Tuesday, April 19, 2011
An Invitation to The AMAZING Calvary Christian Center Stl-Church Without Walls!
Ladies & Gentlemen: You are invited to come worship with us "Awakening to Christ Consciousness" at the all new CCCStl- Church Without Walls Sundays 9am-11am -- Bishop Michael Bates Sr.,Pastor and Pastor Gerald Liddell, Co-Pastor @ Ramada Plaza 811 N. 9th St. St. Louis, MO 63101 (Lindell Rm)!
If Being a Christian Is So Good...
If being a Christian is sooo good, why are its followers so unhappy with themselves?
Maybe you are suffering from Spiritual Depression. If you haven't been a big fan of church lately and avoided going for one reason or another, suck it up, get the family up and out the house-- you going to church!
Maybe you come to church, but you leave like you came. Maybe you are not growing because of your spiritually depressed thoughts. Don't let Spiritual Depression hold you down!
You need to hear this message-- it will change your life!
STORY
A couple went to see a brother dying of AIDS. He was in his final stages of the disease, his weight went from 200lbs to 76lbs. When they entered the hospital room, he was curled up in his bed-- in the fetal positon. As he laid there, they could see his bones protruding out of his body. They talked with him and prayed for him. When it was time to go, they said to him, "God bless you." He looked at them, eventhough he could barely talk. He said, "He already has." The couple went back to their car trying to figure out how a 76lb AIDS patient with his bones sticking out of his body, gone blind in both of his eyes, feet swollen, sores all over his body could say God had already blessed him. Their visit to this dying brother changed them forever.
If he could still be blessed days before he died, then surely you should realized how the Lord has blessed you. Before you let Spiritual Depression keep you down, simply look around you and see people who were in car wrecks, AIDS or burn wards, women who were burned on their hands and faces trying to save their babies out of a fiire. Do not act as if God has not been good to you. He' s been so good to you, you ought to be ashamed of yourself.
Being a Christian is so good when your thoughts are not Spiritually Depressed. I cannot tell you to pass this on to ten people and you'll be blessed by tomorrow. I can't tell you pass this on to ten people or you're going to hell. But you do need to get to church--clapping, singing and praising God for how good He's been to you! There are some people right now taking 40 pills a day who are nicer than you. There is somebody who has cancer eating their body who is nicer than you. I know a woman who has lost both breast who's made a decision to be greatful to God. As good looking, healthy, blessed and strong as you are, God has been good to you. It's good being a Christian!
If you don't attend Calvary Christian Center-St. Louis (I don't know why you wouldn't...lol), then get up and go to the church of your choice. It's good being a Christian. And trust me, I know what it feels like being Spiritually Depressed-- the key scriptures that I'll give this Sunday and Tuesday will change your life. The Gospel is Good News, if this is Good News, share it with somebody.
You have just been invited to an ENERGIZING alternative to just another Sunday "ritual!" Join us (CCCSTL-Church Without Walls) on Sundays at The Crowne Plaza Hotel, 200 North 4th Street Ste. 406, St. Louis, MO 63102 9am-11am.
On Tuesday evenings at 7pm, listen in on The Formula for Managing Life Conference Call with the "The Bishop Like None Other," Bishop Michael A. Bates Sr. To participate call: 1.760.569.7676 Code: 735642
Maybe you are suffering from Spiritual Depression. If you haven't been a big fan of church lately and avoided going for one reason or another, suck it up, get the family up and out the house-- you going to church!
Maybe you come to church, but you leave like you came. Maybe you are not growing because of your spiritually depressed thoughts. Don't let Spiritual Depression hold you down!
You need to hear this message-- it will change your life!
STORY
A couple went to see a brother dying of AIDS. He was in his final stages of the disease, his weight went from 200lbs to 76lbs. When they entered the hospital room, he was curled up in his bed-- in the fetal positon. As he laid there, they could see his bones protruding out of his body. They talked with him and prayed for him. When it was time to go, they said to him, "God bless you." He looked at them, eventhough he could barely talk. He said, "He already has." The couple went back to their car trying to figure out how a 76lb AIDS patient with his bones sticking out of his body, gone blind in both of his eyes, feet swollen, sores all over his body could say God had already blessed him. Their visit to this dying brother changed them forever.
