JUST WIPE THE SLATE CLEAN

I wonder why we think God just wipes our slate clean and forgives us of our “sin?” This wrong thinking is at the heart of the reason the church, especially in the States, has lost its power and authority in the world. Who wants to be told they will have to face the consequences of their actions? No one wants to be held accountable for their actions (me too at times), but if we are going to come to any spiritual growth and development we must settle this issue well in our thinking and heart. Did you know there is a difference between “sin” and “sins.” Did you know in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible there are 448 occurrences in which 389 verses talk about “sin” making “sin” the most important topic in the Bible. But today all we hear from most pulpits is: expository review, our destiny in God, how to get our next blessings from God, or highlights from the latest and greatest self-help book, rarely do we hear someone talk about “sin.” Did you also know the topic of “sin” was the number one topic of Jesus during His earthly ministry. In Romans Chapters 5, 6, 7, and 8 Paul was not talking our “sins,” but our “sin” the disobedient, manipulating, selfish nature of man that wants its way and not God’s way. “Wherefore, as by one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 13(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him (Jesus) that was to come.” (Romans 5:12) Also in the KJV “sins” are recorded with 172 occurrences in which 166 verses talk about our individual acts or works of our flesh. “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:19-21) I think this list about covers them all in some form.

Now please understand our “sins” get their evil roots and origins from our “sin” nature. If we do not accept God’s terms to deal with our “sin” our “sins” can never be dealt with and we will live our lives being led by our self-seeking selfish emotions, lusts and sinful desires. My friend God does not just wipe our slate clean, our “sin” and “sins” must be dealt with. Our “sin” and “sins” are never just forgiven there must always be a price paid for them. Our glorious Savior Jesus Christ paid the price on Calvary’s cross shedding His precious blood and making a way for our “sin” nature to be dealt with and if we accept His terms: confess with our mouth believing Jesus died for us and repent (about face or flow in the opposite direction) turning from our sinful and wicked ways our “sin” nature will be dealt with and never to be remember by God. Many Christians say, our “sin” separates us from God, oh no my friend, this too is wrong denominational thinking. Yes man sinned (I have a hard time blaming brother Adam, I too have sinned), but because of this “sin” nature that was passed from Adam to all born of woman God sent His precious Son. No our “sin” does not separate us from God, oh no my friend our “sin” and the thought of us being eternally separated from God in Hell moved God to give His wonderful Son to pay the price for man’s disobedience and waywardness. How can we say “sin” has separated God from man? Never forget and never allow any one to deceive you into believing that our “sins” are just wiped away as our “sin” nature is. This wrong thinking is at the heart and the foundation of most religious denominations (Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Pentecostals, etc.) in the world. Just come to Jesus, He will wipe the slate clean, and you will be forgiven, well that is half true, but a half truth is the same thing as a lie. Just come to our church, get involved, give your tithes and offerings, and you will grow in God, wrong. Doing things for God will never produce spiritual growth and development in us. Now it is true, if we accept God’s free gift of salvation our “sin” nature will be forgiven, but our “sins” individual acts or works of the flesh still will need to be dealt with by God and us. Many Christians never get victory in some areas in their lives because they are waiting for God to do all the work, well my friend God is wanting for us to take Him at His word and receive His promise of strengthening us in the inward part to be able to overcome our flesh, to be able to stand and withstand life’s problems and the enemy of our soul. Did you know there is a big difference between standing and withstanding? This wrong thinking of God just wiping our slate clean without a cost being paid even bleeds over into our personal relationships inside and outside the church. It is no wonder relationships within the church are so fractured and painful, we expect God and our brothers and sisters to keep forgiving us for our ungodly words and deeds. It is no wonder some have no victory in God, they have never really allowed God to work in our lives to the point we have been developed into a mature son or father in God. We just keep (as the Baptist say) walking the aisle and asking for forgiveness. Did you know this is not God’s intention for us needing forgiveness again and again. As I work as a substitute teacher I tell the kids they are not suppose to be making mistakes, now knowing I am a Bible teacher they go right to this forgiveness issue. Well, I tell them forgiveness is true and needed, it is God’s love for us, but if we live our lives thinking we can make mistakes again and again and it will be okay we will never become mature. In God making mistakes is only okay if we learn from the mistake. We are not to get stuck in making mistakes, if we do it is “sin” to miss the mark of God’s intention for us. This is also true for God’s forgiveness again and again. God intends for us to once ask forgiveness and then grow in the grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Most denominations teach it is okay, just keeping asking and God will keep forgiving, well my friend I would hate to stake my eternal soul on this unscriptural advice. Would it not be better if we ask God and our friends to forgive us and then march on never needing to retake the same ground? Retreating and re-fighting for the same ground always cost twice the price.

