BEHOLDING HIS GLORY
June 2003	Volume I Number 10

”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. More now on faithfulness. Again, faithfulness is one of the greatest qualities of Himself God is trying to work in us. If we cannot be faithful (in this order) to Him, our spouse and family, the Brethren, our boss, and others He cannot use us, we have disqualified ourselves for His service.

Back in Luke we see a third area that God is looking for us to be faithful in, ”And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s who shall give you that which is your own?” (Luke 16:12) God is looking for us to be faithful with other peoples’ things and if we can not be faithful to use other peoples’ things correctly then He cannot trust us with His things, His goods. The condition for receiving your own things from God is to be faithful with “another man’s” things. Jesus asked the question, “who shall give you that which is your own?” Only God can give us His things. In other words, Jesus asked, if not God then who shall give you the things of God? We can only have that which is given to us. We cannot claim or take things of God, we must receive them with a humble and thankful heart. I hear so many Christians say, claim that promise, well the word claim is not in the KJV of the Bible. Claiming is a man made concept. A concept that is deeply rooted and based on selfish desires and self-life. We receive God’s promises through obedience and doing His will. If you cannot be trusted by God to go to work on time, not to steal from your boss, (even ink pens and paper), or leave work early, especially when no one is watching, then He cannot give you His things, His goods. You have proven you cannot be trusted with “another man’s” goods, and God WILL not give you His goods.

God’s goal in our faithfulness is to be able to give and trust us with His things, His goods. Just think, God wants to give us His goods. “For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.” Matthew 25:14) The servant did not receive their own goods, it was the goods of the master. The master calls the servants and says here are MY goods, I entrust them to you, to your keeping, to your working. You take these goods and carry them. These goods will be your responsibility. We will never be able to receive God’s goods unless we learn how to be faithful. God will not deliver to our keeping His goods until we learn how to carry them. And God needs for us to handle His goods: His mercy, His forgiveness, His grace, and His love. Brethren, let us be faithful, God is counting us to grow up and take His goods to the lost.

ARTICLE REVIEW:

WHEN THE CLOUD MOVES

A few years ago a young man asked Charles Haun to give him some real spiritual advice, well Charles told him to, “follow the cloud.” When I heard Charles’ advice I thought to myself, what does that mean, follow the cloud? And now, a few more years later I kind of understand what he was saying. God often uses a cloud as a sign of His leading, a place of His provision and glory, and a place where His mercy is established and flows. In Exodus we read, ”And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:” (Exodus 13:21), a place of His faithfulness, provision, and glory, “And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.” (Exodus 16:10) Wow, just think God’s glory appeared in the wilderness. And, a place of redemption and forgiveness, where mercy flows, ”And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.” (Leviticus 16:2) Ninety four times, in the King James Version of the Bible, is the word “cloud” mentioned with a direct reference to God or God providing something for His children. I wonder if God is trying to teach us to be like the clouds and just flow with Him?

There is much we can learn about God’s nature and character from the spiritual principles He has set into motion, in nature, if we have the eyes of understanding to see them. For example, water makes no resistance to rocks or obstacles in its path, it just flows around them. Birds do not worry about tomorrow or where their next meal is coming from, they just follow the cloud. The Bible says, “your heavenly Father feedeth them” (Matthew 6:26), not the bird’s heavenly father, but our heavenly Father. Trees and flowers just grow as God has purposed and intended them to do without complaining about the forest or field they are planted in. They too just follow the cloud. We, like the children of Israel, if we desire to be led by God, kept under the shadow of His protection, see the glory of the Lord, and to receive His mercy in our lives must learn to follow the cloud. For it is in the place of following correctly, all of these things are found in God. We too as Believers as a group are not very good followers. We like to go our own way, well in God you cannot go your way and come to the end and purpose God has planned for your life. We must go His way. This means our will must be brought to nothing in our eyes, our will does not count anymore. Following God is the place of abiding in Him. We will never be able to abide in Him if we want our own will. Jesus had it right, “not my will, but Thine be done.” Many today do not abide in Him because they do not follow. We must take off first our will to be able to put on His will for our lives. It is a spiritual principle, first, we must take off to put something else on. Paul tells us, ”The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off (take or put off) the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.” (Romans 13:12) The principle then is taking off then putting on. We will never be able to put on the things of God unless we first take off the things of the world. We as a group of Believers also do not do this well. How can we take off the world? We do this by displacing worldly ways and thinking processes with the words of God (the words He speaks to us by His Spirit) and the Word of God, the Bible. Just like a big ship in the ocean displaces water. So too as we take off our will and ways for the world and put on God’s will and ways His words will elbow out of our lives worldly ways and thinking.

