Deeper Truths for Hungry Hearts
March 2016 • Volume XIV Number 07
“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. Let us continue this month looking at how God raised up a “nobody” to be used greatly in His service. Remember God never calls the qualified, He qualifies (or approves) the ones He calls. This month we will look at two more objections Moses (as we do also) raised that God replied to. The first objection is lack of credentials. In other words Moses was not from the right side of the tracks . We lack the political and financial connections and influence to help God out. You know God needs our help (and He does to a certain degree) to make things happen. It is not about talent or ability it is about pedigree. Well Moses lost his palace pedigree when he identified with his earthly family, but at the same time his heavenly pedigree was established. For this to happen we must be willing to throw our earthly life away to win the life of Christ. We see this truth play out in the 4th Chapter of Exodus. The Bible says, “And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee. 2And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. 3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. 4And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:” (Exodus 4:1-4) Now I do not know about you my friend, but to reach out and take a snake (not knowing if it is poisonous or not) by the tail is a foolish if not stupid thing to do, but God was after something more from Moses. I have heard message after message taught on these verses that focus on the miracle of the rod to snake then back to the rod, but that was not really the miracle transformation. It was Moses not the snake. When Moses grabs the snake his hand makes a base for which the snake can secure himself and strike Moses knew this. Moses moved in obedience to God at the risk of his own life. My friend we must put it all on the line as Moses did. And what was Moses’ reward? The “Rod of God” the symbol of Moses’ spiritual authority on earth. he used this rod to part the red sea, cause water to come from a rock (twice), and even placed it in the Ark of the Covenant. Moses choose to lose his life so that He could find the life God had for him. So too in our lives. Jesus said, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matthew 16:25) greatness in God has nothing to do with pedigree or greatness, but are we willing to lose our life so that we can find it in Christ. The last area we will look at in being a “nobody” is the lack of eloquence. Back in Exodus we read,
“And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
11 And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?
12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.” (Exodus 4:10-12) We see today on Christian TV and some churches the eloquent and affluent speakers strutting “their stuff” across the stage dressed in $1,000 suits and alligator shoes shaking their fist in the air as their diamond rings and Rolex watches glisten in the stage lights. And what a message, delivered with all of the tricks and ploys to get our emotions involved. Smoke and the light show fills the stage as the strobe light rolls across the congregation. Sadly is what you see in many churches. Well dressed, well spoken, well cultured men and women able to look good for the camera. Funny John the Baptist wore a coat of animal skins not what the eloquent of his day would wear. He was not well spoken, but direct and to the point. Yet God used him in spite of his lack of culture and status in the community. Moses said I am not an eloquent man, but God said I will have nothing to do with that. God replied to Moses, “And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? Wow what a rebuke. You know a good rebuke will carry us a lot further in God than a good blessing? It was like when Moses asked who God was and He replied tell them “I AM THAT I AM.” Well here God reminds Moses He is the One who can make man: talk or not talk, see or not see, hear or not hear, He the LORD God does it all and if Moses needs something He will make it happen for Moses. Did you know God does not love Moses more than He does us? Please notice God’s statement in verse 12, “I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.” The same promise God gave to the disciples and us. “And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: 12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.” (Luke 12:11-12) It need not depend on our eloquence, pedigree, speaking ability, or intelligence, but on our ability to learn what the LORD wants to teach us.
Next month we will look at how God trained Moses for instantaneous, unquestioning obedience. What is in our heart to object to when God calls. Listen closely my friend do you hear Him call now?
Written David Stahl
ARTICLE REVIEW:
To the Very End
The longer we walk with the Lord the more we will see our end coming into view and we will be able to see the end God has purposed and planned for our lives. Oddly enough these ends seem to be on two separate time lines, but we also have learned for us to be able to come to the end God has planned for us we must continue in Him to the very end. The end place God has purposed for our lives is a place of victory God always intends for us to come into victory, but whether we do or not depends not on God (it is His intention), but on our being able to be obedient to His words to us and move correctly in them. Victory is always the end God has for our lives. Funny how the death of my father has changed some priorities and some thinking in my life, but what has not changed was the truth of having to continue to the very end. Funny how my mortality and the end of my life is more before me as well as the end God has for me. Death is the ultimate equalizer it levels the playing field for us all. This end is spoken about all through the Scriptures; from the very beginning when the “foundations of the world” was laid to the ends of the age and world.
