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Seeking God


May 13, 2024

Devotional on Conviction

Faith and Conviction from Christian Union's National Fast in 2020

by dimas SalaBerrios (2020); updated by erin conner (2024)

The following devotional is a transcript of a video devotional that was originally recorded as part of Christian Union's National Fast in 2020 by Dimas Salaberrios. Salaberrios is the author of Street God: The Explosive True Story of a Former Drug Boss and his film “Chicago: America’s Hidden War” was recently nominated for an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature. He is also the founder and former pastor of Infinity Bible Church in New York City, and the President Emeritus of Concerts of Prayer Greater New York. 

Salaberrios has been on the frontlines of the earthquakes in Haiti and of Hurricane Harvey in Houston. After the shootings in Saint Paul, Dallas, Charleston, and Paris, Salaberrios organized believers to infiltrate the protests and pray with hurting people. He has also organized prayer during the George Floyd protests in Minneapolis and in New York City. His directorial debut is titled, “Chicago: America’s Hidden War, and he co-produced the documentary film “Emanuel.” Salaberrios will be a featured speaker at the next Christian Union Fire Retreat being held October 4-5, 2024 entitled, "America Returning to God." 

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April 29, 2024

Testimonies are Rolling In

April's Weekend Fire Retreat Greatly Impacts Participants 

By Erin conner, writer and communications associate


Christian Union America equips and supports Christian Union Universities' alumni, as well as other Christian leaders across the country, with programs such as its alumni mentorship program, CU Fire Retreats, Bible studies, Daniel Spirituality coaching, and in-person conferences and forums. Christian Union's aim through these programs is to equip and strengthen Christian leaders to wholeheartedly seek God to transform their hearts and minds more unto the image of Christ and to transform their families, communities, and the nation as a result. 


The most recent CU Fire Retreat, held in April, equipped Christians across the country to better understand the fear of God and the fear of man, exploring how the former leads to wisdom and life, and the latter leads to more fear and deeper despair. Testimonies of lives that have been touched by God through April's weekend CU Fire Retreat are rolling in:


"The CU Fire retreat helped my faith to increase in that my need to fear God is so much stronger and so much more powerful than the fear of man." 

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April 10, 2024

The Name of Jesus Lifted High at Yale

Christian Union Lux' Second Annual Worship and Prayer Event 

By erin conner, writer and communication associate 


Christian Union Lux is a spiritual force of light at Yale University by God's grace and power. A leader of this force is Reverend Jeffrey Walsh. Walsh is a retired U.S. Army Master Sergeant with over 23 years of experience as a Military Police Soldier, Educator, and National Director of Police. He is also an ordained Christian minister with a lifetime of experience in pastoral ministry. 

Walsh has served in various assignments and attachments worldwide with the U.S. Army National Guard Bureau, the 5th Special Forces Group, and the 169th Regional Training Institute. Jeffrey spent the last ten years in senior leadership positions. He has trained military leaders across North America in his former roles and Walsh's combat experience has earned him numerous service awards, including the Bronze Star Medal with Valor and four presidential unit awards. And for the last two years, Walsh has been training and ministering to students as the ministry director of Christian Union Lux at Yale. His passion for serving others stems from a personal journey of healing and transformation through the Spirit of God.

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April 9, 2024

Four Reasons Not to Fear Man

Understanding the Christian View of Fear

updated By Erin conner, writer and communications associate


This April 19-20th, Christians around the country are joining Christian Union America from the comfort of their own home for a weekend retreatto better understand the Christian view of fear: the fear of man and the fear of God.

In light of this upcoming event, Christian Union desires to encourage all Christians to seek the Lord wholeheartedly to find freedom from the destructive forces of the fear of man and to find their security in God alone. The following excerpt, originally published as part of a 2014 CU Fast, examines Jesus' words to his disciples about fearing man, as recorded in the Book of Matthew.

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April 8, 2024

Four Reasons Not to Fear Rejection

This April 19-20th, Christians around the country are joining Christian Union America from the comfort of their own home for a weekend retreatto better understand the Christian view of fear: the fear of man and the fear of God. In light of this upcoming event, Christian Union desires to encourage all Christians to seek the Lord wholeheartedly to find freedom from the destructive forces of the fear of man and to find their security in God alone. The following excerpt on fear, originally published as part of a 2014 CU Fast, examines Jesus' words, as recorded in the Book of Matthew.

