Day 245

Today's Lesson:

You peace is with me, Father. I am safe.

Your peace surrounds me, Father. Where I go, Your peace goes there with me. It sheds its light on everyone I meet. I bring it to the desolate and lonely and afraid. I give Your peace to those who suffer pain, or grieve for loss, or think they are bereft of hope and happiness. Send them to me, my Father. Let me bring Your peace with me. For I would save Your Son, as is Your Will, that I may come to recognize my Self.

And so we go in peace. To all the world we give the message that we have received. And thus we come to hear the Voice for God, Who speaks to us as we relate His Word; Whose Love we recognize because we share the Word that He has given unto us.

Miracles I'm noticing:

The community where I spent last week training is apparently a very strict Apostolic Christian community and several of the people I met go to the same church. I told a couple of different people about the master mind groups I'm forming to study the book Think and Grow Rich, and was told that I need to be careful in telling people that they can achieve any goals they set their minds to. I looked up this church and here is a little bit about what I found. This information sheds a lot of light on why they may not look kindly on gaining "riches" as they would define them.

There are 93 congregations of this denomination across North America (and one in Japan). Three of those are in Minnesota. Here are some other facts from http://www.apostolicchristian.org/

The life of a Christian reflects the light of Christ in everyday discipleship, both inwardly and outwardly. The Word instructs to avoid costly and immodest clothing. Gender distinction in attire and in general appearance is respectful to God's order of creation. Women are exhorted to portray a chaste appearance with long hair gathered in a modest style, without cosmetics and jewelry. Men avoid long hair and are to maintain an outward demeanor that is consistent with the themes of humility, moderation and sobriety. Unedifying worldly entertainments are avoided, as believers are to be good stewards of all resources including their hearts and time.All aspects of the service are intended to draw worshippers nearer to God and to deepen human appreciation of His ways. Thus, all worship procedures (i.e., reading Scriptures, preaching, singing and praying) are intended to give God, not man, supreme recognition and to glorify His name.

Ministers are not trained at seminaries or Bible colleges. The church believes that one's faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. If preaching was done with wisdom of words, "the cross should be made of none effect."

Ministers are chosen from among the congregations and serve open-ended terms. They are men of good report, with a good understanding of and devotion to Scriptures, and are loyal in supporting the doctrines of the church. They serve without salaried compensation. More than one minister serves a church, the average being three to five.

Singing, too, is simple, joyful and solemn in "a cappella" fashion. All music is intended to focus on God. The intent of worship is not to entertain but to edify, and to glorify God. All parishioners sing. In the sanctuary, prayer is offered to God while kneeling. This position symbolizes fallible mankind "bowing" in heart and mind before an all-powerful, merciful, and infallible God and Father. Female members wear a veiling over their head during prayer and worship according to Scriptures. Male members pray with their heads uncovered.

Men and women sit separately during regular worship services. This is sometimes relaxed, however, during special occasions such as weddings and funerals. Although no Scriptures reflect this practice, both Jewish and Christian tradition do. This practice was universally observed in both faiths beginning with temple worship until the late 1800's. Separate seating during worship contributes to better "a cappella" singing, and it helps widows, widowers, and single members feel more comfortable by sitting with believers of their own gender.

Brothers and sisters in the church are to love one another as Christ loved us. They are to submit one to another in the fear of God. They are to respect each other's conscience. Further, they are asked via Scriptures to encourage (exhort) one another and, if ever necessary, to correct (admonish) each other. This is all done in love and gentleness with the intent of strengthening the individual member and the entire body.

Likewise, believers are to be "perfectly joined together" in a tightly knit church family." They are to keep the same spiritual judgments, and walk according to the same understanding and application of biblical principles.

This information is very helpful to me as I teach and train in this community. I wonder how I can determine who is a member of this church before I go there to sell other training, since I would tell about the effects of the classes in different ways. I believe what I'm learning from this Course, and that is quite different from what these people believe; consequently my zeal for them living their lives to the fullest as a reflection of the love and light of God might be mistaken.

However, I did have a conversation with one gentleman there who was very honest with me about what he heard me say while we were talking. He said when he hears about information based on a "program" or a "training manual," he is very skeptical. But when he heard me talk about my beliefs without referring to something else, he said he liked what he heard.

So to me that is an indication that the light shines through no matter what obstacles it is having to go through. The light is the light regardless of who is defining it in human terms. As I can be honest and authentic in my beliefs, I think that will come across however I teach.

And the miracle is that this gentleman actually took the book Think and Grow Rich and was interested in reading it, even though he was initially skeptical because he thought it is focused on worldly goods (and he'll find that it is, on the surface). After he reads it, he will let me know if he'd be interested in a master mind group to study it.

As I reflect on today's message - Your peace is with me, Father. I am safe. - I see that God's peace is the light I reflected to this gentleman this week. When I do speak from my heart I don't have to worry about what I say or how it is interpreted because the light and peace will shine through.

That's my miracle!