Deeper Truths for Hungry Hearts
December 2014 • Volume XIII 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 we ended up talking about how a pat on the back from God ought to be enough for us, but sadly that is not the case (in include myself in this group at times) in most Christians lives. God will never forsake His people who are those people who have not forsaken God. Did you know God will go far beyond our understanding to provide for our need? All throughout the Bible God has called upon unlikely sources (we must come to really believe this) to provide provision for His children. In 1 Kings we read such provision. “And the word of the LORD came unto him (him being Elijah), saying, 9Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee. 10So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.” (1 Kings 17:9-10) Who would of thought God would use a widow woman on her death bed. How strange of God. Well, one thing I am continuing to learn God is in the strange things. In these times it is best to keep our mouth shut and do(no matter who is doing the telling) what we are told. God used a widow woman to save the life of Elijah, the widow woman, and her son. Many lived because of obedience and it was strange obedience at that. Make no mistake God will use unlikely source to sustain our life if we have eyes to see and ears to hear. Now God does not always pull His magic wand out and do a miracle for us, oh no sometimes God expects us to minister to the poor and the rich (sinners and saints alike) of our substance. God gives us things not to heap them unto ourselves, but so we may be able to give things away. Giving is at the heart of the Gospel, for God so loved the world He gave. If God cannot make you a giver then He cannot use you. The ungodly shame of “giving to get” I believe is a sin before God. We give so that other may be able to receive. There is a parallel we find when Jesus did something for someone they then in turn give of themselves. In Luke we find this in action. “And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him, 2And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, 3And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.” (Luke 8:1-3) Now it says, “many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.” This is God model. Jesus ministered to them and in turn they ministered back to Jesus and others. They did not minister unto Jesus of Jesus’ substance, but of their own substance. Again God gives to us so we can give back to Him and others. Lastly remuneration (a good ole pat on the back, maybe taking a salary from the church, other monetary benefits, and etc.) should never be a condition for ministry. It is not what we do for God that counts, but how we do it. God is not watching to see what we do, but He is watching to see how we do things for Him and others. I shared this thought with a pastor’s wife in Kenya and she jumped up out of the chair with a big smile on her face and said now I understand how I can compete with “the big ministers” of God. She thought she was in competition (like in a performance based religion) with others for God’s favour, but in reality we can do nothing to win God’s favour. Let me tell my friend those who have their names up in lights and on TV are not God’s superstars. In 1 Corinthians Paul addressed this thinking, “For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! 17For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. 18What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.” (1 Corinthians 9:16-18) Did you get that? “What is my reward then?” Paul then answers his own question, “I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.” In other words, I will give Christ no bill for my services so that I will not abuse the power of the Gospel. Now Paul could have given Christ quite a bill, “Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. 24Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 25Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.” (2 Corinthians 11:23-27) Jesus asked the disciples, “When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.” (Luke 22:35) I think this is the question Jesus is asking us, “lack ye any thing? The disciples said “Nothing,” but what are we saying.
Next month we will start a new section looking at “Principle of Service” by looking at harmony with our fellow workers and singleness of purpose. Can you hear Him now? Written David Stahl
ARTICLE REVIEW:
Laying Our Life Down
One of the greatest needs in our lives to be able to understand the words of Jesus is for us to allow God to bring the Gospel message down to our heart and lives. Now this my friend is not an easy thing to do. We in ourselves are full of ourselves and think of ourselves much better than what we really are. Paul encourages us, “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” (Romans 12:3) yet we do. The world’s system of life has a steady campaign of self-exalting and self-flattering to keep our self puffed up and strong. Sadly many denominational churches have copied the world in this area, trying to look like the world hoping those in world will come to church, well this never works. What really happens is the church becomes like the world enjoying all of its sensual emotional pleasures and ends up falling away from God. I have seen this over the course of my life in churches and know it will only get worse unless we wake up and turn back to a conservative, Bible based, worshipping God in both Spirit and truth approach to God. And for us to be able to do this we must first see the need and then be willing to lay our life down for something and someone much bigger than ourselves. Now this is God’s intention for our lives, make no mistake. We see this all throughout the Bible and we see this approach in the life of Jesus. The height of Christ’s ministry was fulfilled not when He fed crowds of 5,000 and 4,000 people or when He healed the sick and lame, but when He willfully laid down His life for us. So too this must be the height of our ministry and life. To work this spiritual principle into our lives God uses some strange math principles. The first is we gain in God by what we can lose. God’s arithmetic is not the same as man’s. God adds to us while subtracting. The more we can allow God to subtract our selfishness, self-seeking, love for our self-life (oh me!) the more God can add to us His goods. At the same measure we allow God to subtract things from us at that same measure (no more no less) God is able to add to us. You see His subtracting in us makes room in our heart to receive from Him. There is only so much room in our heart and either it is filled with the things of the world and our self or the things of Christ. I was talking to a friend just the other day who said, “Jesus died for our selfishness” well this is true, only if we come along side God in His yoke and allow Him to work in our lives changing us into the image (icon) of His precious Son Jesus Christ, God’s goal in our lives. The Bibles says Jesus died for our sin, per say selfishness is not a sin it is like our bad attitudes, wrong motives, and intentions which are a part of our fleshly carnal nature, the nature that is in enmity with God. Paul tells us, “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:5-7) I find it amazing to know some Christians think they can serve God in the flesh (as babes) never growing up in God and hope they make it to heaven. Well, my friend God is the judge (not you or I) on who makes it to heaven, but please know our “entering in” will be based on our heart condition, how and why we did things for Him. I would think God would not reward such a prize as heaven to those who, “are in the flesh cannot please God.” We must allow God to empty us, we must allow the Spirit of God to show us how to mortify the deeds of the flesh, “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” (Romans 8:13-14) Only then can we be, “led by the Spirit of God.” The word “mortify” here describes a Roman punishment where one was chained to a dead body and ultimately the dead body killed the prisoner from disease and decay. We must be willing to hear the words of Jesus like the disciples, “Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.” (Mark 8:34-35) We must do all these things so that we will be able to please Him.
