The longer I walk with the Lord the more unsure I am about some things I thought I had settled in my thinking. The things I thought I knew and taught around the world now I am not so sure. What I believe and teach I stand on to be the truth, but as I grow in God He is able to open up to me another wrinkle to the original truth. My teacher Charles Haun once said, “the longer I go with God the less I know” I am beginning to understand what He is saying. Now I am not talking heaven and hell issues, they are settled, but I am talking about the characteristic and nature of truth. When we are a babe in the Lord God can only open up truth to us according to our ability to receive. It is not that God does not want to show us all truth, but we at this time do not have the spiritual ability to understand and hold the truth within us, but when a bit more mature, God can now open up more of the truth to our understanding. There are four principles of truth that will help us here: truth never changes, truth in the word of God is contained in the words (Bible translation matters as much as your teacher) as revealed by the Holy Spirit, truth is progressive, and truth is always from God’s perspective. If we can keep these principles straight in our heart and mind we will go far in understanding Scripture and God Himself. Often there in lies our misgiving of truth that causes a great struggle within our inward parts and outwardly with the world.
In the church today there seems to be a great desire to fight or contend for the things we believe. Now some of this is good we must always stand up for the truth, but this contending often can cause us to miss the mark and get us over in some areas that God does not approve of. In one of the smallest Books of the Bible is found some very profound words. John challenges us today and the church at Rome when he said, “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” (Jude 3) Now please understand the church in Rome was going through extreme and harsh persecution and for John to say “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” meant there were some people (like today) who were not contending for the faith. When I hear the word contend I think of a boxer who is highly ranked and in the running for a title fight, they are a contender. But John was not using such an expression. The word “contend” here in the Greek is Strong’s #1864 from root words back from #75, #73, to #71 which means: to lead, to guide and direct, to lead through conduct, to impel (to push forward) forces, and influences of the mind. This is not as much an outward struggle like fighting, protesting, and picketing for Christian rights as some Christian organizations do or being put to death by Nero as the church in Rome was, but a struggle deep within our heart and spirit to hold the line with all diligence and loyal honor to God with simplicity, integrity, righteousness, and holiness. My friend God expects, God’s intention for our lives is for us to hold the line and not to compromise or waffle the truth of the word of God for expedience of a life of ease, monetary gain, or influence and power even at the cost of our physical lives.
As I travel around in ministry I am ashamed and before God embarrassed to see how many churches have waffled on the preaching of the word of God. No longer is it “thus says the Lord,” but all we hear from the pulpits today are self-help sermons from Pastors Teachers, and Evangelists, preachers reciting a Bible story that has a happy ending to make us all feel good, or worse yet using the Scriptures to manipulate people for money or when work in needed to be done to keep the grass cut, walls well painted, or parking lot clean. You know only in a land where money is routinely collected is having a nice church important. Most Christians in the world do not have a building to keep up and if they do it is spartan at best. All of this self-centered preaching and works based religion feeds our flesh and keep it alive. God is not trying to make us happy or help us to have the best church in town, but will do all we will allow Him to do to conform us into the image (icon) of His precious Son Jesus Christ. My friend our flesh is enmity (an evil enemy) with God and He wants to kill our flesh not keep it alive. What we need to hear is what God is saying to His people through a broken and contrite servant, but this my friend requires Pastors, Teachers, and Evangelists who are sensitive to the Spirit of God and not afraid to lose their livelihood. Is not truth more important than position and title? What is desperately needed is Pastors, Teachers, and Evangelists who are more concerned about preaching the truth than belonging to a denomination or political group. My friend Godly leadership in the church is extremely rare in these days of compromise. If the church once again is going to make a difference in lives throughout the world there must be a change of heart beginning with Pastors and then filter down from there. God’s system of leadership has always been a benevolent