If he could still be blessed days before he died, then surely you should realized how the Lord has blessed you. Before you let Spiritual Depression keep you down, simply look around you and see people who were in car wrecks, AIDS or burn wards, women who were burned on their hands and faces trying to save their babies out of a fiire. Do not act as if God has not been good to you. He' s been so good to you, you ought to be ashamed of yourself.
Being a Christian is so good when your thoughts are not Spiritually Depressed. I cannot tell you to pass this on to ten people and you'll be blessed by tomorrow. I can't tell you pass this on to ten people or you're going to hell. But you do need to get to church--clapping, singing and praising God for how good He's been to you! There are some people right now taking 40 pills a day who are nicer than you. There is somebody who has cancer eating their body who is nicer than you. I know a woman who has lost both breast who's made a decision to be greatful to God. As good looking, healthy, blessed and strong as you are, God has been good to you. It's good being a Christian!
If you don't attend Calvary Christian Center-St. Louis (I don't know why you wouldn't...lol), then get up and go to the church of your choice. It's good being a Christian. And trust me, I know what it feels like being Spiritually Depressed-- the key scriptures that I'll give this Sunday and Tuesday will change your life. The Gospel is Good News, if this is Good News, share it with somebody.
You have just been invited to an ENERGIZING alternative to just another Sunday "ritual!" Join us (CCCSTL-Church Without Walls) on Sundays at The Crowne Plaza Hotel, 200 North 4th Street Ste. 406, St. Louis, MO 63102 9am-11am.
On Tuesday evenings at 7pm, listen in on The Formula for Managing Life Conference Call with the "The Bishop Like None Other," Bishop Michael A. Bates Sr. To participate call: 1.760.569.7676 Code: 735642
Advancing in Ministry
Genesis 30:30 For what we had was little and it is now increased to a great amount; for the Lord blessed us.
Exodus 35:21-22 Then everyone comes whose heart is stirred, and everyone whose spirit is willing, and they bring the Lord's offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments.
Exodus 35:29 The children of CCCSTL-Church Without Walls bring freewill offerings to the Lord, all the men and women whose hearts are willing to bring material for all kinds of work which the Lord, by Bishop Michael A. Bates has commanded to be done.
Exodus 35:21-22 Then everyone comes whose heart is stirred, and everyone whose spirit is willing, and they bring the Lord's offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments.
Exodus 35:29 The children of CCCSTL-Church Without Walls bring freewill offerings to the Lord, all the men and women whose hearts are willing to bring material for all kinds of work which the Lord, by Bishop Michael A. Bates has commanded to be done.
Monday, April 18, 2011
A Gathering To Christ -Consciousness
The belief that we are separate from our Source is the root of all our anxiety. Seeing ourselves as separate from God makes us "self-conscious." I often wonder if this wasn't the point of the fall from grace in Genesis--self-consciousness instead of God-consciousness. Seeing ourselves as separate from our Source, we feel naked, exposed and vulnerable. Doubt, dread and piano come. In any of its many forms, fear is a powerful emotion--every challenging, every unanticipated change is seen as a threat. Fear will cause us to shrink back from loving, trusting, creating, giving in life. Distracted by the shadows, we miss the whole point of our existence: honoring ourselves and all in creation, bringing our love and joy to the world and sharing our innate Divine energy with everyone we encounter. Love is what we come from. Fear is what we have learned. In fear, we accumulate things to provide a false sense of security. We overvalue the physical and undervalue the spiritual --the oneness of God that is us. Heart--wrenching loneliness and fear put me on a path to discovering this truth.
"I learned to fear God and grew up reaching out to a distant, punishing savior until one Sunday morning, I was drawn through the big brass doors doors of Calvary Christian Center-the Church Without Walls, where Bishop Michael A. Bates Sr. preached a sermon that world ease my suffering and change my life," reflects Karen Wright, CCCSTL- the CHURCH WITHOUT WALLS member.