Apparently my friend expects God to get His magic wand out, bonk us on the head, and remove our selfishness without any effort or consequences on our part. Jesus died to restore us back (John 1:29) to fellowship with God, He did not die for our carnal fleshly nature, this is why my friend we must allow God to deal within our heart and lives, but if we do not well I shutter to think what will happen. If not careful ones salvation can be lost, the Bible is full of such examples. Now my friend is holding on to the first precepts of truth in regards to salvation (which we must do in faith) while ignoring the requirement to grow up in the Lord and become mature men and women who can handle the responsibility and authority God grants to only His children who have allowed Him to develop them. In everything God creates growth is a part of the creation process and we are no different. God expects us to grow and come to levels of spiritual maturity and perfection or selflessness as when Jesus said, “Be ye therefore perfect (selfless), even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect (selfless).” (Matthew 5:48) And guess what Jesus meant it. Our salvation experience alone will get us into heaven (and for some that is all they want) but to be used like Jesus, Paul, Peter, and others there is price and cost we must pay. God does not give His power and authority to just anyone. And the price we must pay is for us to allow God to deal and judge in our lives putting our flesh and our carnal nature to death (subtracting) while He strengthens (adds to) us with glory and might in the inward man. As I said, God uses arithmetic to teach us things, like 1+ 0 = 1. Now do not think we are the 1 we are the 0. If we can see ourselves as a 0 then we will be able to go far in God. When we can see of ourselves we have no worth apart from God, no ability apart from God, no hope apart from God then we are in a place mentally and spiritually where God can teach us something. One of the greatest hindrances to our spiritual growth and development is an unteachable spirit. I hear it and I see it all over the world. When I confront someone who thinks they know it all and cannot be taught I set them aside in my mind and thinking to watch. No one owns the truth, but God alone. Truth is always from God’s perspective and always progressive. When one person’s light is a little brighter than another because they have a deeper revelation of a certain truth the lesser brother will attack, vilify, and demonize them in hopes to marginalize them from a circle of friends. I see it all the time; I feel it from acquaintances, friends, and family. To get over such attacks without getting offended we must ignore their words and accusations while knowing we are standing for the truth of God’s word. You know what we know to be true in most cases is true, but there are different degrees and levels of truth. As we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18) what we once held as the truth (which is still the truth) and if we allow God to work in us He will open and expand another dimension, a new wrinkle, a new bit of revelation to our understanding this is how we grow in understanding. For this to happen we must allow God to create a place in us, out from the loss we experience from laying our life down, to house these new bits of revelation. Only when we experience loss in our inward man will we be able to hold these new treasures.
When I think of this process of us laying down our life my mind always goes to my wife Karen. After I retired in 2000, either Karen or I had to get a Federal job so that Connie and Joshua could continue at the American High School on base and so we could continue to shop at the Post Exchange, Commissary, receive our US mail, and all of the other basic military benefits we enjoyed. Since I was traveling in ministry, pastoring a church, and already working two part-time jobs Karen for the first time in 20 years got a job outside the home. One day she was an Officer’s wife and all the prestige that comes with it, the next day she took a very glamorous and highly sought after job working in a dining facility (chow hall) scraping food off of plates, scrubbing (and I mean scrubbing) mountains of pots and pans, floors, and all of the dirty work that comes with working in a chow hall. But God used her there to touch lives. She was known as that kind lady who always said, “have a nice day.” God used Karen to touch the lives of the other co-workers, people who time and life has forgot and passed them by. But most of all Karen laid down her life for her family with each pan she scrubbed, with each plate she cleaned off, with each swing of the mop and swish of the broom, Karen laid down her life so that her family could have the life they were accustomed to. Jesus said, “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:12-13) With her tired muscles, sore back and feet, with each bout of exhaustion Karen was loving her family, Karen was literally laying her physical life down while God was lifting and exalting her spiritual life up. You know God has ways of exalting His children, if we endure the qualifying process. No greater love than this Jesus said. How could I not honor her? How could I not love her.
We are known by our fruits not by our works. It is funny how we today in the church work so hard while God wants to work on us. Paul told us, “For we are his workmanship (beaustella in German), created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10) We must become God’s workmanship so we can manifest the fruit of the Spirit. The only way we can become the work of God is by allowing God to open up our heart and reveal what is really there so we can see our need to become like Him. Many in the Church today do not see their need for God thus they have no power, revelation, or authority. God’s best (glorification) comes to us after we have allowed God to work in us. When Jesus was walking into Jerusalem for the last time, He told the disciples, “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) The more we can fall into the ground and die the more fruitful we can become. The more we can lose our life, the more we can lay down our lives the more we will be able to keep our life eternal.
Written by David Stahl
THOUGHTS FROM KAREN:
Karen will not be adding an article this month.
NEEDS NO WANTS:
1. 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.
2. Constanta, Romania Pastors Luke and Jacob at Bethel Church and George Ritisan at the Romanian Center for Cross-cultural Studies Bible School and the Faru (Lighthouse) Church.
3. In Suceava, Romania Pastors Nicu and Marcel at St. Andrews Church. They are still standing by God’s grace.
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, Dan, Cathy, and 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 for 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.
Next Home Group Meeting:
Our next Home Group Meeting will be TUESDAY 23 December 2014
232 Everett Drive
Sneads Ferry, NC 28460
7:00 pm please RSVP
Home: (910) 741-0489
FUTURE SCHEDULE:
December: Local Ministry
January: India
February: India
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.