My friend, God never just forgave Adam and Eve (take heed to who you hang around with) for their disobedience, “And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: 23Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. 24So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.” (Genesis 3:22-24) Adam and Eve had it all, what a wonderful life, but because of their disobedience God did not wipe their slate clean, but held them accountable for their actions. Later on in Adam and Eve’s life their son Cain killed his brother Able, the first murder. Cain’s slate was not wipe clean, oh no, “And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand; 12When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. 13And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. 15And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.” (Genesis 4:11-15) A walking dead man, because of disobedience. Not so strange I have met many people like Cain. Now some Christians would say these stories are from the Old Testament, well here is a very sad one from the New Testament, “But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, 2And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 5And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. 6And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. 7And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. 8And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. 9Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. 10Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.” (Acts 5:1-10) God never wiped Ananias and Sapphira’s slate clean, they died because of their disobedience. Now I was not there nor is it recorded, but it looks like God never gave them a chance to ask for forgiveness. Disobedience (oh me) is always dealt with by God. The Bible is full of examples of God holding people accountable for their actions. I wonder why we do not hear these examples taught this way in churches today? Never underestimate the power of denominationalism. When started our church “Christliche Gemeinde Stuttgart” in Germany I just knew the American people I worked with and knew our friend around the base would attend, but to my amazement no one person who I worked with attended our church. And only a very few of our American friends came for a visit. Now when they came they really enjoyed the service and the people, but they never stayed. Their denominational pull was too strong to move them into what the Lord was doing. We just left a major denominational church (oh how we still love some there), but their doctrinal believes has yoked their judgment and is controlling them even in the face of knowing the truth about ungodly situations and people, a blatant error in truthfulness and Godliness. Sometimes you just have to stand for the truth and separate yourself. Religion, denominations, and traditions of men are powerful, controlling, and eternally destructive it is, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” (Proverbs 14:12) My friend only God’s power can break people free of these yokes and “sins.”

The longer I go with the Lord and the more I study the Bible the more I come to recognized just how important the restriction and limitation of God are to be able to come to fulfillment and completion in Him. My friend it is when we walk in God’s ways and in His restrictions and limitations we are about to understand the truths of the Bible. In the church today we have so many versions of the Bible it is no wonder we have so many denominations, and it is no wonder we have so much wrong thinking, like freedom and liberty in God. Oh no my friend if you have a desire for spiritual growth and development it comes by way of learning and walking God’s way. We cannot keep making up new doctrines and Bibles and expect to understand God and His ways. If you want to understand God through His word you will have to study the Bible, what Paul instructed Timothy to do. And to do this you will have to go back in translation not forward. The truth in the word of God is found in the words as the precious Holy Spirit guides and leads us revelation and all truth. This is why you cannot use the NIV and other versions of the Bible. This too is why we have so much wrong thinking in the Body of Christ. We just keeping changing the Bible (with each new version) to what we want it to say, now we are justified by a Bible and now we can make up new doctrines and teachings. Let us stick with the KJV where most tools to help study the Bible are based. This truth I have learned as I have observed there is an eternal difference between a gifted speaker and a broken speaker. Gifted speakers: well-dressed, flashy, zealous, animated, strong in their ability to preach or teach because of their many notes and preparation, well versed in words and in hip saying expressions of today’s culture in their approach to preaching and teaching the word of God. But a broken speaker is one that speaks from loss, one who speaks out from the dealings and judgments of God, who stands to deliver the word of God and his legs are weak and his hands hang down by his side. One who has been taught, through God’s dealings, and fears to speak because they know the responsibility and accountability God holds them to. His words are hard to mouth because the Holy Spirit of God is pushing them through his spirit as tears of repentance and cleansing flow like a cool summer rain. My friend which one are you?

