Deeper Truths for Hungry Hearts
December 2012 • Volume XI Number 04
“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)
Thoughts for Consideration:
Greetings again my Brethren. Last month I shared the next in depth series; the Call of God and introduced it with a verse, “Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. 8Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.’ (Psalms 42:7-8) and a question, “can you hear Him call?” My friend if we cannot hear the call of God in our lives then we will never be able to move forward in the things God has for us. Too many Christians today go through life hoping or in most cases presuming they are hearing from God, but in reality they are not and just go floating along thinking they are doing God’s will. We can never do the will of God unless we hear from God. I like that so much I will say that again, we can never do the will of God unless we hear from God. Hearing from God is a big deal in our daily walk with God and our spiritual growth and development into maturity. How can we learn if we do not hear? As the spiritual truth of how can we believe unless someone is sent, “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear
without a preacher? 15And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:14-15) so too how shall someone learn unless they hear. Again hearing from God is a huge deal. Funny how today most Christians are not too concerned about hearing from God, sadly instead they are more concerned about feeling His presence, getting from His bounty, or working themselves to spiritual death, but my friend that is not God’s priority. God number one priority in our lives is to be able (our choice) to conform us into the character (another big deal to God) and image of His dear Son Jesus Christ and to have this happen in our lives we MUST be able to hear Him call to us. To lay a solid spiritual foundational introduction for the call of God we must look at two topics; our need and qualified witnesses. In this edition (and maybe next month) we will take a good look at our need. Make no mistake my friend man is a very needy. Man in himself is solely dependant (even though he thinks he is not) on God and his fellow man. In God He provides everything (both physical and spiritually) man needs to survive. In man there is a need for relationship and companionship without these man would not be a fulfilled and complete earthly being. Of course a correct and Godly relationship with man comes out from our correct and Godly relationship with God. Outside of a right relationship with God we can only bring death and destruction to every relationship we enter into. It is no wonder why many marriages (even Christian marriages) end in divorce, no relationship with God thus no relationship with our spouse. John talks of the people’s need and heart condition, “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.” (John 1:6-8) and again in John,
“I (Jesus) am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.” (John 12:46) We all were in great darkness and we all needed to come to the light. Man had a great hunger, “And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,” (Luke 5:1) God has built into everyone a hunger “deep calleth unto deep” to know Him. That gnawing of discontent, uneasiness, and dissatisfaction at our soul often is God’s way of calling unto us. Next month we will look at more of our need to hear God call to us. Do you hear Him now?
ARTICLE REVIEW:
Our Life Gates
In the past Karen and I traveled up to Greenville, NC to attend David’s (our oldest son) college graduation. How proud we were to stand when the parents of the graduates were recognized. David had labored long and hard to get to graduation day. How proud we were knowing our son possessed the longsuffering, patience, and endurance to stick it out until the end with singleness of mind. Coupled with his impressive intelligence and warm personality how could he not excel in life. These are some of the qualities God is looking for in us. Man values not the inward qualities of the heart, but worships the outward beauty of the body and its abilities. Running, jumping, dancing, shooting, and singing far outweigh the importance of God’s work in our lives. It is no wonder many in David’s peer group have nothing to hold them when times get tough. David has learned many lessons in God that will carry him far beyond his college years. As much as we were pleased to be with David and his family during graduation we were sickened to see how God has been systematically wiped out of academia. In two days of graduation ceremonies God was mentioned once in the oath of office to three ROTC new 2nd Lieutenants. The country or college who forgets God will also be forgotten by God. We must never forget God is to us what we are to Him. Self-strength is always built on self-seeking and self-glorification, sadly this is the heart of the world of academia.
