Waiting on God the LORD’S Visits
November 2021 • Volume XX Number 03
”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:
ARTICLE REVIEW:
Greetings again my Brethren. As they say time marches on and so true in our lives. Before long 2021 will slip away from before our eyes and the only thing we will have to show for 2021 in eternity will only be the things we allow God to do in us. I am amazed at how hard some people work to build an earthly kingdom, but never really work on their relationship with the LORD. My friend did you know in eternity we will be known not by all of the good works we did for the LORD, but for our relationship with Him. Our relationship with Him will be the basis our rewards will be handed out not what was done, but how it was done. How we do things is always more important then what we do. In Luke Jesus told the disciples, “Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.” (Luke 8:18) Unless we plug up our ears tightly we will never be able to “take heed to how ye hear.” But what Jesus was saying do we hear things with a soft and pliable heart, with a heart for good intentions? Or do we hear things wanting only bad to come to people and their situation? If so then, “from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.” My friend our relationship with the LORD is a big deal to God, but I do hear a lot of people talking about spending time with Him. The world and all those things in the world seems to crowd out the LORD I guess they think in spite of not having a relationship with Him now things will suddenly change in eternity. Okay let us get back to the LORD’s visits. This month let us look at the word “manifest” in John 14:21 which is translated show, exhibit, reveal, or disclose. It is so strong that it implies almost a physical manifestation perceivable by our human senses. We have to take a few verses before to stay in the context of what Jesus was saying or we will get off track. Jesus talking to the disciples about the coming of the precious Holy Spirit. “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. 21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” (John 14:18-21) There is a ton of spiritual truth here if one has the spiritual understanding to read past the words. Here Jesus says, “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” But wait a minute Jesus left us right? In John 14:1 Jesus said he was going away to prepare a place for us. But in Matthew 28:20, Jesus said “Lo I am with you always, even to the end of the world.” Well which one is it? Did Jesus go away or did He keep His word in Matthew 28:20? Well it is both at the same time. Jesus did leave (Acts 1:9-11) so He can come back as the Bible tells us, but He really never left us. Let me share a story with you. When our kids were growing up I use to take our two older boys Dave and Dan to the park and would push them on the swings. What joy they felt! I would get behind them and push Dave then Dan, push Dave then Dan, push Dave then Dan high up in the air they went such shrieks of joy you should have seen their faces, they would say dad really loves us. The swings were by a big tree and at a certain point I would jump behind the tree and not push them, well suddenly they realized no one is pushing and they were getting slower and slower, realizing dad is gone, oh you should have seen their faces then big tears, wailing crying dad does not love us! You know what I am talking about. Like when we think God has forgotten and He does not love us. You know when He does all of the pushing in our lives and He seems to disappear, don’t we get a pouty face and even cry? But, then suddenly I would jump from behind the tree and shout Dave Dan! And start pushing them again and all would be well with their little world. Now I ask you, did I leave them? No I was right there with them every second they just could not see me. Well, it was the same with Jesus He did not go anywhere we just cannot see Him, but He is right here with us. He promsied “I am with you always” and He means it. In verse 21 this point is even made clearer, “he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” Do you see the condition for Jesus to visit us, to reveal, to disclose, to exhibit, or to show Himself (even though He is in Heaven right now)? “He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest myself to him.” Yes the Holy Spirit is here on earth what a wonderful Helper and Comforter, but according to this verse Jesus Himself will come for a visit.
