THOUGHTS FOR CONSIDERATION: Greetings again my friends. Okay more this month on the “perfect heart” that a the servant of God MUST have to be a Prophet. Not just anyone can be a Prophet not just anyone can be saved. What? David, what are you saying? I am saying not just anyone can be saved. Yes, it is true God wants none to be lost no not one. But, it is also true hell expands it borders daily. I do believe (wish this was not true) there are more people in the world that think they are saved than the those in the world who are truly saved. Now God has not made it difficult to be saved or even a mystery how to be saved. God has laid it out all throughout the Bible how to be saved. Of course the most quoted Scriptures in the Bible John 3:15-16 tells us how to be saved and guess what it also tells us who CANNOT be saved. John writes, “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:15-16) Did you get that my friend? “whosoever believeth in him should not perish,” but have both types of life; “eternal life” and “everlasting life.” My friend “eternal life” and “everlasting life” are not the same thing. We often kind of lump them both into the same pot, stir, and serve, well they are both are different. In John 17:3, which is the real Lord’s prayer, we read, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3) Wow, a third type of life, “life eternal.” Are they the same? No of course not. As human beings all who drew breath on this earth will live forever. Sinners and Saints alike. We all have this “eternal life” in common. But the question is where shall we spend our “eternal life?” Ultimately in the Lake of Fire or with God in the Millennial Regin and then in the Kingdom Age? The answer to this question is up to us my friend. In John 3:16 Jesus talks about “everlasting life.” Not a longevity of life, but a quality of life. Do you see the difference? Here Jesus is talking about having the life of God in us, God’s type of life in us, His “Zoe” (Strong’s Greek #2222) life and with this type of life we can function and operate with God. We will know how He operates and moves, how He loves and touches us, so we can go out and touch others. Oh my friends this is a greater life than “eternal life.” Then there is the third type of life “life eternal.” John gives us really good understanding of what this life is when he said in John 17:3 (above), “that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” I would think of the three types of life this one would probably be the most important type of life because if we never come to “know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” then we can never be saved. To be saved we MUST come to “know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.” We must come to “know” and once we know we must “believe,” because only those who believe can be saved. According to John 3:16 salvation is ONLY for those people who “believe.” Everyone else who DOES NOT “believe” in God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent will live their time on earth, die, and end up in the Lake of fire. I did not say that God said that. As I said it is our choice. So, what do we believe? There is a God? Jesus lived and died on earth? Will that save us? No of course not. Paul tells us what we must believe to be saved. Paul in 1 Corinthians15:1-4,“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) My friend if you believe anything else about God or Jesus to be saved you are eternally lost. Believing the Gospel message is the only message in the Bible were we can be saved. Paul again helps us, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.’ (Romans 1:16) So, too the servant of God MUST have a “perfect heart” to believe this message. Now not a perfect sinless life like Christ, but a perfect heart towards God. Hanani the Seer writes, “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9) My friend our heart is to be “perfect” towards God and when we believe the Gospel message and the more as we “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” we too shall have a “perfect” and trusting heart. This is God’s intention for us, but like salvation it is our choice.
