”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)
Greetings again my Brethren. Okay let us finish up this section of our study on the Oracles of God. Much has been discussed since we have started and much still lay ahead for us. This month we will look at the last place where divine communication COULD happen if we have the wherewithal to be able to hear God speak. You know, many Christians say God is always speaking, well I am not so sure of that my friend. Did you know there was a period in the Bible where God did not speak for over 400 years? The 400 years of silence refers to the time between the Old Testament and New Testament, during which, so far as we know, God did not speak thus no Scripture was written. The 400 years of silence began with the warning that closed the Old Testament: “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD. He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse” (Malachi 4:5-6) and ended with the coming of John the Baptist, the Messiah’s forerunner. My friend God is not a chatter box He speaks when he has something important to say. So, as I said last month this place which is my most favorite place is the wilderness. The wilderness is part of God’s physical creation; it is also part of His divine arrangement as applied to Christian experiences. Any critic can relegate these times of dryness, distress, and difficulties in Christian experience to Satan or to disobedience. Human logic can easily arrange Scripture to suit itself. However, Paul applies them as the wilderness experiences of Israel to the Christian experience. The entire setting of “these things” which “happened to them” in 1 Corinthians 10:11 is in the wilderness. In verses 12 and 13, two significant verses relate the success of Christian living to understanding, learning, and applying the lessons of the wilderness. In the first of these two verses, Paul gives warning to one who is already standing, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” (v.12) He would of necessity have to be standing in order to fall. The term “thinks he stands” does not refer to the one who is deceived in believing that he is standing while he really is not. He is standing. To those who are standing in a victorious Christian life, Paul gives warning to pay attention to what he is saying. Many believers learn nothing from the experience of Israel and others in the wilderness. Paul plainly indicates that without this learning there is the possibility, if not the certainty, of falling from victorious living. Understanding and learning from the failures of others bring us into an awareness necessary for the success we desire in our Christian life. Jesus warns us of unawareness in Luke, “Take heed to yourself, lest at any
time your heart be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unaware.” (Luke 21:34) Paul echoes this warning; “While they are saying peace and safety! Then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.” (1Thessalonians 5:3) “Suddenly” is from the same Greek word used in Luke 21:34, translated “unaware.” The Biblical meaning is “unawareness,” as the woman is not aware of her moment of delivery until the birth pangs strike. The second significant verse immediately following Paul’s reference to Israel’s wilderness experiences is known by memory by most believers. “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13) In its context, this verse relates to the experiences of Israel in the wilderness as related and applied to our Christian walk today. Many believers have failed to recognize and therefore understand the lessons and purposes of the wilderness. As a result, some of these believers, if not most of them, continually fail in victorious Christian living. It is my hope this lesson will aid in preventing failure and bring those already in failure out of it into victory. And out of this time of learning and approving we come to a place of really knowing God and His love for us. We come to a place of leaning and depending on God. In Song of Songs we read, “Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I raised thee up under the apple tree: there thy mother brought thee forth: there she brought thee forth that bare thee.” (Song of Songs 8:5) In these wilderness experiences the rocks of life can cut us bare to the heart then we learn to lean upon our beloved. The wilderness can even save us from drowning in despair, it can (our choice if we learn the lessons) save us from dying. Less serious, they will spare us from many headaches and heartaches. If we have something which will hold us in difficult times, it becomes a tremendous anchor in our lives a real lifesaver.
