Deeper Truths for Hungry Hearts
April 2013 • Volume XI Number 08
“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. Let us continue to look at the qualified witness in God’s call to ministry. In the 10th Chapter of Mark some of the disciples asked the LORD for a favour, “And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire. 36And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? 37 They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.” (Mark 10: 35-37) The disciples were always trying to find out who Jesus loved best or who would be exalted above the others. A few days before Jesus was to be crucified the disciples got into a big argument about who would be the greatest in the kingdom. And here the disciples wanted to know who was going to sit on the right hand (a place of great honor) and on the left (a place of honor, but less). Jesus knowing their hearts replied, “Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? 39And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: 40But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.” (Mark 10:38-40) Did you get that? Jesus told them He could not choose someone for this place of honor by Him, but this place is reserved for “them for whom it is prepared.” In the Greek it reads, “to them who have qualified or been approved. This place is reserved for those who have done the things they needed to do to receive this honor. Nothing is free in God. Now some would say our salvation is free well for us yes, but not so for Christ for Christ it cost Him His life, a very high price to pay indeed. My friend everything we get in God will cost us something nothing is free. Everything we get from God we must qualify for or be approved in it, so too in our call to ministry. If we go too bank and ask for a loan of money the bank is not going to say, “okay you look like a nice guy here is the $300,000,” oh no the bank manager will say, “what do you have by way of collateral?’ What assets do you have to guarantee this loan? What is your credit history? What education do you have? Are you faithful in paying back your debts? In God there is no difference. In God to go and speak for God we must qualify, we must be approved, we must be trained, we must learn the lessons God has for us to learn so that we can go and speak for God. Without learning these lessons we will not be able to be productive or useful to God, but if we learn the lessons and then apply them to our lives and the ministry God has called us to we will yield fruit and it shall remain. In our call we must be a qualified witness of the things of God if not we are only passing on things we personally do not know anything about. Jesus then brought them down where he lived, “Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. 43But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: 44And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. 45For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42-45) The disciples were floored, the greatest must serve the least? The chief call in and to our ministry is being a servant to the least among us. This is a lesson many Christians seem not to have learned. Paul tells us, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4Therefore 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 6:3-5) Oh we want to walk in “newness of life,” but not too many Christians want to be baptized in to the death of Christ. The requirement to be called in ministry is found in our ability to be a qualified witness of God. Have you qualified for His call?
Next month we will learn we have not been sent by ourselves or others. Do you hear Him now?
ARTICLE REVIEW:
Our Commitments
When we think of the word “commitment” seldom do we think of God. We are committed to our education, our career, some to their family, our needs and wants, and definitely to our self, but seldom do we think of the importance of our commitments to God. Our commitments are not something we must keep like an appointment or a meeting, but something that keeps us when times are tough and our way is greatly troubled. But please know no man finished a race to win the prize that was not first committed to dedication and discipline. Success in life comes not by chance or the roll of the dice, but by dedicating ones self to certain principles that will allow them to achieve their goal. I see this principle sorely lacking in the youth of America. What is lacking is not the desire, we all have the desire to want to excel and win, but what is lacking is the commitment to continue and endure beyond the failure and pain. How can we expect to be successful if we make no commitment to anything or anyone? So too in God I see little to no commitment to God and His ways by fellow Christians. What has happened to the commitment made between a man and a woman to love, trust, and obey until death does part? What has happened to the commitment made in relationships of today? A hand shake no longer is good enough to close a deal between two men and we can almost forget about someone keeping their word. And in God, few people are committed to prayer and reading their Bible. The latest Pew Survey revealed most Christians spend less than five minutes a day in prayer and rarely crack their Bible open during the week. I always measure a church three ways: sincerely of the people, how they pray corporately, and do the people carry a Bible to service. If not what are these Christians committed to? Fewer people yet are committed to sharing the Gospel message with their neighbors or co-workers maybe this is why America is now ranked 13th in the world (down from 1st in the late 1960s) for sending missionaries abroad to the nations. Does your neighbour even know you are a Christian? Motivators learned a long time ago we excel and succeed in areas we are committed to. Our success or failure in life, and in God, will be measured not by our abilities, God-given talents, or God-given gifts, but by our commitments. Many of my friends say I have set my expectations too high I need to lower the standard to where most people live, well that is not what Jesus said to do. I tell them it is not my standard, but God’s. In Luke Jesus began to establish the commitment standard when He said, “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. 11If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit (Strong’s #4100, to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in) to your trust the true riches? 12And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own? 13No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Luke 16:10-13) Jesus said, if we have not been faithful and just (giving honor, truth, and justice) with unrighteous things, “who will commit the true riches?” In other words, who will give to you the “true (operating in the spiritual realm) riches?” (God’s judgments, peace, mercy, grace, joy) If we are not committed to handling the unrighteous things God gives us (cars, houses, money (mammon), and the like) in Godly ways then who shall give us the spiritual things of God? The condition to receive the spiritual things from God is to be committed and faithful with handling the non-spiritual things.