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March 31, 2024

Speakers for Upcoming CU Fire Retreat

Christian Union's April 2024 Retreat on the Christian View of Fear

By erin conner, writer and communication associate 

This month, Christian Union America will be hosting another powerful CU Fire Retreat to help equip Christians around the country to draw close to the Lord with friends and family through a weekend retreat. It is not too late to join, as registration is still open. 

One participant recently shared, "The CU Fire Retreat was a great time! It’s not often you get the opportunity to do a group fast with so many amazing people. I’ve also met one of my current best friends through the alumni group. She went to a different school, so I probably would have never met her without the group!"  
 

Who: You and your small group, friends, or family 

What: A 1.5 day simulcast retreat featuring Scripture-based teaching, worship, prayer, and fasting 

When: April 19-20, 2024

Where: easily host in your own home or church

Why:  grow strong in the Lord and grow closer to each other 

April 2024 Theme: The Christian View of Fear: Understanding the Fear of Man and the Fear of God 

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March 29, 2024

Why Did Jesus Die?

Reflection for Good Friday 

by erin conner, writer and communications associate

In an article entitled "Why Did Jesus Die?" written by Tevin Wax in 2007 for the Gospel Coalition,Wax addresses five significant reasons why Jesus, God-made-flesh who came as the Messiah for all humanity, had to die.

This article and other videos and resources that help to explain the significance of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection are part of Christian Union's CU Rise online evangelism campaign "Jesus Disrupts," which is currently underway and can be found at www.curise.org

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March 27, 2024

A Devotional on Surrender

CU America's 2024 National Fast, "Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace for All Nations"

By Marcus buckley, ministry director of christian union vita at cornell


"The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 'Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will let you hear my words.' So I went down to the potter's house, and there he was working at his wheel. And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do. Then the word of the Lord came to me: 'O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I intended to do to it. And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will relent of the good that I had intended to do to it'". – Jeremiah 18:1-10

It is difficult to find anyone who is not pleased when God shows to them grace and mercy according to His sovereign will. We rejoice that God would see fit to make forgiveness available to us, knowing that our sin and rebellion merits only His righteous judgment. We celebrate when God reaches across time and space and touches a friend or loved one, breaking the chains of sin and setting them free into glorious, eternal life.

But what happens when God saves someone outside our circle of influence? Or, even worse, outside our circle of preference? How many times have we as faithful followers of Christ been shocked – or even offended – when someone who was formerly an outspoken enemy of God comes to saving faith in Christ Jesus? It is easy to hurl accusations that their conversion is not a true one, that somehow the greatness of their previous sin outweighs the redemptive, salvific power of the cross. 

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March 8, 2024

A Devotional on Hope in Darkness

CU America's 2024 National Fast, "Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace for All Nations"

By Chitra L Kovoor, Ministry Fellow, CU Lux at Yale University


"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." – Ephesians 6:12

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March 4, 2024

Bennett Featured on the Christ & Coffee Podcast

Christian Union Universities Highlighted  

By Erin conner, writer and communications associate


The Christ and Coffee podcast, led by Dr. Haig Kherlopian, pastor of Church for the Nations, recently hosted Matt Bennett, Founder and President of Christian Union, to discuss Christian Union (CU) Universities. CU Universities is comprised of ten Christian leadership development ministries at nine of the nation's most influential educational institutions: Dartmouth, Brown, Harvard, Harvard Law, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, Cornell, and Stanford.  During the informal podcast interview, the uniqueness of CU's ministry was discussed, among other topics related to how Christian Union is developing leaders with spiritual depth in strategic places for cultural renewal. 

In the podcast episode entitled "Inside Ivy League Ministry," Bennett discussed how the majority of America’s most strategic universities were expressly founded as Christian colleges. But over the years, these schools gradually shed their religious affiliation and became secular institutions. Bennett referenced research done by James Tunstead Burtchaell, who has extensive experience in American higher education as both a teacher and an administrator.  Burthchaell, in his book The Dying of the Light, "provides case studies of seventeen prominent colleges and universities with diverse ecclesial origins - Congregational, Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran, Catholic, and Evangelical. 

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March 1, 2024

A Devotional on Endurance

CU America's 2024 National Fast, "Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace for All Nations"

By Qwynn Gross, Ministry Fellow, CU Nova at Princeton University


"And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.  But he who endures to the end shall be saved" – Matthew 24:12-13.

