"Blessed be The Lord who gives and who takes away." (Job)

"Blessed be The Lord who gives

and who takes away." (Job)

By Dwight Cunkle

What can we say about God in response to death, loss and hardship and suffering in the aftermath of these storms? Worship is always the best first
response. Can we say, “God is good.”

We need wisdom to represent God's mercy mixed with judgment; then bring comfort to people who are suffering. “‘If you remain hostile toward me and refuse to listen to me, I will multiply your afflictions seven times over, as your sins deserve. Lev 26:20-22
“What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins deserved and have given us a remnant like this.” Ezra 9:12-14

Jeremiah  lamented over the destruction and
judgment of Jerusalem: "It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed. His favors are never
exhausted. They are new every morning." (Lam 3:22-23)

Joseph's faithfulness overcame false accusation and captivity declaring that God used what was "intended for evil to bring about his good purpose."
Even when the devil works his worst God holds the
injury in his skillfull hand to bring good in the soul of those who will turn to Him. So, let us turn to HIM!

(Paraphrased from Self-Abandonment to Divine Providence by J P de Caussade.) Our God is so good that he is careful to fit all things to our position and character. We do out part and trust God to do what He alone can do in us and in all things. His design makes what is needed such as air and water
accessible to us (though we pollute the air and many suffer malnutrition and scarcity of clean water).

His grace also places within easy reach of all
people holiness, fidelity and loving action, though the world, the flesh and devil work together to
hinder these too. We have to exhale the bad air and breathe in the good. Likewise we exchange our sin for his goodness. “What has God required, but to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God.” Micah 6:8

First, we ask the grace to have faith and see God’s goodness and help us do our duty to God and neighbor in each present moment.

Second, we abandon ourselves to God's love in all things whatever we suffer. God is good and will bring good. Let us be his good hands and praise his goodness, while we accept affliction in the dark night and mystery of His Divine Providence.

PROPHETIC WORD ABOUT OUR NATION

PROPHETIC WORD ABOUT OUR NATION

 

About two Sundays ago, I felt the Lord wanted me to give an instructive to us.  It went like this:
"Pray that  darkness in high places be exposed and replaced with light / righteousness."  Within a few days the current scandals broke about the IRS, the Benghazi scandal and possible cover up and the AP scandal, the DOJ hacking into private phone numbers and emails of press members.   It took a few days of me watching the news before the Lord reminded me that this was that prophecy starting to work out in the natural.

Sunday morning, May 26, 2013, I believe the Lord spoke to me again a prayer/prophecy mix ( which I delivered to Covenant Life Church) saying:

Don't forget to continue to pray that God expose the wickedness in high places with His light.  The "scandals" we are hearing about on the news right now are God's light knocking on the doors of darkness.  Unlike a righteous heart which will invite the Lord to enter through the door into our inner living room, the dark heart will not let Him enter unless it repents.

Pray the Lord of the Breakthrough act on the pleas   of the righteous. Pray the Lord will expose darkness where it is, bring it to shame and to righteous judgment. Pray the Lord deliver our nation from the violence the enemy would do.

Though the kings of the world gather together against His Anointed One, pray the Lord rebuke them and remind them that God has installed His king in the heavens.  The nations are His inheritance.
Lord give us boldness to warn the kings of this world to serve the Lord with fear and trembling, to embrace Christ for His wrath can flare up in a moment.  But to those who embrace Me now, you will always have refuge in Me.

Soldiers!  Do your duty.  Obey the One you signed up to follow.  I am wanting my people to come into unity...one accord, mind and purpose, crying out to Me to heal your land.  At present, as I look at my own body on earth it is like a broken, shattered vessel.

But as you pray for my kingdom to rule in all of your high places, your unity will draw power from my Spirit because you will be agreeing with the Father of Lights whose very presence causes darkness to flee.

From a letter to Diognetus Christians in the world

Heritage and Harvest:
Our Identity in Christ


From a letter to Diognetus Christians in the world


There is something extraordinary about their lives. They live in their own countries as though they were only passing through. They live in the flesh, but they are not governed by the desires of the flesh. They pass their days upon earth, but they are citizens of heaven. Obedient to the laws, they yet live on a level that transcends the law. Christians love all men, but all men persecute them. Condemned because they are not understood, they are put to death, but raised to life again. They live in poverty, but enrich many; they are totally destitute, but possess an abundance of everything. They suffer dishonor, but that is their glory. They are defamed, but vindicated. A blessing is their answer to abuse, deference their response to insult. For the good they do they receive the punishment of malefactors, but even then they rejoice, as though receiving the gift of life. They are attacked by the Jews as aliens, they are persecuted by the Greeks, yet no one can explain the reason for this hatred. The world hates the Christians, not because they have done it any wrong, but because they are opposed to its enjoyments.

