Greetings again my Brethren. Okay so this month we will finish up the diversity of divine communication from God to man. We looked at 30 ways God communicates with man, all very diverse and all very distinct. So, this month we will look at a persecutor. Do you think God will persecute us? Oh no never. God is a loving God who loves us and would never bring what we call bad things into our lives? Right? Well, yes and no! God does love us that must be without question in our heart. If we think God does not love us then we will think all of those “bad things that happen to good people” is God’s judgment and worse God’s punishment. Now does God get our attention? Yes, He does. Not to punish us, but to teach us about His character and ways. Not to see us suffer, but to work in our lives through His dealings and judgements to form Christ in us. Paul writes in Galatians, “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,” (Galatians 4:19). This is God’s goal in our lives, not to make us rich, famous, influential, popular, or even attractive, but His goal in our lives is have Christ formed in us. You know we often think God’s goal in our lives is to conform us into the image of Jesus Christ. Well, not so. That is saying God will take our old man of the flesh and change it to where it is acceptable. No, God wants to kill our flesh so that Christ can be formed in us through God’s dealings and judgements in our lives. There is a huge difference between conforming and forming. When we are conformed we are taking something already formed and changing into something else. Like taking apples and somehow turning them into grapes. This cannot ever happen my friend. But, forming is like creating apples. God want to create Christ in us. Because the definition of Christianity is Christ in us and us in Christ. Okay, I better stop here before I start preaching. So, God can use a persecutor to get our attention and communicate with us. In Acts, Luke writes, “And Saul, yet breathing out threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. 3And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutes thou me? 5And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutes: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.’ (Acts 9:1-6) Here still Saul soon to be Paul is persecuting the disciples who followed “this Way” the early Body of Christ scattered around the area of Jerusalem, Damacus, and surrounding areas. As he headed for Damacus Jesus met him on the road. Not in the way of a cordial meeting, but in a way Saul would be able to see (no pun intended) the power of Christ and feel His darkness. A light shone from heaven and he fell to the ground. And a voice spoke from heaven, “Saul, Saul, why persecutes thou me?” Apparently, Saul did not know it was Jesus who was getting his attention until Jesus told him so. And even then, I believe, Saul had a no clue who Jesus was. I believe, it was not until Jesus said, “it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks” or goads did Saul get an idea he was dealing with Jesus. Now the pricks or goads Jesus was talking about was the things in Saul’s life that moved him in a direction where he could come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. We all have pricks and goads. If you think back in your life you can remember situations and things that happened that moved you closer and closer to the LORD. In Saul’s case, I believe every Christian he rounded up and sent to prison or had killed, thinking he was doing the work of God, every scream of persecution, every beating, every murder all moved him closer to the LORD. One special goad or prick that got Saul’s attention was when Stephen, the first martyr was stoned. In Acts we find Saul present for the stoning. Luke writes, “When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. 55But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 56And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. 57Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, 58And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.” (Acts 7:54-58) Make no mistake my friend God will use whoever and whatsoever it takes to get our attention for His purposes. Even a murderer like Saul. Next month we will start a whole new area as we begin to look at the Prophet of God in many different ways of service and even his character and integrity. Is this you my friend? Are you a Prophet of God? To be a Prophet we must be able to hear His voice. Listen closely and you will. Written by David Stahl
ARTICLE REVIEW:
Meet Me There