More next month as we will start a new section where God is able to speak to us through a diversity of instruments. Are you there my friend? In tough situations and circumstances? Have you heard His voice? Listen closely and you will. Written by David Stahl
ARTICLE REVIEW:
The Message in the Message
In our local paper on 15 April eight kids from the Jacksonville, NC area were asked what they treasured most about “Easter.” Not one of the kids mentioned Jesus Christ. They all mentioned: egg hunts, candy, the easter bunny, and such. Many mentioned going to dinner somewhere, but not one mentioned Jesus coming forth from the tomb. What a shame. Now maybe these eight kids have never heard of Jesus Christ and the glorious resurrection story, but knowing how religious Jacksonville, NC is (a church seemingly on every corner) I just shook my head in disbelief. What have we done? What have the parents and “churches” in the Jacksonville area done? I will tell you what they have done they have mixed the truth (the glorious resurrection Gospel message) with a bold face lie; the easter bunny, egg hunts, candy, baskets, and the like. Most parents have done this out of tradition, custom, or just not really knowing better, but Christian parents should know better! And Churches the same, but they have done it for more sinister reasons they have done this to get kids to come to their community wide outreach (an old marketing ploy) because they know if they can get the kids, they can get the parents, and if they can get the parents then they can get their money. I wonder why Christian parents tell their children lies around two of the most important days of the year; the birth of Christ and His resurrection from the tomb. My friend either we will stand for the truth or we will succumb to the lie. Maybe why Christian parents feel it is okay to lie to their children is because the church is complicit with perpetuating the lies with Christmas trees, Santa Claus, egg hunts, bunnies, and so much more. All of these things are pagan customs and traditions of men yet the church smiles and just looks past them. Now they will tell you we are doing it to share the Gospel message with the kids, well if that be true then why not have maybe activities and food then share a message that glorifies the LORD? Why lie to the kids? A lie and the truth mixed, no matter how well intended and seemingly innocent, is still a lie. Remember what we use to win people to Christ with we have won them to that. Or they will say we are just sharing the love of God with the kids well my friend, love never covers the truth. Truth stands alone it needs no help in propping itself up or supporting it. This year I could not believe all of the preaching that spoke on the need of evidence for an empty tomb. I even heard one pastor say after hearing this message you will totally be convinced the tomb was empty, well I was not. He only added to the confusion in many minds. My thought was why do I need to be convinced (or any Christian for that matter) the tomb was empty after all our walk with the LORD is a walk of faith. Paul tell us in Ephesians, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works (even evidence), lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) We are saved through faith no evidence is needed if we are going to really walk with the LORD. My friend if you are a Christian and you need evidence Jesus was raised from the tomb then you are probably not a Christian. And if not a Christian there is no preaching or teaching, pictures, slide shows, testimonials, that will prove Christ was raised from the tomb. This truth is only discovered by the Spirit of God as we allow Him to work in our lives. The more we read the Scriptures and allow God to work in our lives the more revelation of the Spirit we will receive. The very next verse in Ephesians says, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10) The more we become “His workmanship” the more we will know Him. Now I know the need for evidence of Jesus coming out of the tomb rallies the faithful (you can even beat up on the devil), but in the end when you apply the word of God and good old common sense you will find no evidence is needed for we “walk by faith not by sight.”
Two days before I read the article in the paper Freddy, Gerald, and I headed to Craven County Detention Center a maximum detention center that houses about 450 inmates. We go twice a month and get a wonderful opportunity to share the LORD with inmates (about 120+) who come (no pressure on our part) to our meeting. I must be honest, in these meetings there is a great hunger for the word of God and a presence of the LORD unmatched in most churches we visit or minister in. These men are serious they need to hear something that will hold them not something they will hold on to because they know they (like us all) will let go, but something that holds them in tough, confusing, and dangerous times. It is about a hour drive (after I pick up everyone) depending on the traffic and along the way we have a good conversation, but we stay away from what we plan to share. The routine is usually arrive at 6:15 pm clear security, walk down to the main building and huddle. Then about 7:00 pm we are allowed in the large meeting room. From 7:00 to 7:15 pm their praise team sings (always a great job) and so we have 45 minutes usually divided among two speakers with a deadline of 8:00 pm when we must be hitting the door. Well this time we arrived cleared security, walked down to the main building, huddled at 6:25 pm and they let us in. WOW what a blessing an additional 35 minutes to share the LORD with the guys. I had some thoughts from Job that was still working in my spirit, but I planned not to speak. Gerald started off talking on the Fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:21-22 (did a powerful job) and Freddy spoke on the similarities of the Old Testament priest making an atonement from Numbers 19:1-7 and Jesus’ experience on the cross (he also did a powerful job). They both always slip into personal testimonies as they talk, I love it. Well, Freddy finished with 35 minutes to go, so next man up. I asked the LORD, please give me your thoughts and suddenly these words, dropped into my spirit, “the message in the message.” My friend the preaching and/or teaching of the word of God must be brought down to our heart if not it will not be able to do the work God intends to do in us. Now the message of Jesus being killed by the Father (make no mistake my friend this was the case) is a