dictatorship top down approach. Jesus, the Pastor, the people. Responsibility for success or failure of any church scripturally rests squarely on the shoulders of the Pastor, it is the Pastor God holds accountable. Paul in Romans tell the church in Rome and us today, “Because the carnal mind (our flesh) is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” (Romans 8:7-9) God has established His standard of holiness in the Person of Jesus Christ and said, “be ye holy for I am holy” and guess what? God meant it. But as time goes on I think many Christians do not believe God is serious about living right and handling truth correctly. The message of faith that was delivered to me 49 years ago by my Mother is not the same message I see and hear today in most churches. And I believe it is because we have not internalized the message, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to lead, to guide and direct, to lead through conduct, to impel (to push forward) forces and influences of the mind. Now I know some of my religious denominational friends are probably saying there goes Dave Stahl again criticizing the church. When is he going to stop finding fault with the church? Who does he think he is judging? Doesn’t he know we are not suppose to judge? Dave Stahl needs to read, “Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” (Matthew 7:1) My friend I am not criticizing or finding fault with the church, but am sounding the alarm (take heed take heed) against fire and disorder. Jesus knew the hearts of the people He ministered to. He had total knowledge of everything they did and will ever do. And if you read the entire passage you will understand Jesus was not talking to people who had the Holy Spirit abiding within them as we are to have within us. Jesus was teaching to a huge crowd of non-believers and many disbelieving disciples. Knowing this Jesus told them not to “judge;” Strong’s #2919, to separate, put asunder, to pick out, select, choose because they would be judging out of their own hearts which Jeremiah tells us is deceitfully wicked. If they judge then they will be “judged;” Strong’s #2917, condemnation of wrong, the decision (whether severe or mild) which one passes on the faults of others. Take heed my friend often times we (I insert myself in the we) too make judgments out from a wicked heart with wrong intentions and motives, which ought not to be. Jesus was not saying not to judge, oh no. But who wants to be judged? No one wants to be judged and found guilty, but this is the first step in salvation. Our salvation begins with agreeing we are guilty of breaking the divine spiritual principle of God. Why do we need to confess and repent? Because we have been “judged” by God and found guilty, but thanks to the work of Jesus Christ on the cross our penalty has been paid. Man does not like to be “judged” so we act religious and twist verses like Matthew 7:1 to our advantage thinking we have escaped God’s principles, but no my friend we all (sinner and saint alike) will stand before a holy God and be “judged.” It is better we allow God to deal with our sin and heart condition now than when we get to heaven. Now we have God’s grace, but in heaven for those saved God will deal with us with fire. “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed (judged, to uncover, lay open what has been veiled or covered up) by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.” (1 Corinthians 3:13) And those not saved sadly hell is their eternal home. We do not have total knowledge of the hearts of people as Jesus did and must rely on His precious Holy Spirit to enable us to discern between those things that are; ungodly and godly, those things that are unholy and holy, and those things that are unrighteous and righteous. Not doing so just leaves us open and vulnerable to getting over in areas of sin and coming short of the glory of God. All throughout the Bible God has valued the ability in His children to be able to judge a situation or person that is unrighteous and unholy and separate themselves from it before they too get tainted. Judging is a natural process in our lives. Every day of our lives we judge fruits and vegetables, the weather, do we have enough gas in our car to go to work, and on and on, so why not spiritual matters of the heart? This is one reason most Christians are in such a poor spiritual demise they do not have the ability to judge righteous judgment and then separate themselves. Do you know there are some people you cannot hang around with and be a Christian? Do you know there are some places you cannot go and still be a Christian? And do you know there are some things you cannot say and do and still be a Christian? All of these questions require us to judge the situation and people to make certain choices. Judging is critical in our lives. If we want something from the Lord to help us with our daily walk with Him asking for the ability to judge righteous judgment (not right or wrong the Bible tells us that) which will carry us further down the road of spiritual maturity.
