June 2002 Newsletter - From Dr. Mark Virkler
Author of Communion With God and President of Christian Leadership University
This newsletter contains: CLU Students Write; Journaling Samples; Introducing Todd Farley, the Dean of our School of the Arts; A New Book by Mark and Patti Virkler; New Spanish Translation; Numerous Items of Interest!
CLU Students Write
I'm taking Communion With God. I am so blessed so far. My life is already completely transformed. I went from hearing God speak to me once in a while to hearing Him not just in my journaling times but even throughout the rest of the day. What a difference this has made.
Andrew Steck
Becoming a part of CLU has changed my life. I have always been a student at heart and enjoyed learning and always will. Something that is so fascinating to me in studying with the courses of CLU is how each time I study, the presence of the Holy Spirit is right there and is sooo strong. It grows more intense at times. I am amazed at His presence, the wisdom and what He reveals while studying. Each course has its own aspect of communing with God. When I speak to people around me about this, they don't quite understand, and that is okay. I am thankful that God is feeding me. CLU is a true University, put together by God and ordained by HIM. Thank you for catching the vision and running with it.
Stacie Horne
Praise the Lord for the Communion With God course! Through the adventure into the practices of journaling, vision, and unabashed praise I have come to feel closer to God than ever I have in my years of one-sided prayer and self-righteous appearances in church on Sunday. Admittedly, I was at first quite skeptical of the validity and worth of journaling and awakening the visual capacity to hear rhema from God. I feared that by accepting spontaneous thoughts and feelings as the communication of the Almighty I might in some way offend the Lord by supposing my own feelings and desires to be His, thereby elevating myself to divine status and offering praise and worship to myself.
However, after honest consideration and attentive prayer over the matter, my heart and mind were opened and I knew undoubtedly that God was communicating with me and I ran greater risk of offending Him by rejecting His counsel as false than by accepting it in faith. Safely I can say that God has spoken to me.
As a result of this course I have drawn infinitely closer to the Lord and continue to move closer still. Communion with Him is indescribably more rewarding than the lopsided prayer directed to a far away God to which I was accustomed. For my entire life I lived outside of communion with Him; I stood in the Holy Place and never entered the Holy of Holies. The most amazing thing is that I never knew that I was missing out on the most wonderful experience in life. I could have lived out my time here quite content in never truly knowing God and believed myself to be taking full advantage of the invitation to be His child. How thankful I am that I have been shown that there is more available! How truly awesome to have full knowledge that the veil has been rent and we as lowly creations may spend a lifetime communing with the Lord! Hallelujah!
Jessica Burton
Journaling Samples
Lori McNeil - lighten up!
Lori, you have come so far in the last year! Do not be so hard on yourself. There is no perfect being other than Myself. Continue to strive to be like Me but don't try to BE ME. I don't expect perfection, just dedication. Don't give up; just have peace in knowing that I am pleased with you and ALL that you are. I love you. Jesus
Cindy Chedore - a missionary receives guidance through God's voice and vision
The Lord gave taught me a very valuable lesson yesterday between living out of the law and living out of the flow of His Spirit.
I am a missionary sent out through my church. I was in the Philippines but because of a rather serious motorcycle accident, I had to return to Canada for medical treatment. I was told that once I was ready, I would be going back to the Philippines. Then, I was asked to pray about going to Taiwan. My heart didn't want to go. I loved the Philippines and wanted to return. The next day, our missions' director called me in and told me that I was being sent to Taiwan. I completely believe in the principle of submission to authority, so I went to Taiwan.
That was a year and a half ago and it has been what I would call a desert. All I could think of was the Philippines and the people I loved there. I felt very frustrated. Then a thought came into my mind: Why not put the principles of the Communion With God course to work and see what the Lord had to say.
So, after getting rid of the idol in my heart and focusing my eyes on Jesus instead of the Philippines, I asked the Lord what He wanted to say about the situation. I didn't even have to set the scene. As soon as I asked the question, the Lord brought into my mind the scene of the disciples out in the boat in the storm and Jesus walking to them on the water. As I looked more into the vision, I was the one in the boat struggling and straining to row to bring the boat safely to shore. Then I saw Jesus getting into the boat and not only calming the waters, but taking the oars and rowing the boat Himself. The boat came safely to rest in a harbor and as I looked, I knew it was Taichung Harbor, the city where I live now.
Then the Lord spoke to me and said, 'I have been with you guiding and directing everything that happened in your life. I am the One Who brought you here and it wasn't a mistake.' That vision and word have brought such a release and freedom to my spirit. It has brought life.
I could have spent the next two and a half years very miserably by just living out of the law of obedience. It is the scriptural principle and the right thing to do. In the past I would have just lived out of that principle knowing it is right. But, I would have missed the abundant life that the vision and the flow of the Spirit have released me into in this situation. I want that life to flow continually.
