THOUGHTS FOR CONSIDERATION:

Greeting again my Brethren. As we begin to behold His glory the eyes of our understanding is strengthened and we are established in ways where we will be able to be “changed” in our perceptions and thinking. Unless we allow God to touch our understanding that controls our perceptions and thinking we will never “with open face (sight) beholding as in the glass (or mirror) the glory of the Lord” Our sight (face) will be closed to the image of God in our lives and there will not be a change “from glory and glory.” The opposite of glory is shame. How can we understand God if we do not think like Him? How can we be like Him if we do not have a heart like His Son Jesus Christ. We cannot, this is why we must behold His glory. As we behold His glory AND are changed we will be able to begin to understand the end God has purposed and planned for our lives. But before there must be a “beholding” and a “changing” to be able to think and be like Him. For in Him is an eternal purpose known only to Him and to those who He will share His heart. Even in Genesis during the creation of man God had in His heart a most blessed end for him. God has an end in mind for us. All along His way for our lives God has a place to end up. An eternal purpose and plan with a specific end in mind. He has an eternal purpose for each person that is born into this world. In Jeremiah God shares these words with us, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jeremiah 29:11) Please notice it is an “expected end.” This is not your expectation, but God’s. God expects, He is looking for, He is planning for, there is an expectation within God that we will end up at a certain place at a certain time. And these are God’s thoughts not ours. God knows what He is thinking toward us. His thoughts of peace will lead us all along our way to the end He has purposed and planned for us. Sadly many today will not come into God’s purpose to their “expected end” because they do not have a heart and mind like His. God can only give us a heart and mind like His when we submit to His dealings and judgments in our lives. Peter asked this question, “And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” (2 Peter 4:18) The answer is the ungodly and sinner will appear at the end and the place they have made out from their choices. They have chosen to walk in their own thoughts and ways and not God’s thoughts and ways. Thus they have chosen to end up at the place of their own choosing, and not God’s “expected end.” Even unknowingly they have chosen their own end. Brethren let us desire to come to the “expected end” God has for us. He is waiting there for us. He is waiting for us to think like Him, to have Godly perceptions like Him, and He is waiting for us to allow Him to give us a heart like His. More next month on this topic.

ARTICLE REVIEW:

The Strengthening by the Brethren

In John Jesus shares these words, “Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded (strengthened) yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are older, you will stretch out your hands; and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” (John 21:18) Contained in this verse is God’s idea of how and by whom a minister is to mature.

Here Jesus is sharing essential truths that we must embrace if we are going to be used by God. From the macro perspective, there is a process of growth God has built in the characteristics or make up of everything He creates. Have it be in the natural or spiritual realm, it does not matter. Everything God creates grows. The word “younger” here begins that process of spiritual maturity. It implies immaturity, a child, zealousness, talkativeness, and an opinionated self-seeking character. Please notice the younger “girded” or strengthened himself and goes where ever he wants to go, and does what ever he wants do, and says whatever he wants to say. But, “when you are older, you will stretch out your hands; and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” The word “older” implies here some sense of maturity, possessing a capability to handle difficult stressful situations, one who has been established and settled, one who reaches out with the understanding and wisdom of God. And “you will stretch out your hands” you will go, do, and say only what God will’s for your life. And “another” (not yourself or even God at times) but other people will strengthen you in your “stretching” in your going. You will go in “another” strengthening, others will “carry” you. And they will guide and lead you into mature places in God and on earth, to places you do not want to go when you were “younger.” When we are young in the Lord there is a great religious zealousness for God and ministry, well I promise you if you walk with the Lord long enough He will kill your zealous desire for ministry and put a desire in you for Him alone. In Deuteronomy we read, how God “kills and He makes alive.” (Deuteronomy 32:39) He will lay the axe to our talkative, opinionated ways and immature nature. He will kill it and make alive His ways and nature in us. We will have nothing to say unless God gives it to us. We will see our words can do little and are empty, vain, and lack the life of God. But when we become older, we go in the strength of others. Now I will be honest, this verse always puzzled me. I thought it was talking about someone carrying me around from place to place when I get old. But as I was leaving Germany and just completed seven years of international ministry God gave me greater revelation to this verse. I saw how I have went in God’s girding, but at the same time I when also in the strength of Charles Haun, Wade Taylor, Jake Luffy, Tony Ross, John Stahl, Bill Pepper, many others, and all of the wonderful Brethren who has supported me in payer and financially. And they have gone in the strengthening of Walter Beuttler, John Wright Follette, Jonathan Swift. And they have gone in the girding of Francois de Fenelon, Michael Molinos, and Jeanne Guyon. They ALL and many more whom I do not have names for have carried me, they have taught me, they have mentored me, they have encouraged me, they have strengthened me with might so that I could become “His workmanship.” (Ephesians 2:10) So I would be willing to endure God’s dealings and judgments in my life. So I would be willing to endure long hours of loneliness, boredom at times and fear at other times, and the loss of my family for weeks at a time. To even endure diarrhea and sickness from the food that was given to bless me and the water I drank. Yes, they girded me to endure to persevere as a good sailor of the Lord. I went in their strength, in their teaching, and yes in the integrity of their example. God has put within each person spiritual gifts, experiences, and a life understanding to the knowledge of God. And all along God’s eternal way they have been passed down from person to person; from Fenelon, to Swift, to Follette, to Haun by His Holy Spirit (and my desire to be strengthened by them) ultimately to me. And I will pass along to others after me what was given to me. And my spiritual gifts, experiences, and life understandings to the knowledge of God will be added to an eternal seed that is planted in hearts and in minds, that will grow, ripen, and yield a harvest of much fruit in season.

