BETTER THAN SUGAR

BETTER THAN SUGAR

By Dwight Cunkle

Oh Taste, and See that the Lord is good

We know sugar is addictive, yet the more we have of it the more we crave, unless we get sick. On the other hand, when we decrease our intake of it we become more healthy and our craving decreases. "Desire begets desire." The more we want something the stronger our "wanter" wants it.  The Psalmist sang, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." How can we delight in God? Prayer and meditating in His word is a good beginning. Why Pray? The more you pray the more you will pray. The more we "will for God to pray in us" the more He becomes prayer in us; the more we will pray.

A highpoint of the week is our Wednesday 7PM prayer time together: quietly waiting on God, worshipping, listening, then prayer begins to rise in us and we become more aware that God lives in us and is praying through us-effortless words or quiet singing meditations flow from our spirits-God breathes in our souls and we rise together in his presence. We become His house of prayer and feel the good effect of His will both within us and his will being effected in the earth through us as we make our petitions known with the help of His Spirit.

It’s not that we love prayer. We are learning to love Him. It's not that we are mighty or skilled intercessors. We love this time because it is for Him and in Him. It is not about us. It is not even so much about prayer or needs, although He helps us know what needs prayer and how to pray. We want to know and love Him more than just have a good meeting.  

Body ministry prayer for one another often flows without strain. Words of knowledge and prophetic prayers simply come, birthed in God's love and comfort to encourage weary hearts. But whatever good comes in any time of prayer it is the sweet gift of our God. So let us seek Him. Ask his grace to draw your heart after him and enable you to pray.

Be prayer not just try to do prayer. Let him pray in you, not just active and vocal, but also heart prayer and wordless contemplation of Him. Let his praise be in your mouth always as a good taste-wanting more all the time. But also be in awe; be still; rest and know that He is God-not only in heaven but in you.

Psalm 34:4 

4 I will bless the Lord at all times;

    his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

I sought the Lord, and he answered me 

and delivered me from all my fears.

8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!

    Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,

    for those who fear him have no lack!

10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;

    but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

A Life of True Compassion WORKING WITH MOTHER THERESA Published article in Connection Magazine (2001) The train was crammed. I crouched together with the local Indian people, pigs, chickens and fleas on the floor for 2 days. There were no benches in 3rd class. I was just 18 years old, thirsty to discover what real spirituality meant, as I travelled on my own from Germany to Mother Teresa in Calcutta, India. For many years I had wanted to work with Mother Teresa in the slums. I was very impressed with this remarkable woman, who started with a penny to serve the poorest of the poor, and dedicated her whole life uncompromisingly to God and humankind. After my arrival in the city of Joy and Hell, I walked at 4am toward the nunnery. The sun was just rising over the city. What I saw shook me. Everywhere on the sides of the streets people lay sleeping only covered with ragged loincloths, some were washing themselves in muddy rain puddles. Many were skinny to the bones. Some were severely crippled. They had nothing. As I walked into the nunnery my heart was pounding. I went up the stairs toward the prayer chapel and met a small woman. I asked her where I could find Mother Teresa. She held out her hands and I burst into tears. With a warm smile she simply said: "Welcome. It’s me. "Her obvious love, simplicity and purity touched me deeply. For several months I worked alongside the joyous nuns and Mother Teresa. Every day we went to the slums to offer food and medicine. I saw that even though these people had nothing, they shared their little bit of rice with each other. They were there for one another and had faith. The hunger and illnesses had left marks on their faces, yet their eyes shone with an inexplicable joy. Who really is poor I wondered? We in the West with our excessive wealth, isolation from each other and loss of soul--or they? We have a different kind of poverty that may be harder to heal though, than the one in India, where basic necessities make life possible. A little 5 year-old girl in the orphanage, where I worked offered Mother Teresa her only toy to take to the children in the slums. I could see how precious this doll was to her and yet how happy she looked to be able to offer her gift. Mother Teresa did not want people to give from their abundance, what they did not need, or a left over. What matters, she always said, is how much love is put into the giving. That is where joy is found. When I entered the house of the dying, I felt enveloped in a real sense of peace. The sisters tended so lovingly and respectfully to the ones close to death. They felt loved, may be for the first time in their lives. It was hard for me in the beginning to wash oozing wounds and to face all this suffering. How could the sisters bear to live and serve in the midst of the worst of human suffering? What was it that made them capable to do this work daily with such apparent love, joy and dedication? I remember, whilst praying beside Mother Teresa in her small chapel, when she said to me as if answering my unspoken question: "My lover is Christ and he is in everyone. In serving the poor we love, feed, wash, and clothe him. In giving love we are loved. Treat everyone like you would treat Christ." There was a handwritten paper pinned on the wall of the chapel, which read: "When I was homeless you opened your doors. When I was naked you gave me your coat. When I was in prison, you came to my cell. When I was lonely, you gave me your love. Searching for kindness you held out your hand. When I was happy, you shared your joy. "Every person, often the ones closest to us, is offering a gift--a chance to love. This humble and strong woman had changed my life. Mother Teresa is more than a Christian saint. Her life of true compassion can speak to all of us with a profound and universal message: to simply act from love every moment of our lives.

