Waiting on God the LORD’S Visits March 2023 • Volume XXI 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. Well, it is another month of God’s new graces. Let us rejoice and be glad in them as the word of God says. This month we will continue to look at another divine communication God uses to show us He is there and He loves us. Nothing is more real to us than facts, and when they are self-evident facts, well how can we dispute them? Yet I know some people do, but usually these people are deceived and know not a Holy God who loves them. Now a self-evident fact is a fact, something we know is true and it is evident or known to us. In Romans Paul was talking with the Church at Rome and said, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:” (Romans 1:18-20) I do not know about you my friend, but these verses give me great pause and cause a face pucker factor of 10 when I read them. Please take another read of these verses, because they tell us no matter what we say or do in life, or no matter when we have lived in this world we shall be judged by God for how we did things (not what we did, but how we did things) and we will have no excuse for our actions and if they (our actions) have not been dealt with by Christ at the cross then we will stand before a Holy God and be found guilty. No, we will not have a chance to stumble and mumble, or soft shoe before a Holy God and make excuses or try to vindicate ourselves, oh no. The Bible says in Revelations 20, “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works” (Revelations 20: 11-12). On this day it will be self-evident that we did wrong and now it is too late. As in our life on earth God makes things in our life self-evident so that we do not find ourselves in a mess standing at the great White Throne. Back in Romans Paul tells us, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made.” Wow, here is another moment to pause and take stock in this verse. My friend I hope you understand what the Holy Spirit is saying here. For even the things that we do not understand (the invisible things) from our creation on earth and even from God’s perspective, (the beginning of time) time eternal we shall be held accountable for our actions and thoughts because we know there is a God and He is a righteous God. I hear many people say, “how can God hold people accountable for their actions who lived, died and have never heard of Jesus Christ and had their sins dealt with.” Well, for these folks, hearing of Jesus Christ and having their sins dealt with is not the issue, but the issue is knowing whether they believed there was God and they were accountable to this God. All, more or less, do what they know to be wrong and omit what they know to be right so that the plea of ignorance cannot be allowed from any. Our Creator’s invisible power and Godhead are so clearly shown in the works he has made that even idolaters and wicked people are left without excuse. They foolishly followed idolatry; and rational creatures changed the worship of the glorious Creator, for that of brutes, reptiles, and senseless images. They wandered from God, till all traces of true religion must have been lost, had not the revelation of the Gospel prevented it. For whatever may be pretended, as to the sufficiency of man’s reason to discover Divine truth and moral obligation or to govern the practice aright, facts cannot be denied. And these plainly show that men have dishonored God by the most absurd idolatries and superstitions; and have degraded themselves by the vilest affections and most abominable deeds.
Chapter one continues and describes the evilness of man’s heart and soul. “And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;” (Roman 1:27-28) Yet even with a “reprobate mind” (not knowing and not wanting to know the difference between good and bad, righteousness and unrighteousness) they were still held accountable. They should have known. And to all people born on earth (that have a knowledge of sin) God has made it self-evident to them, He has hard-wired man to know of their evil and perverse ways and to know they will be held accountable.
Next month we will continue looking at the “Oracles of God” as we continue to look at the Diversity of Divine Communication by looking at a few examples of communication. Do you hear Him draw near? He is speaking to us, but do we have the hearing ears to hear what the LORD is saying to us? Written by David Stahl
ARTICLE FOR REVIEW
No Flesh Shall Glory
Not sure if you all caught the last Olympics, but I did at times. I guess I am not dead yet because at times I found myself cheering for my country against another country (or one person against another) for something as silly as a gold, silver, or bronze medal. In the Olympics from its early years the reward or prize would be a laurel crown and at times would be held over the victor’s head as someone (usually a slave) whispered in their ear all glory is fleeting. How petty and often foolish we can be when striving, training for years, enduring hardships for years, dedicating ourselves to reach a goal or to beat a time while neglecting the things of God. Now I will not say all of the athletes at the Olympics fit this statement, but I would be surprised if more than 1% of all of the athletes really knew God. I seldom heard the word God mentioned, but the Muslims did a good job of this. Now I could be wrong and will be the first to admit it after all “no one knows one’s heart” right well maybe that statement is not true 100% of the time. Jesus tells us, “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.” (Matthew 15:18) (also see Matthew 12:34) In other words whatsoever is in our heart (where are our treasures what we think is really important) is what we talk about. If I want to know what you like or who you like all I have to do is let you talk and you will tell me everything you like to do and who you like and do not like. My old boss at US Europe Command in Stuttgart, Germany showed this spiritual truth every time we sat down and talked shop. We would talk