Brethren let us understand the grave importance of strengthening one another. From the micro perspective, it is about humbling ourselves as Christ humbled Himself. It is about possessing a heart condition that is low and teachable to receive. It is amazing to know you must first see the value in what I am saying and have a desire to learn from me before I can teach you anything. One of the most critical, but less discussed pillars of the learning process is acceptance of the teacher as “the teacher.” One of the greatest problems in the church today is members are not teachable. They come to church with an non-teachable spirit. They do not accept the Pastor or his words, but they expect to learn something. Well it does not happen that way in God. They think they know everything. Well, when you think you know everything you cannot learn anything. I made a comment to a Pastor friend of mine about all of the different believing churches (denominations) in America and he said, praise God we need more churches. I told him the last thing America needs is more churches. What America needs is teachable members. Matter of fact all of the different believing churches (denominations) in America has caused division and strife amount the Body of Christ. Remember 1 + 1 = division in God. One church here, another different church over here, and still yet another different church over there, all believing different and all causing division and strife within the Body of Christ. At the heart of all of these different believing churches is a heart and spirit that is non-teachable. Did all of the disciples start with the same message? I wonder what happened.

My Brethren, we can only be “girded” or strengthened by “another” if we are teachable, soft, and open to the Holy Spirit and the teacher. Let us humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to open our eyes of understanding to how important our Brothers and Sister are to our spiritual growth and maturity. If we could only see the treasures God has put, for our welfare and maturity, into those people we despise and daily ignore. I now see I could not have gone without the example, guidance, and advice of Jake Luffy, Bill Pepper, John Stahl, and others. I now see I could not have stretched out my hands without the teachings of Charles Haun and others. I see now how they all carried me, how they girded me to go places in God and on earth I never knew existed. I looked around and thought only God was strengthening and carrying me. Well at times He has and He probably will need to in the future, but for now He has handed me off to “another.” Written by David Stahl.

CURRENT EVENTS:

God continues to bless us as we are faithful to Him. Remember, a blessing is something of the Spirit of God out from our love, faithfulness, and obedience to Him that often manifests in the physical. Our blessings come to us by His Spirit. It does not come to our five senses or to us by how we feel. Paul shares these words, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. ¹⁰But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:9-10) God has prepared many wonderful things for us. But, it is funny how we focus on the physical to receive these things God, by His Spirit, has already prepared to give us . Unless we have allowed God to touch our eyes and ears, by His Spirit, with His understanding He cannot reveal the things He has prepared for us. We will always be in great lack for we will continue to look at physical things and call them blessings. Please know faithfulness and obedience always brings God’s blessings. Faithfulness to God and your family may not always bring money, cars, or houses, but it always brings God’s blessing. I wonder what the price one is willing to pay for peace or joy? I wonder how much money or how many cars or houses peace or joy cost? Only the one with no peace or joy, but having much in the way of earthly riches can answer that question. I received an email from a special Pastor friend in Africa. He told me since America is from European descendants and the Europeans settled Nigeria it was America’s responsibility to remove the disease and poverty from Africa. I told him this thinking was foolishly wrong. Told him it is Africa’s responsibility to remove the disease and poverty from Africa. All Africans must be faithful to the word of God and their spouses, then and only then will the scourge of HIV/AIDS will be removed from the land. When Africans are faithful to God and His word (by going back to work even if it is only to the fields) and stop looking toward America and other countries of the world for a handout to save them then and only then will poverty be removed from their lands. Only God can save a nation, only God can save a man. Not a preacher, not a ministry, not a country, or a league of countries. This truth applies not only for Africa, but any continent or person. God’s blessing comes to a nation or a person out from their faithfulness and obedience to Him.

God continues to open doors both national and internationally. We had the pleasure of hosting Pastor S.J. Peter from Hyderabad, India in Sep and in Oct we are looking forward to Pastor Joseph Mutua from Nairobi, Kenya.

Karen and the kids are doing great. Josh is doing great playing football. David never made it to East Carolina University (ECU) his last college could not get his transcripts to ECU before the deadline, but he is on schedule for next semester. I am glad we now have more time with him at home. As Godly parents we must always have a nest for our kids to land.

FUTURE SCHEDULE:

October: Open

November: Pastor Nicu, Suceava, Romania (confirmed) AND Pastor Yanko, Silistra, Bulgaria. (tentative)

December: Open

I feel God is speaking to open up ministry to churches, home groups, and to enlarge my newsletter audience within the United States. To meet this end God has purposed for my life, I am available to come and share what God has given me. 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.

NEEDS NOT WANTS:

1. Items for the printing service and in Silistra, 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 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. Pastor Mike Olufemi in the north of Nigeria. He needs your prayers and support to be a light in great darkness.

6. Pastor Joseph Ojatabu and Christliche Gemeinde Stuttgart the church I pastored in Germany.

7. Financial support for the printing of: “God Still Performs Miracles Today: A Book of Person Encouragement” and “Wandering in the Wilderness: The Call to Ministry.”

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:

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. And remember, all donations are tax deductible.

BEHOLDING HIS GLORY
October 2003	Volume II Number 02