After the graduation ceremony we all (Karen, David, Kristin, Caleb Connie, Joshua, Jenna, and I) went out to lunch, my treat. When all of my brothers, sisters, and their families would get together and we all go out to eat my Dad would always pay for the meal. What a joy it is to pay for my kids and their families now when we go out and eat. I kind of know some of the joy my Dad felt. While sitting at the table playing with Caleb (David and Kristin’s son then at age 2) I saw in him the magic, the fun, and the excitement of newness of life. But then oddly my mind was drawn to my Dad at age 83 (and his many medical conditions) and in between my Dad and Caleb is my son David then at age 28 and me at age 53. Caleb just passed through his first life-gate while my Dad slowly moving to and through his last life-gate, what a great contrast of life. In life there seems to be certain gates (what I call life-gates) we all must successfully navigate through to be successful at that specific period of development. If we do not make it through these life-gates we will not have the ability and skills to make it to the next gate. Of course our first-life gate is birth and our last life-gate is the door way we all call death that leads us all into the next life God has for us. And in between we have the life-gates of graduating from our educational institutions; high school for most, but college or an advanced degrees for others. Marriage is the next life gate. Then there seems to be many levels of life-gates over a long period of time (maybe 40-60 years) in our lives were we work laying our lives down for our families and giving back to those who have helped us along the way God has for us to go. During this time period we are to start writing down our thoughts that made up our life experiences and God’s dealings and judgments in our lives so that they can be passed on to the next generation, more on that later. And last we come to death, our last life gate. This is true not only in the physical realm, but also in the spiritual. In God there are gates of learning, development, and obedience we must successfully navigate to be able to move in what God has for us to do for Him. We must make it through our salvation experience correctly to move on in God. Sadly many Christians do not lay a correct foundation. Paul encourages us, “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.” (Hebrews 6:1-2) If not we will never be able to go on to the weightier things (Matthew 23-23) of God; “the law, judgment, mercy, and faith:” How can we do things for God if we do not possess the ability in Him? Many Christians are taught they can do all things, well the word of God does not support this thinking. Paul taught, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13) We can only do the things in God that we have been strengthened by God in. No strengthening by God no ability in God. When Jesus said, “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26) Jesus was not talking about being able to do anything we believed we could do. He was taking about us coming into the Father’s intention for us as we come into unity with the Father. When Jesus speaks it is always out from the Father’s intention for us and is dependant on us meeting the conditions of obedience we must walk in to be able to behold and possess what God has for us. My friend too many Christians flame out and crash on the rocks of despair because of wrong teaching. Do not be deceived getting back on track is even tougher than the crash. Unity in God comes by way of us allowing God to strengthen us in the inward man. If not we will have nothing to hold us in good times and bad. Paul shares, “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;” (Ephesians 3:16) What a great wonderful thought to know, the riches of God’s glory is “to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man” and not money, a big ministry, fame, wells we did not dig, cars and buses, or vineyards we did not plant.
Now I like the word “gate” in the Bible. It is very fitting to use the words life-gate together. The word “gate” (most often) written in the Bible does not refer to an opening in the wall with doors, but has a deeper meaning of the heart referring to a place of decision. Most often our heart is referred to as the place of decision. The “gate” in the Bible has always been a very important place in relationship with man to man and God to man. Man to man the gate was the place business and commerce was conducted, the place reconciliation was made, the place judgment and justice was given out to those who transgress the law, and so much more. The “gate” was the place life as we know it happened on a daily basis. God to man the “gate” is the place we stand before God in a relational need to receive from Him. It is no wonder Jesus said, “Enter ye in at the strait (narrow, limited, and restricted) gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Matthew 7:13-14) Jesus was not talking about a physical wooden “gate,” but the place of a heart decision to where we can enter the strait (narrow, limited, restricted) gate (decision) and not the wide and broad way that leads to destruction. How many times have we seen how the narrow way leads to completion and fulfillment? Not many times, because most Christians (me at times) are on the broad and wide road of liberty and freedom. If we really desire to serve the Lord we must enter in or make the heart decisions through the narrow gate; there my friend is the door that swings open wide into the Father’s heart. In Proverbs we read, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.” (Proverbs 23:7) In the Greek this verse is translated, “as a gate swings opens wide,” (For as he thinketh in his heart) so is he.” Our heart is the “gate” of decision that opens to certain things and closes to other things. Whatsoever we swing open our heart (our gate) to we shall be that. Whatsoever we allow behind our “gate” and into our heart we will be that. If we allow hatred, malice, perversion, and bitterness behind our gate we will be that, but if we allow love, truth, and justice behind our heart gate we will be that. It is important to know God does not control the “gate” of our heart. We (unlike the lie most denominations and religions teach) are in sole responsibility and total accountably in God’s eyes to whatsoever gets behind our heart. Make no mistake my friend, what we allow behind our gate we will be that. Let us take heed to what we allow into our heart.