Pastor Akintayo Oladipupo (Nigeria) - about finding a wife
I have worked hard in life not to defile myself with women and now I am ready to seek my own future partner, to settle down and to enjoy the rest of my life in the love of God.
'Dear Lord, how exactly do I know who to really go out with, and from which tribe and background she should be from? What will be the color and the trait that I will see in order to be sure it is the right person?'
The Lord said to me, 'Before you were born I know thee and I form thee in your mother's womb. Don't you think I had a plan for your life? I have kept you since you were born into this world and without doubt I have led you on the right course of life. All you've seen and gone through is not by accident. Your ability is my ability. I have given you the grace and privilege that has sustained you throughout all your life.
'And now that you're set to go into a new phase of your life by choosing your life partner, don't you think I am still with you? Or have you forgotten I said in My Word that I would never leave you nor forsake you in life? Take note of Isaac My servant. At the right time for him I made a provision for his partner, and I am still the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. I changeth not. Put your trust and hope in Me and believe My words. Cast all your cares upon me for I care so much for you. Though the world may have become corrupt there is still a way for My children. I know how to program your life for success. Don't bother yourself much on this issue, for you are Mine and I will always be there for you. Be focused on all I call you to do and work in the ways I set before you.
'I will give you the bone of your bone and make life to be so interesting for you. Akintayo Ebenezer, I know you by name and I have predestined you for great success in life. Look and focus on Me, the Author and Finisher of your faith.'
'Oh Dear Lord, I bless Your name for opening my eyes to know You and to be called Your son. I will forever trust in You and I will not allow this partner stuff to delay my progress in life. Lord, I count on You and I will be forever grateful for that which You've done for me. Lord, I will not complain or be dismayed because I am sure You're by my side. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for Your words to me today and I know You will always be there for me. I count on You, dear Lord.'
Introducing Todd Farley, the Dean of our School of the Arts
Todd Farley is the author of the materials used in CLU's courses Mime Through the Church Ages, Mastery of Mimodrame, Prophetic Gestures and Silent Prophet. Todd is restoring the arts to the Church, offering a complete program leading to mastery in the art of mime, with emphasis on its place in ministry and worship. CLU accepts his courses, seminars, and program toward a degree in Christian Arts. You can spend an incredible two weeks with him and his instructor, Marcel Marceau. The dates for MIMEistry's 15th International Workshop are July 15-26, and the location is Fuller Theological Seminary. Contact MIMEistry at 626-445-5511 or www.mimeistry.com.
Through the Bible ($19.95) by Mark and Patti Virkler has just come off the press! It is a professionally bound book with a beautiful full-color cover, a replica of an original piece of artwork. You read the entire Bible systematically and devotionally receiving a balanced view of God and His dealings with man. For an extended description and online ordering, go to www.cwgministries.org/7-How-to-Master-Your-Bible.htm This manual gives all the essential information necessary to examine any book of the Bible on a single page chart. It gives the historical setting, (human) author's purpose and viewpoint, and visually illustrates the relation and proportion of the sections in each book.
New Spanish Translation of Prayers That Heal the Heart book, seminar guide and contributing strands worksheet are available at www.cwgministries.org/freebooks
Numerous Items of Interest
Praise report: CLU enrolled 120 new students in the first 120 days of 2002!
Download and take the free Left-Right Brain Hemisphere Test from www.cwgministries.org/brain.exe. Simply download the program and double-click on the brain.exe file to take the test.
Purchase pens with lights in the tips for recording your dreams at night! There are a variety of styles and prices available on the Internet. Following are a few sources I found: Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta - store.yahoo.com/aibf/lightpen.html. (A pen is $2.50, but you must order 4 pens because $10.00 is their minimum order. With $3.50 shipping, four pens are $13.50. So share with a friend, or dream big!)
The fancier pen laser pointer with light #LHD, a lighted pen which also has a laser pointer, is $22.50 plus $4.50 shipping at www.apinex.com./ret2/laser-pointers2.html. Although the company is in Quebec, they ship quickly. There are several extra refills in the box with the pen.
A few other pens worth looking at:
Power Glow Lighted Pen $12.95 at www.cajunpen.com/html/powerglo.html.
Light Writer $19.95 at www.lightwriter.com.
PenLight $8.00 at www.in123.com/mcart/ then click the Accessories link.
Insurance for counseling pastors and Christian counselors is available for under $200 a year at www.americanprofessional.com/clergy/index.htm. In today's society, it is wise to be covered.
The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) www.aclj.org
Sign up for their e-mail newsletter and Jay Sekulow will update you regularly about online petitions to Congress on moral issues of concern to Christians and our country. In just a few moments you can let your voice be heard for righteousness.
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: cluonline.com
Enroll in Christian Leadership University: cluonline.com/apply
Itinerary: cwgministries.org/itinerary
Online shopping for 50 books by Mark and Patti Virkler: cwgministries.org/catalog
Ordination opportunity: cluonline.com/network
Establish a church-centered Bible school: cwgministries.org/college