There are places and times in our Christian walk that God wants us to appear before Him. God has ordained these times and places what I call making places for our spiritual growth and development. And if we do not appear God will have to arrange other things in our lives to bring us to new places and a time. Now these making places are subtle and often secret. They have no signs that read “making place ahead,” but when God is finished with us we know the work we have allowed God to do in us and we know we will need to use the revelation and knowledge God was allowed to work in us at the next making place God has for us. God has taught me so much in Romania and Bulgaria maybe that is why I so enjoy traveling there in Nov each year. God has reserved His treasures for me to discover in lands that I do not call home. I can go into so many wonderful lessons God has taught me in foreign lands, but I will hold them in my heart for another day and another article. However, the point in bringing them up is God has these places for us and we MUST be in “there” to receive from God. No other place or time will do. This place, this certain place and time God has a lesson for us, something to learn of Himself, and if we are not there then we will not be able to receive. Now, one would ask how do I know where these places and times are? If not marked how will I know how to get there? Well, as in everything in God we will be led by His precious Holy Spirit and we will know that we know when we get there. For this to happen we MUST be walking with the LORD and in tune with what the Spirit is saying. So many Christians go to church every Sunday and Wednesday and fulfil their religious duties and obligations feeling in their heart they have done what God wants from them, but in reality they are far worse off the longer they go in their deception. Paul said of the Church at Corinth, “Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse. 18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.” (1 Corinthians 11:17-18) and sadly I have seen these verses play out all around the world. Even sadder these folks never made it to the making places God has for them. Thank you (especially in my life) God for your longsuffering, but there was a 2 Corinthians. As we are led by the Spirit God will let us know. Before we left for Greece, Romania, and Bulgaria the LORD shared with me, “go to Greece and I will meet you there.” Well, my heart was excited with the expectation of how God would manifest Himself to me. I thought well, I may speak at a church the first Sunday we arrive maybe God will reveal Himself strong through the preaching of the word and speak to me. My spirit was eager and poised for what God had for me. I thought of Moses when the LORD said, “Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest. 2And be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai, and present thyself there to me in the top of the mount. ” (Exodus 34:1-2) This was a making place for Moses that changed his life forever. Just one stop at a making place will change our lives forever. How important was this for Moses? His life depended on it. So too in our lives when we can get “there” God is able to change our lives forever. The LORD told Walter Beuttler, “meet me by the pyramids in Cairo” and he did. Not sure what the LORD spoke to Walter Beuttler, but I know Walter knew and it changed his life forever. I told this story to Elizabeth and even told her what God told me and she too remembered the story. Elizabeth was very helpful in helping us find a good ticket, took us to the church, and hosted us one night for dinner. Please keep her in your prayers. When the LORD says He will meet with us many things can run through our minds. When we pastored a Church in Stuttgart there was a German lady we called her Mommy Laurie. I really liked her. She was a spiritual lady up in years and suffered from some medical problems. I remember her telling us of when she was a little girl and the Nazis would chain her to a table as she would clean the inside of howitzer casings. The chains kept her at work when the bombs began to fall. One thing Mommy Laurie wanted to do was go to Israel and walk where Jesus walked. Being a German lady going to Israel really meant a lot to her. She wanted to go where Jesus went and hoped the LORD would meet her “there.” Place after place she went where she was told Jesus walked, she hoped He would speak to her, but alas not one word. Then at the garden (as she related it to me) tomb she was standing outside and the LORD spoke to her and said, “why are you here, I am not?” She was disappointed and ashamed. Yet even in this Mommy Laurie had an encounter with God. She made it to the making place God had for her and her life was ever changed. When we left Germany we lost track of Mommy Laurie. I think she went to the States and we mailed her our newsletter, but that was a long time ago. Being “there” is the place in God where things happen in us and for us. In Palms we read, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; 3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.” (Psalms 133:1-3) The “blessing, even life for evermore” was not found in the precious ointment upon the beard of Aaron or in “the dew of Hermon,” but “for there” in that place of unity among the brethren, is commanded “the blessing even life for evermore.” Meeting the LORD “there” in that place of His making and doing is where the blessing is. While in Greece God met me at two times as He said He would. God always keeps His word. As I said I thought maybe in the Assembly of God Church in Athens, but no they had a puppet show and I was bumped to speak because of the show. That is okay I have learned a man cannot give what they do not have. God did meet me as He said. As Karen and I were walking down the back side of the Acropolis we passed by Saint Nicolas a Greek Byzantine Orthodox Church so we stepped inside. When I entered my eyes locked on to another pair of eyes the pastor of