Greetings again my
Brethren. As we behold His glory more
and more we will be able to come to a place where we begin to think like God
thinks. I have spoke on this before, but
I feel strong in my spirit to share on it again. I cannot begin to tell you
just how important this topic is. Correct thinking is critical to our spiritual
growth and development. Thinking right, like God thinks, is a critical
objective God must build in our lives, He must be able to get us to think like
Him if we are going to participate with Him in the yoke of planting and
harvesting. As I travel the world I meet so many Christians who think wrong,
who are built on presumption (presuming to know right but doing wrong),
religious works, and this Pollyanna thinking that keeps them from learning the
lessons God wants them to learn. Now I am not talking about positive
confession, always thinking positive about negative situations in our lives,
but I am talking about thinking like Christ.
Paul tells us to put on the mind of Christ. “Let this mind be in you., which was also
in Christ.” (Philippians 2:5) How can we put the mind of Christ on? By taking off the mind of the world. Paul again helps us, “The night is far spent, the day is at hand;
let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armor of
light.” (Romans 13:2) Here is the spiritual principle; we must take off
before we can put on. Before we can put
on the mind of Christ and think like Him, we must FIRST take off the mind of
the world. How can we read the daily
newspaper or watch the daily news on TV (filling our selves up with the news of
the world) and put on the mind of Christ?
Please notice taking off worldly thinking comes FIRST before we can put
on the mind of Christ. Here Paul teaches
us to “cast off (take off) the works of darkness” (wrong thinking
and the world’s ways) so that we can “put on the armour of light” (the
mind of Christ and God’s ways). How can we ever expect to walk in the light of
God if our thoughts are dark and adverse to what God says about things?
The more we behold God and His glory, the more we will see Him and His
ways. And the more we see His ways the
more we will think like Him. It is a
perpetuating process in our mind and heart. It is like the more we love God the
more we walk in godliness and righteousness.
And the more we walk in godliness and righteousness the more we love
God. The love that I have for Karen (my
“sweetheart” and wife) is what keeps me from defiling my relationship with her
and God. And the more I keep myself pure and holy unto her, the more love I
will have for her. It is the love in my
heart towards her that prevents me from sinning against her and my God.
The
way we think and act speaks of our walk with the Lord. If our walk with the Lord is not in the
light, then we must be walking in darkness for there is no twilight in God. Either we are saved or we are not saved,
there is no fence on which to straddle our salvation. Either we are moving
towards God or we are moving away from God, there is no in between point. Oh my
friend out of our mouth speaks our heart.
If I want to know about you, I will just let you talk and you will tell
me all I need to know. Did you know
Jesus was a man of few words, He was not a chatter-box. I cannot believe how much some Christians
talk and most are saying nothing important.
They talk just to talk or talk or to show others just how intelligent
and knowledgeable they are, well my friend these Christians disqualify
themselves for service by God because of their talkative and opinionated
nature. Their many words reveal the lack of discipline in their lives. Their
many words and opinions reveal they have never seriously been dealt with by God
nor have they undergone any real judgments by God, thus they are disqualified
for service.
You know I can always tell where someone is in God by how they
pray. The words that form their prayer
come out from their understanding of God and for the most part their thinking.
For example, a new Christians would want to tell God how to bless them. I was in a church recently and we were
praying for this lady who had cancer; three people prayed for God to heal her,
well what if God did not want to heal her?
Why do we think we need to tell God what to do. Is God not God? Do we need to tell God what to do? A more maturing Christian would give God an
option to either heal the lady or allow His will to be done in this
situation. But now a mature Christian
would not pray for the lady to be healed, oh no they would pray for God’s will
to be done in her life. They are able to
accept whatever God’s desires to do in this situation without having to get
their way. Most of our prayers today are selfish and self-centered wanting our
way in situations and circumstances, well we need to grow up and allow God to
be God and just go along with what God desires for us.
You know the mind often is the battlefield and victory or defeat in God
is measured in time, not distance, it takes to get a thought to our heart
(Proverbs 23:7). But, if we have put on
the mind of Christ it would be impossible for the world or even Satan to get a
foot-hold in our heart. More next month
on this and other topics.
ARTICLE REVIEW:
The Open Door of God
I just returned from two
weeks in
As a retiree from the
military I usually take a military C-5 or C-17 cargo plane from a military base
in the States to a military base in Germany then off to my next destination in
a few days after a time of ministry in Germany.