Next month we will begin to look at more diverse attitudes towards the Lord’s visit. Do you see Him draw near? Please know God is near to them who are near to Him. Do you feel His presence? Do you see His hand in your life? He is waiting on us to make our first move. Written by David Stahl
Reckless Abandonment
Some people say (and I strongly agree) we are not really ready to live unless we are ready to die. Did you know losing our life is the heart of Christianity if we desire to become what God wants us to become? In the Gospel of John we read, “Verily, verily (a double imperative or there is no other way),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. 25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. (John 12:24-25) Do you know how much faith we need? Just enough to believe God too can raise us from the dead as He did Jesus. The condition for fruitfulness in God is not activity and good works, but separation and death. And please notice losing comes first then we have “life eternal” which is not living forever, but knowing God. Again John helps us here. Jesus tells us what “life eternal” is, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3) We often get things mixed up like with the Kingdom of God, which is righteousness, peace, and joy (Romans 14:17) It is not a place, it is within us, in the Holy Spirit and the Kingdom of Heaven which is an abode for God and us someday. To be able to abide with God someday and enter the Kingdom of God (which we must do first) we must be “all in” totally sold out to what God wants for our lives. We must totally abandon all (all of our dreams, wants, ambitions, intentions, etc.) to really walk with God in the way He wants and needs us to walk with Him. It is strangely odd how I know this yet I resist this, but the more we are alive to what we desire and want for our lives the more troubles we will experience in allowing God to bring the things in His heart out into the light of our lives. The LORD ever seeks to change us as He desires to bring us into a cooperative relationship with Himself and into the outworking of His higher Kingdom purposes. Before we can go with Him, we must first come to Him. Therefore, the LORD waits for us to reach out toward Him and invite Him to come within and the place within is achieved by a reckless abandonment where we see nothing of our self and can totally trust on God’s goodness and mercy. Each day we should come into a set apart place to worship Jesus with a thankful heart acknowledge His goodness concerning us. We should come into the LORD’s presence in an attitude of submissive dependence as being a branch that is attached to the “true vine” as we give expression of audible worship and as we partake of communion and fellowship with Him. As we faithfully do this, day after day, an impartation of our willingness towards obedience will slowly develop in us so we can live and walk ever increasingly closer to Jesus and ever the more give our life away so that we may be able to take on His life. It is essential that each day we set apart time to be in His presence. Our assembling and fellowshipping one with another should not be neglected, however, this should never become a substitute for our devotional times alone with the LORD. The more we spend time with the LORD the more we will develop a reckless abandonment. Total abandonment will throw caution to the wind to save our soul and flesh, we put our lives totally in the hands of God. Funny how we do all we can do to save our self and God is trying His best to kill it. Like Queen Esther when she said, ” . . .if I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:16) This is a statement of reckless abandonment and of true faith in God knowing He knows best for her and no matter what comes her way she will be content with whatsoever the LORD brings her way. A special Christian friend I was in the Navy with Val Castillo (Private in the Lord’s Army) and I were talking with my Bible Teacher Charles Haun at a Macaroni Grill (Charles favorite restaurant) one night. At the time Charles had cancer and was being treated for it. Val turned to Charles and asked, “have you prayed for God to heal you of this cancer?” Now I know millions of people prayed that God would heal Charles of his cancer. I prayed again and again for God to heal Charles of his cancer, but Charles looked at Val (in a way that only Charles could look) and said no, I am willing to endure whatsoever God brings my way. I shuddered in my shoes, what faith in God. Another example of reckless abandonment that is often over looked (because we call, not God calls the entire 11th Chapter of Hebrews the “Hall of Faith”) is the end of Hebrews. We read, “Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea ,more over of bonds and imprisonment:37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.” (Hebrews 11:33-38) I am not sure if these verses are from past experience or will be what Christians in the future have to endure. At any rate it will take total faith in God and a total abandonment to God’s mercies and care for someone to overcome in this time. So also today there are those who are searching for something more, who likewise are being called apart to be alone with the LORD in order to receive from Him. Therefore it is very important that we respond when the LORD knocks on the door of our heart. Each one of us should come to the place in which we also can make this statement, “I am the voice of one who is crying in the wilderness of our day.” There is an urgent need for this voice to cry out in the midst of the spiritual confusion, frustrations, and accelerating dangers in our day for us to totally abandon ourselves to God, but today there is a misplaced emphasis on methodology, which instead, should be placed upon divine revelation, guidance, and enabling grace. Therefore, the need is not on more flesh or more methodology, but rather a turning aside to stand in the presence of the LORD to be prepared to become the voice of one crying in the wilderness of our day. Toward the end of his life (I believe it was) A. W. Tozer was asked what he would do if he had his life to live over again. He said in response, he had spent seven years in preparation for forty-five years of ministry. Instead he would spend forty-five years in preparation for seven years of ministry. The LORD is seeking to bring us to the end of our abilities so we can tap into His ability. This requires that we recognize His presence and turn aside to stand before Him. Only then will we be enabled to become the expression of His voice and heart to a lost and dying world. Today we sing songs about being free, freedom in God is the drive, the drum beat for personal fulfillment in Him, looking for their destiny, but sadly most Christians never come to that place of freedom because it is only found in the restrictions and limitations of God. As the horse must endure restrictions of the bridle and limitations of the saddle to be useful we must endure God’s limitations and restrictions if not we will not be able to minister the life of God. My friend it is our total abandonment to God of all of our earthly and heavenly resources that will enable us to be free enough to fall into the ground and die so that we can “bring forth much fruit” a very painful death indeed.
