”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)
Greetings again my Brethren. Okay let us continue with our series on the Oracles of God as we look at the Diversity of Divine Communication. Last month we started a new section of diversity of circumstances we find ourselves in and looked at how God can speak to us at a prayer meeting. So this month we will look at a wonderful making place in God. A place very few folks want to visit because of the pain and suffering it embodies, but a making place in God never the less, a dungeon. In Lamentations Jeremiah writes, “Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause. 53 They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me. 54 Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off.” (Lamentations 3:52-54) What a making place in God. Do you see the imagery? Can you feel the torture? WOW, “they have cut off my life in the dungeon.” Have you ever felt like God has cut off your life and left you in a dungeon? To be honest I know I have at times. Not much rejoicing and singing to the LORD in a dungeon, but that is the very place God wants us to sing praises to Him. You know it is easy praising God in the good times, but in the pit, in the dungeon when no one can see us cry and complain except for the smithers and torturers. God wants us to be able to praise Him at all times. Job praised God when he said “though He slay me yet I will trust him” (Job 13:15) while in the dungeon. When Queen Esther said, “if I perish I perish” (Esther 4:16) guess where she was? That is right in a dungeon. You know a dungeon does not have to be four walls, a rack, the Iron Maiden, or other instruments of torture, oh no. A dungeon can be in our mind. A dungeon can be a situation of our own making. A dungeon can be made up from bad choices we make then continue in those bad choices. There was lady who lived with us for some time. Her life was a dungeon and the sad thing is she did not want to get free. She was so conditioned to her ungodly life style she actually said she enjoyed living as she does. This is not God’s intention for our lives. But, what happens when we start praising Him in our dungeon? Now praise is more than singing as we think today of a praise and worship group at church. Actually praise is to SPEAK (not sing) of God’s goodness and the Biblical definition of worship all throughout the Bible is to bow our head to the ground, not much singing with a mouth full of dirt. In 2 Chronicles, Jehoshaphat knew the secret, “And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD.” (2 Chronicles 20:18) Well, what happened to Jeremiah when he began to praise (speak of God’s goodness) God, “I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon. 56 Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry. 57 Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.” (Lamentation 3:55-57) No singing here, just speaking of God’s goodness. You know sometimes we can get stuck in a dungeon and it may not be of our making or fault. Just doing what the LORD wants us to do may end us in a dungeon and maybe our life? Just ask John Elliott and others who were martyred for following God’s will for their lives. Did you know this happened to Paul and Silas? In the Book of Acts Paul and Silas, Silas Paul’s partner in the ministry, cast a spirit of divination out of a lady and got her owner and the town folks angry with them so they were taken before the magistrate, beaten with many stripes, and thrown into prison (another name for a dungeon) for safe keeping. Luke, writes by the power of the Holy spirit, because he was not there, “Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. 25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.” (Acts 16:24-26) Here, Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises (I am sure it was not like the one line wonders most churches sing today), but when they realized the situation, got their heart focused on the LORD, and discovered the only way out of this situation is God they reached out (boy does that sound familiar) to Him. And God moved on their behalf. Any time we get our heart focused on the LORD He will move. “And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.” Now I like that. What do you think Paul and Silas thought? Do you think they had a greater measure of faith? And it says, “every one’s bands were opened.” Not just Paul and Silas, but even the prisoners who deserved to be in the dungeon. I guess sometimes when God moves it rains on the just and the unjust. At the end of the day, the jailer and his family was saved. (Acts 16: 34) A dungeon can lead to great things if we have the right heart focus.