As a youngster, I can think of plenty of extracurricular activities that I began with curiosity and zeal or out of a parental charge to participate, and for one reason or another, I soon opted to stop–-from piano lessons to Girl Scouts to running track to being a debutante, and many other activities–-however, when my firstborn was placed in my arms there was a conscious decision to continue regardless.  This unwavering commitment to the children I bore would only be eclipsed by my commitment to live for God simply because I found out that He is alive.  Now, with adult children and a life in Christ that spans close to forty years, I can attest that my endurance has not been easy, nor has it been without opportunities to quit, but rather because value and worth were assigned.

Assigning importance and meaning or significance to something or someone is not strange.  It’s done all the time;however for Christians, the commitment to cherish and esteem Jesus means to safeguard why we value Him even during the ecological, economic, and ecumenical tumult that Jesus warns will not only come, but cause the strongest of believers to defect because of pervasive lawlessness.

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February 24, 2024

Christian Leadership in Media

Highlight: CU America Member, Carrie Sheffield 

By erin conner, writer and communications associate 


Carrie Sheffield, a Harvard alumna and a member of Christian Union America, is releasing a memoir this March entitled Motorhome Prophesies and launching a subsequent book tour across the U.S. 

Sheffield, a columnist and broadcaster in Washington, D.C., shares insights with millions of Americans on networks like CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, CBS News, CNBC, BBC, and more. From ABC’s Good Morning America to HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher, PBS, and C-SPAN, she brings a voice of virtue to the American communications and media industry through boundless interviews for articles, appearances on television shows and podcasts, and at forums across the nation. Consequently, many Americans know the professional side of Carrie Sheffield's life. 

In her memoir, we learn about a different side of her life. The book's overview states, "Carrie Sheffield grew up the fifth of eight children with a violent, mentally ill, street-musician father who believed he was a modern-day Mormon prophet…She and her seven siblings were often forced to live as vagabonds, remaining on the move across the country. They frequently subsisted in sheds, tents, and, most notably, motorhomes. They often lived a dysfunctional drifter existence, camping out in their motorhome in Walmart parking lots. Carrie attended 17 public schools and homeschool, all while performing classical music on the streets… at times while child custody workers loomed…Carrie struggled with her mental health during college and for most of her adult life." 

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February 19, 2024

The Strategy of True Wisdom

A Devotional from CU National Fast, January 2024  

By sadie sasser, ministry fellow, christian union gloria at harvard 


"Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good."
– Ecclesiastes 9:18

Since the fall, humans have turned to violence and war to solve our problems. It could be argued that we have even created an industry out of it! Over the course of history, innumerable conflicts have stricken mankind. As such, there have been many military leaders of note; but even with the vast pool from which to choose there are leaders that rise to the top of the list. Names such as Napoleon Bonaparte, Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great, and Ulysses S. Grant line the rankings when discussing the greatest military leaders of all time. There are various reasons these people are noteworthy, but one of the common traits allowing them single-digit status is tactical brilliance.

The Hebrew word used in Ecclesiastes 9:18 for “wisdom” includes connotations of skillfulness in war, administrative savvy, shrewdness, prudence, and even sometimes includes an ethical tone. Thus, when Solomon states that such wisdom is better than actual weapons, he is not speaking of the wisdom of books or knowledge that can only be found in an ivory tower. He is speaking of practical and tactical brilliance, the ability to have an overarching plan and execute it well. The actual weapons used in battle are of little consequence in comparison to good strategy.

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February 2, 2024

Please Join Us

Experience the Power of a CU Fire Retreat — without Leaving Your Town!

By Erin Conner, Writer and communications associate

What is the significance of meeting together in a community to seek the Lord? Why are followers of Christ encouraged in the New Testament to "not give up meeting together?" (Hebrews 10: 25). 

Throughout the Scriptures, we find patterns of regularly seeking God in community with others. For example, daily morning and evening gatherings when the sun rises and the sun sets are found in Numbers 28:1-8. Weekly meetings are held Sunday (originally Saturday) in Exodus 20:8-11; Leviticus 23:3; Numbers 28:9, 10; Deuteronomy 5:12-15 and in the first century Church, as recorded in Acts. Monthly or "new moon” gatherings are found in Numbers 28:11-15, and annual special gatherings are held several times per year, especially with seven-day gatherings every six months in the spring and the fall, as shown in Leviticus 23:1-44. 