Copyright, © 2004-2013, Lotusheart and Nicola Amadora. All rights reserved.

The Richest Mind of Poverty: He Became Poor for Our Sakes

The Richest Mind of Poverty: 

He Became Poor for Our Sakes 

Quotes from No Greater Love    by  Mother Theresa

Humility and Prayer

· You acquire humility only by accepting humiliations.

· What is contemplation? To live the life of Jesus. To love Jesus. To live his life in us, to live our life in his life. 

· Living in Love in in each present moment - seeing Jesus in "distressing disguise".

· We have to have a clean heart to realize his constant presence and his tender love for us in the least little things of life. Heart and mind you go to him and give to him as soon as you get up.

· On pages 24-25 she tells stories of two very poor families loving their terribly deformed and crippled children - one mother called her handicapped child "the greatest gift of God." Another parent called her child  "teacher of love."

· True love is love that causes us pain, that hurts, and yet brings us joy. Ask Him the courage to love. The best way to show your love and gratitude is to accept everything with joy.

· Kindness has converted more people than zeal, science or eloquence. Holiness grows so fast where there is kindness.

· Choosing to be poor to love God and others more—on pages 102-103 and 155-156, she describes their choice of poverty. the Sisters of Charity like so many other orders of monks or nuns and their fellow workers deliberately choose many things like a hard and simple bed and bare room and having only a bucket of water with which to bath themselves.

· The poor are our prayer. They carry God in themselves. They are the hope of humanity for we will all be judged by how we have treated the poor. 

Our penance is an act of perfect love for God, man and the whole universe-a joyful identification with Christ crucified.

Even Mother Theresa went to confession every week, experiencing the loving mercy of the forgiving Father. On page 113 she wrote that the knowledge of self is very necessary for confession. 

Love God with all heart, mind and soul. Love neighbor as you love yourself.

Help Pastor Dwight get a New Laptop

HELP PASTOR DWIGHT GET A NEW LAPTOP

If you have made it to this page then that probably means you are trying to donate to help pay for Pastor Dwight's new laptop. As you may or may not know, Pastor Dwight's laptop suddenly stopped working while he was on a recent mission trip to Nicaragua serving the Camenisch Family. He came home to find out the motherboard was no good and has to get a new lap top. We have already located a new lap top - a used Mac Book that will serve very well and last longer as it is Mac (sorry Windows fans).

Thank you for your contribution. It will mean so much to Pastor Dwight to have so many people caring about him - many of you have already responded saying you want to donate.

To contribute simply click on the "Donate" button and select the amount you would like to donate. It will go to the Covenant Life Church account in a specific link for a new church lap top.

Bless you for your giving, and thank you again so much!

Imagine Being A Missionary

Imagine Being A Missionary:

Support them, Be With them, and Be one where you are.

By Dwight Cunkle

   Allow me to describe briefly what it can be like to be a new missionary family, alone in a third world country...

   Can you imagine being thankful you can use a bathroom with running water instead of an outhouse. What feels like 99% humidity and being glad to take a cold shower? Imagine in April and May not only does everything turn brown and it is 100 degrees, but water is so rationed that you may not even have any to use all day? Imagine rolling blackouts (we sang worship songs and hymns then played almost an entire board game in the dark) and never know when the lights will go out let alone come on again.