about critical US military issues in the world revolving around Europe, African, the Middle East, and Russia, but all he had to do to get me really going (his words not mine) is ask how my ministry and church is doing and out of my mouth would roll out the love I had in my heart for the people and the work God gave me . We cannot resist talking about things we really like and things we really do not like. We as flawed humans saved by grace love to speak our mind and tell anybody who will listen what we think and our opinion on issues. But in God dedication and commitment to earthly rewards and medals (scores and times) are NOT the measure of a successful man. Paul in 2 Timothy gives us the standard in God whereby we can receive the crown,“No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 5And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.” (2 Timothy 2:4-5) In God the crown (reward or medal) of a race does not go to the smartest, the one swiftest of foot, or to the strongest, but to the one “except he strive lawfully.” The key word here is “lawfully” it means within the law or framework God has designed something to be done. The Olympics has strict rules in which to compete, but don’t you know God’s rules are stricter? And why? Because His rewards are of eternal value not temporal. Here is the divine spiritual principle, the greater the rules, the greater the reward. Funny to know the only rules for salvation is to repent then believe (in that order), but to be used of God and to be able to carry His mysteries and wondrous message in your heart and life, no flesh must glory in His presence. There must be a spiritual death to our: selfishness, self-seeking, pride, arrogance, presumption, and all that is in our carnal nature through His dealings and judgments. It is when our flesh is killed God can be glorified if not and until then we will exalt ourselves over each other and God at every opportunity. We will try to take advantage of each other and God in everything we do. Every relationship we enter will be built on our self’s ability and strength and glorying in each seemingly important achievement, but in reality they are fleeting and will pass away as the clouds move in the sky and as the water rolls across the rocks. No my friend the Olympics is nothing more than man exalting his flesh; striving to run faster and longer, jump higher, swim longer and faster, you name it while shaking their fist in the face of God and saying I do not need you. It is a time when all the world comes together in unity of the spirit of competition and not in unity in the Spirit of God. It is a time when man strives to reach into the heavens and pull God down in the eyes and heart of many people on the earth so they could glory in their flesh. In the newspaper I read and on the TV I heard Olympic village life (where most of the athletics stayed) was nothing more than drunken orgies (24/7) where drugs and sex by all comers flowed freely and I believe this. The heart of man does not want to abide under restraints or limitations, oh no when out of the restraint of authority, especially God’s authority, the best man will be is in open rebellion and reprobation. We see a time like this in the book of Genesis when King Nimrod (the mighty archer see Genesis 10:9) built a tower for one purpose and that was to be able to put an arrow in the heart of God. The people under King Nimrod on the earth at this time said, “Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” (Genesis 11:4) Out of their own mouth came their punishment. God has been dealing with this type of thinking (even in me sometimes) in man since time eternal. Man always wants to make “a name for himself” thus the heart and spirit of the Olympics, but God wanted nothing to do with what King Nimrod and the people on earth wanted. You see they wanted to come together in one language. If all can speak the same language then communication, thoughts, and ideas (even though ungodly) will flow freely and man will press himself higher in his thinking and in the eyes of other men while God is pushed down in the thinking and thoughts of man, thus man is glorying in his flesh. God acted, “And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. 6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. 7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech. 8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. 9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.” (Genesis 11:5-9) I do not believe globalization (every nation of the world working together to benefit each other) is what God has in mind for His (all souls, Ezekiel 18:14, belong to God even the unsaved) humanity. God has separated the races (back in Genesis) by separating the languages and man has been trying to reverse what God has done ever since. Most of the deeds and laws passed by governments in America and other countries of the world are anti-Christ and anti God’s word. And why? Because the heart of man not under the restrictions and limitations of God is in open rebellion and wants to resist all that God says is true and healthy for man. In direct rebellion to God and His word. In 1963 prayer was taken out of schools and now we see the mess the school system in America is in now we have kids killing kids. In 1973 abortion was legalized giving women the “right” (in God we have no rights except what God gives us) to choose self-life over 9 months of inconvenience in direct rebellion to God and His word. In 2015 homosexuality and the whole LGBTQ agenda (through the gay marriage decision) was made legalized in the land of America in direct rebellion to God and His word. The flesh of the Court systems of America said, we know better than God so we will exalt our flesh and shake our fist in the face of God. Well, history is full of civilizations and countries who thought and acted like America, strewn over the eons of time in destruction and desolation. Make no mistake my friend God will not allow America or any nation to exalt their flesh over Him. There will come a time when God