Next month we will continue looking at the perfect heart of the “Prophet of God” who must have the right motives. I hope this is you my friend. Are you a Prophet of God? To be a Prophet we must be able to hear His voice. Listen closely and you will hear. Written by David Stahl
ARTICLE REVIEW:
What Happened to the Church
As a Christian one of the hardest things to do is find a good Bible believing doctrinal church. I can remember talking to my Bible Teacher Charles Haun about this in the late 1990s and he too was experiencing the same problem. If you think finding a place to worship God in “Sprit and truth” with people was tough in the 90s, well 25+ years later has only severely limited our choices. Now I do believe God wants us to join our lives with a local body of believers (not a church because we are the church) not to receive a blessing, but be a blessing. To add in our skills, talents, abilities, and spiritual gifts to be “fitly joined” our hearts as one to evangelize the community with the Gospel and then helping the down and out who need a hand up not a hand out. So what happened to the church? In Matthew 28:19 we get a mandate from, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:.” (Matthew 28:18), but we are making buildings organizations, foundations, business, corporations, anything to make money. We are to go, teach (make disciples) and baptize. Where did the church get off track? Maybe from the seeker sensitive humanistic movement from books like “The Purpose Driven Life” not wanting to offend people, or maybe from the word of faith, “blab it and grab it” or “name it and claim it” or maybe from the hyper-spirituality folks looking for a devil under every rock. Whatever happened to the churches that were doctrinally sound teaching the word of God as presented in the Scriptures without embellishment? Okay I am going to go ugly right up front, if you think things are okay in most churches you have no spiritual wherewithal. Okay please let me eat my words (God is good at making us eat our words) not all churches are misguided and off track. The churches we visit overseas seem to be more on track doing those things Jesus has asked us to do. Maybe the common denominator of poverty, persecution, and daily struggle has made it so. And maybe that is why we always feel welcome and the presence of God is present in their services. Paul lays it out to us in Ephesians, “From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” (Ephesians 4:16), but before this all can happen Paul tells us what must be established in our heart to make it all happen. “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;” (Ephesians 4:2-4) The problem with the “church” of today are many. There can be no “unity of the Spirit” and all of the great things Paul tells us about unless we can walk in “lowliness and meekness with longsuffering forbearing one another in love.” Whatever happened to these qualities in the church? There are three things (in descending order of importance) I would like to discuss in trying to answer the question what happened to the church. As the church goes so does the country. Make no mistake my friend unless the church is set in order America’s best days are behind her. The first reason the church has missed it is losing sight of the main teaching of Christ. Jesus told the disciples in Matthew, “These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 6But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. 9Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, 10Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat. 11And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. 12And when ye come into an house, salute it. 13And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.” (Matthew 10: 5:13) We have lost track of the message we were told to “preach (like at the end of Chapter 28), heal the sick (not pray for the sick), cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and cast out devils.” I see no words from Jesus that says build buildings, start denominations, or collect money for salaries. Oh no Jesus said “as ye go” do all of these things. The church of today has lost the original vision of what Jesus told the disciples by substituting some good works (which is needed) and mixed it with religious tradition and ritual while the countless masses of people in the world perish right before their eyes. Remember, if you feed and clothe people around the world and never give them Jesus then what you will have is well dressed and well-fed people in hell. It is no wonder people reject the message of Jesus they have learned the messenger really does not care about them they have learned time and time again they only care about themselves. Sadly, I have seen and heard this year after year and even sadder it still is on display today. Unless you have the right heart condition for the lost you will do things for yourself and make no mistake people know sincerity when they see it. Jealousy, arrogance, and vain glory will be the heart condition of the pastor and church leadership. And notice Jesus said, “Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,” well, how could that be? Take no money with you? No that is not what Jesus was saying. Jesus was saying God will provide your needs as you go in His will because it is His idea so He will provide and because, “the workman is worthy of his meat.” If we do things with the right heart condition, according to His will we are worthy (not what we have done but how we have done them) and God will provide. I have seen this truth in ministry play out since April 1996 when we first went to Germany. God ALWAYS provided everything we needed for our church in Stuttgart and every time we travelled. Even today when the LORD sends us out, He provides or we do not go. It is God’s idea, it is God’s will so, He will make it happen. When you get over in self- promotion and self-funding we are on shaky ground my friend. Over the last 25+ years of ministry through Beholding His Glory we have had only two churches (one a Presbyterian and a Baptist) for a very short time support us. All of our support has come by way of a hand full (and I mean hand full) of people. Even today this holds true. All that BHG does is provided by a hand full of people who have clearly heard from God and have a heart condition of obedience to God’s word. The next reason, the church has missed, it is few Godly relationships, attention to the things of God, and a lack of a desire (make people feel too uncomfortable) to share the Gospel message. In most churches 80 percent (known as the 20 to 80 rule) of the work is being carried out by 20 percent or less of the people. We