The older I get the more I see the critical need to pass along to the next generation of Family Stahl what God has done in my life. When we use to visit my father I so enjoyed just sitting around and listening to him talk. His life is what I know as history and his sharp mind can still account details, names, and events that made my imagination come to life. So too in our Christian life we must have the ability in God to pass on what He has done in our lives. Every time we get together as family we must again and again share the oral stories of how God worked in our family. Getting together as family should always center around the things of God. John tells us, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” (Revelation 12:11) What is the words of your testimony? The answer is what you know of God. We must always be ready to pass our oral testimony of how God brought us from defeat into victory. This is a critical revelation we must all possess. God and God alone is the only one who can snatch us from sure defeat and set our feet on a sure rock of victory. If we do not have this revelation of God (and God alone) moving us from defeat to victory we will never be able move and function correctly in Him. We must be able to see God doing this in our lives. Secondly we must have the ability in God to pass on our written testimony. The greatest thing we can do for God is write down things that He has done for us and share them with people. Is that not what the Bible is? One day I will pass through my last life-gate and go on to the next things God has for me. I do not believe our next life will be filled with floating on a cloud, playing a harp, or praising God for eternity, God has work for us to do. We must learn our lessons now so we will be able to function and operate correctly in God when we get into our next life. Someday when I am gone Abigail, Caleb, John, Noah, Lydia, and Hannah (our grandchildren) will be able to read how God did powerful things for Pap and Sweets (me and Karen). God has really impressed on me to start writing books that will someday speak of His goodness and glory to me. What else should we want to leave behind? Money? A statue of our self? A building with our name on it? Maybe an endowment for the sick? I think not. If we can leave behind the word of God to us for the next generation to share and benefit, now that my friend is something of eternal value. Before we know it our time will be over and we will pass through our last life-gate. Do not wait too long before you start thinking, praying, and writing. Time and life seems to get in the way of God. Start now with a small victory list and add details to each item and before too long you will have a book that is after the heart of God. The place we all are headed back to.
Written by David Stahl
THOUGHTS FROM KAREN:
Humble Ourselves
When visiting our daughter Connie and her husband Jeff on Okinawa I noticed the atmosphere and attitude was much different than that in the United States. I asked the LORD why such orderliness, and cleanliness from a non-Christian nation. The following scripture popped into my head, “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:6). Folks I hate to burst your “Christian bubble,” but there may be more humble “heathen” in Heaven than proud, arrogant Christians. GOD resists the proud—-that means us Christians too! Should we Christians be partakers in the first of the seven deadly sins- pride (see Proverbs 6:16-19) GOD forbid! As Dave always says, “the way up in GOD is down.” God told Isaiah, “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” (Isaiah 57:15) The word “contrite” here means crushed and ground to powder, not too many Christians I know are contrite maybe that is why God is not with too many Christians. We need to humble ourselves folks or “a man’s pride shall bring him low, but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit” (Proverbs 29:23)
Now do I know for certain who is going to Heaven or Hell—of course not! But I do see a lot of pride in our American churches and arrogant pride in our country. We need to rein ourselves in before it’s too late. We know GOD hates pride so we need to quit being so prideful and putting on airs like we’re something special. Do we really think we’re fooling other people, we certainly aren’t fooling GOD. Thinking we’re morally superior to other people is pride. None of us has arrived yet and the very attitude of moral superiority can be the very attitude that keeps US out of Heaven. We’re all in the same boat folks. I have no doubt that GOD can woo a humble Buddhist’s heart before He can woo some church people I know.