The price is right, (it is free) but like most things free there are hidden
costs to pay. There is a very formal
process for seat selection which I am not going to go into, but the retiree is
at the bottom of the list, thus often times I pay the price of loneliness,
rejection, and disappointment for a few days to be able to fly across the
Atlantic Ocean for free, still not too bad if you have the time. Well this trip to East Africa was no
different. I tried for two days to get
out of Charleston, AFB with no success. On the third day I was still third from
the bottom of the list of 26 names. My
chances of getting a seat was impossible at best. Three flights were scheduled
from Charleston, AFB to Rein Main, AFB for the day. The first flight at 2:00 pm had four seats
available I had no chance. Six hours
later the second flight had four seats open I had no chance again. Now, the
third flight had an air-pallet 1000 lbs over weight so they said there probably
will not be any seats available, however for those who wanted to wait until the
11:00 pm show time could, so I waited. An
open door, God’s open door for me. Every
one in the terminal except for me and three others got up and walked out. They said why are you staying, you are
wasting your time, but I could see an open door. I could see my way of
provision. To them it looked foolish to stay, but to me I could see the
air-pallet coming off the plane and seats opening up. Everyone told me they would see me tomorrow I
smiled and said see you later. Little
did they know they would probably never see me again. I was moving with God and when He moves we
must be ready. When God moves He moves fast and complete. Around 10:30 pm I asked the air staff if
there was any change in seat availability for the last flight they told me they
are thinking about taking the over-weight air-pallet off and opening up some
seats. I told them all we need is
four. God’s door got a little
wider. Where once there was no way now a
way is possible. God’s door is opening. At 11:00 pm they took the air-pallet off the
C-17 and opened five seats and one was mine.
What a wonderful flight I had to Germany. Brethren, those that do wait upon the Lord do
receive. I had no hope tomorrow, no better chance then now because tomorrow all
of the other people would be back and I would still be at the bottom of the
list. We must be able to see God’s door
of provision for our lives. It was the
third flight God chose as my means of free transport to Germany and if I missed
it, it would cost me dearly from my pocket. But, too it was the third flight
that seemed impossible, that seemed closed, but in reality it was standing wide
open for me I only needed eyes to see clearly.
When God opens a door for us, it is for a limited time, it opens quick
and we must move quickly through.
Brethren let us allow God to
work in our lives so we will be able to see the open door of God. Let us put on the mind of Christ so that we
will be able to think like the Father. Let us take off the thinking of the
world and allow our minds to be renewed. I wonder how many doors we have failed
to walk through because we have failed to see things from God’s prospective? I
wonder the provision we have lost due to not being able to see things from
God’s point of view? All because we have
not allowed God to work in our heart and lives.
All because we have not allowed God to bring us into a straight place of
judgment and truth. The place of seeing
God’s door of provision, God’s open door, begins when God can focus our eyes of
understanding to see things according to the way He sees things. Written by
THOUGHTS FROM KAREN:
Karen has been very busy this month taking care of me and the
kids so she will not have something
this edition, but look next month and remember the best is yet to come.
POETRY CORNER:
A deep and spiritual poem by my “Big Brother” John Stahl.
HUMILITY
By John E. Stahl Jr.
Oh humble heart replete with love,
Descending from the heights above.
You left Your throne of riches fair,
Enabling man Your wealth to share.
Beggars and paupers tis the nature we wield,
Yet Your jewels of glory You willingly yield.
Diamonds, pearls, and rubies so red,
Adorn the crown upon Your head.
The glorious, most precious jewel in Your crown,
Humility - that which enabled You to come down.
Man in himself n'er the gulf could span,
Except the meek Jesus extend him, His hand.
His heart tis lowly and touched with our plight,
Lifting us up is His true soul's delight.
Lifting us up where we're not able to stand,
Causing us toward others to open our hand.
Aware of our arrogant, impudent pride,
Now - to those less comely we willingly stride.
We slip and we slide spiraling down in the dirt,
Bumped, bruised, and scraped; only our pride is hurt.
Stay in the dirt abide with Him there,
Receiving HIS humility a virtue so
rare.
DEAR FRIENDS:
Life
is so precious to us. We see and hear
this over the TV as it applies to the almost 225,000 people (and still
counting) that perished in the Tsunami in Southern Asia, Sri Lanka, and India. And the older we get the more we see our
life, as grass blown by the wind, slipping away. The older we get the more we
see our mortality ever before us and want to hold on to it even tighter. The
very last things we will have to give up before we pass away will be our life.