My friend God does not just wipe our slate clean, we must come to the realization of the price Jesus paid for our “sin” and allow God to work in our lives to deal with our “sins” if not I must let you know yours “sin” and your “sins” have not been yet forgiven. We are not saved unless we have had the revelation of what “sin” has wrought in our lives and the world. Unless we have been devastated, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” (Romans 7:24-25) we will ever be lost. Written by David Stahl

SUBSTITUTING THE SPIRIT OF GOD

Did you know there is a difference between compromising and substituting? I hear many Christians say we are compromising (I may even be guilty of this) the Spirit of God, but in reality we are not compromising (settling an argument or dispute in which each side gives up part of what it wants or to put in danger of being criticized or disgraced) but substituting (a person or thing that takes the place of another) the things for the Spirit of God. Now both are ungodly and we (I include myself here) in the Body of Christ ought to be ashamed of ourselves if guilty. As we drive around town we see many churches with signs selling their latest and greatest program, but wait a minute, where and when does the Spirit of God fit into these programs? One of my favorite signs is the announcement of revival services. My friend you do not have revival (word not found in the Bible) at a church just by posting a sign on the grounds. If your church is being revived (word found in the Bible) by the Spirit of God you will not need to hang a sign or publish your revival services note in the church happenings section of the newspaper, people will be drawn by the Spirit of God and will come and be filled and changed by His Spirit. By word of mouth this good news will spread like wild-fire from town to town, but you know I do not see this. I see sign after sign substituting man’s plans and programs for the Spirit of God. I see churches offering counseling like the world. I see signs offering divorce counseling. Well does God agree with divorce? I see signs offering mental heath counseling. What is the answer to man’s mental heath? Someone knowing God enough to be able to give them the Spirit to God without using worldly techniques and ways. Why there is even a Baptist church in town where you can get your college degree, who needs the Spirit of God, education is where it’s at, isn’t it? What are we doing to the house of God? We are substituting things of the world for the Spirit of God and making God’s house a house of merchandising (John 2:16). We may not be selling doves and bulls, but we are selling CD’s, books, anything with value.

We substitute singing songs with all of their instrumentation and emotional pseudo-spiritualism for true worship; which is bowing down our heads and hearts (before the Lord) to the ground. Worship has nothing to do with singing, but being quiet before God. David said, “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.” (Psalms 95:6) Joshua said it this way, “And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?” (Joshua 5:14) Jehoshaphat worshiped this way, “And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD.” (2 Chronicles 20:18) the list goes on Moses and so many others. True “worship” is not speaking or singing words, but bowing down our heart and lives before God in quiet awe and reverence. I hear many Christians praise Sister Miriam for her worship after the great miracle of the parting of the Red Sea, “And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. 21And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.” (Exodus 15:20) Take heed pastors when you get a bunch of women moving in a service. Just like today many Christian women dance around the church with their tambourine in hand singing, “the horse and the rider hath he thrown into the sea,” but I guess they have never read in Numbers how Miriam spoke against her brother Moses, “And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.” (Numbers 1:1) and for this she received, “And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.” (Number 1:10) You see Miriam carried these hateful feelings and offence through the Red Sea. All of her singing and dancing profited her nothing. All of her singing and dancing was not true “worship,” but a mask, a cover, a substitute for the Spirit of God. Her true heart was exposed and God had to deal with her and the people. In so many churches today we sing and dance instead of allowing God to work in our heart, well keep on singing and dancing my friend, but I promise you there will come a time when all of your singing and dancing will come to an end and you like Miriam will be face-to-face with a holy and righteous God. Paul tells us, “Quench not the Spirit.” (1 Thessalonians 5:19) When we substitute things of the world for the Spirit of God we are quenching the Spirit. God does not want us to sing other’s songs, but allow God to work in us to such a degree our lives become a song. Young David’s songs in the Psalms were not written for us to make songs of, but were produced as God developed David from the pastures to the palace. I think all of this singing in church is nothing more than traditions of men and idolatry, from church to church we sing the same songs, why? Now if you want to sing songs in church to pump up your emotions or get everyone to feel good about themselves okay, but please do not call it “worship” please call it what it is, Christian entertainment or even service filler. My friend music is a very powerful tool to get people to do what your want them to do. People love and will die for a song. All you need to do is take a good look at history, especially World War II and see the extremes some people will go. I really cannot believe all of the effort and resources expended for doing something Jesus and the disciples did not do. They may have sung hymns (I enjoy too) or even recited Jewish scripture chants, but it was nothing like the worldly contemporary and rock-n-roll Christian music of today. Some one has to sound the alarm before we drive another generation into a ditch and get them off track. I know I am speaking heresy to most Christians and my words might cost us some friends, but I am not trying to tickle your ears, manipulate you, or make you happy (nor is God, He is trying to conform us into the image and nature of His dear Son Jesus Christ), I am trying to warn you and the church corporately before it is too late. Our society is (and sadly so is the church) so music orientated. We give an altar call and the musician rush up and start playing softly, is the Holy Spirit not able to move hearts and emotions? My friend it will take the Spirit of God to remove this thinking from us and the church. For us it is not about singing, but about being developed, singing has never developed anyone into the character and nature of Jesus Christ. But who wants to be developed? This my friend is a very painful process in God. It is much easier to sing about others being developed. We sing “I want to dance like David danced,” well to be able to dance like David danced you have to go through the things David went through. In Psalms 30:12 we read, “To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.” (Psalms 30:12) David is not talking about singing songs, but his “glory (Strong’s #3519, honour, abundance) may sing praise to thee, and not be silent.” The “glory” that he has allowed God to work in his life will come forth from the recesses of His heart and not be silent before Him. We must not substitute singing and dancing in the house of God for the Spirit of God.