More next month as we look at the King’s Palace and other diversities of circumstances. Are you there my friend? In tough situations and circumstances? Have you heard His voice? Listen closely and you will. Written by David Stahl
ARTICLE REVIEW:
Judgment to Merrcy
I do not know about you, but the longer I go in life the harder, at times, it seems for me to give mercy to those who have taken advantage, defrauded, or even persecuted me and the family. I am sure there are some people out there who have no problem in the “giving mercy” area, but I would say I have met only a hand full in my life. In the sixth Chapter of Micah God speaks to Israel (through Micah) over her being unkind. Kindness in these troubled times goes a long way to help people deal with the craziness of this world. In verse eight we read, “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Micah 6:8) Amazing all God requires of us is to “do justly” (judge rightly) “love mercy,” and “walk humbly with thy God.” Where are all of those rules, those (Colossian 2:21) touch not, taste not, handle not? Maybe they are not as important to God as we think they are. They are important to us as we try to keep them while ignoring the “weightier things” of God. In Matthew Jesus tells us, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” (Matthew 23:23) The law of love your neighbor as yourself. Now there is an order here in Matthew. Order in the Bible is critical words have not been haphazardly arranged. Never miss the point of order, you cannot do something unless you have done the thing before. Here judgment comes before mercy. Now I know judgment is a sore topic with most Christians because they do not want to be judged and found guilty and have to change, but receiving judgment and changing (the critical step) is a sign of spiritual growth and development. This truth holds true when giving mercy. You cannot give mercy without first judging the situation or person. This is why so many Christians get into trouble with God and others. They have no sense of judgment to things that are NOT holy, NOT righteous, and NOT Godly and go after them even unwittingly and get off track. The process of giving mercy must begin with God as we judge our self and things from God’s perspective then we can give mercy not our mercy, but the mercy God expects us to give, thus we end where we started with God. To love mercy is to find it delightful to extend compassion where religion would judge and walk on by. Mercy sees the need for patience, for sympathy, for longsuffering, for suspension of retaliation and rejection. Mercy is putting others before your repulsion and disgust. Mercy is to have pity, compassion, and understanding. Mercy is a willingness to lay down our life for another. Mercy is responding in a positive manner first and then if we have to judge we do it in humility. Now humility is NOT one who is lowliness of spirit who says, “woe is me I am going to go eat worms,” but one who sees things from God’s perspective and is bold in their thoughts and actions. The “woe is me” person is really selfish and self-seeking, it is all about themselves and not the situation nor what God is looking for. We cannot humble ourselves (we think we can) this is something God does in us. But what we can do is prepare the ground of our heart for the waylay. God is good at knowing how to humble each and every one of us. As a matter of fact He is a expert at making us eat our words and He even knows our inward fears and infirmities. He is great at exploiting our weaknesses to get us to run the white flag up and surrender. But before all of this happens we can lessen the blow if we can lower ourselves in our own sight, our thoughts, and thinking less of ourselves. Now this is a hard job for man, we all want to be patted on the back and told how wonderful we are, but that is not what God is after oh no He is after the death of our flesh. He is not trying to kill us but He is trying to kill our flesh. The more of our flesh we allow God to kill in us the more we shall seek Him. Remember the way up is down. In 2 Chronicles we see this truth in King Rehoboam’s life. Ready read, “So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned: for Rehoboam was one and forty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother’s name was Naamah an Ammonitess. 14 And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD. ” (2 Chronicles 12:13-14) King Rehoboam “strengthened himself” not lowered himself, so “he did evil” not because he committed some ungodly sin, but “because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD.” Remember sin is to know right, but do wrong. King Rehoboam knew to “prepare his heart to seek the LORD,” but did not so he sinned. Humility is a heart condition before God where we are soft hearted and open, supple, where our hearts have been prepared for the Master’s use. Now in Prophet Ezra’s life we see a different situation and outcome. Ready read, “For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.” (Ezra 7:10) Ezra “prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD” so now he knows God’s ways, statutes, and His judgments. In the Psalms David writes, “LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:” (Psalm 10:17) Here we learn God hears the desires of the humble and if we can lower ourselves God (Himself) will prepare our heart and He (the LORD) will hear our cry. I wonder where David learned this lesson? If we never prepare our hearts to seek the LORD we will never knowing God and His ways. The best we will be able to do is guess or worse imagine what God’s will is for our lives. Most Christians do not hear God speak to their heart and use the hit or miss method of know God and His will. I will try this way and if I am wrong well I will try something else. Or I will put a fleece out and if the LORD answers what I think, well that is the will of God. Maybe, but probably not. There is a better way. We can prepare our heart to seek the LORD and know for sure. How can we be wrong if we know what we should be doing? Mercy is seeing each person as a soul destined for eternity. It is caring deeply enough to pray and looking for any way possible to lead them to the right path. Mercy is sadness when we see the judgment of God come down on someone even when we know they deserved God’s hand of wrath. Mercy is also calling for the judgment of God when we see the need. God says a good person will do more than show mercy, we are to love mercy. Praying for mercy for someone is not the same as giving someone mercy. Mercy is something we have to cultivate in ourselves.