“You are the light of the world. Let your light so shine that men see your good works and glorify God.” “All who live godly lives shall suffer persecution.” Love not the things of the world.”

I Believe in the Holy Ghost, I worship in Spirit and in Truth

I Believe in the Holy Ghost,
I worship in Spirit and in Truth

By Dwight Cunkle

God anointed Jesus with power to proclaim the new kingdom, heal and do good (Acts 10:37-38) and through his glorious ascension his Spirit is poured into our hearts, sealing us and guaranteeing our future (2 Cor 1:21-22). As one of God's elect, I am a stranger in this world, chosen and sanctified by the Holy Spirit (I belong to God as his elect-1Peter 1:1-3).
     I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Counselor, who since He came, convicts the world (and me) of guilt, sin, righteousness and judgment (John 6:18-11). I believe in the Holy Spirit who dwells in me as a temple (1Cor 3:16) and who lives in me and is jealous over me (James 4:5). I believe in the Comforter, Counselor, Spirit of Truth, who guides us into all truth, who brings glory to Jesus by taking what is His and making it known to us. (John 16:15) He brings all things to remembrance that Jesus said, and gives me what to say when I testify (Matt 10:19-20).
     I believe in the Holy Spirit who is the Anointing and abides in us and teaches us (1 John 2:20, 26), in whom we are baptized into Christ (1 Cor 12:13) and are all made to drink of one Spirit (Eph 4:4). He gives me life and leads me; because I have my mind set on the things of the Spirit I have life and peace (Rom 8:6-7) and am renewed in my mind (Eph 4:24). I am filled with the Holy Spirit (Eph 5:19) and power (Acts 1:8). He quenches my thirst (Jn 7:37-39), prays in me for the saints according to the will of God (Rom 8:27-28), prophecies through me (1 Cor 14:1-3), gives me strength as I wait on the Lord, quickens my body, enlightens the eyes of my heart (Eph 1:17), gives me revelation from the Father, uses the Word of God as a Sword in my mouth (Eph 6:17) and gives me a NOW word that has proceeding application and power (Mt 4:4).

     I believe in Holy Spirit and am born according to the Spirit (Gal 4:28), born from above (Jn 3:7); have received the Spirit by faith not by works (Gal 3:2).
     I believe in the Holy Spirit whom I have received the Holy Spirit from Him who supplies the Spirit (Gal 3:5) and since I began in the Spirit (Gal 3:3) I can continue to live in the Spirit and walk in the Spirit (Gal 5:25) for God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts; so, I’m no longer a slave but a Son (Gal 4:6-7) and His Spirit bears witness with my spirit-I am a child of God. (Rom 8:15-17).
      I believe in the Holy Spirit who bears in me spiritual fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control  (Gal 5:22-23). The Holy Spirit helps me walk in the spirit so I will not gratify the desires of the flesh. (Gal 5:16) but I will be led by the Spirit (Gal 5:18).
     I believe in the Holy Spirit who gives manifestations of grace through me as He wills, and I earnestly desire spiritual gifts, especially that I may prophesy to the building up of the body in love (1 Cor 14) and  so I may speak in tongues in an ongoing prayer language which I do not understand but is according to the will of God for the saints and builds myself up in faith (Jude 20). I also ask Him and He gives through me, by the same Spirit, words of wisdom and knowledge, supernatural faith, healing and working of miracles, discerning of spirits, tongues and the interpretation of tongues as a sign to unbelievers(1 Cor 12 and 14).

I believe in the Holy Ghost

and worship in Spirit and Truth

Christ’s Ascension

Christ’s Ascension

By Dwight Cunkle

Christ ascended—What effect has this today?

Truth creates the new order and kingdom: On the third day Christ arose; He appeared to many over 40 days, speaking to them of the kingdom of God; He commanded them to wait for the promised Holy Spirit and was seen by many as he ascended to heaven ten days before Pentecost. 

Mark 16; Acts 1:1-11; 1 Cor 15:1-3

Luke 24:50-53

And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple praising God.

WHO? What would it have been like to see the resurrected Jesus? To watch Him ascend to heaven? To praise God and wait together. for the promise to be fulfilled? What would it have been like to be filled? 

__________________________________________________ 

WHAT did the apostles immediately and continually do immediately following the ascension according to Luke 24:53? __________________________________________________ 

WHY? According to Acts 1:8 and Acts 2 what was the purpose of Holy Spirit in filling the believers? 

__________________________________________________ 

HOW? What did God do in response to their "doing" recorded by Mark 16:20 and in the book of Acts.

__________________________________________________ 

WE know what it CAN BE LIKE to be filled with joy like new wine and to share Jesus stories with others and see God confirm the word with signs following us. Is this our purpose?  Do we wait with praise and prayer? Do we share Jesus with others? What effect?

What effect does all this have?

Are we waiting on God? Praise and prayer.  

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.