Waiting on God – His Characteristics
July 2020 • Volume XVIII Number 11
”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. Can you believe the year is more than half over? And what a last three months the world has seen. With each passing month I just shake my head and think the world cannot get any crazier, but the world ever amazes me to the foolishness and folly it goes toward to reject God and His word. At the heart of all of this rioting and looting that is going on in America has nothing to do with civil rights, oh no my friend it is all about open and direct rebellion to God and what God has established. And make no mistake my friend God ALWAYS judges rebellion, because at stake is the truthfulness of God’s word. If God said it then it must happen. Man shakes his fist in God’s face and says he knows better and moves away from what God wants. We see this all throughout the Bible, will man ever learn?
For the last four months we have been looking at the diverse ways God knocks on our heart door. So we will continue this month looking at probably the most important knock on our hearts door and this is the knock of the Holy Spirit in conviction. Without a doubt the knock of the Holy Spirit in our lives is the most critical approach God makes toward man. The absence of the knock of the Holy Spirit through conviction will mean you have forfeited the opportunity to be saved. For it is the drawing of the Holy Spirit in our lives that opens our eyes, that touches our heart, that brings us down in ourselves before God where we will see we need a Saviour and His name is Jesus Christ. Conviction my friend is a very wonderful and blessed work of God in our lives. There are a number of verses in the Scriptures that talk about the critical requirement of conviction so let us look at one. From the transition Book (the Book of Acts) of the Bible Stephen tells the Jewish mob, “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so doye.” (Acts 7:51) Just like the Jewish mob then today there are many people who hear the message of the Gospel (the good news, good tidings) of Jesus’ death on the cross, His burial, and His resurrection back to life (the Gospel of Jesus) and because of their stiffnecked heart attitudes they too reject Christ as the Jewish mob did. It was Stephen’s word anointed by God as a goad that pricked the hearts of the Jewish mob to rush Stephen and stone him to death. Make no mistake my friend people under conviction can be wild as animals and will do anything to flee from the internal pressures applied to their heart. The mob’s reaction: “When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. ” (Acts 7:54) Strangely and oddly enough this is the very similar reaction I see every night from the riots and looters in the streets now in America. Conviction is conviction a strong and powerful tool God uses to draw us unto Himself. Again if we reject conviction time after time then at some point (thank God for His longsuffering) there will be a lessening and a lessening of His draw to the point there will be NO draw and we are given over to a reprobate mind. Where we know not the difference between good and evil where we call evil good and good evil. Paul in Romans writes, “For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” (Romans 1:26-32) So now tell me how important is the conviction of the Holy Spirit? Oh the number of people that reject the truth of the word of God. The choice is clear my friend. Submit to the working of the Holy Spirit as He convicts us of our waywardness and sin or resist His work and be lost for all eternity. A most serious decision we must make.
Next month we will look at God’s knocking as we look at the last knock His supernatural phenomena. Do you hear Him calling? Please know God is calling. Walter Beuttler said if you build God a temple He will inhabit it. Have you built God a temple? If you do He will abide and wait for you.
