September 2007

CLU Student Newsletter

He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore. His father working in the yard saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, he ran toward the water, yelling to his son as loudly as he could.

Hearing his voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his father. It was too late. Just as he reached his father, the alligator reached him. From the dock, the father grabbed his little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the father, but the father was much too passionate to let go. A farmer heard his screams, grabbed his gun, raced to the scene, and shot the alligator.

Remarkably, after many weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal. And, on his arms, were deep scratches where his father's fingernails dug into his flesh in his effort to hang on to the son he loved.

The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs, with obvious pride, and said to the reporter, "But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my Dad wouldn't let go!"

You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. No, not from an alligator, but the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep regret. But, some wounds are because God has refused to let go. In the midst of your struggle, He's been there holding on to you.

The Scripture teaches that God loves you. You are a child of God. He wants to protect you and provide for you in every way. But sometimes we foolishly wade into dangerous situations, not knowing what lies ahead.

The swimming hole of life is filled with peril – and we forget that the enemy is waiting to attack. That's when the tug-of-war begins and if you have the scars of His love on your arms, be very, very grateful. He did not and will not ever let you go.

You just never know where a person is in his/her life and what they are going through. Never judge another person’s scars, because you don't know how they got them.

When God led me to CLU as a student, I had many scars and was entrenched in what I call my 20 year tunnel due to allowing bitterness, unforgiveness, and many other demonic strongholds in my life. Through the CLU courses, I found deliverance from the past and its grip. Now, by keeping my focus on God and enjoying a living relationship with Him, He keeps me from obtaining new scars. It is wonderful to have entered into His rest by allowing Him to carry my every care and to worship and abide in Him constantly. Life is a blessed journey with my Heavenly Father! Where and on whom are you focused?





I Was Labeled “Demonic”
By
Kathryn Warner
(Photo of Kathryn and son Joshua, the day after he returned from Iraq.)

Communion with God is life-changing and an answer to prayer. For over twenty-five years, I would hear God speak, but did mostly one-way journaling because it was considered not from God when God would speak back. Although this was the teaching, I continued to journal what God was saying but only on a minimal basis. That has all changed now. It is so freeing and wonderful to talk to “Abba” and have it confirmed through CLU’s teaching!

I know God led me to CLU! It has not only been a life-changing/confirming course for me, but I am telling everyone— family, friends, and colleagues about it.

Next, here’s about the Power of Prayer.

Joshua, our son, who is currently serving in Afghanistan, was in Fallujah, Iraq in 2003. He had gone on a convoy to Baghdad and called me during his break before returning to Fallujah. Joshua was saying his good-byes and getting ready to hang up when God spoke to me saying, “Pray! Pray for him!” I yelled into the phone, “No, Joshua! I have to pray for you now! Don’t hang up!” Joshua said, “Okay, Mom, but hurry I have to go.” I silently asked God to give me the words to pray. I remember praying for his safety and for God to place his protecting and warrior angels around Joshua and the other men/women with him. We said our goodbyes and hung up.

We were very fortunate because we could talk on instant messager (IM) daily. Fallujah was less than an hour’s drive from Baghdad. So approximately an hour later, I went into the computer and there on the AP (Associate Press) were pictures of an U.S. convoy that had been hit with an IED and attacked. The pictures showed soldiers lying on the ground with injuries while other soldiers were standing guard. As a mother, my heart sank. Immediately, I sent an IM to Joshua to make sure he was okay. Even though there was no answer from him for hours, God gave me a deep inner peace that everything was okay.

Later, that evening Joshua sent word to me saying that everything was okay. However, I noticed something different in his conversation. Finally, a few days later during our conversation he asked if dad was there and wanted to talk to him. Joshua informed him that an IED went off 10 feet in front of him on the day that I insisted praying with him on the phone. Because he had spent just a couple more moments with me in prayer, he was 10 feet away from the explosion instead of right in the middle of it! The only injuries he had was a little hearing loss and ringing and affected sight in his eye. Other than that, he was okay. He talked of the adrenaline rush and how it was affecting him. (This is normally termed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.)

I began praising God, because for me on that day, I learned again the power of prayer! Because of God and my obedience to God’s direction, Joshua’s life was saved that day! Nothing can ever express the gratitude and awe I have for God, His Love and Protection in that experience. When we obey God’s direction and listen to his voice, amazing miracles happen, and satan is defeated. Hallelujah!!! Amen!

We continue to pray for Joshua now as he sees combat nearly everyday while they work 12-18 hour days.

Mark, thank you for your obedience to God and your desire to hear His voice! Your obedience has touched so many lives and made a real difference in my life as well as those in my generations to come. I am now teaching my little 3 year old girl how to listen to God.

I Am So Grateful God Led Me to CLU!
By
Carla Mueller

I enrolled in Christian Leadership University in March 2007, and I am working toward a Doctorate Degree in Christian Counseling.

The course “How to Hear God’s Voice” has greatly impacted my life. It has given me practical tools to help me hear from God. It has also greatly increased my confidence in using these tools by daily practice and submitting my journaling to spiritual advisors. It has helped me use the eyes of my heart in looking for vision and dreams from God.

I so appreciate Mark Virkler’s personal testimony and practical explanation of how to hear God’s voice birthed out of his own experience and journey of discovering a living relationship with the Lord.

The four steps, which the Lord gave to him, based on Habakkuk 2:1,2 are pure revelation from God. I knew I did some of them, some of the time, but these practical steps gave me a specific way of tuning into the Lord and the Holy Spirit. I know when I use all four: quieting myself down, looking for vision, tuning to spontaneity and writing, that I would indeed always hear from God if I asked the right questions and my heart had no other vision or idol before the Lord.