BEHOLDING HIS GLORY
July 2003	Volume I Number 11

”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. As we behold His glory many things begin to happen to us. Our thinking changes, our desires and wants change. We take off our desires and wants and put on His desires and wants. We cannot do what God wants unless we first stop wanting what we want. One of those thing is we willfully enter into God’s building program. Now God does not build like man does. Oh no, God begins to build by tearing down. God begins with our foundation and pulls down everything in us that He has not laid. God will not build on another’s foundation. He only builds on the things He has laid. Every thought, every act, every dream, every intention, every plan, every motive, all and more must be pulled down and placed in the captivity of the “obedience” of Christ. This is what Paul was talking about in Corinthians when he said.”Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” (2 Corinthians 10:5) He was not talking about demons or what many people today in the church refer to as spiritual warfare. It sounds good, looks good, but unfortunately it is a man-made doctrine that leads people into “err.” Paul was talking about something totally different. Please do your homework, look at the words and allow the Holy Spirit to minister the truth to you. Truth in the Bible is contained in the words written and by His Spirit speaking to us. There can be no other revelation then what God gives in that verse. Often we over lay our belief and intentions over a verse and try to make it fit, well that is called presumption and very dangerous. This term reference is not a spiritual principle, man made In verse four Paul speaks about, “strong holds” (please notice two words) in our life. A “strong hold” is something we hold to or lean on for strength. Literally translated from the Greek as something that props us up for support. These are the things in our life that must be cast down and brought into the obedience of Christ. We do not want God to pull the props out from under us. We like to lean on our traditions and religious ways. We like to hold on to what we believe even if it is wrong. Many people hold on to false teaching from former churches and even parents that must be pulled down and placed in the obedience of Christ so that truth could reign in them. Either truth or a lie will reign in our lives. Also, another reason why we do not enter into God’s building program and receive the next thing God has for us is we refuse to let go of the last thing He gave us. We like to keep

old things around like shoes and cars because we find value in the memories and the comfort, and in the Lord we too like to stay in old comfortable things. Well, we must let go of the last revelation to receive the next revelation, not the truth of the revelation, but the revelation it self. For God to be able to build in us His character and nature we must let go and enter into His building program. And as we behold His glory the more we will join with what He wants for our lives. Fear not, for the tearing down of God will build in you greater glory and His life.

ARTICLE REVIEW:

The Truth Within the Lie

James tells us, “a double minded man is unstable (inconstant or restless) in all his ways.” (James 1:8). This double mindedness at times can be easily seen in our lives, but most often it is very subtle and very destructive to our spiritual growth and development. Now when the Bible says, “all his ways” God means it. This person is “unstable in all their ways” they are not to be trusted, they are to be watched so that they cannot spread “err” (to cause to stray or lead one astray from the right way) within the Body of Christ, the church. The unstableness is not due to sin as much as not following the framework, not following the method God has established to function in and move correctly within the Body of Christ. We cannot make up our own principles. We have already made up our own doctrines, please let us keep away from making up our own rules. We cannot do what we want to do and expect to grow in God. We must do it God’s way. And, God has established an everlasting way, in the person of Jesus Christ and the things He taught, that leads us back to the Father’s heart. When we move outside His ways, we become “unstable in all our ways” and we will always experience loss in our Christian walk and will never be able to come to any maturity in God.

