Deeper Truths for Hungry Hearts
November 2011 • Volume X 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
Greetings again my Brethren. This month my friend we will look at probably one of the strangest emotions of God His grief. Who would think the God who created the heavens and the earth would grieve? The God who is the ancient of times: the beginning and the end. The all knowing God who is eternal would grieve as we do if we would lose something we hold near and dear to our heart? Yes as strange as it may sound, it is true God grieves. Now God does not grieve over things like we would do if we lost our favourite shirt or dog, oh no, my friend God grieves over man and His waywardness. Did you know man is God’s most favourite creation, God made man special and He loves man more than anything in this world, even more than the earth and the stars. Funny how some people worship the earth and the stars and yet deny the very existence of God. This is the open rebellion of sin against God in the environmental movement in the world today, denying the creator while worshipping His creation. In the Book of Romans Paul told the Church at Rome, “Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.” (Romans 1:25) Here (there is nothing new under the sun) some Christians were worshipping pagan idols and mixing in other religious practices and traditions while worshipping a holy God.
Well today there is no real difference, many denominational Christians and many respected leaders of so called faith have embraced the liberal environmental and green movements that is anti-Christ and anti-word of God. God made man for the earth and out of the earth; Adam means red clay and God gave Adam (man) domination (Genesis 1:26-28) over the entire earth while charging man with the responsibility and duty of caring for the earth (of which man does a pretty good job), but the liberal environmental and green movement folks of today foolishly disagree man has done a good job and has taken it to the next level by not just being a good steward of the earth, but worshipping the creation and not the creator just like all of the animal rights groups who will do, say, and spend all they have to save the life of an animal while sitting on their hands while millions of human babies every year are slaughtered in the abortion mills. Yes there is nothing new under the sun. This was the same reason and because of the same spirit of man God said just five short Chapters in Genesis, “And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.” (Genesis 6:6-7) God was grieved in His heart not because He made man, but because (just like today) “GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis 6:5) If God was grieved with man then I wonder how God feels about man today? This sounds like today, “that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Just watch the news (maybe we should not) or read the newspaper this is the heart condition of man apart from the word of God in their lives. I do not believe man in Genesis was more evil than today. Oh how God is grieved in His heart with man today; shaking our fist in defiance in His face. Oh how we deny Him and His power. I wonder why we think He will not smite us as He did in Genesis?
And even in the New Testament we can find where God was grieved with His chosen people. “Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. 11So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) 12Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.”(Hebrews 3:10-12) After God almost destroyed all of mankind (saved Noah and his family of seven Genesis 6:18)) and every living thing of all flesh (saved all of the animals both clean and unclean Genesis 6:19) He created on the earth, He gave man another chance through Noah and God blessed man and he did multiply and flourish as well as the animals saved. But in due time man was up to his old wayward ways (this is a recurrent theme in the Scriptures) and God called His chosen (the Jewish people, but not more chosen than us) people out of Goshen Egypt to fulfill His promise to the world through them, but “They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.” And God was grieved with that generation and ”So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.” Here in Hebrews the writer (I believe to be Paul) was warning the people, “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.” What a strong warning and admonishment to us to take heed to ourselves and not to follow in their steps, because God was grieved with them. As with the folks in Genesis their carcasses fell in the wilderness. Beloved let us not grieve God. I notice this grieving takes place in the heart, both in God’s and man. Grieving is an issue of the heart; with God He grieved in His heart and with us it is a matter of heart obedience to God. Let us learn the lessons of Hebrews and Genesis because our loving Father grieves at our disobedience. Who would of thought God grieves? But now we see it is when man rebels and walks contrary to God and His word does He grieve. I wonder how He feels today?
Next month we will lighten up things some and look at the next emotion of God His joy.
ARTICLE REVIEW:
Drawing Near to God
As we walk this wondrous walk with our Heavenly Father, He will call us to draw near or come up to where He is. I will be honest I do not know where that is, but where ever that is it must be heaven. The Bible is full of examples where God calls out to man. In Exodus God wanted audience with Moses so God called out, “And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.” (Exodus 24:1) What a wonderful thought, the God of Gods, the Almighty God of the heavens and the earth wants to have audience with us. Do you hear Him calling you? God through His Holy Spirit is ever calling us to come up and to draw near Him. Now I do not know if God spoke to Moses with an audible voice it really does not matter, but what does matters is Moses was in such relationship and communion with God he could hear Him speak. He was so near Him in heart he could even see the invisible. “By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; 25Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. 27By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.” (Hebrews 11:24-27) Oh to God today we would have such a relationship and communion with God. Strange how this is the heart of God for us all to have a personal relationship and intimate communion with Him and we often do not. God never loved Moses, Joshua, Caleb, Abraham, the Disciples, Paul, whomever more than us He is not (Acts 10:34) a respecter of persons. Well if this be true (and it is) I wonder why we do not draw near or come up to God as Moses and others did in the Bible? I know, maybe God has changed His desire for man to approach or draw near to Him? Or maybe God has changed the way we are to draw near or approach Him? Oh no my friend we must draw near and make our approach to God the same way Moses and all of the rest in past eons of time, with our heart. Jeremiah tells us, “And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the LORD.” (Jeremiah 30:21) You know when our heart is broken tears often flow freely, maybe this is why Jeremiah is called the weeping prophet? I promise you my friend the more time you spend with God the more tears you will feel running down your face, but with the tears comes the knowledge of God.
