Deeper Truths for Hungry Hearts
February 2014 • Volume XII Number 06
“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. This month we will begin a new section looking at the divine work God must be able to do in us to answer His call. We must never forget it is His call and not ours. “Many are called,” but God chooses the few, those who answer His call and not the call of others (albeit well meaning) or themselves. Many voices are calling (do you hear them) to us and many can sound like God, but we must be able to discern the voice of the LORD so that we will answer His voice alone, for in His call alone is where our purpose, identity, spiritual and physical health, and provision is found. In Him is our all and in all. This month we will look at three means Jesus (the Master) uses to accomplish this divine work in us: by experience, by response with questions, and by practice. In Chapter 17 of Matthew we read the first means by experience, “And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 2And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 3And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. 4Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. 5While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. 6And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. 7And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. 8And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. 9And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.” (Matthew 17:1-9) Here Jesus gives the disciples an experience (they will never forget) that encompassed their entire emotions and senses. Here they saw Jesus get “transfigured,” Moses, Elias (Elisha), and a bright cloud where they literally heard God speak from it, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. What an experience!! Can you image your response? To be honest our response would probably be like the disciples, “Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias,” but Jesus had a deeper lesson to teach through this means then a cold building. The next means Jesus uses is a response with a question. In verses 10-13 we read, “And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? 11And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. 12But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. 13Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.” (Matthew 17:10-13)The disciples asked, “Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? Jesus replied, “Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. 12But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.”After Jesus answered their question they understood
Who Elias was, but they never understood, “Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.” One would think experience would be the best teacher (especially in failure), but seldom is this true our questions and the LORD answering them seems to be the greatest way we learn. Of the three, practice seems to have the long lasting impact in our lives. God has made us humans as hands on type of beings and the more we do things the better we become at doing it. In verses 14-20 we find Jesus putting things into practice, “And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, 15Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. 16And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. 17Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. 18And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. 19Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? 20And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: . . .” (Matthew 17:14-20) and from that time forth after the lesson we find the disciples moving correctly. Again questioning by the disciples and answering by Jesus. When I worked in the operating room we would train similarly: see one, do one, teach one so too in God.
Next month we will look at three more means in which God can teach us His divine ways: in need, in the storm, and in conflict. Do you hear Him now?
ARTICLE REVIEW:
The Words of Our Testimony
Many of our readers do not know when in town I work as a substitute teacher at Brewster Middle School onboard Marine Corps base Camp Lejeune. This is something God started for me, working as a substitute teacher at Department of Defense (DoD) schools, when I retired in Germany and He has not changed His mind in this area. We must be very careful when we change our lives around. We better make sure it is God changing our lives around and not our desire. Change is good only if God is the author, because He then will be the finisher. When we returned (this is one reason why God moved us to Jacksonville, NC) to the States I knew I must seek out a DoD school to continue in what God has started and it has been such a great blessing in my life and in the lives of so many others.
Anyway, one day while I was working at Brewster Middle School a wonderful Christian lady who is a custodian at the school came up to me and asked (in sort of these words), “please keep me in your prayers today Pastor Dave I am under attack from the enemy and I need to keep my mouth shut.” Almost instantaneously these verses, especially verse 11, popped into my mind, “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 11And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” (Revelations 12:9-11) I shared them with her and she went in peace. All I hear in the church and on Christian TV today is how to be an overcomer, books are written about it, conferences and seminars are held about it, songs are sung about it, sermons are preached about it, but few people if any seem to be overcomers. Now overcomers go over not around or under things. This is why they are called overcomers. There must be an obstacle, a barrier something standing in our way that we cannot get over without God’s help. It seems we shun the obstacles and barriers in our lives, may be that is why there are so few