THOUGHTS FOR CONSIDERATION: Greetings again my friends. Well, the year is more than ½ over and God is moving in the earth. I was speaking in a church in Fayetteville, NC and asked the people if they knew what God was doing in the earth? Did you know God wants us to know what He is doing in the earth and then engage with Him. But one thing for sure, God will only move with those who are moving with Him. I will let that sink in. This month we will continue to look at the Prophet of God in respects to having a perfect “servant” heart. Thus we have looked at five areas of heart condition a Prophet of God must possess. Last month was an Obedient Heart (taken from 1 Chronicles 29:18) and this month we will look at being wholehearted. In 1 Kings 11:4-8 we read, “For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. 5For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father. 7Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. 8And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.” You know these passages in the Scriptures scare me to death. When I read what Solomon did here I have to shake my head and say, “what was the man thinking.” I mean, Solomon, the wisest and richest man in the world, ever. How God used him! What a walk he had with the LORD, but in verses six to eight we read, “And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father. 7Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. 8And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.” What happened? What caused him to fall out of God? Oh, I am sure it was the pretty ladies, like Samson. Men seem to have problems with the ladies. I had a one-time friend, he walked away, because he got to close to a lady who was not his wife and this lady bewitched him. And I mean a real bewitching, like real witch craft. You know light CANNOT have relationship with darkness. And if we are of the light we will clearly be able to see the darkness for what it is, evil darkness, and the darkness will be able to see the light, they use to be, and separate themselves from the light. I have seen this play out time after time. There was not much I could do but let them go and turn them over to God’s good graces. For Samson it cost him his sight and years of torment at the grist mill, but I think probably his biggest tormentor was his thoughts and how he once was waked in the light. Now we can blame the ladies for Solomon’s and Samson’s failure, but their problem was not their manly desires as much as it was their lack of being wholehearted or their heart being totally sold out 100% to what God wanted for their lives. Both Solomon and Samson got their eyes and thoughts off what God soke to them. Samson, the first Judge of Israel, one day was killing 10,00 Philistines with a jaw bone of a ass and the next week he was with the whores of Gaza. His heart was double minded, his thoughts were not single, but many. When we get off track from what God wants for our lives we always seem to mix in our thoughts and desires into what God wants us to do. James tells us, “For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.: (James 1:7-8) Now James does not say the man is double minded in only what is thinking or doing for God, oh no, but “in all his ways.” When we are NOT wholehearted we are “double minded” and according to James we are “double minded” and “unstable in all of our way.” In other words everything we do, for God or NOT for God will be unstable. Everything we do will be unstable. Wow this being wholehearted is a big deal. And we can see it perfectly in the lives of Samson and Solomon. I will be honest with you all, these two men did NOT end well. They both started out well in God, but my friend it does not matter how we start out in God, but what matters is how we end in God. I know myself, I know David to a certain degree, probably not to the depths I might go, like Samson and Solomon, but I do know, I do not trust David as far as I can throw myself. And that scares me, which I believe is a good fear. A fear that keeps me moving on the right track. A fear that keeps my heart wholehearted and focused on God. Anything else and we will end up being “unstable.”
