The Power of Disagreement: Union with God is Disunion with Evil

The Power of Disagreement: 

        Union with God is Disunion with Evil

By Dwight Cunkle

Olympic runner Eric Liddle refused to run in a qualifying heat on Sunday but turned around and won a different race and medal the next day. He put God first.  Jesus said that we cannot serve God and stuff, not even "good stuff."

"He who honors Me, the Father also will honor."  How am I honoring God, so that his name is hallowed, made holy, as He taught us to pray, "Hallowed be (or make holy and bring honor to) your name.

Last week Pastor Richard preached his third message in a row on Union with God. He said that during this our "engagement and betrothal period as the future bride of Christ, we prove our fidelity, our faithfulness and love to him. Our flesh, the world and the devil compete with Jesus and his kingdom. Why are our hearts prone to wander in selfishness and disobedience to his commands? Union with God is disunion with sin. What choices from moment to moment hinder our union with God?

"Love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves."

Practical ways to grow toward perfect union with God in his divine love:
1. Give thanks to God all day. Try thinking of God and acknowledging Him over and over.
2. Talk with him and ask for him to show you his love and holy angels at work in you and in those around you.
3. Ask his grace to open His word to you in the Scripture and give you his thoughts in your mind and heart.
4. Serve Him by serving others.
5. Ask for help from His Holy Spirit and the good angelic spirits to strengthen you and others through the day.
6. Sit quietly to contemplate God. "Be still and know that I AM GOD."
7. Ask his help to detach from the things (especially good things) that hinder his thoughts and peace and love and joy in you, so that you can embrace suffering, hardship, misunderstanding, deprivation, hunger and thirst, etc… in order to share in the sufferings of Christ for his Beloved and for the salvation of the world.

Growing in these daily practices until they become habits and part of our character will bring us into more union with God and more victory over the world.
 Remember that all is a gift from God. All is by His grace, rather than by our effort and ability. Embrace suffering as a gift of His love because He suffered for us.

And approach each momentary duty with self-abandonment to God. Grace in each moment and each thing. God grant us faith, hope and love to detach from our demands and expectations and seek to simply walk with Jesus, through each moment of the day. This is the path of holiness and union in the divine love of God. Beloved, let us love God and love one another.