Our struggles in life like John told the church at Rome are inward struggles with dedication, consecration, submission, and obedience to God and His holy word. The contending John talks about in an inward work of the heart we must allow God do in our lives so we will be able to hold the line with all righteousness and holiness. I will be the first to admit I am not there, I have a long way to go, but I do so desire this in my life and the lives of my family. I really wish we could go back in years to a more simplistic time when a man’s word was his bond, a time of innocence, and a time of goodness, but I am afraid these days for now are over. Our only hope is being found “in Christ” and allowing God to work His dealings and judgments in our lives so that we too can stand and deliver to the next generation the truth of the word of God that was once delivered to us. Written by David Stahl
In the church today there seems to be a great desire to fight or contend for the things we believe. Now some of this is good we must always stand up for the truth, but this contending often can cause us to miss the mark and get us over in some areas that God does not approve of. In one of the smallest Books of the Bible is found some very profound words. John challenges us today and the church at Rome when he said, “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” (Jude 3) Now please understand the church in Rome was going through extreme and harsh persecution and for John to say “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” meant there were some people (like today) who were not contending for the faith. When I hear the word contend I think of a boxer who is highly ranked and in the running for a title fight, they are a contender. But John was not using such an expression. The word “contend” here in the Greek is Strong’s #1864 from root words back from #75, #73, to #71 which means: to lead, to guide and direct, to lead through conduct, to impel (to push forward) forces, and influences of the mind. This is not as much an outward struggle like fighting, protesting, and picketing for Christian rights as some Christian organizations do or being put to death by Nero as the church in Rome was, but a struggle deep within our heart and spirit to hold the line with all diligence and loyal honor to God with simplicity, integrity, righteousness, and holiness. My friend God expects, God’s intention for our lives is for us to hold the line and not to compromise or waffle the truth of the word of God for expedience of a life of ease, monetary gain, or influence and power even at the cost of our physical lives.
As I travel around in ministry I am ashamed and before God embarrassed to see how many churches have waffled on the preaching of the word of God. No longer is it “thus says the Lord,” but all we hear from the pulpits today are self-help sermons from Pastors Teachers, and Evangelists, preachers reciting a Bible story that has a happy ending to make us all feel good, or worse yet using the Scriptures to manipulate people for money or when work in needed to be done to keep the grass cut, walls well painted, or parking lot clean. You know only in a land where money is routinely collected is having a nice church important. Most Christians in the world do not have a building to keep up and if they do it is spartan at best. All of this self-centered preaching and works based religion feeds our flesh and keep it alive. God is not trying to make us happy or help us to have the best church in town, but will do all we will allow Him to do to conform us into the image (icon) of His precious Son Jesus Christ. My friend our flesh is enmity (an evil enemy) with God and He wants to kill our flesh not keep it alive. What we need to hear is what God is saying to His people through a broken and contrite servant, but this my friend requires Pastors, Teachers, and Evangelists who are sensitive to the Spirit of God and not afraid to lose their livelihood. Is not truth more important than position and title? What is desperately needed is Pastors, Teachers, and Evangelists who are more concerned about preaching the truth than belonging to a denomination or political group. My friend Godly leadership in the church is extremely rare in these days of compromise. If the church once again is going to make a difference in lives throughout the world there must be a change of heart beginning with Pastors and then filter down from there. God’s system of leadership has always been a benevolent dictatorship top down approach. Jesus, the Pastor, the people. Responsibility for success or failure of any church scripturally rests squarely on the shoulders of the Pastor, it is the Pastor God holds accountable. Paul in Romans tell the church in Rome and us today, “Because the carnal mind (our flesh) is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” (Romans 8:7-9) God has established His standard of holiness in the Person of Jesus Christ and said, “be ye holy for I am holy” and guess what? God meant it. But as time goes on I think many Christians do not believe God is serious about living right and handling truth correctly. The message of faith that was delivered to me 49 years ago by my Mother is not the same message I see and hear today