have become a church of spectators. Lack of relationship and not because of the excuse we are too busy, but we do what we really care about. According to my own personal research, the problems are even bigger than the 20/80 rule. Only 39 percent of active believers consider the Bible as the literal word of God. Less than 20 percent of professing believers follow the biblical principle of giving. Only 5 percent have shared their faith with a non-believer. More than half of all church members attend church once a month or less all lack of relationship. If there was a real relationship between the pastors and the people things would be different. People would be inspired and find valued in investing their resources in the church and more importantly the people in the community who are almost always forgotten in most churches of today. Resources are spent on people inside the church (the fortress) first (they pay their tithes right?) and if anything is left after paying: salaries, building programs, utilities, property maintenance, maybe a mortgage, mission funding to the denomination (instead of people going as Jesus asked), the list goes on maybe the people in the community who the church is to reach may get something. Casual attendance and the belief that others will serve, give, and share the Gospel are tearing down churches across our country brick by brick. Can you imagine what would happen in our personal walk of faith and in our community of believers if we established real relationships with each other? What if every believer exercised generosity? What if everyone served in their God-given purpose? What would happen if we stopped simply believing and started belonging to each other? What if we changed our approach to Christ and established a real relationship with our families and friends; the blessing, the reward, the joy, the fulfilment, the purpose, and the increase would radically transform our lives and the world. Recently, we were attending a denomination church in the local area and the pastor (a good, dedicated pastor who really cares about his people in the church) never understood my writings. When I would write about an issue affecting the “church” globally and corporately he would take offense and get upset at us. In defence he was not the only pastor of a church (we would attend) who got offended at us. In the past we have invited many the pastors, and his wife if married, of the church we were attending over for dinner to explain BHG, our motives, and even tell some in time they too would probably get offended at us. The offence, jealousy, and envy in these pastors, well I will leave this alone. You might ask why then go to church? Again, I believe we are to share what the LORD has given us, but when the pastor sees someone’s light might be a little brighter than his, disagree with our writings or often times they think we are trying to break his rice bowl and take over his church or members, well the end is near. Knowing this I tried really hard to keep a good relationship with the pastor and the people, after all this is what Jesus asked us to. I understand I am not a card carrying member and will always be an outsider, but we have always honoured and supported any pastor of any church we have attended. When we would host friends from overseas we would have the pastor and his wife, if married, for dinner to get to know our friends better especially if they were to speak at their church. Sometimes we would just have them over for dinner to talk. We even took some out to dinner and others to events trying to establish a Godly relationship. All Godly ministry comes out of Godly relationships! When we would travel we would always bring the pastor and some of the people gifts home. We worked hard at keeping a good relationship. The last pastor even commented how we were more faithful in attending services and helping out than his members yet because he disagreed with my writings and when I questioned how he handled some Scriptures we were asked to leave. Now, Karen and I are not perfect and make mistakes, but our heart has always been in the right place. I thought for some time what did we do wrong? To be honest I was shocked when the pastor emailed me, yes emailed me, and did not call. That is right he emailed me. He did not call or be manly about it by talking to us face to face. I then realized we had no relationship. Oh no, I misjudged our relationship. All of the times he thanked us for helping and said he loved us (and he did many times) was not true. I guess love to some is situational dependant. As long as we did and said what he wanted we were in his good graces, but if we question well . . . you know what happens. I thought our relationship was strong enough (after years) to sharpen each other, but I guess I was wrong. Sadly, today the church is full of people with no relationship. People come and go every Sunday and Wednesday (if they have a service) like strangers in the night. Show up for their traditional ritual and disappear. Whatever happened to getting to know people? Having dinners and programs never will help you to get to know someone. As they say, “no one cares what you know until they know how much you care.” Now I am not talking about the leadership within the church this goes without saying there will be a better relationship there, but I am talking about the people who come, who are faithful, and are expected to show up every service or things fall apart from lack of finances. Most churches have failed to express themselves in any meaningful way to the community. A quick hello, slight smile, and a how are you doing while the heart of the people is begging for more. I have seen this in the last church (and in its community) we attended, but like a man a church cannot give what it does not have. What would your community look like if the people in your church really cared about each other and the people in the community? Lastly the biggest reason I know the church has missed it is the lack of spirituality. Everything is explained by human reasoning. There is almost never a move of God’s Spirit. It has been years since I can remember a genuine move of God. I can remember growing up in more Pentecostal (Assembly of God and Church of God) Churches suddenly without warning or being prompted the Spirit of God would fall in great power and manifest Himself is spiritual ways, but it has been many years since I have seen the Spirit of God fall in unmistakable ways knowing this was God reaching His people. And why not? When was the last time you were given an opportunity to share a testimony? Oh no, start at 11:00 out by 12:30 maybe 1:00 pm or the people look at their