Next month we will continue looking at the perfect heart of the “Prophet of God” who must have a heart that brings about a right walk with God. I hope this is 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 hear. Written by David Stahl
ARTICLE REVIEW:
Down in Baptism
Nothing is more contentious today in religious circles than the topic of baptism. I think that is because most Bible scholars, the Christian educated folks, and the pew sitters of the day do not understand the direction of baptism which is down. Most Christians do not want to go down they want to go up, but the condition to go up in God is to first go down and die. Ah there is another reason why many Christians do not understand what baptism is they do not want to die to their self-life nor their self-seeking nature and ways. John shows us this way downward and the spiritual death we must experience to be able to walk with the LORD in newness and resurrection life. John writes, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. 26 If 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 12:24-26) Verse 24 starts out “Verily verily” now this is a double imperative (strongest implication for truth) that means this is the only way there is no other way we can do what is being asked of us. John tells us we must “fall into the ground and die.” “No I do not want to die I want to live, live, live I want to enjoy life after all in John 10:10 Jesus tells us, “I have come so that you may have life and life more abundantly.” Sadly, most Christians can recite John 10:10 (backwards and forward), but they do not know John 12:24 which describes the process in our lives to become fruitful in God. My friend to be fruitful in God we must die. And why, our self-screams to be satisfied and fulfilled, but in God fulfillment and completion is only satisfied by the death of our selfish character and ways. This is what Jesus was telling us here. The next verse (v25) tells us if we love our life we will lose our life, but if we hate (word means hate as we know it) or lose our life we shall keep or find our life for all eternality. Losing comes first then secondary we find. Jesus then asked the disciples to “follow me and where I am” well, where was Jesus? He was on His way to the cross to die. We will never be able to follow Jesus in any type or form of ministry if we do not desire to die spiritually to our fleshly appetites. We cannot kill our flesh we do not have the will power or ability within us to deal with our flesh, thus if our flesh is to receive a death blow we must give God permission into our lives to lay the axe to the root of all that grows forth (that stems from our selfish flesh) in us that is not of God. My friend down is the direction in God if we desire to go up. Spiritual death is the direction in our life if we desire to rule and reign with Him now on earth and in the ages to come. Paul knew this truth well. We see this in 1 Corinthians and in Romans when he was trying to help the Christians work through all of the wrong teaching (like about baptism) that was infecting the “church.” Wrong teaching in the church has been more of an obstacle to the truth than sin and the devil. From the start, the church in Jerusalem (I believe) they got it wrong. For example, all though out the New Testament we read where disciples were directed by leadership to bring money to the Church in Jerusalem. I wonder why? Now this is the right model one local body of believers bringing money or support to another local body of believers and not one local body of believers giving their money to a headquarters who divvies up the money according to their likes, dislikes, or if someone is playing ball with them. I have seen this all of my life (around the world) this denominationalism is a form of socialism. In Acts we read where, “And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,” (Acts 2:44-46) Now I believe they got verse 46 right (not called a church, but “house to house”), but verses 44 and 45 is nothing more than socialism and a form of social justice. No wonder they were poor, had no money, and needed support. No wonder all of the disciples had to bring money back to the “mother church.” Sadly, I have seen this around the world, especially in Africa. Collectivism and /or socialism does not work. Alarmingly socialism is being considered by the United States of America today, well the only problem with socialism is at some point you run out of somebody else’s money. America take heed it did not work in the Bible and it will not work today. Looks like I drifted somewhat, well I guess the LORD wanted me to throw that in. In Romans Paul told the Body of Believers, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:” (Romans 6:3-5) Now let me stop here and make a statement, baptism in water is NOT as a big deal as most churches today make it. Are we to get baptized yes! And why? Because Jesus asked us to. (see Matthew 29:17) It is an outward sign of an inward work of the heart from tradition, but you can get baptized all day long (even get your name on the church role) and still go to hell. Baptism will never save us from our sins nor will it lead us into greater spiritual development it is all about obedience. Many denominations (like the UPC and other Pentecostal groups) will put you in a devil’s hell if you are not baptized in Jesus’ name only, utter foolishness. We can see John the Baptist got into trouble because he would not stop baptizing God had to put him in prison a place where there was no water. Here Paul continues the theme in Roman 6:3, “many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?” What we are baptized into the death of Christ and not His life or water? Well, that is what Paul said. Paul went on to say, “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.” Did you get that? Verse five, “For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:” How clear do we need it to become? If we want resurrection life we must be “planted together in the likeness of his death.” We have to be dead to be resurrected. And that way is down. To have life we first must die, dying comes first then resurrection. Not too many churches teach this deeper truth they seem to gloss over these verses looking for other verses that tell us of our power and authority in God, our destiny, well the only destiny we have in God is to follow Jesus to the cross and die so He can live through us. Paul all too well knew this truth because it has been worked into his life from the time he held the coats of the men who stoned Stephen, when he was called into service on the Road to Damascus, ship wrecked, naked, almost starved to death, in the deep (sea) for days, stoned through all of these and more Paul learned this truth. Paul also knew that there was only one Body. Let me say that again, Paul also knew that there was only one Body. There are many local bodies not churches because we are the church Jesus is not trying to build buildings or denominations to save the world, oh no the world is lost Jesus has come to save those who are lost in the world. My friend we (the people) are the church never forget that and never let some religious person tell you otherwise. There is only one Body of Christ in which we are baptized into. Paul in 1 Corinthians tells the local Body of Believers in Corinth, “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:12-13) Though many members (people) yet one Body! One Spirit! We are NOT baptized into a denomination or a church, oh no we are baptized into the Body of Christ. Did you get that? And the way in Christ is down into His baptism into His death so that He can live though us. Written by David Stahl
THOUGHTS FROM KAREN:
Who Cares?
