Deeper Truths for Hungry Hearts
February 2013 • Volume XI Number 06
“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. This month we will finish up the need for the call of God individually and the great need for the call of God for billions of people who are lost unto themselves and the world, countless billions of people who live in great darkness. Jesus was amazing how He used the elements of light and darkness (something everyone knew about) in projecting the need of man to hear His call and come to salvation. In John we find Jesus sharing these words, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. 5As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (John 9:4-5) Today in the world the hour is drawing nigh darkness is seen on every hand yet there is nothing new under the sun. Jesus says He must work the work of His Father. Now Jesus was not trying to stop the darkness as we cannot stop the darkness from coming, but Jesus was talking about bringing people into the light of understanding of who His Father is and how much they need Him in the face of spiritual total pitch black darkness. Darkness will come and darkness will go, our focus should not be on the darkness, but on the light that dispels darkness. There was a real urgency in the voice of Jesus here, my friend darkness is coming and we cannot stop it, but what we can do is work sharing the good news of the Gospel message whereby Jesus is the only light to see (understand) by. How shall the people understand (see) if no one tells them? And how can someone tell them if they are not sent? And how can they go unless they hear the LORD telling them to go? The LORD sends His word to His people and to the lost by His servants who hear His voice. The word of God goes forth not because God wants to talk, but because of the great need of the people and His love for man. Those with spiritual sight know just how precious God’s word to His people is. Even in the Old Testament there was a love for God’s word, “And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.” (1 Samuel 3:1), but sadly as time marched on the love for God’s word seemed to be lost to the cares of the day, distractions, and organized religion. How “precious” the word of God is! To those who use it to prosper financially and soften their living not so precious, but those who count on the word of God for their very survival it is life. I am afraid in 2013 the western church may learn that lesson again. We see this thought in Proverbs,
“Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” (Proverbs 29:18) Now here we see the word “vision” and all kind of things come to our mind, but the word “vision” here has nothing to do with planning for the future. Here the word “vision” means restraint. Where there is no restraint the people perish. Where there is no love for the word of God (add anything of God here) the people perish. If we do not restrict ourselves, limit ourselves to the things of God we will perish. We see this on every hand today. New doctrines, new denominations, new religions and yet no witness of the Gospel message and the people are perishing, darkness is coming. Now I really like Samuel; as a small child the word of God says he “ministered unto the LORD” and God’s word was precious. Then as a man we read, “And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD. 21And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.” (1 Samuel 3:20-21) Did you get that, “the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.” Where did Samuel learn how to recognize the word of the LORD? From his youth he ministered unto the LORD. Why Samuel? Could we plug in our name here? Why not?
Was Samuel any more special than the other kids? No. He was willing and available. God always uses those who are willing and available. Now I know that because He is using me and I am no more special to God then you. God is always looking for someone to use. I would think one of God’s major tasks is to find someone who will hear His call (like Samuel) to ministry. God needs a channel in which to flow through. In Ezekiel we see God seeking a channel, a vessel to flow through, “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. 31Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord GOD.” (Ezekiel 22:30-31) and He found none so He poured out His wrath out on the people. How sad to read God demonstrated His wrath on His people instead of His love (which He wants to do) because He could not find someone to flow through. What a thought to ponder.
Next month we will start a new section with regards to the call of God; qualified witnesses, not just anyone is called by God to do His works there is a price we must pay. Do you hear Him now?
ARTICLE REVIEW:
God Above All
We just passed through the most stressful time of the year; the holiday period between Thanksgiving (Nov 27) to New Years (Jan 01). Now the older Karen and I get the more we like to simplify our life especially during this period of the year. We find the more we can simplify our lives the more we can focus on the important things in life like hearing from God so that we can be more obedient to Him. Is that not the main objective of our lives to be obedient to God so that He can conform us into His character and image? Obedience, not our spiritual gifts, abilities, or talents, to God is the key to being conformed into the nature and image of Jesus Christ. Now please do not misunderstand me we do like this period of time, it is a wonderful time when we gather as a family which is very important to God. Never forget God will protect the institution of the family and its relationships it was His idea from the start and will take out those who stand against it. It is a wonderful time when we all can come together and share the wonderful things the Lord has done for us. Gathering as a family should always include the Lord, He is to always be the center of every meeting, service, and its around the fringe where we pay honor to each other. God is to be “above all” in our lives. He is to be our all and in all. In Ephesians Paul lays the foundation of one God who is above all, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (Ephesians 4:4-6) Please notice the end of verse 6, “and in you all.” It is God’s intention for His Spirit to dwell within us all. What a wonderful thought, but what kind of vessel are we for the Holy Spirit to dwell in? Are we a vessel for honor or for dishonor?