The straight and narrow is very easy to fall from if we get lifted up in pride. A humble person has a better chance of not only staying on the straight and narrow, but finishing the race and receiving a reward at the end.
My Christian brothers and sisters GOD hates pride (I beg you) let us examine ourselves and throw our pride in the trash where it belongs. “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.” (1 Peter 5:6). God Bless. Written by Karen Stahl
NEEDS NOT WANTS:
1. In Silistra, Bulgaria Pastor(s) Niki Marsov and Emil Nedelchev. Times are troubled in Bulgaria and need much prayer.
2. Constanta, Romania Pastor George Ritisan at Lighthouse Church, and Ciprian Bozdod at the Mission Bible School. They too are expanding making more room for God and ministry to Eastern Europe, Turkey, and Asia.
3. In Suceava, Romania Pastors Nicu and Pastor Marcel at St. Andrews Church.
4. Pastor Joseph Mutua in Nairobi, Kenya needs your prayer and financial support.
5. Pastor Mike Olufemi in Aveile, Nigeria. He needs our prayers and support to be a light in great darkness.
6. Pastor S. J. Peter, Founder of DAWN Ministries in Hyderabad and Pastor Wilson and his son Pastor Julian in Sankaraguptham, India.
7. Pastor Metin Mintaz and the members of Uskudar Son Buyruk Kilisesi in Istanbul, Turkey.
8. Pastor Elieti Msangi in Dar Es Salaam and Pastors Isreal Mutaitina and John Balone in Bukoba, Tanzania.
9. Monthly financial support Vivian’s Maternity and Child Care Clinic project in Aviele, Nigeria.
10. Pastor Tek Dahl at Gethsemane, Church (his church) and their radio station “Good News 105.1 FM” in Kathmandu, Nepal.
11. Bishop John, Samuel Kamanzi (from the Congo), and, Emmanuel Ndolimana in Ruhengeli, Rwanda.
FUTURE SCHEDULE:
December: Local ministry
January: Local ministry
February: Local ministry
I am still available to share what God has given me at churches and/or home groups. If God moves on your heart to support BHG or other ministries we personally know we would be honored to serve as a go between. Remember, if we want a blessing from God the spiritual principle is we must bless others. Remember, God is to you what you are to God.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Address:
David and Karen Stahl
232 Everett Drive
Sneads Ferry, NC 28460
Phone:
Home: (910) 741-0489
Mobile: (910) 382-9287
FAX: (910) 741-0489
Email:
Ministry E-mail: dstahl@beholdinghisglory.com
Personal E-mail: mtnebo@hotmail.com
Online:
Beholding His Glory Website
Beholding His Glory Blog
The AuthorHouse link below will lead you to our latest book, “Thoughts for Consideration.” Just copy it into your web browser and return. Also you can purchase two of our other books “Adventures with God.” and “God Still Performs Miracles: A Book of Personal Encouragement.”
http://www.authorhouse.com/AuthorCenter/Protected/BookHome.aspx?bookID=61464
Please take a minute and take a look, they all make for a great encouraging gift, giving hope and sharing God’s love through a deeper teaching that someone can enjoy again and again. All of our books can be purchased at all book stores like Barnes and Nobles, Borders, Book-A-Million, and etc., any Christian Book Store that orders, and all book ordering on-line companies like Amazon.com. Or if you are like me from the old school just contact us, we will let you know the price, and then we will mail it out to your home address. Postage and handling is on a case by case basis.
We are projecting to use the royalties for: our maternity clinic in Aveile, Nigeria, radio station in Katmandu, Nepal, TB clinics in Ethiopia, and Lord willing the Bible Schools in Kenya, Rwanda, and the Congo, and to help publish more books. We have five more books at different stages of production. If you know someone you think would enjoy receiving this newsletter or if you receive this newsletter and do not wish to please let me know. Contributions to this ministry is always appreciated and needed the more time continues. Please feel free to contact us with the above information. The cost is great, but the cost for not supporting to others is even greater. And remember, all donations are tax deductible.