in most churches. And I believe it is because we have not internalized the message, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to lead, to guide and direct, to lead through conduct, to impel (to push forward) forces and influences of the mind. Now I know some of my religious denominational friends are probably saying there goes Dave Stahl again criticizing the church. When is he going to stop finding fault with the church? Who does he think he is judging? Doesn’t he know we are not suppose to judge? Dave Stahl needs to read, “Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” (Matthew 7:1) My friend I am not criticizing or finding fault with the church, but am sounding the alarm (take heed take heed) against fire and disorder. Jesus knew the hearts of the people He ministered to. He had total knowledge of everything they did and will ever do. And if you read the entire passage you will understand Jesus was not talking to people who had the Holy Spirit abiding within them as we are to have within us. Jesus was teaching to a huge crowd of non-believers and many disbelieving disciples. Knowing this Jesus told them not to “judge;” Strong’s #2919, to separate, put asunder, to pick out, select, choose because they would be judging out of their own hearts which Jeremiah tells us is deceitfully wicked. If they judge then they will be “judged;” Strong’s #2917, condemnation of wrong, the decision (whether severe or mild) which one passes on the faults of others. Take heed my friend often times we (I insert myself in the we) too make judgments out from a wicked heart with wrong intentions and motives, which ought not to be. Jesus was not saying not to judge, oh no. But who wants to be judged? No one wants to be judged and found guilty, but this is the first step in salvation. Our salvation begins with agreeing we are guilty of breaking the divine spiritual principle of God. Why do we need to confess and repent? Because we have been “judged” by God and found guilty, but thanks to the work of Jesus Christ on the cross our penalty has been paid. Man does not like to be “judged” so we act religious and twist verses like Matthew 7:1 to our advantage thinking we have escaped God’s principles, but no my friend we all (sinner and saint alike) will stand before a holy God and be “judged.” It is better we allow God to deal with our sin and heart condition now than when we get to heaven. Now we have God’s grace, but in heaven for those saved God will deal with us with fire. “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed (judged, to uncover, lay open what has been veiled or covered up) by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.” (1 Corinthians 3:13) And those not saved sadly hell is their eternal home. We do not have total knowledge of the hearts of people as Jesus did and must rely on His precious Holy Spirit to enable us to discern between those things that are; ungodly and godly, those things that are unholy and holy, and those things that are unrighteous and righteous. Not doing so just leaves us open and vulnerable to getting over in areas of sin and coming short of the glory of God. All throughout the Bible God has valued the ability in His children to be able to judge a situation or person that is unrighteous and unholy and separate themselves from it before they too get tainted. Judging is a natural process in our lives. Every day of our lives we judge fruits and vegetables, the weather, do we have enough gas in our car to go to work, and on and on, so why not spiritual matters of the heart? This is one reason most Christians are in such a poor spiritual demise they do not have the ability to judge righteous judgment and then separate themselves. Do you know there are some people you cannot hang around with and be a Christian? Do you know there are some places you cannot go and still be a Christian? And do you know there are some things you cannot say and do and still be a Christian? All of these questions require us to judge the situation and people to make certain choices. Judging is critical in our lives. If we want something from the Lord to help us with our daily walk with Him asking for the ability to judge righteous judgment (not right or wrong the Bible tells us that) which will carry us further down the road of spiritual maturity.
Our struggles in life like John told the church at Rome are inward struggles with dedication, consecration, submission, and obedience to God and His holy word. The contending John talks about in an inward work of the heart we must allow God do in our lives so we will be able to hold the line with all righteousness and holiness. I will be the first to admit I am not there, I have a long way to go, but I do so desire this in my life and the lives of my family. I really wish we could go back in years to a more simplistic time when a man’s word was his bond, a time of innocence, and a time of goodness, but I am afraid these days for now are over. Our only hope is being found “in Christ” and allowing God to work His dealings and judgments in our lives so that we too can stand and deliver to the next generation the truth of the word of God that was once delivered to us. Written by David Stahl
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