In Romans Paul asks, “Who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor?” All of that which has been and will be is first in God. In Him is an eternal purpose known only to Him and to those with whom He will share His heart. He has chosen man to be a partaker of that purpose, so much so that it is His very delight. Even in the beginning, God had in His heart a most blessed end for man. Paul’s words to the Ephesians say it so well: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved: in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: that in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3-12) The outpouring of the Spirit had to come through man to man. Just as Adam was the channel for death to enter into the world, so too the Lord Jesus was the means by which the Spirit of God would be poured out upon man. Before the Son’s obedience, those who obeyed the Spirit of God would be the channel for God’s Spirit to touch others. But that effect was limited in its scope. But when the Lord fully obeyed His Father, the Spirit was given to Him without measure. The effect of His obedience is both universal and eternal. Now, through the Son, man can be a partaker of the glory of God’s riches and grace. The question then becomes, “To what extent do we want to partake of those riches?” Will we avail ourselves to God’s will or will we frustrate the grace of God? By faith, we allow God to work in us “according to the good pleasure of His will.” God’s work is being accomplished according to the “counsel of His own will.” On the individual level, our predestination, justification, call, and glorification fit into a purpose far beyond what we can imagine. It is as vast as God Himself is. And despite how high and glorious God is, His love and grace overflow us daily, with the intent of having us be “holy and without blame before Him in love.” It is this promise given to us, working in us, and working out from us, that causes us to be “to the praise of His glory.” The same selfless love with which He has loved us is now given back to Him by the effectual working of His power in the saint. “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:17-19) When the Lord first comes to us, He finds in us a fear of Him, His holiness, and rightly so. We fear Him because He is a threat to all that is related to our self-life. However, His love works to cast out that fear and to cause us to stand before Him. He comes with a heart full of expectations for us, expectations of which we are not aware. So with loving kindness and everlasting love, He assures us, “I know the thoughts I think toward you, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an end and an expectation.” (Jeremiah 29:11) This end has been in Him since the beginning. His love is abounding toward us in the midst of our difficulties, weaknesses, temptations, and trials. As He comes to us, He knows the thoughts that He is thinking toward us. He has sealed us with His Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest, or the evidence, which will keep us in Him until we receive the promise. That promise contains a command, a charge, and a direction to walk in a particular way that would bring us to God’s intended end for us. That end is to be partakers of the divine nature. “Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.” (1 Timothy 1:5) and “And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: to the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.” (1 Thessalonians 3:12-13) The word “end” is the point aimed at. God has a mark in mind for us to obtain. The command of God is contained in His Spirit and in His promise. It is contained in the love wherewith He has loved us. The Lord speaks, “This is my commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you.” His words are full of grace and truth, and that grace will be that which enables us to fulfill the command. He gives to us the command which He himself has fulfilled. He is a doer of the word. He did not just love us in word only but in deed and in truth. “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:14-17) Paul was constrained by the love of Christ to live the way he did and to enable him to abound unto others. This love of Christ is the love of God out from which God abounds to us through the Son. Paul declares, “From henceforth (from now and forever) know we no man after the flesh.” No longer will I live my life to pursue my own desires, but I will follow the leading of the Spirit who will take the things of Jesus and show them unto me. No longer will I know a Christ of tradition, or of imagination, or of the deceit of my own heart, but I will know the true God and His true Christ by revelation. We are to follow the leading of the Spirit and in so doing we will leave the old things of our earthly nature, with all its affections, behind. We will walk into ever greater light and see things as they truly are. All things are becoming new to us because we are discovering all of the treasures of the wisdom and knowledge of God. The old things become more distant to us and their draw upon us becomes ever weaker. Instead, we are caught up with the mark for the prize of the high calling of God that is in Christ Jesus. When we so walk, God’s abounding toward us is then put into us. Our cup overflows. That is to say God is blessing me above my ability to contain it all. Being so blessed, we are able to bless others out from the abundance of God