January 2010

Welcome to 2010! Entering into 2010 is somewhat like the Israelites before they crossed the Red Sea. After they had safely crossed the Red Sea and the Egyptians were destroyed, then they sang, danced, and praised the Lord. How much better would it have been if they would have praised, sang, and danced by faith before they crossed the sea?!

How about you? Do you know and trust our Heavenly Father well enough to praise Him by faith before the deliverance? Before crossing, the Israelites focused on the problems and allowed fear to rule them rather than trusting God. BUT GOD, in His faithfulness, took them safely to the other side.

Rather than focusing on our circumstances, problems, people, or whatever and allowing doubt and fear rule; be still, focus on God, tune into His flow, and then purposely praise Him in faith that He will lead you safely through your “Red Sea.”

2010 is like a “Red Sea” in that we don’t know what lies ahead. We don’t know “the what, the where, the when, and the how,” but we do know the “Who!” And that is sufficient! As we seek to hear and see Him (be still, focus on Him, tune to spontaneity, and receive His Word or vision), He will safely guide us.

Bask in the Son-light
by
Jeana Luttrull

I had several dreams on 1/2/10 which created a multi-level attack. I woke up tired from them and asked God why I was being attacked on several fronts all at once when in the past, I only had to deal with one or two issues at a time?

His answer: “Because the enemy knows that his time is short, and he is working harder than ever to keep My people bound. There is much more revelation being poured out now than in the past. I am revealing the truth by My Spirit to those around the world who are asking. The anointing and the availability of spiritual weapons have also increased. While in the past, there was less going on from the enemy and there was also less revealed knowledge of how to combat the attacks.

“Don’t fear. You won’t lose or regret that you are dealing with more. I am well aware of the battles you face, and truly I say unto you, ‘Your faith shall make you free.’ The use of your spiritual weapons has been revealed more completely, but it is still your faith that makes them operate. If you are feeling weak; remember, faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. You never grow too strong or so well versed in the Word to stop reading it again for yourself. Without faith it is impossible to please Me. Without meditating on My Word, your faith will grow weak. Therefore, meditate on the Word and bask in the Son-light.”

I Was a Bit Skeptical…
by
Tammy Westerlage

I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical when I first received the material for the course Communion With God. Not the validity of it, but the fact that someone was going to teach me how to hear God’s voice. I had already heard His voice in my heart several times, so I wasn’t sure what this course could teach me. However, as I read the material and listened to Dr. Virkler’s teachings, I began to understand the importance of taking certain steps, which are common sense anyway. The most important thing to do in starting anything like this is to have an open, expectant heart and mind and not to have any preconceived notions about what you need to know.

When I started these classes in September, I was so excited to be back in school. Even though my personal life was challenged, God guided me through some relational things deep inside of me. Having to do my homework helped me stay grounded. Not that my time with God wasn’t desired, but during the appointed times, I knew He would meet with me--our weekly dates.

Through CWG, I learned fundamentals, scriptures, and the importance of really seeking His wisdom in everything. One of the most beneficial things I learned is the importance of not praying with an idol in my heart. I never knew this was possible! But, isn’t that what so many of us get caught up in? We already have an idea what we want for an outcome, so we pray that way. And the more we pray about it, the more we hear “YES” from God. So, we slowly begin to create God in our own image instead of the fact that we were created in His image for His will.

I enjoyed the journaling. It’s really amazing to me how much God wants to talk to me. God really and truly longs for me! He has lovingly shown me what He meant in Exodus when He said that He is a jealous God since my relationship with Him in quite new. He has shown me that He will not stand to have me worship any other idols, even if it’s not a golden calf. When something becomes more important than Him, He will rectify the situation. I am finally able to know Him as the Lover of my soul and am growing to love Him more each day.

He’s shown me what complete surrender means and that my life isn’t mine anyway. I never knew how much of a control freak I was until I had to let go of it. In my first few journaling sessions, the overwhelming and recurring message God relayed to me was that He wanted me to trust Him. Completely. For everything. So, I decided to take a chance on Him.

My relationship with my ex had taken a toll on me and added to previous trust issues. Little did I know that those issues were affecting my relationship with God. It wasn’t that I couldn’t trust Him, but thought that I shouldn’t bother Him with menial issues. God showed me that He cared and was asking me to let Him have my heart troubles. It was a gradual and hard letting-go process.

God has impregnated me with a new dream for my life. After my relationship ended, I felt like my dreams had all been dashed. I kept listening to sermons about dreams. My own pastor declared that God was going to ignite my dreams again. I was cynical when he said that, because I was literally watching my dream die. It took a couple of weeks, but God started to widen my scope and show me that there is life after heartbreak. The only relationship that defines me is the one I have with Him, and nothing else. My destiny and future are not contingent on anyone else.

God gives me awesome dreams while I’m sleeping. I am in awe at Him because of the many different ways He communicates with me. I love when I am able to close my eyes and picture myself hanging out with Him. I talk to Him a lot in my car and like to see Him sitting next to me with His hand out the window feeling the wind that He created running through His fingers.

I am drawn to Him and am hungering for more of Him. I want to glorify Him in everything I do. I know He has begun a good work in me that He will complete. Daily, I am reminded of my utter need for Him. Though I’m not dying, He is my life support. If I didn’t have Him at the helm of my life, I would be crashing. Life now has meaning, and I understand that my life is not meant to glorify myself. My life is to be lived as a sacrifice to my King. Everything is meant to bring Him praise.

Though I know that I still have a long way to go, I am thankful for how far God has brought me. What a great and glorious God! I am excited to grow deeper in my relationship and knowledge of Him.

How to Connect with CLU Students and Alumni

Koinonia Network:
The Online Home for Spirit-Filled Believers

Looking for a new way to meet your peers who are currently enrolled in CLU, or those who have taken this educational journey in the past? Now it's easier than ever! Koinonia Network is created as an alternative to MySpace and Facebook. It is for all Christians who profess to love, serve and obey Christ and hunger to walk in intimacy with the Holy Spirit.

If you have a Facebook or Myspace account, you can also get involved there:

Facebook Group: Christian Leadership University
Myspace Group: Christian Leadership University

Become a fan on Facebook:
facebook.com/ChristianLeadershipUniversity
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