mysterious, glorious message of Jesus becoming the propitiation (blood sacrifice) for our sin. In 1 John we read, “And he (speaking of Jesus) is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:2) This is the good news of the Gospel, Jesus Christ the Son of God came to earth and was slain for the sin of the world. This is the main message in the wondrous story of Jesus in Gethsemane, to the cross, and out of the tomb in great victory is the greatest story ever told. Far greater than all of the miracles and other stories of Jesus. Now do not get me wrong they too are wonderful, but not as wonderful as the crushing Jesus endured at the hands of His Father in the Garden of Gethsemane, which means where oil is pressed. The crushing of Jesus: into the submission of going to the cross, the bruising at the hands of the religious folks of the day, the lies, the falsehoods spoken against Him, the betrayal of His disciples, the scourging and beatings at the hands of the Romans soldiers (they were the best in the world in torture), and the bloody painful slow death and open shame of His nakedness on the cross. Can you image the Son of God hung naked on the cross for all the world to see. All of this was the Father’s perfect will for Jesus’ life. I hear Christians say the Romans killed Jesus or we people killed Jesus with our waywardness, but no the Romans did not kill Jesus, nor did you or I, it was the Father. Jesus’ gruesome death was the Father’s idea and it was in His heart before the fountain of the world was laid. In Revelations John tells us, “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb (speaking of Jesus) slain from the foundation of the world.” (Revelation 13:8) What a mystery. Jesus died before the earth was made and in time Jesus was born to live and die for our sin. I do not understand, no one really understands it, and no evidence nowhere is presented, it all must be believed by faith. But inside this wondrous message is a message that God gave me as I walked to the podium and what I presented to the men was the message how Jesus showed us to die in God. Jesus showed us how to go to our own cross and die without making a big fanfare or drama. Jesus opened not His mouth, but said, “Father forgive them.” Now this death in us is the measure of the life of God in us. Paul tells us, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:3-4) We will not be raised in “newness of life” unless there is a spiritual death in us and the more we can die to our desires, ambitions, plans, our self life the more of God’s “newness” of life” we will have. In Philippians Paul talked about knowing His (talking about Jesus) resurrection power, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;” (Philippians 3:10) Well we will never know His resurrection power unless we enjoy the “fellowship of His sufferings” and are “made conformable unto his death.” You know one has to be dead to be resurrected from the dead. And if the Father killed Jesus do you think He will spare us? Is the servant greater than the master? It is God’s will and His good pleasure to put us to death so that He can live through us. We are that corn of wheat that must fall into the ground. John tell us, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.” (John 12:24-25) “He who hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.” Did you get that? Jesus showed us how to fall into the ground and die. This message played well to a bunch of men doing hard time for murder and only God knows what else. This is the message in the message a message of our personal death and having enough faith to believe if the Father raised Jesus from the dead (He did) He too will raise us. Written by David Stahl
THOUGHTS FROM KAREN:
Doesn’t Mean You Should
One day while talking with a relative about another person they said, “Well Joe/Jane (not their real name) will do what Joe/ Jane wants to do.” True and oh so sad. While reading Proverbs recently I was struck by how often we are admonished to seek the LORD and His wisdom. King Solomon writes, “My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: 2For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. 3Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: 4So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. 5Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. 8It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.” (Proverbs 3:1-8) King Solomon asked for wisdom and received it in spades, So, God said to him, “Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.” (1 Kings 3:12) Seeking the LORD and His wisdom AND being obedient will keep us on the right track. It’s not enough to just believe in Jesus, we MUST also be obedient. Unfortunately, we think just because we WANT to do something, and CAN do it, we SHOULD do it! NOT so!!! We can eat a pizza everyday if we want, BUT if we do, physically we’d pay dearly for it. So, pizza is an occasional treat. A simplistic example, BUT if GOD says NO to pizza for us, then we’ve sinned if we eat piazza. Folks there’s always going to be “I wants” in our lives, BUT what does the LORD want for us? Seeking the LORD is 2 pronged. 1) We seek His will. And 2) we carry out His will—therein is the rub. Again, we sometimes think we know better than GOD, and we’re hell bent on doing what we want to do. And I do mean hell bent. Let’s see what else Proverbs says, “It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. 9Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: 10So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. 11My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: 12For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. 13Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.” (Proverbs 3:8-13) We can accept the LORD’S correction and repent (do an about face from whatever it is) or keep being disobedient and do what we want to do. But, the end result is not going to be good. Take heed that your rebellion (and that’s what it is) will lead you out of GOD and into hell. Sin is a slippery slope!! A case of the “I wants” is IDOLITRY. You want to go your own way and do your own thing fine, but rest assured you will reap what you sow. Repent, do an about face and follow GOD and His ways. Time is short my friend and none of us is guaranteed tomorrow. Do what GOD wants you to do!! GOD bless and read 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:
21 May 24 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:
May: Local Ministry
June: Local Ministry
July: 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.