Written by David Stahl
ARTICLE REVIEW:
Our Decisions
Our spiritual life (the level of spiritual maturity to which we have attained) is far more than the sum of the spiritual information that we have gathered or any compilation of our spiritual experiences. Rather the core and substance of our being “spiritual” relates to the level of inner peace and harmony that results from our making right choices and decisions along the pathway of our spiritual walk with God. The LORD is seeking those who are willing to go beyond that which they have freely received through redemption knowing that making these right choices and decisions will never be easy. Paul had it right when he said, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14) No matter who or where we are in God we must make decisions as to what we will see, hear, do, or where we will go or not go. The ever present temptation is to compromise and go along with the questionable or difficult situations that we often find in our path or circumstances. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10 I often site this verse when I talk about us being the work of God “His workmanship,” but this verse has other applications of truth as well. Please notice that our response to and our cooperation with these “good works” is conditional “that we should walk in them” an option or a decision we willfully make. These “good works” are preordained testing (from God not the devil ) points that will determine how far we will follow the LORD. We make few major decisions, but each day we make many “minor” (seemingly to us) decisions that feed either the carnal or the spiritual aspect of our being. and the accumulation of these choices will result in our becoming predominantly carnal or spiritual. As our spiritual decisions begin to outweigh the negative pulls and responses we become an overcomer, a noun or the verb tense we become victorious. To the extent that we rise above carnal soulish desires we are lifted into a place of communion with our LORD and we grow spiritually. John tells us what we will receive if we can learn to become an overcomer, “To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with Me in My Throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His Throne.” (Revelation 3:21) Our position with Jesus in this throne relationship is the result of our overcoming all that is earthly and carnal. We receive the privilege or honor of being seated with Jesus in His Throne as a result of the accumulation of the right decisions and choices that we make not because we are saved.. People ask me just how important are our decisions, well they are life or death to us. The more decisions that we make which are toward the LORD and His purposes the easier it will become to continue making right decisions. God’s idea for us is the further down the road that we go in our walk with Jesus we are to progressively become more detached from all that is either carnal or a temptation to us. Believe it or not in the beginning it will be a struggle, but we will be amazed at the strength we have (really God’s strength) and as we begin to make progress then it becomes harder, much harder. The longer we go with God the harder it gets because the more God expects of us. I wonder why we think we are on a downhill slide into heaven. So too is this method in our training of our earthly children. The older they get the more we expect of them. What we expect of a two year old we do not expect of a 10 year old and to even complicate things the more the older they get the less we should have to talk to them because they ought to have learned their lessons, but that is not often the case. So too in God. The longer we go in God the less He should have to tell us what to do and feed our emotions why? Because we should already know what to do, we have learned our lessons and now all we have to do is execute our training. When I was a Corpsman with the Marines in the Navy we trained and trained for mass casualties; drill after drill I thought what a waste, but when we had a real mass casualty situation we did not have to think our training kicked in and we performed (here is the point) to the level of our desire and attention to follow our training. A half hearted trainee could have cost the life of a Marine. As we make decisions that move us forward in God the pathway of our spiritual life can be considered as being an upward spiral. I think I have used this illustration before in a another article, but if we take a large wood screw and place a finger nail in the groove near the point and run it along the surface we will gradually progress toward the head. Job said, “Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.” (Job 5:7) That is the direction of sparks on the grinding wheel and seemingly troubles in our lives, upward to God. Though it may seem to us that we are going in circles as we continue to make right decisions we are progressively moving upward. If we do this in reverse and feed the carnal aspect of our being, it will lead us ever downward. I believe we all have within us a quality of spiritual life (God has deposited it within us) now it may not be apparent to us as to why this is so, but if asked we would testify that through the struggles of life we have been making quality decisions which brings them into increasing levels of fellowship with the LORD in His Throne. Who knows the impact of the decisions we have made in darkness? Often we make decisions not knowing what will happen and often struggle with them until the LORD reveals to us some of the outcome, but we need not struggle so because if we are not over in sin and we are trying to do the best for the LORD as we can our decisions (even the ones done in darkness) will be the right ones. God does not set us up for failure nor does He try to trick us into making wrong decisions. This is the thought Paul was trying to get across to the Christians in Rome. In Romans Paul shares these words, “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serves Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.” (Romans 14:17-18) The Kingdom of God begins with “righteousness.” As we make right choices (even if we do not know it) we place ourselves on a platform called “righteousness.” Due to an accumulation of these righteous choices we discover that there resides within us an abiding “peace.” This will also result in the approbation or the favor of God resting upon us and joy is then manifested. Our submission to His divine government will lead to our becoming a partaker with Jesus in His Throne. In this realm our decisions do not relate only to right or wrong, but with the motives that underlie right or wrong. It is here that the final test of our union with the LORD will find its outworking. If we truly overcome in this area of our being in that day we will find ourselves seated with Jesus in His Throne. First we are tested concerning the choices and decisions that we make. As we progress up the spiral we will be tested concerning the motives of our heart which provoke the things that manifest as right or wrong. It is not enough to deny only the thing we must overcome the very principle that allows it to abide within us and assert itself. Those who are satisfied with being blessed and eventually going to heaven have their reward (streets of gold and a mansion), but for those who intensely hunger for a higher level of spiritual reality there is much more. These in the place of pressure, complexity, confusion, and often bewilderment will deal with the issues of their heart so in that day having become an overcomer they will be found on the throne seated beside Jesus.
