BEHOLDING HIS GLORY
March 2003	Volume I 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. Here is more on Beholding His Glory. One of the greatest qualities God is trying to build in us is faithfulness. And if He cannot build faithfulness in us then He cannot and will not use us. God will not give His things to unfaithful servants. For God to be able to build faithfulness first we must have an established heart built in us by God’s dealing and judgments in our lives. Jesus told Peter, “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” (Luke 22:31-32) The word “strengthen” from the Greek means to establish. In order to establish others we must first be established. And here God used Peter’s failure to establish and strengthen him. Now Jesus did not pray so that Peter would not deny Him, but that Peter’s faith would fail not. Believe it or not, it was God’s will for Peter to deny Jesus. Failure in God is not bad as long as you do not get stuck in it. Actually, failure is a better teacher then success. But, many Believers fail and do not learn from their mistakes. They get stuck in a cycle of failure, learning but never learning, never coming to the place of being established in God. We can never truly be faithful to God unless we have been strengthened by God. Many today desire the strength of God, but do not desire to endure the process of being strengthened by God. As the way up is down, so too the way out is in. The way out of some circumstances and situations in our life is going deeper in God. And deep in God is down not up. To be established we must go down. Going down does not please our flesh. The message of the Bible is the message of the cross. Death to our self-life and self-seeking desires. Those who have been strengthened by God have a where with all in them to be able to suffer loss on an earthly level and it does not move them. There is a rest God has been able to work in them that even if heaven and earth passes away, like the Bible says, they still will be anchored sure, steady, and faithful. Peter was not strengthened thus was double minded and when his faithfulness was tested, in spite of all his boasting, he was tossed like his glibly spoken words on the wind and denied Christ. Brethren let us desire to be strengthened by God and allow Him to develop faithfulness in us. We must desire to be found when tested, a faithful servant. Unless God can work in our lives and heart we will never be established to the point God can trust us with His goods. The Master always gives His servants His goods. More on faithfulness next month.

ARTICLE REVIEW:

The Grace in the Law

When my son Daniel and his new wife Sarah came home last month to visit he asked me to listen to a cassette tape of a guest speaker who spoke at Faith Community Church, the church he attends in Dover, Delaware. The speaker, Ray Comfort, was good kind of funny in parts, but what caught my spirit’s attention was a quote he shared by Charles Spurgeon. Spurgeon said, “we should preach 90% law and 10% grace,” that really clicked in my spirit. Today we preach the opposite, 10 % law and 90% grace. By in large the message of the law is forgotten in most churches today. Now please do not mis-understand me I need grace as much as the next man, probably even more, but I do not see the message of the law being taught today. Why? Because we really do not want to come under the law of having to adjust and align our ways and thinking to what God wants for our lives. God’s grace forgives sin, the law requires our obedience. Most Believers really do not want to live a righteous life. We really do not want to come into any real degree of holiness. We really want to do what we want to do and then count on God’s and other’s grace to forgive us of our actions and words. Now you and I both know when we sin. It is no surprise to us when we miss the mark or fall short of what God told us to do. Sin does not sneak up and then overwhelm us, it is a purposed action and conscious thought. But, most Believers stumble along all of their Christian life depending on the Brethren and God to forgive them again, again, and again. Well, that is not God’s arrangement. I really believe it is not God’s intention to keep forgiving us again, again, and again. The writer of Hebrews shares, ”Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,” (Hebrews 6:1) God started something back in the Book of Genesis and He has not changed His mind. He is still in the business of creating us into His character and image. He even gave us His Son Jesus Christ to show us how He functions. In 1 Peter, God said, ”Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16) He meant it, “Be ye Holy;” this is not a suggestion or a good idea, God really meant it. God does not speak to hear Himself. When He speaks, unlike us, He really means what He says. When the Bible says, ”For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23) God really means it. When the Bible says “all” it really means “all.” When God says, “if you bless Me and My people I will bless you and if you curse Me and My people I will curse you,” He means it. Believe it or not, God really does mean what He says. It is God’s intention for us to give our heart and life to Him once, “not laying again the foundation of repentance (from the Greek; to about face or walk in the opposite direction) from dead works.” Many Believers still suffer from disease and emotional distress, because they have not walked in the opposite direction of their sin and have come short of God’s glory. You can ask God to forgive you all day long, but if you continue in your sin nothing will change. We are to feel sorrow for them, but also we must “speak the truth in love” by encouraging them to turn from their ungodly ways. It is the message of the law that shares the entire counsel of God. Often the bisexuals, homosexuals, lesbians, pedophiles, murderers, robbers, and the list goes on have asked God to forgive them of the sin associated with their chosen life style, but continue to frequent the same places and continue to have the same set of friends. They must walk away, about face, they must flow in the opposite direction. They must frequent new places, they must develop a new set of friends. Paul shares these words, ”Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.” (1 Corinthians 15:33) The word “communication,” from the Greek, companionship and communion. If we do not know the truth then it is easy for our companions to deceive us. If sin is moving forward then we must move backward.