says, “enough is enough” and visits them like He did with Nimrod and the Tower of Babel, but this time much worse. God knows the longer man works together the more he will go astray. God is a God of boundaries man wants no boundaries. God is a God of borders man wants no borders. God is a God of restrictions and limitations while man wants no restrictions or limitations. God knows limitations and restrictions ends in fulfillment and purpose. This is why the nominal and denominational churches are wandering in unfulfillment and lack of purpose. Their purpose is to glory in their structure, by-laws, and loyal followers thus glorying in their flesh, but God does not operate that way. And this is why most of the nominal and denominational churches are empting out. Even unrighteous people know truth when they hear and see it. I hear non-believers say they despise the church for becoming like the world. The world is looking for a savior (found only in the person of Jesus Christ), but the church is glorying in their flesh and offers salvation in the name of its denomination or process of which there is no salvation found. Paul tells us the truth and hits us hard in the stomach, “And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29That no flesh should glory in his presence. 30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:28-31) Now this is an example of reverse truth. “The base things of the world, and things which are despised” that God hath chosen are not the things of the world, but the things of God, the things the world would consider to be “base” and “despised.” Remember, spiritual things are foolish and not received by man until they allow the Holy Spirit to open up their understanding and heart. Paul too helps us with this, “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14) How foolish it must sound to people who glory in their flesh. Ah a mystery of God. When we glory in our flesh or others flesh we admit to God, “we know not the things of God”because of the lack of our spiritual awareness. But the real danger in this verse is, “neither can he know them” this speaks of a potential lack in the individual that can only be met by allowing the Holy Spirit (and He will do His job) to deal and judge in their lives, until then they are dead to God and all that God stands for is foolishness to them just like the Olympics. Written by David Stahl
THOUGHTS FROM KAREN:
Separate Vacays
I saw a short article on the news about the increase of married folk taking separate vacations. I can only think of one reason where that would be practical: 1) the kids are very young and/or sick. And, well I guess that’s about it. The Bible says “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24). One flesh, not two. I’m afraid in our narcissistic, self-centered society almost anything goes in marriage these days. Call me old school, but I believe the wife is to conform to her husband, (and certainly NOT the other way around) even if that means she has to squash her wants and desires so be it. That’s just part of the conforming process. Life ain’t about us getting our way men or women. We don’t have to get our way, in fact we’re not supposed to, that’s the place REAL Christians should be. Jesus prayed “NOT my will, but thy (God’s) will be done,” but as women that’s also where the rubber meets the road for us too. Our will or our husbands will. GOD help these conniving, “I know better,” my way or the highway women, who have bought into the women’s lib, be all that you can be garbage. Marriage means YOU DON’T GET YOUR WAY. And, if you insist on your way, I double-dog guarantee you your marriage is out of balance and I feel sorry for your husband, because you madam are out of GOD’S order. A woman whose will is stronger than her husband is an embarrassment to GOD and her family. The order is: (1) GOD (2) man (3) then woman and GOD doesn’t care if you don’t like it. There’s only three people in a marriage and it ain’t your girlfriends either, (1)GOD (2) man (3) woman. It’s the way it is. Brethren and ladies there’s GOD’S way and there’s man’s way, guess whose way is ALWAYS right? A REAL Christian woman’s life is to be wrapped up in the life of her husband and children, NOT her life and her interest. The children will leave home soon enough. Paul tells us in 1 Timothy, “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; 10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. 11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. 12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. 15Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.” (1 Timothy 2:9-15). Hummmmmm nothing about separate vacays here, how about that. Paul again tells us in Titus, “The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; 4That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.” (Titus 2: 3-5) So ladies take heed, just because everybody else is doing it, doesn’t mean you should. Just because we can do something doesn’t mean we should. Christians are held to a HIGHER standard. GOD’S way or man’s way. You choose today. Written by Karen Stahl
NEEDS NO WANTS:
- In Dobrich, Bulgaria Pastor Niki Marsov and in SilistraPastor(s) Yanko, and Marcho. Times are troubled in Bulgaria much prayer and support is needed.
- Constanta, Romania Pastors Luke and Jacob at Bethel Church and in Agigea Pastor Jacob as the interim Director for the Romanian Center for Cross-cultural Studies Bible School.
- Pastor S. J. Peter, Founder of DAWN Ministries in Hyderabad, and Pastor Wilson and his son Pastor Julian at Gospel Assembly 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.
- 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 Ruhengeri,Rwanda.
- Christian and Ina Kopjar Missionaries to the County of Liberia.
- Brother John Vlad, (serving as the Operations Officer), his wife Cristina, and three daughters aboard the international ministry ship Logos Hope.
NEXT HOME GROUP MEETING:
21 March 23 at 7:00 pm
At 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
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.
