BE AWARE, UNDERSTAND, TAKE ACTION (part four)

BE AWARE, UNDERSTAND, TAKE ACTION (part four)

By Dwight Cunkle



Review, Reflect, Renew and go further on with Jesus...

In his book, Examen Prayer  Timothy Gallagher instructs us to pause and prepare heart and mind for prayer by asking God the grace to become aware of his love for us and His presence in and around us. Begin with awareness then move to thanksgiving, and we will receive wisdom and revelation from his word how to pray and how to act.

David said, “Enter God’s presence with thanksgiving-(Psalms 95 and 100). Jesus showed us how to begin prayer, “Our Father-hallowed be your name.” Paul wrote, “Let requests be made with thanksgiving,” and,  “In everything give thanks.” How important is thanks? Gallagher writes :
“... ingratitude is one of the things most worthy of detestation before our Creator and Lord, and before all creatures capable of his divine and everlasting glory, out of all the evils and sins which can be imagined. For it is a failure to recognize the good things, the graces, and the gifts received. As such, it is the cause, beginning, and origin of all evils and sins (see Romans 1). On the contrary, recognition and gratitude for the good things and gifts received is greatly loved and esteemed both in heaven and on earth.”

1. After becoming aware God looks on me with love, and
2. After giving thanks for his graces my life and world, 
3. Then I am ready to discern good and evil spirits
4. Resisting and rejecting the bad, but aided by the good 5. Move toward God in faith, hope and love. I will be able to set aside the trap of negative self-talk, self-centered introspection, and all the “bait of Satan” to trap me in offence or fear. When I am at rest and united in God’s love, 6. I am ready to hear (really “to sense the effect of” rather than just “get a word”) what God is saying in his word, in listening prayer, and through spiritual direction,
7. And to make good decisions in a pure heart of wisdom and love.

BE AWARE, UNDERSTAND, TAKE ACTION (part three)

BE AWARE, UNDERSTAND, TAKE ACTION (part three)

by Dwight Cunkle

Though a son he learned obedience through suffering, offering up prayers with loud cries and crying...heard because of his reverence, he became the Source for all who obey him. Heb 5:8

     Thank God for nurses and Dr’s and medical technology! Yet it can be overwhelming to have to depend on others, and on medicines and equipment, while feeling pretty helpless, especially in the sterile, unfamiliar setting of hospital or emergency room. Plus the expense and impatience of wanting to get better or still be productive increases anxiety. God designed our bodies with great natural healing properties and sometimes the good that modern medicine tries to do is actually harmful. The bottom line is Jesus is our health, period!

My lemonade Sucks
When my life sucks I have choices: My tendency is to suck it up (get my focus off what is going on and try to make lemonade out of the lemons). Right now even my lemonade sucks! What I really need is to let go-not try to fix things but surrender my need to control to God who is actually in control. Even while sometimes telling him how sucky all this is, I can choose to humble myself before him and resist the devil and all his tactics, and grow in Christ. This is a moment to moment grace gift.!!

I can exchange desolations for consolations at the cross

When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul. 

(Psalms 94:19 NASB)        

     Two weeks ago I contrasted spiritual consolations and desolations. Our enemies, the world, the flesh and the devil, have various tactics like using natural things which are difficult in life, to try and move us away from God.
     But trials  can also lead us into spiritual consolations which uplift us toward God in faith, hope and love, in the present moment! In other words we can mature in union and closeness with God as we exchange negative thoughts and feelings at the cross for His grace and love, even crying out to God as Jesus did in the days of his earthly sufferings. In a recent sermon, we looked at how feelings make good indicators but lousy leaders.
     Last week Arch Bishop Sean Larkin reminded us how Jesus is always walking with us, waiting to reveal himself. He is present to you in whatever you face.

Enjoy your lemonade.

BE AWARE, UNDERSTAND, TAKE ACTION

BE AWARE, UNDERSTAND, TAKE ACTION

(part two)

by Dwight Cunkle

     In last week’s column I listed how our enemy (the world, the flesh and the devil) afflict us with desolations contrasting them with God’s spiritual consolations. In last week’s sermon, we looked at how feelings make good indicators but lousy leaders –emotions can indicate both the source and direction of our thoughts, but our focus needs to be on discerning our thoughts so we don’t get ‘stuck” in our feelings. 
(“Nothing more than Feelings” is available as a podcast on our website, www.covenantlifechurchonline.com).