in us. We give back to Him that selfless love which He first gave to us. That is why the trial of our faith is so precious. Our cheerful endurance in these trials, our offering up our moments of difficulties, our light affliction, becomes the sacrifice of praise which we bring into the house of the Lord. It is given to us to suffer on His behalf. How different those moments of suffering will appear as we stand before Him than they do here and now when we are in them. Those moments given to Him will “be found unto honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” They will testify of our love for Him, and they will be the basis upon which He honors us. May we be patient in tribulation and strong in faith giving glory to God. “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:7-9) As I said, the end has a beginning. The beginning comes to us in the form of the word of the Lord to us individually. He has given us days and circumstances in which we can choose to glorify Him out from our hearts. Our love for the Lord is declared with each act of obedience and with each step we take in the will of God for our lives. Those steps, when taken in the will of God, will lead us through difficulties, darkness, opposition, and the overcoming of our own weaknesses. They will bring us unto the fulfillment of God’s purpose in our lives. That end is to be conformed to His image. He alone knows that image and the work needed in our lives for us to be conformed to it. “Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy” (James 5:11). Paul tells us that we should be “to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ.” When His work is completed in us we will carry His glory and that glory will reflect back to Him and His work. When His work is completed in us, we will be at the end of the thoughts God has for us and as we walk in His way God will be able to bring us to the very end of our lives in victory. Take heart my friend the end is just around the bend in the road.
Written by David Stahl
THOUGHTS FROM KAREN:
Mind Your Heart
Garbage in garbage out a short trite truism which one could use to encourage one’s fellow Christian to take heed to what is in our heart. All that we see, all that we hear, and all that we surround our self with trickles down into our heart. If our heart is filled with worldly nonsense then how can it be filled with GOD’s spirit? How can we hear GOD when we listen to worldly music, worldly radio programs, and watch all the crap on TV? We are swayed by the outward trappings of people, their speech, their mannerisms, their celebrity status, but what of their heart condition? Now before you say we are not to judge……. “Judge not, that ye be not judged” (Matthew 7:1) please read on, “first cast out the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:5). The losing quarterback from the recent super bowl pouted and acted like a sore loser after his team lost the super bowl. Weeks earlier he was riding high, cocky acting like he was king of the world. Bad times, tough times, losing whatever, sickness you name it, these things will show us what’s really in our heart. Which is very important to GOD. King David (he was a real king!) wanted to build the Lord a temple. “Now it was in the heart of David to build an house for the name of the Lord GOD of Israel. But the Lord said to David my father forasmuch as it was in thine heart to build an house for my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart.” 2 Chronicles 6: 7- 8). Matters of the heart are very important to GOD which is why we need to clean up our act and get rid of those things that GOD brings to our attention. GOD shows us our heart so we can agree with Him and say, “yes Lord I am selfish, I am a liar, I am racist, I am a thief, I am a coward, I am disobedient, I am disrespectful” . . . well just fill in the blanks. With His help we can overcome those problem areas and become more like Jesus. You know most of what happens to us in life is to show us what is in OUR heart. We will blame everyone else, society, our spouse, the devil, the neighbors, the world, etc. and really it’s just us and our cussed attitude and wretched heart condition. Brethren our heart condition is big stuff to the Lord. “For the Lord seeth not as man seeth, for a man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7). It’s easy to be on top of the world when things are going our way like our quarterback example above. But if you looked at what we would consider the small things in his life, integrity is more important than talent. After the Super Bowl loss he said something to the effect that a good loser is still a loser only reflects his true inward heart condition no matter all of the good outward things he did. If we can be happy and pleasant with a song in our heart to GOD when we’re in the midst of illness, death in the family, no job, or any other adverse situation then brother you’ve got something! Let us mind our heart. And as my Grandfather would say, “Read your Bible.”
Written by Karen Stahl
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.
12. Money for an industrial strength potato peeler at the Mission School in Romania.
Next Home Group Meeting:
Our next Home Group Meeting will be TUESDAY 22 March 2016
232 Everett Drive
Sneads Ferry, NC 28460
7:00 pm please RSVP
Home: (910) 741-0489
FUTURE SCHEDULE:
March: Local Ministry
April: Local Ministry
May: 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.