Drawing near to God is always about a turning away from things, a fear, learning more about Him and His ways, so that He can give us His things. And the more we learn about God the more we are able to see how much we are not like Him and His Son. Jesus, God’s Son was sent to earth to be the expressed image (John 14:7) of the Father (God); so in the Gospels we can read what the Father would say, to show us how the Father thinks and responds in situations, and to show us how the Father cares and loves His children. So, in turn we too can think, respond, care, and love as the Father does. And do you know what God desires for us? God desires for us too to look like Him and His precious Son Jesus Christ. Our goal in this life is not to do mighty exploits for God, hold great crusades, do wonderful miracles, or even go to heaven, but to become conformed into the image and nature of God’s precious Son Jesus Christ and if so we too will think, respond, care, and love as Jesus and the Father does. Now, if we are obedient to God’s plan for our lives these good works listed above might happen, but they come out from a willing, broken, and contrite heart before Him. Please do not get your priorities off track; God, family, and then ministry is God’s order of success for our lives. We must have a relationship and be in communion with God then our immediate family must be in order, and when these two first things first are in place God can then arrange things for ministry. If things between you and God and your family are in shambles please do not expect God to be involved with what you are doing. Oh some may be going and doing, but God is far from them. In God first things first!
Often times out of good intentions and with a religious approach we try to come up to where God is, but this my friend can never work. Our approach is always from our heart, not with our mind, our emotions (as some denominations teach), or our good works in our hand, but with a heart that has been dealt with by God. Moses, Saul (who later became Paul), John, and others could not stand before a holy and living God, they were dropped to their face. When Abram (later became Abraham) drew near to God in covenant he found himself in God’s wonderful darkness, “And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.” (Genesis 15:12) And then again in verse 17, “And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.” (Genesis 15:17) When we make our approach to God often fear is in us and there is a burning away of things in our lives. We must not be afraid of God, this fear is not that He is going to bonk us over the head for every little thing we do wrong, but a fear of an awe, respect, and honor for being a holy and righteous God. Sadly most Christians see God as having a big stick and is waiting to smite us, well make no mistake God will discipline us for our benefit and if we get too far off track He will raise the stakes even more to get our attention. But this is done in love as a father loveth his son. The writer of the Hebrews (who I believe to be Paul) helps us understand this type of fear, “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear (Strong’s #2124, caution, circumspection, discretion) 29For our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:28-29), If this is you please turn from this wrong thinking, but never forget “God is a consuming fire” I think this is probably why we really do not want to make our approach to God with our heart. God says draw near, we know if we do we will get consumed. We do not want to get all burnt up, so we do not come up or draw near. After all it is painful when we have our thoughts, plans, and dreams that are not of God consumed by God. What are we going to do and say if God takes away all of our religious approach? Abram made a covenant with God using pieces of animal flesh and they were consumed by God, “behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces,” but today God desires to make a covenant with us writing His laws on our heart and in our minds, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;” (Hebrews 10:16) My friend let us not follow after the example of the Children of Israel, they never allowed God to write His laws on their heart or in their mind, but like many Christians today (I insert myself here at times) we draw near with shallow words and songs we do not believe. God told Isaiah, “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear (Strong’s #3374, dreadful and terror) toward me is taught by the precept of men:” (Isaiah 29:13) I still wonder why we sing songs to God telling Him how holy, powerful, and righteous He is? My friend God knows our heart, He knows all things. He knows if we really mean it or not. It would be best for us to just keep our mouth in the dust (not much talking or singing when we have a mouthful of dust) if we cannot make our approach to God with a true heart and not wavering in the truth. The writer of the Hebrews again helps us here, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 24And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 26For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.” (Hebrews 10:22-26) Now I do not know about you my friend, but verse 26 gives me the willies. To be honest it causes fear in me. The way I read this verse is if “we sin wilfully” (know the difference between the right and the wrong of a given situation) “after we have received the knowledge of the truth” (or after we come to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ) “there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins” well, I do not know what this means for God is the only judge who gets to make this call, but let me tell you my friend these last words gives me great pause and fear, if it means what I think it might mean. Make no mistake we all (sinner and saint alike) will come up or draw near to a holy and righteous God some day. And again the writer of Hebrews helps us here, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” (Hebrews 9:27) This drawing near to God is serious business. Let us not draw near to Him with an emotional or mental approach, but with a heart that has been broken and crushed by God. Watchman Nee said, “the broken alone are useful to God.” Did you know there is a difference between a gifted speaker and broken speaker? I hear many a gifted speaker, but not many broken speakers. Many are called, but few are chosen. The chosen are the ones that have endured God’s dealings and judgments and now can speak out from a heart that has been crushed (contrite) to powder. How can God give us His things if He is not allowed to conform us into His likeness? He so wants to give us His good things, but He can only trust, with His goods, those whom draw near to Him.