Written by David Stahl
THOUGHTS FROM KAREN:
Narrow is The Way
Jesus in His sermon on the mount said, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait (Strong’s #4728, narrow from obstacles close about) is the gate, and narrow (Strong’s #2346, to crowd, afflict, narrow, throng, suffer tribulation, trouble) is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” (Matthew 7: 13-14) We live in a period of what I call extreme grace, which is rapidly coming to a close. The grace which GOD so generously bestows on the earth now does not mean we can live anyhow, or believe anything. As John Hagee once said, “Grace gives you the opportunity to repent, not the opportunity to sin.” People that believe that they can be saved by the blood of Jesus and live as they please are in for a rude awakening. These same people have fallen for the lie that it’s ok Jesus loves you, once saved always saved–no matter what you do. This drivel is dished out by “hirelings” and “ravening wolves” and NOT I repeat NOT real men of GOD. People have fallen for these lies because: 1) it appeals to their flesh, 2) they don’t or won’t read their Bible. And 3) they do not want to change. “Broad is the way” the world’s way, the worlds system, and the religious way leads to destruction. If you read the Old Testament when GOD brought the Children of Israel to the promised land (more often than not) HE had them kill every person that stood in their way, those that submitted were kept as slaves and lived, those that challenged Israel got slaughtered. And one of the reasons they were slaughtered was because GOD knew they would turn the hearts of the children of Israel and influence them to indulge in their pagan ways and worship their pagan gods (see Joshua 23:8-13) In both lives, the pull of the world is stronger than the pull of GOD, but The salvation of GOD once gotten and daily walked in is stronger than the world. God wanted to set Israel apart for Himself, a holy nation, a kingdom of priests. He wanted them to stay on the straight and narrow. Unfortunately, we know how that worked out for them. Under this current period of grace GOD has granted us gentiles a seat at the table, HIS table so to speak, IF we believe in the blood of Jesus which cleanses us from ALL unrighteousness, and IF we follow and IF we obey. We absolutely cannot live anyhow. The Bible says, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing: and I will receive you.” (2 Corinthians 6:17). GOD means it! We are to separate ourselves like the Jews were supposed separate themselves in the Old Testament, we are to separate ourselves, and yes that may mean the church you’re comfortable in. Now listen closely, if your church DOES NOT line up with the word of GOD get your butt out of there they are a false religion. You may have to separate from your family, civic, or “secret” organizations that supposedly do good works (mostly as a cover), clubs and anything else that GOD is calling you and HIS people out of. Dave always says “if the world is running after something GOD is not.” Take heed! Oh GOD won’t force you out, oh no, GOD is a gentleman HE will not use force He gives us our desires. Believe it or NOT He will let you go on in your desires, in your own stubborn, pernicious way all the way to hell. God says it is not my desire, but if you want to send yourself to hell go right ahead, if you’re that hard-headed to turn your back on Me and the sacrifice of My Son take your leave. GOD is after the ones that are sold out to HIM and will forsake ALL to have HIM those who realize it is a NARROW path to GOD. GOD is after the ones that will take the narrow way and follow Him. Folks I can’t stress this enough, prayerfully read your Bible, read it cover to cover not just the promises (most of which were to the Jews, in the Old Testament, or the four Gospels mainly written to the Jews) read it cover to cover, we are held accountable to what is in the Bible. Don’t allow the crazy ungodly rituals, man-made religious traditions, or denominational drivel that we ascribe to that does NOT line up with the word of GOD lead you astray! Just because you like it and it feels comfortable doesn’t mean it’s right and it certainly doesn’t mean it’s from GOD! Read your Bible! Don’t worry about the political and world affairs that the lame stream news bombards us with daily. Narrow is the way! Read the Bible and get on the straight and narrow path, this age of grace will not last forever.
Written by Karen Stahl
NEEDS NO WANTS:
- In Dobrich, Bulgaria Pastor Niki Marsov and in SilistraPastor(s) Yanko, Marcho, and Emil. Times are troubled in Bulgaria much prayer and support is needed.
- Constanta, Romania Pastors Luke and Jacob at Bethel Church and Ian at the Romanian Center for Cross-cultural Studies Bible School.
- In Suceava, Romania Pastors Nicu 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.
- Dan, Cathy, and 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.
NEXT HOME GROUP MEETING:
16 November 21 at 7:00 pm
At 232 Everett Drive
Sneads Ferry, NC 28460
7:00 pm please RSVP
Guest Speaker will be Dustin Peters
Home: (910) 741-0489
FUTURE SCHEDULE:
November: Local Ministry
December: Local Ministry
January: Local Ministry
Email: charliegolfone@outlook.com
ROCK FELLOWSHIP ON THE RADIO:
On WJCV Jacksonville, NC
1290 AM or 98.3 FM
Every Sunday morning at 9:00 am
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:
dstahl@beholdinghisglory.com
Website:
www.www.beholdinghisglory.com/
Blog:
http://bhisglory.blogspot.com/
NEW OFFER
Booklets on Spiritual Authority, Spiritual Leadership, Prayer, Body of Christ, and Righteous Living the Four Anchors of God are now available by contacting us and requesting one. You can see them on our home page. Get one now.
The Author House 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.