What do I do when I have become aware of my feelings and understand the source and direction of my thoughts? (loosely based on rules for discernment by Ignatius of Loyola)

Accept the good but reject the bad. As good thoughts grow when our hearts and minds are moving toward and responding to God, so peace, faith, hope and love diminish, when our thoughts focus more on our emotions and move away from God (spiritual desolation).

When in spiritual desolation (feelings which move away from God) don’t change prior decisions but change your thoughts.  Continue the direction you began while in spiritual consolation (faith, hope, love, peace, joy...). Make every effort to resist and reject the bad thoughts. Act intensely to change your thoughts by prayer, meditation,  examination and humbly seeking spiritual direction. Increase loving kindness and self-denial rather than yield to selfish or fleshly temptations.

When in spiritual consolations prepare yourself against the return of desolation.  Since there is both ebb and flow, and highs and lows in natural and spiritual life, arm yourselves to share in Christ’s suffering and for the good which comes from trials. Fill yourself with Scripture and be filled with the Spirit, praying and giving thanks much, “so you may be able to stand in the time of testing because the flesh is weak but spirit is willing.”

The choice to live in ongoing spiritual awareness  is the beginning of spiritual discernment and gateway to spiritual freedom.

Maturity comes by effort and  humility (asking God’s help).

BE AWARE, UNDERSTAND, TAKE ACTION

BE AWARE, UNDERSTAND, TAKE ACTION

By Dwight Cunkle

When a person decides to know; love God and do his will they experience both resistance and help. Discerning the enemy’s tactics help us resist him and go further on with Jesus.

Examples of enemy resistance from the world, flesh and devil include the following:

-Unsettling anxieties, diminishing peace
- Diminishing energy and strength to do the good
-Sadness and discouragement without knowing why
-Dullness, hardness or lack of motivation to pray, lack of interest in spiritual life, losing heart
-Obstacles and difficulties in daily life and temptations which add up to come against us with negative self-talk; “How can I continue to do good?” or, “Look what you are giving up or won’t be able to do.”
-False reasonings bring confusion, hopelessness, failure: “It’s my fault that I am not better because I should be”
-Feelings of division, unresolved hurts, critical spirit, judgments, negative interpretations of what others think, loneliness or feelings of being misunderstood.
-Fears: of failure, of rejection, of the devil or more resistance, or even fear of success and the responsibility



Examples of how God’s grace and good spirits help us overcome: 

-Experience God’s love uplifting us in faith, hope, joy, peace (even if only briefly)
-Courage to face the enemy’s resistance and continue God’s will
-Strength of God’s love lifting the heart
-Consolations of God’s love giving a new ease and increase in love for others which also uplifts us
-Tears of comfort from the movement of God’s love and closeness or overwhelming gratitude for his love in Jesus
-Inspirations, illuminations and spiritual clarity to see and overcome confusion
-Quiet Strength and peace of heart even in activity
-Grace removes obstacles, inspires an gives hope
-Faith and joy uprising in the midst of the enemy’s taunts

Go further on with the resurrected Christ and resist

the desolations of our enemy whom he has defeated.

KEEP THE “MUSIC PLAYING” IN OUR LIVES

KEEP THE “MUSIC PLAYING” 

IN OUR LIVES


Jesus is Alive!

By praying and reading his word daily we can personally feel the effects of his presence and voice in our lives. Jesus appeared to more than 500 people post-resurrection. Because of his resurrection, there are, by some counts, as many as 2 billion Christians in the world today. Here is a list of Jesus’ appearances:
1. Jesus first appears to Mary Magdalene, shortly after his resurrection. See Mark 16:9; John 20:11-18.
2. Jesus appears to the women returning from the empty tomb. See Matthew 28:8-10.
3. Jesus appears to two disciples on the road to Emmaus. See Mark 16:12,13; Luke 24:13-35.
4. He appears to Peter. See Luke 24:34, 1 Corinthians 15:5.
5. He appears to his disciples, in Jerusalem, while Thomas is absent. See Mark 16:14-18; Luke 24:36-49; John 20:19-23.
6. Jesus again appears to his disciples, in Jerusalem. This time Thomas is present. See John 20:24-29.
7. Jesus appears to his disciples on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. See Matthew 28:16; John 21:1,2.
8. Jesus is seen by 500 believers at one time. See 1 Corinthians 15:6.
9. He appears to James. See 1 Corinthians 15:7.
10. He appears to his disciples on a mountain in Galilee. See Matthew 28:16-20.
11. He appears to his disciples, blesses them, and ascends into heaven. See Luke 24:50-53.
12. He also appears to Paul, on the road to Damascus. Acts 9:3-6; 1 Corinthians 15:8.
By George Konig www.konig.org