"He said that with our minds we build our world, that negative thoughts create fear, anxiety, hopelessness. He declared, "GOD IS ALIVE IN YOU!" Bishop Bates' words seemed rather simplistic, but I was at the edge and not sure I could hold on. So I surrendered. That day, a deeper understanding of our existence began unfolding in me. I started testing what I had heard."
At Calvary Christian Center-St.Louis- Church Without Walls spiritual practice involves making time each day for 10-20 minutes of meditation--simply sitting in silence, listening to my breath. In silence, what's hidden in the physical world is revealed. We understand what we are growing through--and why! We see the Divine Hand always working on our behalf. Life is a journey to this truth we are born trusting. Even when it appears that things are falling apart, God is in the crisis awaiting patiently to be seen. We are being called from home to sanity, to live, love, be at peace and align ourselves with this truth: There is only One Power, One Presence, One Love. Each of us is an individualized expression of Love, the "allness" of God. This is the master principle, missed due to our illusion of separateness.
Learning to live at the pace of grace that makes space in our life for our God-life, for quiet time, clarity and balance, for wellness in body, mind, spirit and community--this is all our challenge. Inner peace and fulfillment cannot be found through stress and struggle.
Ritual is one thing; religion is another. Ceremony and our professions of faith-- they are rituals. How we live our lives moment to moment is our religion. When black faith communities gather together, we must be devoted to more than ritual and raising money. We must also raise up our children and communities that are dying outside the sanctuary doors. We are called to come to our moral senses, to love and mentor our vulnerable young to academic and social success. Can't lose a second generation-- not on our watch! This is spiritual warfare, a battle as Dr. King would say, between our higher and lower selves. We are called to stand strong for justice and in unity and love. Social justice and love--this is what Jesus lived for.
"I learned to fear God and grew up reaching out to a distant, punishing savior until one Sunday morning, I was drawn through the big brass doors doors of Calvary Christian Center-the Church Without Walls, where Bishop Michael A. Bates Sr. preached a sermon that world ease my suffering and change my life," reflects Karen Wright, CCCSTL- the CHURCH WITHOUT WALLS member.
"He said that with our minds we build our world, that negative thoughts create fear, anxiety, hopelessness. He declared, "GOD IS ALIVE IN YOU!" Bishop Bates' words seemed rather simplistic, but I was at the edge and not sure I could hold on. So I surrendered. That day, a deeper understanding of our existence began unfolding in me. I started testing what I had heard."
At Calvary Christian Center-St.Louis- Church Without Walls spiritual practice involves making time each day for 10-20 minutes of meditation--simply sitting in silence, listening to my breath. In silence, what's hidden in the physical world is revealed. We understand what we are growing through--and why! We see the Divine Hand always working on our behalf. Life is a journey to this truth we are born trusting. Even when it appears that things are falling apart, God is in the crisis awaiting patiently to be seen. We are being called from home to sanity, to live, love, be at peace and align ourselves with this truth: There is only One Power, One Presence, One Love. Each of us is an individualized expression of Love, the "allness" of God. This is the master principle, missed due to our illusion of separateness.
Learning to live at the pace of grace that makes space in our life for our God-life, for quiet time, clarity and balance, for wellness in body, mind, spirit and community--this is all our challenge. Inner peace and fulfillment cannot be found through stress and struggle.
Ritual is one thing; religion is another. Ceremony and our professions of faith-- they are rituals. How we live our lives moment to moment is our religion. When black faith communities gather together, we must be devoted to more than ritual and raising money. We must also raise up our children and communities that are dying outside the sanctuary doors. We are called to come to our moral senses, to love and mentor our vulnerable young to academic and social success. Can't lose a second generation-- not on our watch! This is spiritual warfare, a battle as Dr. King would say, between our higher and lower selves. We are called to stand strong for justice and in unity and love. Social justice and love--this is what Jesus lived for.
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