But what happens when the cloud moves? Well, when the cloud moves we must follow it. ”And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and journeyed not. And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the LORD they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed.” (Numbers 19:19-20) When the cloud moved the children of Israel had to move staying under the place of provision and protection from the intense heat of the desert. Following the cloud was a life or death arrangement for them and for us too. I believe one of the hardest things for us see and understand is to know when the cloud is moving. As a minister or Pastor, to know when God is changing your direction of ministry and even a location for your life. Too many Believers are falling into the hot desert sand because the cloud has moved and they did not notice it. Their self-willed, selfish desires has prevented them from understanding it is over and it is time to move on to the next wonderful thing God has for them. Unfortunately for us unlike the children of Israel we do not have a big fluffy billow of water hanging over our head we must be able to discern by the Spirit and by the Godly desires in our lives that the cloud is moving. Now I will tell you when this happens you probably will be met with much confusion, uncertainty, and many troubles in your life. Change in God always bring these common elements into play. You may even think you have sinned or something silly like God hates you, but this is not the case it just God’s way of telling you to get ready the cloud is moving. For now, deep within you is a new feeling in your spirit something is different, a new expectation and purpose God is birthing within you. He is now removing from you old desires that brought you to this very present place and putting deep within your mind, spirit, and heart new desires to move you on to the next places He has for you. Almost seven years ago God put a desire in me to move me and my family to Europe and now He is taking out this old desire and putting deep within us a desire for the new things He has for us. This process will challenge every desire and measure every inch of God in you. Please do not labor, but be at rest, flow on the wind, God does know how to give His children good gifts. Lay back in obedience to His word to you and take Charles Haun’s advice, just follow the cloud. Written by Pastor Dave Stahl

CURRENT NEWS:

We continue to make arrangements for our return to the States. God’s leading for us is to settle in the Jacksonville, NC area. He has already went ahead and began to get us a home and to make opportunities for me to share in many churches. We will depart Stuttgart on 23 June seven years to the very hour we arrived in Germany. The number seven is God’s number of a completed work, and yet we know the best years of our family and ministry is still to come. We do not have any plans or promised employment, but we do have a promise of His abiding love to meet our every need. We are not seeking and knocking for His will or leading, but moving in what He is bringing into our lives. As you can see by my Future Schedule I will continue to travel both internationally and nationally and work on book two of my three book “Wandering” series, “The European Years.”

On a sad note my Grandmother Faye Jewell pasted away, she was 94. Oh, the memories I have of her loving care, how she touched my life and help shape my character. But in my spirit, there is a joy to hear she is at rest (we could not be there for her funeral) in the arms of the Father. We will meet again. I will once again sit at her dining room table and again eat of the love she so willingly gave all of her children, grand children and great grand children.

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

FUTURE SCHEDULE:

May: Lagos, Nigeria Pastor David

June: (open)

July: New London, CT with Pastor Doug Price then 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:

American Address

CMR 480 Box 517

APO AE 09128

German Address

Pastor David Stahl

Ulmenweg -5

71706 Markgroningen, Germany

++49-7145-931152 (Voice)

++49-7145-931153 (FAX)

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