerless to change your life without Your Consent, Your Cooperation, Your Choice…
Only YOU can Truly discern what God's Will is for You…
…and only you can choose to live it.
Only YOU can tread the Path that God has placed in front of Your feet…
…and only you can choose to walk it.
Only YOU can decide whether you will do Good rather than evil…
…and only you can choose to do it.
Only YOU can make the choices that will get YOU to Heaven…
… and only making those choices will accomplish it.
No Other can do those things for you… only for Themselves.
God does not do those things For you… God gave you Free Will to choose.
But God Will Tell you the better choice… if you truly want to hear it.
The human ego is typically too self-involved to hear God's Voice, so God speaks to your Spirit/Soul/Heart.
Which do you let make most of your choices for you?
If you had a choice, which Would you let make most of your choices for you?
You Always have a choice!
And… Only You can Make the Right one for You!
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The Prayer
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Dear God,
Show me Your Will for me and help me to do it. Thanks!
You ALL are Within the Infinitely Loving Embrace of our Universal
Parent,
The Creator's Infinite Love to all of You,
Pastor Daniel
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