THOUGHTS FOR CONSIDERATION: Greetings again my friends. Okay let us finish up this section “As a Servant” as we continue to look at “The Prophet of God.” This week we will begin to look at a heart that brings about a right walk with God. You know ministers in Christiandom preach and teach, work, and serve for all different kinds of reasons. Many for popularity and gain have it be money, power, or influence, but of course, it must be out of a humble heart to see the glory of God come forth and lives of the people change to where Christ can be birthed in them. Paul writes God’s main objective in our lives in Galatians 4:19. “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,” (Galatians 4:19) God is not trying to make us rich, happy, influential, powerful, or even give us the biggest church in the world, oh no! God is doing His best, as we will allow Him, “to form Christ in us.” I wonder why most Christians think God is trying to make them happy and “blessed?” I hear I am blessed, you are blessed, brother, all of God’s children are blessed, Well, that is not the picture the words in the Old Testament paint and will not be the picture as time, in this age, expires. I am sure (I include myself here too) our desires for “blessing” come out from our flesh not wanting to be dealt with. And of course this desire for ease and comfort leans itself to misapplication of doctrine and revelation. I guess that is why God took Paul to hell (not literally) so that He could take him to heaven. Now Paul was born around 5 AD in Tarsus, Cilicia, which is in modern-day Turkey and was beheaded traditionally believed in Rome around 64-67 AD. He was between 59 to 62 years old. Where John was born 6 AD and traditionally belief died 100 AD of natural causes. My point is, can you imagine the revelation knowledge Paul could have shared with the Body of Christ if he would have lived longer? Maybe more Books in the Bible? Well, God ways are not our ways. I remember back in 1996 before we left for Germany the pastor of the church we were attending slipped me a piece of paper one day with this verse on it, “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” (1Timothy 4:16) Sadly, it would have served him better to remember these words because the church he was pastoring collapsed and was no more after we left. He went over to the United Pentecostal Church (UPC) dark side and loved his denomination more than he did God. Now, looking at Paul and this pastor, we can see two men each with different walk with the LORD. With Paul we see his walk led to many Books in the Bible, with doctrinal teachings and a love for God that flowed from him for centuries (and still flows today), and a way to serve God in Spirit and truth. The difference between the two is Paul’s walk yielded a heart that brought about a right walk with God. The things he said and did were right and where we get the word “righteousness” from or a right relationship between God and man. The pastor, well, not so much. He was a good man, loved his wife and some people in the church he pastored, but was more concerned about proving the doctrines of the Pentecostal world are more superior than all other doctrines in Christiandom, His focus was the UPC and God took a back seat. I remember at a church service he was asked to speak, impromptu, and as he was walking up to the stage he took off his wedding ring. I guess nothing, even his wife, comes before the UPC. He always carried three or four Bibles with him not to sure what that was all about. His walk did not lead to righteousness, but to just more religion. And I told him so and that was the last time we have talked. His actions proved my point in heart and attitude. Our walk with God if it is right before God will produce a righteousness in us that transcends our understanding which is one of God’s major objectives. He wants to bring into our lives a life of righteous living. Can you imagine that? A life of “righteous living?” Where we do not have to stop living to make a righteous decision or choice. Our life is tied into the life of God, His life, so tight that we just live righteously. Like breathing. We do not have to stop living to breath, oh no. If we do, we probably will suffocate. But, our breathing is automatic, it is something God has hard wired in us. Our muscles and diaphragm work as one as carbon dioxide is exchanged for oxygen in the lungs and our heart then pumps the life giving blood throughout our body. Life is passed from one cell to another cell and we just live. Well, that is what God is looking for in our lives and our walk with Him. To be so wired into God that we automatically live a righteous life. And this all happens as we allow God to develop that servant’s heart in us. As we develop a walk with God that will allow Him to judge and deal in our lives and heart,
Next month we will continue looking at the perfect heart of the “Prophet of God” as we begin to look at three things God is looking for in our walk with Him: obedience, fellowship, and next week we will look at our sanctification. 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