watch and the pastor knows what that could mean, maybe the door the next time his job comes up for a vote. Most services are scripted, controlled, and manipulated leaving no room for the Holy Spirit to move. No spirituality in the people because in most churches they have not never really been taught, just a lot of feel good sermons. One Wednesday at a local church we use to attend I cast a demon out of a lady, how the small crowd was amazed, but even sadder they did not even know the lady was demon possessed. After all (at the church) most Christians never bring their Bibles which means they probably do not read their Bibles at home so how would they know to recognize a demon? The signs were obvious, but the entire church and even the pastor missed it well I did not and the lady left with a clean face and a different woman. Her language (strange sounds and volume), her mannerisms, even her dirty face told me she was possessed. You know as we looked back Karen said she believes this one event was the straw that broke the camel’s back for us at this local church. Most churches today have been dumbed downed to keep the people happy with songs, but ignorant to the Spiritual realm. The local body of believers is not a building – it’s a body of believers fulfilling God’s purpose in our lives and these purposes and the fulfilment is spiritual. Strangely enough people will follow someone to hell’s door if they are “truly” spiritual, yet they are few in the world of many. Churches that are unspiritual that can be fully explained in terms of the natural, although ever so attractive and competent, will result only in spiritual fruitlessness, corruption, and immorality. We often see this based on worldly logic and methods, but John tells us, “that which is flesh is flesh and that which is Spirit is Spirit.” (John 3:6) we can never substitute or mix flesh with Spirit and expect to get something spiritual it just CANNOT happen. In Proverbs we read, “there is a way that seemeth right . . . ” (Proverbs 14:12) the world says you can use worldly ways and means in the Body of Christ and get the same effect, but this will never work. Most pastors and churches do not want to devote resources, time, and effort to teach their people about spiritual things (not a demon under every rock like some churches), but the truth how the Holy Spirit moves, manifests, and functions within each member and then throughout the church to the world. For this to happen the pastor (first) and the church MUST have a real revelation of God. And a revelation is spiritual. We are measured by God by the amount of revelation we have received from God. Revelation is God’s evaluation and measuring stick. God’s spirituality is built on God’s revelation and His estimation of a person is according to that revelation. If God gives revelation then is His spiritually is established and when His revelation is withdrawn the man is rejected. If we want to learn to be spiritual we must pay attention to our relationship before God. If God desires to have communion with us face-to-face no one can eliminate us. But, if our communication above is severed, and the heavens are shut, all we do will be for naught. An open heaven is the seal of God and is God’s main credential of the testimony of Sonship. Revelation is therefore the evidence of authority and spirituality. The true manifestation of spirituality is wisdom not power nor knowing right from wrong. God tells us what is right and wrong in the Scriptures, but revelation is God’s words to us. The wisdom alone comes from God. You know Jesus felt the church was worth dying for – it should be our mission as Christians to value living for it. Written by David Stahl
THOUGHTS FROM KAREN:
You’re Not Alone
A new acquaintance recently said to me that they feel out of place or don’t know where they fit in sometimes with people. Well, welcome to my world! Paul writes, “We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised. 11Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place; 12And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: 13Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day. 14I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you. 15For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 16Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.” (1 Corinthians 4:10-16) Now, I don’t think Paul fits into a lot of places back then. And it seems my whole life I’ve felt more out of place than in place! Perhaps I was a late bloomer or just backward (hey probably both!). After I married it seemed like every time we moved, I’d make new friends here and there, well perhaps acquaintances really. Then we’d move again, make new acquaintances, move again, and on and on it went. Sometimes even with family I felt like I didn’t fit in. (Truthfully, I didn’t.) But that’s just life. And GOD’S lessons in life are learned better without close friends around or even family around. And yes, there will be awkwardness in our life if we truly want to serve GOD. A spiritual Christian will not get along with a carnal Christian; the latter will persecute the former. Just the way it is. The only real constant in my life was and is Dave, our kids, and Jesus. Being alone or not fitting in should not surprise or concern us. Why?? Glad you asked! In Isaiah 53: 3-7 we see the prophecy Isaiah gives concerning Jesus, “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes (comforts) we are healed. 6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:3-7) Not a warm, fuzzy account of Jesus, is it? Is the servant greater than the Master? “Despised and rejected” and by the very ones who SHOULD’VE known who he was and who should have welcomed Him with open hearts and arms. Such was not the case. You don’t think that broke Jesus’ heart? Brethren, there’s times we won’t feel like we fit in, but you know what?? With Jesus we all fit in, (IF we are TRUE believers and follow the truth) when we do what He wants us to do we’ll fit in no matter where we are. Whether it’s here or in a small church in the bush in Kenya, a big church in Romania or Czech Republic, or a village in the mountains of Nepal, or maybe a nursing home or prison, we just keep our eyes on Him, things will fall into place. Now that being said we are not of this world and we shouldn’t expect to totally fit in. The sooner we realize that the easier it’ll be. To the person who said they didn’t feel like they fit in; welcome to the club, you’re not alone. Study your Bible. Written by Karen Stahl
NEEDS NOT WANTS:
1. In Dobrich, Bulgaria Pastor Niki Marsov and in Silistra Pastor(s) Yanko, and Marcho. Times are troubled in Bulgaria much prayer and support is needed.