As important as the family (our earthly father, mother, and siblings) is we must never lose sight of the truth that the Lord, His statutes, and commandments are above them all and if we get this foundational truth wrong (like many Christians today) we have missed out on one of the major critical points of our relationship with Him and our salvation. In Luke Jesus said, “If any man come to me, and hate (Strong’s #3404, to hate, pursue with hatred, detest) not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 27And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:26-27) Now a lot of preachers and especially teachers try to soften this very strong word “hate,” but Jesus meant exactly what he said, “If (setting the condition for receiving from God) any man come to me (our salvation), and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life he cannot be my disciple.” Yes we must “hate” everything and everyone with a degree of heart separation and not with an emotional heart condition to be a disciple of Christ. Our desire for God and His ways must be raised to the same levels in our heart as hatred can be in us. This separation from the things and people of the world will equal your ability to be strengthened by God in the inward parts to be able to behold His glory to do what He has for you to do. We will never be able to put on God unless we first take off (separate ourselves) the world. God must be above all in our lives and family. Now this separation does not come without a price, like all things in God. Make no mistake my friend after salvation (Jesus paid the price for that) we will pay for everything we get from God. In Matthew we read Jesus’ words, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. 37He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.” (Matthew 10:34-38) His sword is to cut our desires for our family and the world out of our heart. Our stance for God, allowing Him to be above all in our lives, will cause great heart-ache and frustration in our lives, but what are our choices? Compromising to bring peace and harmony making our families happy until the next time we are forced to make a stand for righteousness or being obedient to God and His words? Like Peter said, “Lord where shall we go, you alone have the words of eternal life.” Make no mistake and do not deceive yourself, light cannot have communion with darkness. Paul told the church at Corinth, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14) Please do not think you can go to ungodly places with your family and expect God to turn His head. I learned this lesson the hard way. After returning from two weeks of powerful ministry in India we traveled up to my parents home. Well one night we (Karen, Connie, Joshua, and I) all (my brothers and sisters and their families) went out to a bar to karaoke. It was horrible almost everyone was drunk one fellow exposed himself on stage while singing. While sitting there the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said, “what are you doing here? Last week you were leading 10s of 1000s in the ways of holiness and now you are in a bar.” I shook myself and said to Karen let us get the kids we are leaving. The owner apologized and offered to give us our drinks for free. Well I apologized to God and my immediate family) My brother and sisters got mad at me for leaving, but that was okay I would rather have my brother and sisters mad at me than God. I became a greater offence to them, but it was not I but the cross of Christ. Make no mistake our stance for God will be a great offence to those in our families who are not walking with the Lord. “As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” (Romans 9:33) Be not dismayed, but keep looking at Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. We will suffer persecution (especially from our family) if we do not we probably have compromised the truth and the work Jesus did on the cross is of no effect in all of our lives. Paul did not compromise the truth over the issue of circumcision with the folks at the Church in Galatians, keeping God and His words above all things and they were won for Christ. “And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.” (Galatians 5:11) So too when we stand for the truth in the word of God (the Bible) we too will win our family and others for Christ or let them know what is true and acceptable to God.
In both passages of Luke 14:27 and Matthew 10:38 ends with the admonishment to take up our cross and follow Him, if not we cannot be a disciple and we are unworthy of Him. I am reminded of the words of my good friend Jake Luffy who tells the story of a service he was in and the pastor made the statement we was trying to lead the people in worship with his guitar. Later Jake told the pastor he was using the wrong instrument, it is the cross that is the instrument to lead the church (the people) into worship not a guitar, piano, or any other musical instrument. Jesus said take up your cross and follow me. Not too many Christians want to take up or even identify with the cross, the cross is an instrument of death and shame. But, at the same measure we take up our cross (and endure the shame) to lose our life on at that same measure we will experience the life of God. To live in God we first must die to our self-life and our selfish ways. Jesus told the disciples and us today, “The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. 24Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 25He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.” (John 12:23-25) We will never live in God as He desires unless we allow God to strengthen us enough in the inward man so we can die.