I just returned from eight days of ministry sharing in three mighty wonderful churches in Lagos, Nigeria. God touched many hearts mine included. But, before or after I shared the word of God with the people, in two of the three churches, there was about a hour or so of pumping up the people in a way of encouraging them because of the great poverty they live in on a daily basis. People like to hear this type of message, it makes them feel good and gets their spirit and feet moving, it motivates them, and it also fills seats and offering plates. Now, it is true God wants to give His children good gifts, what loving father would not want to give his children good things? But a continual message of miracles coming your way, receive your blessing today, and material prosperity is for you so just claim it in the name of Jesus, all are spiritually self-defeating. It builds in the people a false sense of reality and hope for this message is not built on the divine spiritual principles Jesus taught. It in reality is a subtle and soft version of the prosperity doctrine that is destroying the church in Africa. Every where I went in Lagos I saw banner after banner, poster after poster all echoing this message with the truth within the lie. For a lie to be effective it must have an element of truth moving in it. The truth is God does want to give His children good gifts (please see Matthew 7:11). He does love us, but the lie is there is not a price to pay for His things and God will deliver us from all of the bad things in our lives. Well, before Jesus was glorified He had to die. And is the servant greater then the Master? To receive, and not claim, the Father’s things it cost Jesus everything. He was given a name above all names not because He was God’s Son, but because He humbled Himself and BECAME (a process of spiritual growth and development) obedient even unto the death of the cross (please see Philippians 2:8). The writer of the Hebrews tell us, ”But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” (Hebrews 2:9) So, the spiritual principle is death before glorification. Now this message of the cross is what Jesus taught because He lived it on a daily basis. Today we do not want to suffer persecution we want to be delivered from persecution and hardship, well the Bible says, ”Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (2 Timothy 3:12). This pumping up of the people moves them away from the true understanding of what God wants for their lives. In reality it is hurting them. It moves them away from the message that would allow God to work in their heart and lives empowering them to endure any situation or circumstance that comes their way. Not needing to be delivered from life’s many challenges and God’s dealing and judgments, but being developed through life’s many challenges and God’s dealing and judgments. It is not God’s intention to deliver us. No where in the Bible did God ever deliver anyone. Daniel went into the lions den, the three Hebrew children went into the fiery furnace, the children of Israel went into the wilderness, Jesus went to the cross, and the list goes on and on. We must hear and hold on to the true message with all of our might. We must be able to separate the truth from the lie. We must be able to move correctly in the things God has established for us to operate in. If not we will be unstable, deceived, and easily tossed on the winds and waves of religion and doctrine.

Now please listen, God does not want to deliver us, He has established a way of development for us. And that way is the same as it was for Jesus, we are to fall into the ground and die (please see John 12:24). If He has to deliver you, you have not succeeded you have failed. If He has to deliver us, then He knows His plan and purpose in our life is in jeopardy of being lost. Let us not desire to live a life full of comfort and ease, but the life God has purposed and planned for us individually to live when, how, and where He desires us to live. Let us maintain our focus on the right message and not get over into emotional feel good worship. Let us desire Him, He is enough for us. In Him is the truth which has no lie. Written by Pastor David Stahl.

CURRENT NEWS:

We continue to move toward our departure from Stuttgart on 23 June exactly seven years to the very hour we arrived in Germany. As I think back over the last seven years and how faithful God has been to us I can only stand in awe. So many people have made great sacrifices over these seven years to make this time of ministry possible. None greater then my wife and “sweetheart” Karen. When I retired, to stay in the American system, either Karen or I had to get a Federal job so that we could use the American bank, Federal Post Office, stores and shops, and most important for the family the American High School. Well, Karen stepped up to the plate. After working within the home for our 20 years Karen got a real glamorous high-touch high-tech job scrubbing pot and pans, cleaning plates and floors so that the will of God could be done in our lives. So that I could travel internationally and teach. So that our children could attend the American High. I cannot think of any greater love, then her wilfully laying her life down for her family so that the will of God could happen in us. Karen my heart bows before you and your sacrifice. May God reward you in ways I cannot. How could we not be successful when such a great price was paid. How could we not reach the goals in what God had for us. And yet, He speaks loud and clear, “yea the best years are ahead. Stay close my son, my daughter the road ahead is rough and pitted with holes, but I will be with you.” Wow, God will be with us. Is there anything else we need?

Karen, “my sweetheart” and the kids send their love.

FUTURE SCHEDULE:

July: Bukoba and Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania with Pastors Israel, Swai, Andrew, and others

August: (open)

September: Nairobi, Kenya with Pastor Joseph Mutua

If God moves on your heart to bless the ministries I visit and share God’s love with them I would be honored to make it possible for God and you.

NEEDS NOT WANTS:

1. Items for the printing service and new church building in Bulgaria is still before us.

2. In Constanta, Romania Ciprian Bozdog, head teacher, at the Lighthouse Church’s Bible School has started printing Christian books.

3. Bill and Charlene Pepper in Alaska still needs support to continue ministry efforts in Peru, China, Mongolia, and many more countries.

4. My special friend Pastor Joseph Mutua in Nairobi, Kenya needs your prayer and financial support.

5. In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania God has made way for Miriam Asimwe to attend Pinecrest Bible Training Center, but she still needs money for air fare.

6. In the Khartoum, Sudan, Kashay’s, a member of my church, niece has MDR TB and needs medication to save her life. I can not mention her name because of possible persecution.

7 . Pastor Mike Olufemi in the north of Nigeria is leading a small work in the heart of Muslim country. He needs your prayers and support to be a light in darkness.

God told Abram, “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you.” (Genesis 12:3) If you want a blessing, then bless someone. Remember God is to you what you are to God.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Address: (Interim)

5327 Five Sisters Courts

Fayetteville, NC 28311

Phone:

910-822-2988

Email:

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