overcomers in the church today. The Huguenot Bible Teacher and Author John Wright Follette often spoke of trouble as being our servant. What a strange thought, troubles in our lives as a servant to make us better Christians. Most people (to include Christians) think of a servant as one who carries our burdens and does our dirty work. Well not so, our troubles can carry us far in God if we have the eyes to see their value. Charles Haun taught me a new way to sing the song “Count Your Blessings.” “Count your troubles name them one by one, count your troubles see what God has done, count your troubles, name them one by one and you will be amazed to see what God has done.” Yes our troubles can serve us well if we do not get stuck in the trouble and learn the lessons they were designed by God to teach us. Yes, to be an overcomer we must overcome troubles and the biggest trouble to over come in our lives is our mouth. Please notice the three requirements in verse 11 to be an overcomer. The first is they “overcame him by the blood of the Lamb.” As Christians hopefully we need no reminder of the precious blood of Jesus that was shed for the remission of our sins. This is a divine spiritual principle that is a crimson thread of truth that runs from Genesis to Revelations; without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. The writer to the Hebrews said, “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” (Hebrews 9:22) This was true in the Garden of Eden, in the Old Testament temple sacrifice covenant, and in the New Testament covenant of Christ’s death on the cross. This should already, as Christians, be understood and we need not re-plow this ground of understanding. But it is the other two areas I would like to focus on in this article. The next area was, “by the word of their testimony.” Please remember our real testimony is not what we say about ourselves, but what people see us do. I can tell you swelling words all day long how wonderful Jesus is to me and all of the great things God is doing in my life, but what happens to my words when someone sees me kick a dog, hears me yell and scream at my wife, or even steal or lie to escape punishment I rightly deserve? All of my words of how God is moving in my life and all of the mighty miracles God is doing through me have been thrown to the ground. Our real testimony is what people see in us and what they see us do. Did you know it is easy to see what we are made of? My friend, it is easy to see what we are made of just listen to what comes out our mouth. Jesus taught this lesson many times in the Gospels. “Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. 34O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. 35A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.” (Matthew 12:33-35) If I want to know what you like or dislike, what your real interests are, or how you really feel about something all I have to do is let you speak and you will tell me everything I need to know about you. The opposite of this divine spiritual principle is also true; by what is not coming out of your mouth will tell me volumes about your character and nature. I can tell what is not in your heart by what is coming out your mouth, but that makes perfect sense because a man cannot give what he does not have. It is the same thought with prayer. I can tell where you are in God by how you pray. Do you pray telling God what to do and how to do it? Who and how to heal someone? Or what you want to see God do? How can we give wisdom and love if they are not in us? If they are in us then they will come out our mouth. They have to come out our mouth, because that is what we are made of. I often tell my wife I love her without thinking about it. It is automatic like breathing, and why? Because she is in my heart no matter where I go and when I think of her the love I have for her must come out my mouth.
The third requirement of being an overcomer from Revelation 12:11 is the most difficult of the three, “they loved not their lives unto the death.” Now there are two components of this thought; the first and more dramatic is what most Christians go after and that is the laying down of one’s physical life. This thought, especially in America, leaves a sour feeling in our stomach, but did you know more people have been martyred for the Gospel in the last 20 years then in the last 250 years? Today in America the worse the church gets is to be criticized, yet many Christians fold like a house of cards while around the world Christians by the 1000s are being slaughtered for the Gospel and few people have taken notice. Well my American friends that all may change in the near future if the Lord tarries. Many people when talking about faith like to read the 11th chapter of Hebrews and stop about say verses 32 or 33, seldom do they venture on to the end, because these verses does not set well with their theology, fill seats, or offering plates, “Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: 36And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 37They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 38(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 39And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: 40God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.” (Hebrews 11:34-40) Who wants to use their faith to endure troubles and hardships in God like these when we can use our faith to get God to give us pleasant and blessed things? Today in America we use the Gospel message to soften life’s hardships and not to allow spiritual growth and development in our lives. As I said my friend if the Lord tarries I prophesy, “America your days are numbered the die has been cast, unless you humble yourselves and repent, thus says the LORD.” We will see then what we will use our faith for. In the 2nd Chapter of the Book of Revelation we read where God gave the Church at Smyrna a word of praise and encouragement, “I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. 10Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. 11He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.” (Revelations 2:9-11) This is the same Church (located in present day Izmir, Turkey) where Polycarp (69 AD to 155 AD), who was discipled by John, was martyred for his testimony. If you get a chance please look up the account of Polycarp’s death, but here is his final prayer, “I thank thee that thou hast deemed me worthy of this day and hour, that I should have my portion in the number of the martyrs, in the cup of thy Christ, unto the resurrection of eternal life, both of the soul and body, in the incorruptibility of the Holy Spirit. Among these may I be received before thee this day as a rich and acceptable sacrifice, even as thou hast prepared and made manifest beforehand, and hast fulfilled, thou who art the unerring and true God. On this account, and concerning all things, I praise thee, I bless thee, I glorify thee, together with the eternal and heavenly Jesus Christ thy beloved Son, with whom to thee and the Holy Spirit be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” Yes my friend, there is a price many have paid and will pay with their physical lives and we must never trivialize it, but also in the third requirement (in verse 11 of Revelation 12) to become (a process God works in our lives) an overcomer there is another thought (and I believe the main thought) John was expressing. Yes, physical death was a part of this verse, but I believe John also was talking about spiritual death to our self-life. We will never become an overcomer unless we can learn to die to our selfishness and self-seeking. It is our love for our “life” our rights, our way, our opinions and views, our many words, what we want to see happen, to get the last word no matter the cost all of this must be put to death in our lives. We must lose our life if we truly want to become an overcomer so that we will be able to find the life of Christ. Jesus said, “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. 25He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. 26If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.” (John 12:24-25) Where did Jesus go to lose His life? To the cross to die. Where do we have to go to find our life? To our cross to die. Maybe not a wooden cross, but most certainly a cross made by our will and desires submitted and laid across God’s will and desires for our lives. This is the place of glorification and finding life in God, us dying to our self-life. Jesus told the disciples now is the time the Father is going to glorify me and they thought now Jesus will take the throne in Jerusalem, but Jesus was talking about His death on the cross, death before glorification. “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die” there is no way around or under it we must die to our self-life. This is what the custodian did she put her mouth in the dust (Lamentations 3:29), she “loved not their lives unto the death” by not having to get the last word or retaliating to save herself she just kept quiet. Did you know dead people do not do a lot of talking? So too is the words of our testimony as seen and heard in silence.
Written by David Stahl
THOUGHTS FROM KAREN:
Don’t Be a Greedy Slob
Dave and I were discussing some home improvements and decided to go ahead with the plan after he finished coaching football. After working hard during football season he was rewarded with a nice check that would pay for our home improvements. The first was ceiling fans for our two guest bedrooms. We went to the store and tried to pick out what was similar to what was already installed in our home. We even went so far as to buy a blade kit to match up the colors—which didn’t work as the blades were too small. Anyway the electrician came and installed both ceiling fans they looked great, but instead of being satisfied with having the new fans, this attitude of “wow lets update the rest of the fans so they all look nice new and updated!” popped up. I thought oh my goodness where did this come from. I hadn’t considered replacing the old fans at all until I saw how great the new fans looked. Shame on me, I felt like such a greedy slob. Solomon tells us, “Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:3). I guess the desire to replace the other ceiling fans was secretly in my heart; oh how funny how God can expose things in us. How well did John say, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world, If any man love the world, the love of the Father s not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” (1 John 2: 15-16). I guess I got hit with the lust of the eyes. But, the thing is I don’t consider myself a greedy person so I was rather shocked at this revelation. Oh thank GOD for HIS mercy and kindness giving me a chance to repent from my foolishness! Praise God for bringing it to my attention. May He keep our hearts close to Him and may we allow GOD to continue to work and deal in our lives. Let us not become greedy slobs wanting this new fangled thing or that new fangled thing. Let us continue on in attitudes that are well pleasing to the Lord. God Bless and read your Bible.
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 Pastors Luke and Jacob at Bethel Church and George Ritisan at the Romanian Center for Cross-cultural Studies Bible School and the Faru (Lighthouse) Church.
3. In Suceava, Romania Pastors Nicu and 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, Cathy, and 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:
Our next Home Group Meeting will be 18 February 2014
232 Everett Drive
Sneads Ferry, NC 28460
Home: (910) 741-0489
at 7:00 pm, please RSVP
FUTURE SCHEDULE:
February: Local ministry
March: Local ministry
April: Ethiopia (projected)
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.