Written by David Stahl
THOUGHTS FROM KAREN:
Joined at The Hip
This is my testimony and I sticking with it. If we fully trust God, He will direct our paths and send the right people our way. I hurt myself last summer on a Stair Master at the gym, since then I’ve gone to our Primary Care Doctor, Physical Therapy, a Chiropractor, a back doctor, and finally a hip doctor. All the while I thought it was my back causing my limping, groin and back pain. During the latter part of the summer we kept three of our grandkids for almost a week, God helped me through this time. Later in the fall, as my condition worsened I knew I had to go to Romania and Bulgaria with Dave. The LORD was very gracious to me, I got wheelchairs in the airports and was able to walk or get rides to the meetings that was arranged for Dave and I. I even got a thorough work over from Christina ( a lady Sports Trainer) from Marcho and Tsetsi church which enabled me to walk up four flights of stairs to go to Koko and Vera’s (Marcho and Tsetsi’ lovely daughter) apartment for a wonderful dinner. (Thank you Vera and Koko). After a successful trip to Europe we did a quick trip to NJ to see my Mother then back home. Now there was a time when I was in pain and one day I couldn’t stand it no more, and I guess part of it was frustration too, but I asked the Lord to make the pain less so it wouldn’t interfere with our relationship. If you’re in severe enough pain you will wonder where GOD is and I didn’t want that. And do you know what, since then even with the hip replacement I’ve not been in bad pain. Finally I got a referral from my outstanding Primary Care Doctor to see a back doctor and had to see his Physician’s Assistant first. Well, she recommended pain shots which I received in January 2020, in my mind thinking it would help me walk better though my pain as I said was bearable at the time. After the shot we did a quick road trip down to Alabama to see our son Daniel, his wife Sarah, and our three grand kids. The pain shot had helped some, but I was still limping and stooped over. The Physician’s Assistant (for the back doctor) also recommended surgery, “get it now while you’re young and be done with it!” she said, which I really balked at, but The LORD in his gracious mercy let me talk to two people ( Thank you Mike and Pat!) who had the same back surgery that I (thought) I might need. All this time I really thought it was my back, I guess I was too dense to realize the groin pain was actually hip pain. Boy am I dense!!! Mean time the chiropractor I was seeing also mentioned to me that it might be my hips and not my back that was causing my stooping over and limping. The seed was planted. So that plus talking to the two people about back surgery bolstered my confidence to see the back doctor himself which I had put it off long enough. So we went to the back doctor and he said it wasn’t my back (though I have a few age related issues in my back) it was my hips! So back to my Primary Care Doctor for a new referral to see the hip doctor. On 20 April we went to see the hip doctor. They took an x-ray of my hips and put it up on the computer screen for the doctor. The good doctor came in said, “how can I help you today?” Then glanced at my x-ray and said, “Oh I see how I can help you. You’re bone on bone in your hips. No cartilage at all.” So we discussed surgery and I was penciled in for 16 July due to the Chinese (COVID 19) virus thing and hospitals not being able to do elective surgery. That seemed a long way off so we prayed that the surgery would come at the right time. I remember there were over 70 people ahead of me for surgery. I just knew I couldn’t go too long without the surgery. Then on 1 May as we were waiting at the bank the lady from the hip doctor’s office, who does the surgery scheduling, said the Dr. F was allowed 3 emergency surgeries and I was one of them how would I like to get my operation next Thursday, 7 May ( GOD’S number meaning completion)? Well of course I said yes, but inside I was balking thinking it’s too soon, but not so in God actually it was right on time because we had just ordered a walker for me as it was getting that difficult to get around even just in the house. I felt like a wheel chair was just around the corner for me I was getting that bad. I also had the opportunity to talk with a sweet lady from the commissary who had the same surgery with the same Dr. five years ago, more encouragement! So Praise the LORD the following week we did what I needed to do for the surgery and when the day arrived we left home early and lo and behold Dave couldn’t’ go in with me, the Chinese virus thing. GOD love him, he waited outside for me the entire time, except to run back to Surf City to get my prescriptions, that were needed after the surgery. He just walked around and around the