the church. It was almost magical. We could not break our stare. We rushed together and embraced each other, such a warmth, such an exchange of compassion and knowing. He was a gentle man with a calm spirit, but there was a longing in him that I feel our meeting satisfied in me. I was “there” God met me in the person of this Greek priest not by the Assembly of God pastor, but through (what at first I would have considered) a man that does not know God. The LORD will meet us in subtle ways in ways we are not looking for Him. Seldom look for God in the usual He is usually found in the unusual. And the second time was when Karen and I visited the ancient City of Corinth. We negotiated a time and price with the driver Christo at the hotel where we stayed. The morning came and we waited for him to show, well God had other plans. Christo showed up, but could not take us to Corinth so he arranged for his nephew Stomas to take us. Stomas was a cab driver and knew his way around. Christo apologized and said his plans changed (beyond his control he was so right) for the morning and there was nothing he could do, but his nephew would take great care of us. Usually I would say no thanks, but I felt a peace in all of this. If God is doing something there will be a peace, so we just went along for the ride. Stomas showed up and off we went. On our way out to Corinth we exchanged small talk and Stomas asked me what I did for a living, well this opened the door to start sharing the Gospel. As I told him of our lives he said, “I perceive sir you are a prophet.” I said no I am just a man who loves Jesus. He then started telling us about his Greek Orthodox faith and we listened. I shared why we wanted to go to Corinth and he was amazed to learn about Paul. We arrived and he stayed with the car. Karen and I walked the City of Corinth (in about 1 1/2 hour or so) and ended near the old theater. Stomas met us and we discuss the tour. I was telling Stomas about how Paul was before Gallio the Deputy of Achaia at the judgment seat (Bema) in Acts 18:1-18 and how God spoke to, protected, and used him then suddenly Stomas said, “oh my arms they are on fire.” “There is something on my arms like fire!” “Oh, my arms!” I told Stomas not to worry it was the presence of the LORD. He was amazed that God could manifest himself so. On our way back to Athens (about 1 hour drive) I took Stomas deeper about the LORD and explained the plan of salvation to him and asked, “Stomas would you like to receive Jesus Christ as your personal LORD and savior?” And he said, “yes.” So right “there” in his taxi Stomas accepted the LORD as his personal savior. No sinner’s prayer as I had already explained confession (with OUR mouth and he understood) and repentance. I told him to find a good Christian Church that preaches the word of God and the LORD would take it from there. What a glorious ride back to the hotel. Stomas was “there.” God met me again in a simple acceptance of salvation. You know we look for the big things for God when He is always present in a sunrise, clouds floating across the sky, and a hungry heart reaching out to Him. Yes, God has making places for us and for us “to grow in the grace and knowledge of the LORD Jesus Christ” we must be “there” and come up the mountain and stand by Him. Written by David Stahl
THOUGHTS FROM KAREN:
The Clock is Ticking
Every so often it seems like the hands on GOD’S clock moves up another notch on the dial. I don’t know about you my friend or if it’s just my clock or maybe the world’s clock, it’s just a feeling. Before we know it our time on earth will be over and we will see what our choices in our life lead us to in God. With each sweep of the minute hand, we draw closer to our end on earth and oddly the lure of the world seems further and further away or it is suppose to if we are in Christ. One by one things that I liked and that mattered to me, and they weren’t bad things either, are slowly going by the wayside. Paul wrote: “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of GOD. Set your affection on the things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in GOD. When Christ who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: for which things’ sake the wrath of GOD cometh on the children of disobedience: in the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.” (Colossians 3: 1-7) Most Christians today have a hard time living out these verses. Folks this world and its system is NOT our home. We MUST come to believe this. We belong elsewhere, let us keep our eyes and heart on Jesus and NOT on the things of the world. In Philippians, Paul writes, “For our conversation (community i.e. citizenship) is in heaven: from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” (Philippians 3: 20-21). It is our choice what our “conversation” will be NOT God’s. He wants it and it is His intention that our lives are to be set on things above. But we have the final say. As our neighbor Master Guns always says, “keep focused and stay on point.” GOD Bless you all, 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:
22 July 25 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:
July: Local Ministry
August: Local Ministry
September: Eastern Europe
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.