Down, Down You Came

Down, Down You Came




From your throne, by Father’s side, One with God, Word alive; You came down, God down to man, choosing suffering, Father’s plan. Devoted mother, submitted son, work wood with brothers, ‘til your time comes. Then down you go, and down comes the dove; water, prophet and Love call from above.

Into the wild, in fasting there, in our humanity you fought in prayer. He tempted down, to worship down, with bread and stone he tried to push you down. You faced him there, alone and weak, relied on God through you to speak. Then out you came, in Spirit full, to set us free and fill us full. With healing hands, you raised the dead, cleansed the lepers, multiplied the bread. Down came tears, down came love, the image of God’s face above.  

But we want power, we want more, we want freed from pain and lack and toil. We mock a trial, we tear your beard, with fists and rods and whip your heart is pierced. We pound the nails, with mocking jeers, “Here, crown of thorns,” then plunge the spear.  We judge you down, we put you down, we choose a thief like us, make you the clown.

Then took you down to cold stone tomb, down in death to hell’s dank womb. Now naked cross, body still, silence rules, God is killed. Down with hopes, down our dreams, down went life while demons scream. Down went God in man in death, ‘til down came living holy breath.

Then up Son of Man arise, open heaven, fill the skies.
Free those in prison and keep the keys, return to Father whom you have pleased. Prepare your friends for Pentecost, when they will rise to preach the cross. Down, come down Holy Spirit fire, to fill thirsty men with God desire.
Come down kingdom bring new birth, Down comes heaven reforming earth. 

Rise up O soul, pierce the night, hold forth God’s  sword of love and light. The world may down your life and blood, your sacrifice in humble love. You fear not what threats they make, you bow to serve which makes you great. Your joy overcomes so now arise while down falls darkness and all his lies.
                      
                                                Dwight Cunkle Resurrection 2013

HOSANNA!

HOSANNA!

By Pastor Dwight Cunkle

Hosanna! Lord come and save us!

Can we hear this ancient cry for deliverance from enemy oppression, injustice and sin? Who will come and free us?

“Blessed is He who comes-the Lord, strong and mighty!”

“This is our awakening” (our Lenten prayer theme)

We have walked with Jesus through this season of Lent and today we enter Jerusalem intriumphal procession. Throw our coverings upon the ground before him. Wave festival branches in praise. Let children shout and let the blind and lame and unclean (all men beginning with us who are able to say, Lord have mercy on me”) - come to Jesus and receive healing and life. 

Various verses paraphrased from Paul’s letter to Ephesus

Put off the old attitudes and be made new in the spirit of your mind… Wake up and arise from the dead and Christ shall give you light...

Have love for all the saints and be rooted and grounded in the strength of Christ’s love so that you may resist the evil one and pray. Put on the whole armor of God and take the sword of the spirit that you may be able to pray and stand.

A Biblical Christian worldview is purchased by doing the work of bringing our thoughts (we have about 60,000 per day) under the review of Scripture and humbling our heart to receive wise counsel. Since his “thoughts are higher than our thoughts” we exchange our way of doing things for the very “mind of Christ.” And since we all have blind spots and the heart is “layered with deceptions” we need the help of others to be changed in the renewing of our minds (especially because of the dominant strongholds of unconscious presuppositions in our worldview, our view of God and our view of ourselves).  Ready to rumble?

A wartime mentality never loses sight of the danger of evil when left unopposed and the authority of good to overcome it. No matter the personal cost, and no matter how powerful evil makes itself appear, it is but a bully spirit whose defeat is already sealed; so stand firm and resist until it flees or is trampled down by truth and love.

Humble yourselves before God; resist the devil and he will flee. Confess your faults; pray for one another; & be healed.