hospital parking lot, he must have walked over 10 miles. I felt like I was in GOD’S hand, I knew all would be well, and I was bound and determined NOT to stay in the hospital that day. Was I scared, no. I was more annoyed that Dave couldn’t be with me, but it all worked out well. They gave me a shot and wheeled me into the operating room and I remember thinking Hummm, I never got a spinal before now I can see what it’s like and I remember the ceiling in the operating room looked weird and out I went. I didn’t know diddly squat until I was in the recovery room and the nurse was waking me up. I had an ice bag on my hip and warm toasty blankets on. They took me up to my room and put a list of goals on the board that I had to accomplish before I could leave the hospital. I started drinking water, drinking and drinking. A few hours later when I met all the goals they had for me to leave they took me downstairs and there was Dave and the truck at last I could go home. Got in the truck and Dave was ready to give me back my wedding ring that he held for safe keeping on his little finger, but oh no it was gone! It had slipped off his finger. Dave walked all around the parking lot where could it be? The last place he remembered seeing it was in the bathroom so he got permission to go back into the hospital and went back to the bathroom and as he stepped into the bathroom the LORD told him to dump out the garbage can. Well, what do you think came rolling out? That’s right my ring! So he washed it off and came back to the truck and put the ring on my finger and off we went home. The LORD was most gracious to me those months. The back pain threw me off, but now with my new right hip I see how bad my hips were. The other hip (my left) needs to be done also, but in GOD’S good time. Praise the LORD for his kindness, faithfulness, and graciousness during this time. I was months walking funny and stooped over but GOD took me through one step at a time and when it came time for the surgery things moved very swiftly. GODS time is always the right time. I would be remiss here if I didn’t thank all of our friends here and abroad, and family who prayed for us and encouraged us. Thanks Davey for grilling when you were here always a treat! Thank you Daniel for driving here (from Alabama, no less) with the kids to us help out. Connie you did a lot of stepping, fetching, cooking, and cleaning before and after my surgery, thank you. Joshua, thanks for checking to make sure I was in good hands (which I was). Thank you all also for the flowers. And of course my wonderful Dave (what he puts up with!) whose love, concern, and bearing this burden with me, along with his prayers saw me through this time and propelled me to wellness. So now the LORD and I are even more joined at the hip, no pun intended. As I said this is my testimony and I am sticking with God and it.
Written by Karen Stahl
NEEDS NO WANTS:
- In Dobrich, Bulgaria Pastor Niki Marsov and in Silistra Pastor(s) Yanko, Marcho, and Emil. Times are troubled in Bulgaria much prayer and support is needed.
- Constanta, Romania Pastors Luke and Jacob at Bethel Church and Ian at the Romanian Center for Cross-cultural Studies Bible School.
- In Suceava, Romania Pastors Nicu at St. Andrews Church. They are still standing by God’s grace.
- Pastor Joseph Mutua in Nairobi, Kenya needs your prayer and financial support.
- Pastor Mike Olufemi in Aveile,Nigeria. He needs our prayers and support to be a light in great darkness.
- Pastor S. J. Peter, Founder of DAWN Ministries in Hyderabad and Pastor Wilson and his son Pastor Julian in Sankaraguptham, India.
- Dan, Cathy, and members of Uskudar Son Buyruk Kilisesi in Istanbul, Turkey.
- Pastor Elieti Msangi in Dar Es Salaam and Pastors Isreal Mutaitina and John Balone in Bukoba, Tanzania.
- Monthly financial support for Vivian’s Maternity and Child Care Clinic project in Aviele, Nigeria.
- Pastor Tek Dahl at Gethsemane, Church (his church) and their radio station “Good News 105.1 FM” in Kathmandu, Nepal.
- Bishop John, Samuel Kamanzi (from the Congo), and, Emmanuel Ndolimana in Ruhengeli,Rwanda.
NEXT HOME GROUP MEETING:
HGMs for July will be 14 and 28 at 7:00 pm.
At 232 Everett Drive
Sneads Ferry, NC 28460
7:00 pm please RSVP
Home: (910) 741-0489
FUTURE SCHEDULE:
July: Local Ministry
August: Local Ministry
September: Local Ministry
ROCK FELLOWSHIP AT SNEADS FERRY
5,12,19 & 26 June at 232 Everett Drive (in Chadwick Shores) Sneads Ferry, NC at 11:00 am
Email: charliegolfone@outlook.com
ROCK FELLOWSHIP ON THE RADIO:
On WJCV Jacksonville, NC
1290 AM or 98.3 FM
Every Sunday morning at 9:00 am
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:
dstahl@beholdinghisglory.com
Website:
www.www.beholdinghisglory.com/
Blog:
http://bhisglory.blogspot.com/
NEW OFFER
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.