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January 26, 2024

God is Changing Lives

Testimonies from the January 2024 CU National Fast 

By matt bennett, founder and president of christian union 

By God’s grace, thousands of lives have been powerfully impacted! Nearly 8,000 of us completed a 21-day fast to start the new year focused on the Prince of Peace for the nations, and we praise God for His grace and mercy towards us. 

Through history, the people of God have fasted, prayed, repented, and sought the Lord wholeheartedly when they desire the Lord’s healing and grace poured out in their own lives or in the lives of their community. Remember Ezra, who led his people in fasting and prayer for God’s protection from enemies amidst rising war and evil, declaring, “we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty (Ezra 8:23).” 

When Christians devotedly seek the Lord through fasting, the Lord loves to pour out his blessing, his power, and his spirit. 

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January 25, 2024

Does God Still Miraculously Heal?

Practical Teachings on Supernatural Healing in the Church Today


By Anne Kerhoulas (2022), UPDATED and revised by erin conner (2024)

The gospels depict a supernatural world in which demons are cast out, the dead are raised, and the sick are healed. But for many Christians today, the world of the Bible seems to have little to no bearing on our present-day world—we see the demonic as fantasy and believe that healings and miracles are either impossible or due to human achievement, not to the power of the One who brought all things into existence. 

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January 22, 2024

The Compassionate Plea of God

"Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace for All Nations" CU National Fast 2024 Devotional 

By grace ann arvey, director of christian union america

"'Say to them, As I live,' declares the Lord God, 'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?'" – Ezekiel 33:11

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January 15, 2024

An Utterly Amazing Gift

Praying Before Reading Scripture 

By Julie Weber (2016), Updated & revised by erin conner (2024) 

The intake of Scripture and the practice of prayer are both spiritual disciplines Christians are called to engage in daily and diligently. Should we ever combine the two and pray about our Bible reading?

 Writer Kristen Wetherell, in "Unlocking the Bible," suggests that we can and should pray before we begin our study of the Bible.

She writes, "Reading the Bible before praying is like putting the cart before the horse. The proverbial horse is the Holy Spirit of God, who empowers and enlightens our Bible reading as we mine the depths of his Word. The proverbial cart makes up our willing eyes and hungry hearts, the Spirit-led choice to crack open our Bibles and pursue his everlasting truth. The cart must be pulled by the horse; our efforts to read must be motivated and helped by God’s grace and power. Christians come to God’s Word willing and hungry because he first made us willing and hungry to receive—but only he can enable us to receive. This is why we ask for help before we start reading." 

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January 11, 2024

A Princetonian Call to Action

Alumni Spotlight: Kenneth Jasko, '78, Chair of CU Nova Alumni Board

By Erin Conner 

On Sunday, January 21, at 5 pm EST, the Christian Union Nova Alumni Board is leading their quarterly virtual meeting for alumni and friends of the ministry via Zoom. Campus updates and student testimonies will be shared to take a closer look at how God is working at Princeton through Christian Union Nova's student leadership ministry.  

The CU Nova Board is a team of Princeton Christian alumni who desire to see the Gospel of Christ shine brightly at Princeton University and who seek sweeping spiritual transformation for its students, staff, and faculty. Kenneth Jasko, '78, Mike Vincent, '10, Vince Naman, '82, Edward (Ted) Duffield, '58,  Tiffany Agyarko, '23, and Betsy Salazar, '10, currently serve on the Board and are committed to furthering the development of programs focused on alumni, as well as furthering the following objectives: advancing God's work at Princeton University, transitioning graduates well, and developing Christian leaders to influence our nation for God's glory, helping to bring revival.

Ken Jasko, the Board's Chair, invites all interested Princeton alumni to join this movement.  

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January 9, 2024

Walking in His Marvelous Light

Columbia Students Emboldened for Christ

By erin conner, writer and communications associate

Craig Holliday and Viviana Hinojosa, the Ministry Director and the Women's Ministry Fellow at Christian Union Lumine, loaded up a bus full of 33 Columbia University students and took them on a trip an hour north of New York City to the Warwick Conference Center for their '23 fall conference. This incredible time of fellowship, worship, Scripture reading, and prayer was built around the theme "Marvelous Light," based on 1 Peter 2:9: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (ESV). 

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