     Imagine no Stop signs, traffic lights, and the roads often are shared by cars, farm trucks, bicyclers, walkers of all ages, plus dogs, cows, goats etc. Can you imagine having to travel several hours including riding on the ferry across a huge lake just to go to the grocery store or get mail? And the road that you use to go to the main part of the island is rock and mud and often you must crawl and bump along in low gear.

   Imagine not being able to talk on the phone with friends and relatives here in the states and having to drive at least five minutes to get on the Internet. The sad part of that is hardly ever does anyone write you emails or Facebook messages and almost never a letter.       

    Imagine the need to be so frugal you wash sandwich baggies so you can reuse them because you want to have extra money to serve and give people in need around you, and you don't know if it may be weeks before you can go to a store to buy them. Imagine having to learn a foreign language while trying to relate with people with whom you cannot communicate.

Imagine the loneliness... The silent pain.

The strangeness of this new environment…

Then imagine the gladness to receive suitcases full of blessings to give others and some to share yourselves. Imagine the sweetness of being able to receive news from the states, share your stories, and be encouraged because people came so far to be with you and to help you in your work.

Imagine that despite the difficulties and hardships you love the Lord Jesus Christ and you give to those around you without expectation of seeing change or accomplishing anything in the eyes of men. Imagine being received with favor by these simple people who sing joyfully out of tune and treat church like it is a high point of the week. Imagine riding a bicycle 20 km just to come to a meeting. Imagine people receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit, welcoming teachings on worship and prayer, listening like never before to sense how and what God is communicating with them. Imagine being so appreciative that someone came so far teaching you some new songs and helping you experience the peace and the joy of God in a fresh new way. (One young man testified that he received healing in his heart when we sang the song that God gave me for them).

But also imagine what a difference you can make by praying, writing, giving, going... Imagine doing your part of the Great Commission-by giving your life in small ways through the day to serve others and be a witness for Christ. Imagine offering your life and your family to God for his will to be done. Imagine  not giving up when you can't see clearly what difference you are making? Not quitting everyday. Not feeling sorry for yourself because you have work to do today-living for Christ and being an example of the gospel and love of God together. Imagine seeing your family minister to others and choose Christ over the material things and superficial things of culture controlling their time and desires. Imagine lives being impacted for eternity as you simply do the next task and serve the next person in need God brings near you. Imagine Great Grace and beauty and growth and love and a wholly different way of life. Imagine quiet while looking daily up to the mountains to God from where your help comes from. Imagine peace and contentment in simple things and a slower and simpler lifestyle. Imagine you and God, living as One, with all your weakness but all his fullness and love as a sweet gift in some present moment.

Imagine all you can but then go and love Christ and love your neighbor do the task before you with simple faith and devotion.

God’s Word Is Always Ahead of Science

God’s Word Is Always Ahead of Science

By Rick Warren

“Praise him, you highest heaven and the water above the sky. Let them praise the name of the Lord because they were created by his command. He set them in their places forever and ever. He made it a law that no one can break.” (Psalm 148:4-6 GW)

Someone may have told you at one time that the Bible isn’t scientifically accurate. That person is wrong. They’ve either never studied the Bible or never studied science. God sets up the laws of science; he made sure that his Word doesn’t contradict those laws.

Johannes Kepler, the famous mathematician and astronomer, once said, “Science is simply thinking God’s thoughts after him.” In other words, God established the laws of physics, and then we discover them.

The Bible wasn’t meant to be a scientific textbook. You don’t study the Bible to build a rocket. And the Bible doesn’t use scientific language. But the Bible never gives bad science! Not once during the 1,600 years in which the Bible was written does it give bad science. In fact, it’s always ahead of science.

For example:

·         For thousands of years, people believed that the earth was flat. But God said 2,600 years ago in Isaiah 40:22 that God is enthroned above the sphere of the earth.

·         For thousands of years, people believed something held the earth up. Hindus believed huge elephants did it. The Greeks believed Atlas did it. The Egyptians believed five columns held the earth up. The Bible never says that anything is holding the planet up.

·         For thousands of years, people believed that the number of stars were finite. But Jeremiah 33:22 says the number of stars can’t be counted.

Truth doesn’t change.

Talk It Over:        

·         Search the Bible today for truths that confirm what you see all around you in nature.

·         How do you respond when someone says the Bible isn’t scientifically accurate?

 © 2013 Purpose Driven Life.All rights reserved.