Another area we substitute the Spirit of God with something is a desire to see miracles, signs and wonders. God’s intention for us is to come to the fullness of His Son, to grow in the grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, to come to know Him and the power of His might, but if we have a taste for manna (miracles, signs and wonders) we will not develop a taste for the deeper things of God and His word. The writer of Hebrews shares some of the saddest words in the Bible about a church of believers, “Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. 12For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” (Hebrews 5:11-14) Mature men and women of God, men and women “of full age” survive not on milk, but on strong healthy meat from God’s wisdom and experience as He draws us, as He deals in our lives, and as He judges us for greater qualification. When we go after miracles, signs and wonders (manna) we are babes. Meat is worked into our lives through the many experiences we have in God and as He is able to deal and judge in our lives. The stronger the dealings and judgments of God in our lives the stronger the meat we can eat of. David says, “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. 9O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. 10The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.” (Palms 34:8-10) Where did David learn, “the young lions do lack, and suffer hunger?” When he tasted of the things of the world, but when he tasted of the Spirit of God his testimony was, “they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.”

We see this truth moving in the lives of the Children of Israel. It was not God’s intention for the Children of Israel to spend 40 years wandering in the wilderness. God’s desire for the Children of Israel was for them to go directly and possess the promised land, but they did not have the maturity and Spirit of God in them to believe God because they too have substituted the things of the world for the Spirit of God. Even after seeing miracles, signs and wonders that was not enough to develop them into the people needed to conquer the promised land. “Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; 23Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it: 24But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it. 25(Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley.) To morrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.” (Number 14:22-25) so they wandered in the wilderness in training. And in the wilderness God could not feed them meat they were not able to receive meat God had to give them manna, “what is it?” Manna (God’s supernatural provision) was not God’s idea for the Children of Israel He wanted them to eat meat, but manna is food for those Christians in training, meat is for those Christians who have been trained and of full age. “And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.” (Deuteronomy 8:3) For 40 years they wandered in the wilderness in training and until the older generation who saw the miracles, signs and wonders of God in Egypt died. Seeing God’s miracles, signs and wonders was not enough, God was after teaching them, “that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.” Seeing God’s miracles, signs and wonders was not enough to replace the true Spirit of God. The disciples rejoiced over miracles, signs and wonders, but Jesus corrected them, “And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. 18And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. 19Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:17-20) Miracles, signs, and wonders will do little for us, we must not go after them and when we do we are substituting the Spirit of God. It is not God’s intention to do miracles and wonders for us. We go after the miracles, signs, and wonders, why? It is not about the miracles, signs, and wonders, but about following the Lord in obedience. When the Children of Israel were ready to conquer the promise land, the manna stopped. “Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 11Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals (Strong’s #6718 provision of meat, venison); for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God giveth you to possess it.” (Joshua 1:10-11) Manna (miracles, signs, and wonders) are for babes and those in training, but meat is for the mature Christian one who can be counted worth by God for conquest and victory. I wonder why there are so many babes in the church? Are we ready? Did you know while the Children of Israel were wandering in the wilderness because of their unbelief and disobedience (Hebrews 3:16-18), while living on manna they defeated 5 kingdoms, but when their diet changed to victuals (meat) and they entered the land promised they conquered 31 kingdoms. What we eat and use for strength makes a big difference to our physical body, but even more to our spirit man.