We must be committed to God to receive of His benefits and goodness. When will the church learn to commit its ways to the Lord? As I look around the world I see the church is committed to almost every earthly social cause (abortion, the fight against homosexually, feeding, clothing, and educating the poor, environmental issues, struggles for unequally and civil rights, and the like) in the world. The church gives its self to every voice that would rise up to protest, organize people against an unjust cause, and even kill people in some cases to have their voices heard all in the name of commitment and God, well my friend this is not a commitment to God, but a commitment to wanting to have their voices heard and power felt in the world. Funny, when Jesus was on the earth He never encouraged the people and especially His disciples to get involved in social causes. Now please do not misunderstand me here, I am not saying we must ignore these issues oh no we must address them in God and hear what His heart is saying. David said, “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. 6And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.” (Psalms 37:5-6) If (sets the condition to receive from God) we commit our ways to the Lord He will, “bring forth thy righteousness as light and thy judgment as the noonday.” When will we learn God has a better way to do things? “True” commitment is always done from God’s point of view, not ours. When will we learn real commitment starts when we drop to our knees in repentance and turn from our wicked ways? Oh Lord please forgive me for not being committed more to You. And please forgive America for her lack of commitment and waywardness to You. Please turn from Your wrath to come.
In the Book of Hebrews we find an order we must follow in our commitment to God. Now we must remember the context in which the Book of Hebrews was written. For it is in this context the truth of the Scriptures can clearly be seen. Before we get into the Book of Hebrews, there is something else we must talk about to be able to come to a “true” place of commitment before God. We must allow God to silence our emotions and feelings so that we can focus on Him. We must allow God, through His dealings and judgments in our lives, to silence and bring our emotions and feelings to naught, if not our emotions and feelings will drive us out of God. I really see the importance of this the older I get. The older I get the more I see myself and feel every ache and pain. Things that meant nothing are soon magnified in my imagining into sure disaster for my life. Oh no we must allow God to kill these emotional thoughts and feelings in our lives. Now back to Hebrews. To really get what the Holy Spirit is saying in the Book of Hebrews we must understand the context in which Hebrews was written. The majority of early Christians (A.D. 70 (verses 10:11 and 13:1) were Jews living near or in Rome. Apparently they expected Christ to return soon, but the delay in His coming and the great persecution against them (verses 10:32-34) caused them to wonder if they had made the right choice in becoming Christians and considered returning to Judaism. Hebrews was written to wavering Christians (sadly like many to today) to encourage them to stand fast in their faith and be committed to God and His children. Here in these verses (10:19-26) we learn some things we must be committed to. Now it is important to notice the order of things we are to be committed to in these verses. The order of words in the Bible is critical. The Holy Spirit did not just write the Scriptures any old way, but ordered them in sequence and thought to express a specific meaning and divine spiritual principle. “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21And having an high priest over the house of God; 22Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 24And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 26For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,” (Hebrews 10:19-26) Here in these eight verses are two critical things we must commit our selves to and a warning if we do not. The first thing we are to commit ourselves to is God, “Let us draw near (understood to mean God) with a true heart in full assurance of faith.” Now that verse has a negative applied