I would like to touch on a strange, but sensitive areas of mercy that most people never consider. I have friends who are kinder than most. Although they relate to people in mercy their kindness is not always a fruit of the Spirit it is their natural personality not to judge for they are naturally sensitive to the feelings of others. Would that more of us were so naturally sensitive, but we must remember that mercy does not stand alone, it is always in the company of justice and judgment and where there is a lack of judgment the expression if mercy becomes a fault. Because the mercy is devoid of wisdom and ceases to be constructive being received as normalizing the faults in others rather than showing wise judgment. We must never forget mercy is making decisions based on God’s heart. It is seeing things from God’s perspective and His eternal picture and responding to that end. To “love mercy” is greatly to be desired. God says, a good person will “love mercy.” We need to pray that God can teach us to love mercy, we need to practice loving mercy and we need to repent when we fail. Written by David Stahl
THOUGHTS FROM KAREN:
The Saddest Thing in the World II
While visiting my mother, Dave and I were exercising in the basement when something caught my eye in the corner. I walked over to an old iron and Formica Table and saw an old dust covered Bible. I dusted it off and looked inside. It was a gift that Dave and I gave to one of my uncles decades ago. I believe it was in the early 1980’s when we were newly married. The Bible looked barely used or even looked at. I felt bad because that one particular uncle wasn’t (at the time) a born-again believer. I don’t know if he ever repented and got saved. If he was expecting to go to purgatory and burn off a few sins – well he was sorely mistaken. GOD made a way for us to be saved and to know that we are saved. And purgatory isn’t in the plan. Why? It’s not in the Bible. Anyway, I showed my mother the Bible and she said, “keep it here (upstairs living room) it shouldn’t be in the basement.” Hopefully it’ll get read in its new location. My mom shared a story from her childhood that made me kind of sad, about a gentleman who dated her mother and wanted to marry her. My grandmother’s father (my great grandfather) told her she couldn’t marry because she was previously married in “the church” and now divorced. Now perhaps that aspect of “church” doctrine was true at that time. However, that is NOT scriptural. Had my great-grandfather read his bible instead of following erroneous “church” doctrine, perhaps my mother’s childhood would’ve taken a different turn, and they would’ve been better off financially and emotionally. Perhaps my mother’s life would’ve been better off with a caring new step-dad. But, we’ll never know. The old man (great grandfather) perhaps meant well or maybe he didn’t like the guy my grandmother was dating and used “the church” as an excuse. I don’t know, but she never remarried and struggled alone financially the rest of her life. Folks the Bible was put together by GOD for us, to help us. Read it all not just the parts you like. Study it. Know what you believe and IF your church or denomination doesn’t line up with the Bible GET OUT OF THERE! Paul said “All scripture is given by inspiration of GOD, and is profitable or reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of GOD may be furnished unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3: 16-17). Our Bible should be a part of our daily life and should never need to be dusted off. Written by Karen Stahl
NEEDS NOT WANTS:
1. In Dobrich, Bulgaria Pastor Niki Marsov and in Silistra Pastor(s) Yanko, and Marcho. Times are troubled in Bulgaria much prayer and support is needed.
2. Constanta, Romania Pastors Luke and Jacob at Bethel Church and in Agigea Brother John Vlad as the Director of the Romanian Center for Cross-cultural Studies Bible School.
3. Pastor S. J. Peter, Founder of DAWN Ministries in Hyderabad and Pastor Wilson and his son Pastor Julian at Gospel Assembly in Sankaraguptham, India.
4. Dan, Cathy, and members of Uskudar Son Buyruk Kilisesi in Istanbul, Turkey.
5. Pastor Elieti Msangi in Dar Es Salaam and Pastors Isreal Mutaitina and John Balone in Bukoba, Tanzania.
6. Pastor Tek Dahl at Gethsemane, Church (his church) and their radio station “Good News 105.1 FM” in Kathmandu, Nepal.
7. Bishop John, Samuel Kamanzi (from the Congo), and, Emmanuel Ndolimana in Ruhengeli, Rwanda.
8. Christian and Ina Kopjar Missionaries to the County of Liberia.
NEXT HOME GROUP MEETINGS:
23 January 24 at 7:00 pm
At 232 Everett Drive
Sneads Ferry, NC 28460
7:00 pm please RSVP
(910) 382-9287
BEHOLDING HIS GLORY ON THE RADIO:
On WJCV Jacksonville, NC
“Pebbles of Truth”
1290 AM or 98.3 FM
Every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 7:30 am
FUTURE BHG SCHEDULE:
January: Local Ministry
February: Local Ministry
March: 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:
Mobile: (910) 382-9287
FAX: (910) 741-0489
Email:
Website:
Blog:
http://bhisglory.blogspot.com/
FREE OFFERS
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.