We do not like to give up things we like.
Our whole life is built on gain, getting things. And the more we get the
more we think we win, but my friend this is wrong thinking from wrong teaching.
Maybe this is why Jesus said, “For whosoever desires to save his life will
lose it and whosoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:25) This thinking has even crept into the
church. The more we have the more God
loves us, the bigger our ministry the more useful we are to God. Well in truthfulness, this thinking is dead
wrong. Usefulness in God is determined by how broken and contrite (crushed and
ground to powder) we are. The broken
servant alone is useful to God. In God
our gain is measured not by what we get, but what we lose. God measures our gain in Him by how much of
the world and our self we can lose. The
more we lose of our self and the world the more we gain God. Paul pressed on and counted all things, even
the things of God; preaching, signs and wonders, miracles, and the such as loss
so that He could win Christ. What was Paul
after? He was after the same thing you
and I should be after, “that I may know Him and the power of His
resurrection, and the fellowship of His suffering, being conformed to His
death.” (Philippians 3:10)
Now Paul was not after the power of His resurrection, oh no my friend he
was after knowing Him. He already had the power (as we do) and he knew the more
he knew God the more power he would receive.
The secret of success in God is not in the power of God, but in the
knowing of God. Things we want and go
after we seem never to get. Why? Because
some things we must reach them through indirect means. If we want money and it becomes our object
and we do all to get it we will never get it.
It will slip between our fingers like grass and blow away. To get and hold money we must go towards
education, experience, and wisdom. And
out from these applications what we want is ours. So too in God, if we go after ease,
prosperity, signs and wonders, miracles, and a big ministry we will not reach
them, but if we go after godly relationships, both with God and man we will
reach these and so much more. Let us go
after Him, let us go towards godly relationships and doing so we will know Him
and like Paul and others receive God’s power.
Karen “my sweetheart” and the kids
send their love. 2005 already has been
such a rewarding year. God has been so
faithful to me and my family.
NEEDS NOT WANTS:
1. In
Silistra, Bulgaria Pastors Yanko and Niki and the church.
2. In
Constanta, Romania Pastor Ritisan, the Lighthouse Church, and their Mission Bible School.
3. In
Suceava, Romania Pastors Nicu and Marcel at St. Andrews Church, their Bible
School, Christ for Romania, and for the $60,000 needed to complete the training
center and summer camp building.
4. Pastor
Joseph Mutua in Nairobi, Kenya needs your prayer and financial support.
5. Pastor
Mike Olufemi in the north of Nigeria. He
needs your prayers and support to be a light in great darkness.
6. Pastor
S. J. Peter, Founder of DAWN Ministries and Pastor Wilson and his son Pastor
Julian both near Hyderabad, India.
7. Financial
support for the printing of: “God Still Performs Miracles Today: A Book of Person Encouragement.”
8. Pastor Metin Mintaz and the members of
Uskudar Son Buyruk Kilisesi in Istanbul, Turkey.
9. Pastor
Elieti Msangi in Dar Es Salaam and Pastor Isreal Mutaitina in Bukoba, Tanzania.
10. Major Rob McIntosh, Chaplin, Gatwick Airport,
Salvation Army, London, England.
FUTURE SCHEDULE:
March:
With Pastor Chevakula Wilson in Madras, India and then Pastor S. J.
Peter in Hyderabad, India
April:
Local ministry
May:
Lagos, Nigeria with Pastor Mike Olufemi
I am still available to share what God has given me at churches and/or home groups. Also, if God moves on your heart to bless the ministries I visit and share God’s love I would be honored to make it possible for God and you.
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:
David and Karen
Stahl
141 Coke Place
Jacksonville, NC 28546
Phone:
Home: (910) 346-1739
Mobile: (910) 273-5712
FAX: (910) 346-1739
Email:
dstahl@ec.rr.com
If you
know someone who would enjoy receiving this newsletter or if you receive this
newsletter and do not wish to please let me know. Also if you would like to contribute to this
ministry please feel free to contact me with the above information. Costs ever
increase.
PLEASE look within
your abilities to begin supporting or to increase your support to cover these
costs. The cost is great, but the cost for not supporting is even greater. And
remember, all donations are tax deductible.