Written by David Stahl
THOUGHTS FROM KAREN:
Wait.
“Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.” (Micah 7:7) In our waiting for God our salvation is found, but these days patient waiting for us is almost passé. Our society is so into instant gratification—we must have it now! This is everything (and I do include myself here at times) we don’t want to wait for anything. We don’t want to wait in line at the store, at the DMV, at the Dr’s office—you name it. We certainly don’t want to wait in traffic if we are traveling—we want to get to where we are going pronto! Seems like everything is at such a fast pace these days, the only time things slow down is when we go through difficult circumstances; we can’t wait to get out of whatever situation we’re in that is paining us. Be it our physical, mental, emotional, financial, or whatever time just drags on and we can’t wait for it to be over. Human nature I guess. On the flip side good times seem to go too fast. We wait and anticipate then BAM it’s all over. When our son-in-law Jeff was deployed I was amazed at how frequently he and Connie were able to communicate via computer. Decades ago when Dave deployed every letter was eagerly anticipated and getting a phone call—wow that was just great. Decades before that, women waited months even years for a lousy letter or two. All they could do was live their lives and wait patiently. My, how times have changed. When I was pregnant the 9 months waiting seemed to go so slowly and near the time of the delivery I was so uncomfortable I couldn’t wait for the baby to be born. When we are sick time just drags on. We have to wait for our bodies to heal or for the medicine to take effect. We have to wait on tests then the results. Ughhhh, always waiting. But apparently God has a different view of quite a few things. He doesn’t mind waiting in fact you could say God has all the time in the world and He wishes for us to wait patiently on Him. Remember time is nothing to God He will move in a situation when He wants to and not one second sooner. We need to learn to patiently wait for our LORD to move. Brethren let us keep our mouth in the dust and bow our hearts and minds to the Lord in patient waiting, “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” (Psalm 27:14) Our heart is at stake in our waiting and if we lose our heart we have lost it all. Let us learn to wait and allow God to strengthen us with might in the inward man daily. Written by Karen Stahl.
DEAR FRIENDS:
As I look at the world today and the church today I just shake my head. These last years have become so evil and perverse. Now I am talking about not only outside the church, but inside as well. In the last five years there has been a stepped up frontal attack on the wondrous Gospel message around the world. In the paper recently there was a Christian columnist that talked about how 56% of people in North Carolina were NOT in favor of a ban on same sex marriages. Now this is nothing new the trend in America is in favor of same sex marriage and if we are honest with ourselves the Bible points to this ungodly behavior (but it does not have to happen in our life time if we make a stand in God) in the last days, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; (2 Timothy 3:1-4), but what really shocked me (and I should not have been) was how the author used the Bible to support his ungodly heinous and profane position. I quote, “Maybe folks who quote Old Testament verses proclaiming homosexuality (Leviticus 18:22) to be an abomination should actually shut up long enough to read the rest of the Bible. Maybe they finally grasped the New Testament’s message about God’s grace.” My friend perilous times shall come, perilous yes in the world by way of natural disasters (God is drawing us unto Himself through nature), but more perilous to our eternal soul. Let us stand fast and be not deceived by holding on to the truth of the word of God. Let not this perverted example of God’s wonderful grace unto eternal salvation be the chiding guide that would turn your head to believe a lie. More and more I see the Scriptures being twisted: from the black social justice movement to re-distribute wealth from the hard working to lazy people and to weaken man’s personal responsibilities before God and man, the prosperity (they use to dance around it, but now they are not ashamed of their lie and come right out and say it is okay to give to get) and the “God bless me bless me” doctrines of giving to get, to this morbid twisting of the Scriptures to justify something God calls an abomination. Be not deceived my friend God is not mocked, America repent or your days are numbered. Let us not be deceived and make no mistake God’s word is under attack and many Christians will fall away. Peter warns us of this, “Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.” (2 Peter 3:17), but we know who wins, we have read the back of the book and we win despite what we see and read. Perilous times are ahead, but to those who stay in God so is victory the choice is ours. Let us be found standing in God at the end of our life in with our heads held high and not ashamed.
NEEDS NOT WANTS:
1. In Silistra, Bulgaria Pastor(s) Niki Marsov and Emil Nedelchev. Times are troubled in Bulgaria and need much prayer.
2. Constanta, Romania Pastor George Ritisan at Lighthouse Church, and Ciprian Bozdod at the Mission Bible School. They too are expanding making more room for God and ministry to Eastern Europe, Turkey, and Asia.
3. In Suceava, Romania Pastors Nicu and Pastor Marcel at St. Andrews Church.
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 and the 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 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.
FUTURE SCHEDULE:
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
Our latest book, “Thoughts for Consideration” has been published by AuthorHouse, where you can also purchase it online. You can also purchase two of our other books “Adventures with God” and “God Still Performs Miracles: A Book of Personal Encouragement.”
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.
We are projecting to use the royalties for: our maternity clinic in Aveile, Nigeria, radio station in Katmandu, Nepal, TB clinics in Ethiopia, and Lord willing the Bible Schools in Kenya, Rwanda, and the Congo, and to help publish more books. We have five more books at different stages of production. 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.
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