The Bible says in Proverbs, “It is not good to accept the person of the wicked to overthrow the righteous in judgement.” (Proverbs 18:5). A recent article from Chick publications had an article about a Pastor Dia Moody who is under investigation following his arrest while street preaching in the United Kingdom (UK). He spoke on the dangers of Islam and the transgendered ideology. Of course, if a Muslim or transgendered individual spoke out against Christianity nothing would happen!! Who cares, if Christians get offended?!?! Other pastors in the UK have been warned against preaching about — wait for it — Biblical judgement and hell. It had been suggested that such messages could have a “detrimental effect on the community.” Like what, maybe people examining themselves and crying out to God to save them? Like maybe, repenting from their wrongdoing and stop attacking and killing each other? Like maybe, not plotting to overthrow whatever country is nice enough to let them enter? Perhaps, like keeping those misguided people that live in a fantasyland, who don’t know what in the heck they are sexually, out of libraries reading to impressionable little kids. You mean like, these effects on a community? The Bible says: “Woe to them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20). Yeah, I know this verse is in the Old Testament, but Truth is valid no matter where. This Scripture was written thousands of years ago to the Children of Israel and yet how appropriate is it for our societies of today. These same morons will complain that nobody WARNED them about hell as they are roasting, in hell, for all eternity. And why? Because they don’t care about GOD, nor His servants who tried to warn them of the judgement to come. The above article was in Chick Publications May 2026. I am sick to death of the double standard in the world. Islam is slowly and steadily encroaching into the United States. This is Islam’s strategy of gradualism as it has crept into other countries in Europe and Asia in the hopes of one day dominating the world. And it almost seems like transgenderism is the norm anymore. People tout self-love, acceptance, and love from other people as they live an ungodly and unholy lifestyles. The rest of us are to accept them with open arms on THEIR terms, with unconditional love. So, answer me this, why should Christians change to accept their unholy lifestyle and just “love” them. This is NOT the type of love the Bible teaches. The only way people will get REAL peace. love, acceptance, and contentment in their lives IS NOT in expressing their ungodly desires and expecting the rest of us to play along. Sorry pal, it doesn’t work like that. GOD doesn’t do that with us. The Bible says, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in there at: Because strait is the gate and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14) We come to GOD on HIS terms, not ours. We either accept or reject HIS provision for our salvation. The most vile, wretched, murderous, perverted sinner can come to GOD: 1. confess their sin, 2. ask forgiveness of God — believing Jesus completed the redemptive work on the cross for us, and 3. repent — do an about face from their previous wicked ways and GOD will accept that person with open arms and begin to work in their life. My friend if you do the three steps above with a honest and humble heart, slowly, there will be a change in your life. Bad habits and wrong thinking will just drop away. There MUST be a change in that person’s life, as we are new creatures. “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away: behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) The noticed change in your life is the proof God is working. Once we come to GOD, we are not given carte blanche to live anyhow or go back to where we were. GOD EXPECTS us to change. GOD is a holy GOD and expects us to be holy also. He has no problem getting His hands dirty, cleaning us up once we come to Him. But, we must be willing to change and see that there is no good thing in us—save Jesus. What a gracious, merciful, loving GOD He is. Keeps your eyes on Jesus, keep your nose in the good book, spend time with the LORD. Pray for the persecuted church overseas, and the brave street preachers, GOD help them as they battle. Who cares—GOD cares! 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 and Pastor Metin at the Mavi Kilisesi in Dalaman, 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.
9. The many Pastors Paul and Costica at the Skina and other Pastors and Brothers we have meet in Ukraine over that five years.
10. Betuel and Bianaca and others in Erbil, Kurdistan.
11. Pastor Joeseph Kariuki Gatimu at Jesus Victory Temple in Mombasa, Kenya.
12. Pastors Ravindra Shiwnandan and Victor Lupuku and other Pastor and Brothers in Georgetown, Guyana, South America.
NEXT HOME GROUP MEETINGS:
21 July 26 at 7:00 pm
At 232 Everett Drive
Sneads Ferry, NC 28460
7:00 pm please
(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: Kurdistan and Turkey
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.
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