Behind all of this substituting things for the Spirit of God is unbelief and our self-seeking glory. We really do not believe God can and will do it as He said, so we try to help Him with programs and our good ideas, but no man is God’s counselor. God needs no help from us, what God needs is our willingness and obedience. Our presumption is religious and very subtle, but in the end it brings our self and others to a dead end. Substituting anything for God’s Sprit always leads to a dead end. Paul warned Timothy of this very thing, “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy 3:5-7) You know when we substitute the things of the world for the Spirit of God, thinking we are drawing those in the world to church, they really in their heart loathe us even the more for our compromise to the truth and us denying them the opportunity to satisfy the hunger in their soul. Let us desire the real Spirit of God which comes not by way of works or good intentions, but by being broken and poured out. Written by David Stahl

FOLLOWING TO OBEDIENCE

My heart is full and my mind has many thoughts to share. I wonder why we sing songs like “I surrender all” and do not. We say we are ready to lay down our life for the sake of Christ but, I find big singing boastful words usually means quick retreat in the face of the enemy or in austere times. I wonder why we raise our hands in submission to God swinging our arms to and fro in the air while having a tearful emotional experience promising God to do something and not do it? It would be far better for us to just keep our mouth shut. We must be very careful with what comes out of our mouth God is very good at making us eat our words, you can ask Jephthah, “And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, 31Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD’S, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.” (Judges 11:30-31) and now the result of a quick emotional vow to God “And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter. 35And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back.” (Judges 11:34-35) In these cases others usually pay most of the price. Did you know when we raise our hand and promise something before God we are making a vow, an oath, or swearing to do something for God? My friend, God takes a very narrow view of saying something and not doing it. I would recommend at your next song service to please pay attention to the words you are mouthing. As I began to grow in the Lord I thought these emotional approaches to God was what He was after, but now much older in the Lord I believe (even though I was well intended) these times did little to help me overcome things in my life that would enable me to be obedient to God. My friend we must be very careful when we get our emotions involved with the things of God. Our emotions are dangerous and will run us out of God and off track faster than anything I know. Please take time as you read the Bible to see how emotions got such mighty men of God as Adam, David, Solomon, Samson, Jonah, Gideon, Elijah, all of the disciples (the list goes on and on) in trouble and off track. In the Proverbs Solomon shares, “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit (control our emotions) than he that taketh a city.” (Proverbs 16:32) I wonder where Solomon learned this truth? Maybe from his father King David. Today we want to conquer the world for Christ, well He wants us (with His strength and ability) to be able to conquer our spirit and mouth. If you really want to grow in God to be accountable do not look for the next praise and worship service to get all blubbery in, but look within your heart and spirit for the next area of fear (that lives in the pit of your stomach) or failure in your soul that needs to be conquered by God by allowing Him to strengthen you in your inward parts. Did you know the word praise in the KJV Bible has little to do with singing, but more with making confessions, thanksgivings, a discourse like speaking well of someone, or a commitment to something in words not music? Our progression in God is not measured by what we do or give to God, but what we lose of our selfishness self-life and how much we allow God to strengthen us. We must not allow our emotions (and that includes our flesh) to rule over us, but channel them into a Godly focus from following to obedience.