2. Constanta, Romania Pastors Luke and Jacob at Bethel Church and in Agigea Brother John Vlad as the Director of the Romanian Center for Cross-cultural Studies Bible School.
3. Pastor S. J. Peter, Founder of DAWN Ministries in Hyderabad and Pastor Wilson and his son Pastor Julian at Gospel Assembly in Sankaraguptham, India.
4. Dan, Cathy, and members of Uskudar Son Buyruk Kilisesi in Istanbul, Turkey.
5. Pastor Elieti Msangi in Dar Es Salaam and Pastors Isreal Mutaitina and John Balone in Bukoba, Tanzania.
6. Pastor Tek Dahl at Gethsemane, Church (his church) and their radio station “Good News 105.1 FM” in Kathmandu, Nepal.
7. Bishop John, Samuel Kamanzi (from the Congo), and, Emmanuel Ndolimana in Ruhengeli, Rwanda.
8. Christian and Ina Kopjar Missionaries to the County of Liberia.
NEXT HOME GROUP MEETINGS:
14 April 26 at 7:00 pm
At 232 Everett Drive
Sneads Ferry, NC 28460
7:00 pm please RSVP
(910) 382-9287
BEHOLDING HIS GLORY ON THE RADIO:
On WJCV Jacksonville, NC
“Pebbles of Truth”
1290 AM or 98.3 FM
Every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 7:30 am
FUTURE BHG SCHEDULE:
April: Local Ministry
May: Local Ministry
June: Local Ministry
I am still available to share what God has given me at churches and/or home groups. If God moves on your heart to support BHG or other ministries we personally know we would be honored to serve as a go between. Remember, if we want a blessing from God the spiritual principle is we must bless others. Remember, God is to you what you are to God.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Address:
David and Karen Stahl
232 Everett Drive
Sneads Ferry, NC 28460
Phone:
Mobile: (910) 382-9287
FAX: (910) 741-0489
Email:
Website:
Blog:
http://bhisglory.blogspot.com/
FREE OFFERS
Booklets on Spiritual Authority, Spiritual Leadership, Prayer, Body of Christ, and Righteous Living the Four Anchors of God are now available by contacting us and requesting one. You can see them on our home page. Get one now.
The Author House link below will lead you to our latest book, “Thoughts for Consideration.” Just copy it into your web browser and return. Also you can purchase two of our other books “Adventures with God.” and “God Still Performs Miracles: A Book of Personal Encouragement.”
http://www.authorhouse.com/AuthorCenter/Protected/BookHome.aspx?bookID=61464
Please take a minute and take a look, they all make for a great encouraging gift, giving hope and sharing God’s love through a deeper teaching that someone can enjoy again and again. All of our books can be purchased at all book stores like Barnes and Nobles, Borders, Book-A-Million, and etc., any Christian Book Store that orders, and all book ordering on-line companies like Amazon.com. Or if you are like me from the old school just contact us, we will let you know the price and then we will mail it out to your home address. Postage and handling is on a case by case basis.
If you know someone you think would enjoy receiving this newsletter or if you receive this newsletter and do not wish to please let me know. Contributions to this ministry is always appreciated and needed the more time continues. Please feel free to contact us with the above information.