meaning, we can draw near to God without a full assurance of faith, but with other things like our emotions, desires, and hunger for selfish personal gain and ambition. In Isaiah we read, “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:” (Isaiah 29:13) In James we learn the requirements to be able to drawn near to God. “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” (James 4:8-10) I wonder how many Christians today have met these requirements to be able to draw near to God? I know in my life I lack many of these requirements at times. Please notice we move first, not God. You (the subject of the sentence) “Draw nigh to God and he will draw night to you.” God is always watching and waiting for our commitment to Him. And the second thing we are to commit our selves to is the Church. Now please do not think I am talking about a denomination or building. I am talking about the Body of Christ; the people around the world that makes up what we call the Church. We are to commit our selves to people. Jesus always made people a priority and they too must be ours. The writer of Hebrews (I believe to be Paul) said, “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:” and in verse 25 we are told, “but exhorting (encourage to hold on) one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day (Jesus coming back as He promised) approaching.” We are to commit our selves to God first then our immediate family, then the Body of Christ. This is the spiritual order God has for us to go. The beginning of verse 25 talks about “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is;” We lose so much of the truth in the Scriptures when we read verses like this one with our eyes of today. I do not know how many sermons I have heard where preachers use these words to twist the heart and yoke the people to get them more involved with programs and activities in their church. The early Body of Christ had no building to care for or programs to feed. No water was needed to keep the grass nice and green nor did they have nice comfortable pews or seats to sit on, but met place to place, because of persecution and at threat of death, and assembled themselves when the word was passed. The early Christians in Rome paid a great price for their testimony; some were used as targets for javelin practice, burned alive like Polycarp, or fed to the lions by the Romans, how arrogant we are today to think we are getting better at glorifying God with our ivory tower buildings of brick and wood. The early Church (group of people) had a simplistic and purity of message and organization. I am afraid we have missed what God wanted from the start with all of our eye candy trappings and worldly programs. Even in committing ourselves to people there is an order. First our commitment is to be to our family (spouse, sons, and daughters) THEN our parents and blood brothers and sisters, but if our spouse, sons, daughters, parents, and blood brothers and sisters are not walking with the Lord we are to pray for them, tell them the truth in love, and desire to see them come to the saving knowledge of the Lord, but hear me loud and clear we must never allow them to cause us to stumble and fall out of the way.
Please let me conclude with the warning, “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins” Without a commitment to God and His children we will have no other option or choice, but will “wilfully sin.” It will not be God’s plan for our lives and here is the bad news, “there remaineth no more sacrifice for (our) sins.” I do not know about you my friend, but this verse really gives me great pause. Yes, my wonderful Baptist friends, we can lose our salvation if after “we have received the knowledge of the truth” and “we wilfully sin” then “there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.” We thank God for His grace and mercy. If we repent and turn from our “willful sin” He will forgive us and again we will be in unity with Him, but if not we will be lost for all eternity no matter what denominational doctrine we believe. My friend commitment is the key to believing and believing is the key to knowing Jesus died for our sins. Without commitment to God and His children we will believe in other things and be led out of the way. Let us commit our ways and heart to God.