Thus far this year Karen and I had not traveled to the nations. The first part of 2008 we were helping to take care of my parents (and still are in ways) and the middle of the year we hosted some wonderful friends from Nepal and India, but now Jake Luffy and I planned a trip to Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria. The need was certainly there and God provided the funds, but just because God provided does not mean this is what He wanted to happen. I think most times God is more concerned about our heart’s desires to go and do than the actual going and doing. Now here is where things really get foggy and over into some gray areas in God. Oh you say there are no gray areas in God? Well walk with the Lord long enough and go to the places He wants you to go (and not the places you want to go) and you will see the gray areas fade to black and into the darkness of the unknown of God. I have been traveling abroad for the Lord since July 1996 and at first I went to where I wanted to go and said the things I wanted to say within His call on my life, but when I got older I needed others to “girdedst” or strengthen me. In John Jesus shares this wonderful truth with Peter, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.” (John 21:18) The older I get the more the truth of this verse becomes more alive and more of a reality in my heart and life. Now I will be honest I wanted to go on this trip the need was great, but still in my heart (I will be honest) I did not want to go on this trip. I do not need to travel ministering the word to be fulfilled and satisfied in God. I know there are many great men of God in Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria who can do a much better job than me. I am very content and very happy at home with Karen, working on writing my books, writing our newsletter and articles, helping keep the maternity clinic in Aveile, Nigeria, the radio station in Katmandu, Nepal, and the tuberculosis clinics in Addis Abba, Ethiopia (on auto pilot now) up and running, soon Bible schools in Rwanda and Kenya, and attending a local Body and ministering locally. There are plenty of Godly and righteous things I can be doing to feel like I am “ministering” or doing something for God. However, we planned and prepared, but the night before while I was laying on the couch and Karen (my sweetheart) was rubbing my feet a cloud like veil descended over my eyes, right away I knew my blood pressure (for no apparent reason) went up. I went up stairs and got the blood pressure cuff bought for me in Turkey last year and I asked Karen to take my blood pressure. Sure enough I was right. I should know this happening by now because on the last five trips I have taken I have experienced blood pressure problems. Starting in India in 2006, in Rwanda, in Romania and Bulgaria, in Nepal, on my way to Tanzania but ended up in Istanbul, Turkey where the plane dropped me off and I spent six hours in the emergency room, and then again on our (Karen and I) last trip to Turkey in 2007 (where they bought me the blood pressure cuff) I had a blood pressure problems. And now before we leave for Turkey another blood pressure problem, well I remember all to well the feeling of helplessness and danger I was not so fast to run out the door the next morning. God sure has ways of getting our attention. When we are in our teens or early 20s we think we are invincible and we will live for ever, but as we get older say into our 30s and 40s we begin to see our mortality ever before us. And as we reach our 50s and 60s we notice every pain, bump, and lump on our body questioning everything, wanting to hold on to every bit of life we can. Now please do not misunderstand me here, I am ready to die, but I do not want to die God still desires for me to share His wondrous Gospel message and I so love and enjoy my wife Karen and our family. Anyone that says they want to die, both sinner and saint alike is lying. I was getting my hair cut one day and the Korean lady barber and I were discussing this topic and she said the older we get the more we look at our self, she is right. We even have “beauty parlors” to camouflage our age and faults. Believe it or not spiritually there is a parallel to this thinking. The older we get the more our flesh desires not to do the will of God. It seems the older we get the more and more our fleshly desires needs to be beat into submission and dragged along (even kicking and screaming) as we overcome in obedience doing what God has asked us to do. It seems our flesh is more of a stumbling-block to us than man or the devil. I was very grateful that God allowed me to have this blood pressure problem before we left the States. After going to the doctors I found out I may have a stenosis (narrowing) of the renal (kidney) artery or a tumor on my adrenal glands that produces a sudden surge of epinephrine, both will cause my blood pressure to suddenly go up. Time and testing will give us the answer and a miracle or treatment will follow. Now I am not saying it was my flesh that was causing my blood pressure problem, but on the other hand I would not put it past my flesh. Jake and I must rest in knowing God had a better plan (inspite of the great need) for us than to go to Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria now. In my case now I see it is a physical problem that God wants to be corrected for the future. But my friend our flesh is wicked and deceitful above all causing us to do so many things we would not have done. Our flesh is to be but to death. God has no intention of keeping our flesh alive and is counting on us to help put it to death. When we get over into emotions and allow our thoughts to run away our flesh is in control. Did you know at the heart of our emotions is selfishness? When we do not get our own way or we think we have lost something what moves our emotions is our selfish nature. I remember as a small boy when coming home after school and my mother not at home thinking oh no the Lord came and I was left. I would go from room to room calling her name, get on the phone if need be, just seeking her out not feeling bad about my youthful sinful heart condition, but I was seeking her to reassure my selfish nature. We cannot handle our flesh by our natural ability, but we first must allow the Spirit of God full sway in our lives to work in us an ability to “mortify” or put the deeds of our body to death. “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 12Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” (Romans 8:11-14) If we desire to be led by the Spirit of God we first must put to death the deeds of our flesh. My friend either our fleshly emotions or the Spirit of God will be leadings us it is our choice.

Now we (Karen and I) are not saying we will never travel in ministry again, we already have had wonderful friends in India, Nepal, Nigeria, and Tanzania wanting a visit in 2009, but what we are saying is; if God wants us to go and we know that we know it is God’s leading then we will endure even blood pressure problems. Our heart is to glorify God and His children. We cannot glorify God and His children if we come with problems to add on top the problems our wonderful friends already face. Times are perilous and expensive enough the last thing our wonderful friends around the world need is to have to care for people who ought to have known better. And it is not about going in faith and counting on God to make a way, this my friend proves to be foolish and unscriptural. God gave us a mind and expects us to use it. I still shake my head at Peter leaving a place of safety and provision that Jesus provided so that he could do something spectacular and miraculous yet in the end Jesus had to save him from his fleshly ambition. It was not about going to where Jesus was or Peter walking on the water, but about foolish ambition and pride as it would be the same for us going to minister some where in the world (like in the past) with a problem in hand. Jesus told Peter, “This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.” (John 21:19) When reading this verse we often focus on “what death he should glorify God,” that is true, but we should be focusing on the “Follow me.” Where are we to follow Christ? Into the great abundant life in John 10:10? No my friend in reality we are to follow Christ into His death. We are to follow Him into a death of our selfishness into a newness of life into our selflessness and then literally into a physical death. I think the more we die to our selfishness and self-life the easier it will be to fall into the group physically. Today Jesus says to us, “Follow me” yet I see so many Christians going the opposite direction of Christ while they say they are following Him. Where are they following to? To their cross (not Jesus’) to daily impale themselves on? How are they following Him? In a humble, lowly, and contrite way? Are they following to obedience or are they following to presumption; thinking they are doing right, but in reality doing wrong? The only way we can glorify God is to follow Him in obedience. Following to obedience will kill you time and time again, but if you can die then you will really be alive to follow Christ anywhere He leads. Written by David Stahl