When we line up with God’s words and His statues for our lives things just work out for our best. Now make no mistake tribulation, pain and sorrow is ahead, but at the end (if we can make it) the understanding of God awaits. When we place God above all in our heart and lives things in God just seem to work out. When we think of our church in Stuttgart, Germany one of the many victories we remember is the story of Eritrea and her dad Kahsay. One Sunday after I taught the word I felt led to give an alter call. Now this was strange because I usually do not give alter calls. Well a very beautiful young lady named Eritrea from the country of Eritrea came forward to accept Jesus Christ as her savior, even to this day I remember the words I used to share God’s plan of salvation. To be honest no words were needed as she came forward she busted out into huge crocodile tears that quickly went into heavy sobbing and repenting, totally devastated. Do you know why there is not much commitment and dedication in the church today? There are few people who have really been converted to Christ. Unless we are devastated to what sin has wrought in our lives and every relationship we enter into we will mouth an empty sinners prayer and go back to our seat lost. A Ghanaian fellow named David brought her to church. David met her on the streets of Stuttgart where she was working as a prostitute, European men love African women. When her father, who named her Eritrea after their country, heard of her prostitution he had embarrassed and thought he has not only lost his daughter, but lost his country also. But this is where the love of God and His grace come into the picture. Day by day and week by week Eritrea slowly got out of the prostitution business and before her father’s eyes began to change. Well her change was so remarkable he said he had to come to the church to where he got back not only his country, but his daughter. Kahsay kept coming back to church until he too came forward to have God change his life too. What a wonderful story, what a great work of God. When we left Germany their entire family and extended family was serving God. God was true to His word and Eritrea was willing to put God above all in her life. She was willing to put God above all of the shame and disappointment of cleaning and making salads working for peanuts in German restaurants instead of the wealthy life of prostitution. Above all of the hurts and pains of the past Eritrea was willing to take the chance she would not be received by her family (which is a really big deal to Africans) and place God above all in her life.
Written by David Stahl
THOUGHTS FROM KAREN:
Jesus’ Harvest
The Bible says, “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” (Matthew 9:38) So who is the harvest? If we look at the scripture previous to the above scripture this tells us who they are: “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted (were weary), and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, the harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few…” (Matthew 9: 36-37) How many times have we blasted through those scriptures and wondered “what harvest?” The answer is; those that are ready to faint, those who have no shepherd, those that are scattered abroad. So what are we to pray for? Back in Numbers 27, Moses prayed for the same thing. “And Moses spake unto the Lord, saying, Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd.” (Numbers 27:15-17) Folks, there’s a lot of sheep out there; some unfortunately don’t think they are sheep. It’s up to us to point them to the one and only good shepherd – Jesus. He is the one who is supposed to be leading us all, if we profess to be Christians. Is Jesus Lord of our life? Are we following Him and His ways? Or are we too busy to follow Jesus? Jesus said “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29) You know we can get so wrapped up “doing things for the Lord” that we completely miss following the Lord ourselves. We’re disobedient. We’re doing all this “church work,” but if God wants us to deal with something in our life we completely ignore Him. God says “ye shall be holy; for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44) as well as in 1 Peter 1:16. Guess what He meant it! Holiness is a way of life that affects character and is evident in the way we handle life’s difficulties, working for God will never change our character. We are to be holy on the inside and outside. And how do we do that? By allowing God to show us those areas that are lacking or need dealt with in our lives. We haven’t arrived, we like to think we’re okay, but God knows otherwise doesn’t He? He sees our motives and knows our thoughts. This all comes back to the Lord of the harvest. Are we truly following the Lord? Are we truly following that still small voice? Are we more worried about our own harvest, our own sowing and reaping? I think so. If we are to sow and reap anything let it be righteousness, holiness, and obedience to our Lord. For one day He will gather us all unto Himself, we will be His harvest. Let us make ourselves ready for the Lord of the Harvest.
Written by Karen Stahl
NEEDS NO WANTS:
- In Silistra, Bulgaria Pastor(s) Niki Marsov and Emil Nedelchev. Included now are missionaries from Romania Nicu and Elena. Times are troubled in Bulgaria much prayer and support is needed.
- 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.
- In Suceava, Romania Pastors Nicu and Pastor Marcel at St. Andrews Church. They are still standing by God’s grace.
- Pastor Joseph Mutua in Nairobi, Kenya needs your prayer and financial support.
- Pastor Mike Olufemi in Aveile, Nigeria. He needs our prayers and support to be a light in great darkness.
- Pastor S. J. Peter, Founder of DAWN Ministries in Hyderabad and Pastor Wilson and his son Pastor Julian in Sankaraguptham, India.
- Pastor Metin Mintaz, Dan, and the members of Uskudar Son Buyruk Kilisesi in Istanbul, Turkey.
- Pastor Elieti Msangi in Dar Es Salaam and Pastors Isreal Mutaitina and John Balone in Bukoba, Tanzania.
- Monthly financial support for Vivian’s Maternity and Child Care Clinic project in Aviele, Nigeria.
- Pastor Tek Dahl at Gethsemane, Church (his church) and their radio station “Good News 105.1 FM” in Kathmandu, Nepal.
- Bishop John, Samuel Kamanzi (from the Congo), and, Emmanuel Ndolimana in Ruhengeli, Rwanda.
FUTURE SCHEDULE:
February: Local ministry
March: Local ministry
April: 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.
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.