Written by David Stahl
THOUGHTS FROM KAREN:
Read the Bible Lately
Jesus answered the scribes and Pharisees one day when they berated Him and the disciples for eating with unwashed hands “Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, this people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups; and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.” (Mark 7:6-9) It amazes me to read that on more than one occasion Jesus healed people on the Sabbath day and the Pharisees had hissy fits. They were the teachers of the law and who was this upstart who would heal people and eat with sinners. They kept the law, but not the spirit of the law. Their self-righteousness was made into un-righteousness and you know what not much has changed since then. Our doctrinal beliefs do not supersede the Bible. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished (equipped) unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17) We can be so set in OUR religion and OUR theology that when we do hear the truth we reject it! We have to want the truth. “If ye continue (abide) in my word then are ye my disciples indeed: And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall MAKE you free.” (John 8: 31-32) We as Christians are not entitled to pick and choose our beliefs; it is not a religious buffet a little of this and a little of that. For example you can’t be a Christian and believe in reincarnation, I’m here to tell you that God doesn’t recycle people! It’s nowhere in the Bible. You can’t be a Christian and believe in or go to the mediums or people with familiar spirits. You can’t be a Christian and believe its ok to abort a baby. That’s a BIG no-no in God’s eyes, however, if you’ve had one there is forgiveness in Christ. Homosexuality is wrong and in the Old Testament it was punishable by death. No matter how much we legalize it or say it’s ok, or “normal,” it’s still wrong. Adultery is wrong I think that also was punishable by death. Miracles ARE for today they didn’t stop with the apostles as some say. Speaking in tongues are for a sign for unbelievers and prophecy is for admonishment and encouragement for believers. Baptizing was a dunking (Jesus got dunked) not a sprinkling (unless there was no water around!) It’s all in the Bible READ IT!!! God saw fit to go through a lot of trouble so we could read His word and get to know Him. The Bible teaches us about His thoughts and His ways shame on us if we neglect such a treasure as the Bible. Some people in other parts of the world would give their eye teeth for a Bible to read and yet our Bibles sit on shelves gathering dust. We go to church once a week, hear a sermon, and think we’re doing something good for God maybe the sermon was good and maybe it wasn’t, but do we do any follow up reading on what the pastor preached on? Are OUR beliefs compatible with what the Bible says, because if not then we have missed it it’s not the other way around. Or are we more concerned with what our denomination says. Folk’s time is getting short we need to get on board and get with God’s program. We need to know what we believe and why. God’s thoughts need to be our thoughts His ways need to be our ways. Let us get serious and dust off those Bibles and let God’s word speak to us. We can’t get to Heaven on the coat-tails of our denomination or church membership! We all will stand on our own two feet before God we will have no denomination, no pastor, no priest, or no praying mom or dad to hide behind or blame. God Bless. The best is coming get ready.
Written by Karen Stahl
NEEDS NO WANTS:
1. In Silistra, Bulgaria Pastor(s) Niki Marsov and Emil Nedelchev. Included now are missionaries from Romania Nicu and Elena. Times are troubled in Bulgaria much prayer and support is needed.
2. Constanta, Romania Pastor George Ritisan at Lighthouse Church, and Ciprian Bozdod at the Mission Bible School. They too are expanding making more room for God and ministry to Eastern Europe, Turkey, and Asia.
3. In Suceava, Romania Pastors Nicu and Pastor Marcel at St. Andrews Church. They are still standing by God’s grace.
4. Pastor Joseph Mutua in Nairobi, Kenya needs your prayer and financial support.
5. Pastor Mike Olufemi in Aveile, Nigeria. He needs our prayers and support to be a light in great darkness.
6. Pastor S. J. Peter, Founder of DAWN Ministries in Hyderabad and Pastor Wilson and his son Pastor Julian in Sankaraguptham, India.
7. Pastor Metin Mintaz, Dan, and the members of Uskudar Son Buyruk Kilisesi in Istanbul, Turkey.
8. Pastor Elieti Msangi in Dar Es Salaam and Pastors Isreal Mutaitina and John Balone in Bukoba, Tanzania.
9. Monthly financial support for Vivian’s Maternity and Child Care Clinic project in Aviele, Nigeria.
10. Pastor Tek Dahl at Gethsemane, Church (his church) and their radio station “Good News 105.1 FM” in Kathmandu, Nepal.
11. Bishop John, Samuel Kamanzi (from the Congo), and, Emmanuel Ndolimana in Ruhengeli, Rwanda.
Next Home Group Meeting:
23 April 2013
232 Everett Drive
Sneads Ferry, NC 28460
Home: (910) 741-0489
at 7:00 pm, please RSVP
FUTURE SCHEDULE:
April: Local ministry
May: Turkey, Bulgaria, and Romania
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:
Home: (910) 741-0489
Mobile: (910) 382-9287
FAX: (910) 741-0489
Email:
Ministry E-mail: dstahl@beholdinghisglory.com
Personal E-mail: mtnebo@hotmail.com
Online:
Beholding His Glory Website
Beholding His Glory Blog
The AuthorHouse 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. The cost is great, but the cost for not supporting to others is even greater. And remember, all donations are tax deductible.