ALL OF GOD'S LOVE

One of the most memorized and beloved verses in the Scriptures is found in the Book of John. “For God so loved (agape, Strong’s #25 to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly) the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) Now I really like the Book of John, but did you know the word “prayer” does not appear in any Book (KJV) in the Bible that John wrote. Not in the Gospel of John, not in any of his three epistles, or in the Book of Revelation, but the attitude and heart of “prayer” seems to be flowing out from John’s words. The Bible is a spiritual Book and must be understood by the Spirit of God or we will miss its meanings and misrepresent the words just like with the word “prayer” not being in the five books of the Bible that John wrote. God’s word, the Bible, is truth and has many edges of understanding that is progressive. Now please remember there are also God’s words, the individual words God speaks to our spirit so that we will know His will in a given situation or circumstance. Now God can speak to us in many ways: through nature, His word, the Bible, or to our spirit if our spirit is tuned to the Holy Spirit. For example Paul in Romans shares, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17) Many Christians say faith comes by hearing the Bible preached or riding around in a car listening to the Bible on tape. We know this cannot be true, millions of people attend churches around the world and hear the Bible and yet have no faith. This was very popular when I was growing up, but that is not what the Bible says. The Bible says “faith comes by hearing” and “hearing by the word of God.” In other words we get faith when we hear God speak to us through His words. The Greek version of this verse does a better job explaining this truth, “So then faith cometh by hearing, a word from God.” (Romans 10:17 (GK)) Do you see the difference? Today if you need faith you must hear from God (faith is God’s not ours), because in the hearing is contained all of the faith you will need for the situation or circumstance you are facing. We cannot work it up, pray it up, or stand on God’s promises to get it up, we must hear from God, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)

Well now that I have your attention and we have a better understanding of the many facets of the workings of truth, let us take a closer look at John 3:16. I do not know about you my friend, but this verse scares me to death. Why do we Christians believe our lives are going to be filled with flowers and candy, a real bed of roses, all of the time? Let us read John 3:16 again, but this time let us not use the Pollyanna, sugar coated thinking that sets many Christians up for failure, “For God so loved the world, that he gave (Strong’s #1325, of one’s own accord to give one something, to his advantage) his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) We often miss the point here that God stood by while His Son Jesus Christ was crowned with 3 ½ inch thorns, flogged, beat with a cat of nine tails (whip), despised, spit on, had His beard plucked out, and then when totally exhausted from the loss of blood and physical pain, had His only begotten (a past participle of beget; to be the father of; cause to be; produce) Son crucified. And God loves His Son very much. God the Father gave His own Son for His (not Jesus’) own advantage. What an unbelievable love (agape) by Jesus, but who wants God to love them that much? I am not sure if I would raise my hand here. Paul tells us in Romans, “He (God) that spared not his own Son, but delivered him (Jesus) up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32) God spared not His Son and we think He will do more for us? Why do we think God wants to only give us a happy and pleasant (a life of Riley) things and not allow some hard, difficult, and troubling things into our lives? Is the servant better than the Master? I think not. My friend we better wake up to the reality of truth before we wake up from our religious dream and find God is loving us like He loved His Jesus. Make no mistake my friend hard, difficult, troubling times are coming our way God will see to it. I believe America, because of her waywardness to God and His words (both spoken and written) is looking down both barrels of God’s judgment and punishment. I hope I am wrong (if I am I will get the rocks), but I feel strong in my spirit hard, difficult, and troubling times are heading America’s way. I am really a coward and do not want to see them come, but we can only play fast and loose for so long then God will say enough and pull up on the reins. For all of those who look to America for financial help and support, please I would advise you all to start looking at the Lord for your help and support. Again I hope I am wrong, but as with all things in God time will tell.