Another reason many lay again, again, and again their foundation of repentance is because they were not really taught to stop sinning. You know it matters who your teacher is. Often we are taught God will forgive us again, again, and again if we need Him too. Just ask God and He will forgive you. Well I am not so convinced of that, nor was Paul, “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13) God looks at our heart, He really knows if we are serious about our confession (from the Greek; to agree with God what He is saying about us is true) and our repentance. I really believe our continual attempts at salvation, again, again, and again while willfully taking the opportunity to satisfy our fleshly desires is a very dangerous way we shun the message of the law, thus building in us a false sense of security to our “true” salvation. We then struggle to convince ourselves of our salvation through empty repetition. Our salvation experience then is based on grace alone without “the principles of the doctrine of Christ,” confession and repentance in place. Now please remember it is the law that brings us to Christ, ”Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster (from the Greek; teacher) to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” (Galatians 3:24) The way to Christ and salvation is first through the law. Many would say, “ but Pastor Dave the law kills” and I would say, “yes, you are absolutely right it does. It kills our desires and ambitions, our intentions and plans that are not of God. It kills our flesh forcing our submission and obedience to God, if we desire His plan for our lives. It brings us face-to-face with our need for God and the salvation He so freely extends, the law brings us to Christ.” It is the Spirit that giveth life, (see 2 Corinthians 3:6) not grace. Grace without the law is incomplete to save us from our sin. And, too law without grace is incomplete to save us from our sin, ”Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” (Galatians 5:4) Grace without the law will always leave us in great lack and loss in our lives.

Let us desire the grace of the law, the correction, and the correct movement toward obedience to God. Let us, like Charles Spurgeon encouraged, teach the whole counsel of God and not just what makes us feel good, tickles our ears, or even what fills seats and offering plates, but what will affect true change and heal lives. Let us embrace both the law and grace so that we can come to places of development and not deliverance. Let us teach what will bring people into the life of God.

CURRENT NEWS:

Changes for 2003 continue to happen Back in April 1997, God began to lead us in the “wilderness way” and still He continues to move us. It looks like our, church, Christliche Gemeinde, will move yet again to a bigger and better location from Bad Cannstatt to Feurbach. My schedule for 2003 ever grows. I have confirmed Greece and Norway for the autumn months. I still believe 2003 will see me in China. Karen and the kids are doing well. I am so proud of my wife. I am coaching Joshua’s basketball team and last week-end after the game I asked everyone (maybe 150 people) to help clean up the gym, well most did nothing some picked up the paper they threw down, but my wife Karen was the only parent (from both men and woman) who helped with chairs and did much much more. I should not really be to surprised because she works in a chow hall cleaning plates, scrubbing pots and pans so that the will of God can be accomplished in our lives. She said she thanks God for being able to work at the chow hall because it has taught her a lot. These are words spoken from an established heart. I love you Karen my “sweetheart.”

FUTURE SCHEDULE:

January: Open

February: New London, CT with Pastor Doug Price (tentatively)

March: Lagos, Nigeria with Pastors Joseph Ojatabu and Mike Olifume

April: Hyderabad, India with S. J. Peter (tentatively)

May: 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. The need for items for the printing service and new church building in Bulgaria is still before us. Also in Constanta, Romania Ciprian Bozdog, head teacher, at the Lighthouse Church’s Bible School has started printing Christian books. This is a very important area of ministry in Eastern Europe. Please keep these two ministries in your prayers and financial support. John Balole who translates for me when I go to Tanzania is heading to Pinecrest Bible Training Center. God provided $1000 from a Brother in his church. Bill and Charlene Pepper in Alaska still need support to continue ministry efforts in Peru, China, Mongolia, and many more countries. 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)

(Church Website)

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