For years I had a hard time with the word “agape” (love) because what I had been taught and what I saw around me did not seem to line up with what I was reading in the Scriptures. But one day, my teacher, Charles Haun, opened up a more complete understanding of the word that opened it up to me personally, but also allowed me to help others with it. Agape is defined as a dedication to the well-being of another. The Greeks have three words one being agape to express what we use one word to express our love. But agape is nothing like love as we thing of it something warm and fuzzy. Agape is a marvelous force in God that moves from God towards us and then from us towards Him and then towards others. It makes choices and then it is faithful to the choices it made (faithful, that is, to the object of the choice, or the person to be loved). If I make a choice for Jesus through agape moving in my heart then I will be faithful to him – regardless of the situations, circumstances, or consequences. If I were to be hauled away and delivered to the lions, I would still remain faithful to Jesus. Circumstances and situation never changes agape. It is no wonder Jesus could go to the cross, agape was moving in His life and not just love. If we only love our spouse (or family) when they get old and their hair and teeth fall out we will leave them, but if we agape them, if we dedicate ourselves one to the other no matter what happens in our relationship we will never leave them. In its simplest form, agape is a decision, not an emotion. Whether we like it or not we are saddled with certain emotions and we have to learn to deal with them. If not they will lead us off track and out of God faster than anything else. We must not allow our emotions to dictate the way we relate to God and people, we must let the principles of the Spirit and the word of God direct and lead us. Agape is not affected by our emotions. It is something totally apart from our natural feelings. It was no wonder Jesus could endure the cross, agape was the force and not His feelings and emotions that compelled Him to lay His life down. Please know if we love the things if this world too much, then agape I not in us. It is agape that holds together all of the affairs of men, especially a marriage. A week or so ago our Pastor asked me to pray for marriages within the church, I said I would and I did, but what is needed is not more prayer, or more love, but more agape (dedication) towards each other. If a good husband holds his wife as his objective and her well-being becomes his interest, then his every decision is based upon her needs as agape moves through him toward her. What we need is more agape working in lives today, if so we would have less divorce and unfaithfulness in marriages. Most people can quote Romans 8:31, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” but how many Christians can quote verse Romans 8:32? Did you known agape is the foundation of our faith? We do not want to identify with a God that will hold us accountable for our actions. We will quickly give our life for a God who forgives all of our sins, but how about a God that is holy and righteous and who expects His children to be the same. Now please do not misunderstand me, I too like to be forgiven when I sin or fall short of God’s glory, but unless I learn the lesson of my failure and there is a change in my heart condition (which will always cause a change in my attitude and behavior) my failure and God’s forgiveness will do me little good. Oh yes, my sins will be forgiven and if I die I would probably go to heaven (God gets to make that call not the Pastor or friends), but I will not be of any use to God while on earth. Always wanting and having to have our sins forgiven is a selfish position in God. We say we want all of God’s love, but we are not to keep having our sins forgiven. Jesus died once on the cross for our sin and He Himself died once to sin. “For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.” (Romans 6:10) It is God’s intention for us to confess our sin once and believe Jesus died for us once, then “grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18) There is no wonder there is not a desire for spiritual growth and development in the church we keep laying again our foundation of dead works, “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God.” (Hebrews 6:1) I think today one of the greatest works we should allow God to do in our hearts is faith toward God.’ I believe most Christians go to church to do all of the religious duties and traditions of men, but really and maybe secretly in their hearts have not really settled if there is a God. They may have “walked the aisle” as a good Southern Baptist would say, but there has not been an inward change in their heart and lives. Their decision was based on an emotional response to a gifted speaker or maybe fear from the promise to be saved from hell’s eternal flames, but inwardly there was no realization of what sin has wrought in their lives, no dedication to the things of God, a momentary decision to soothe a guilty conscience, but no real commitment to God and His ways. Apparently we do not believe some day we will stand before a holy and righteous God or we would get serious about our walk with the Lord (I can include himself here at times) and stop all of this religious denominationalism; what the Chinese would call “look see pigeon” or what I call it “a Christian dog and pony show.” My friend let us embrace all of God’s agape. Remember for those who agape God His agape towards them is His longsuffering, mercy, and forgiveness. But for those who only eros (covers our animal instinct and most of our strongest feelings and emotions. It is where we get the word erotic) or phileo (friendship love) God His agape toward them (same agape as those who agape Him) is His judgment, wrath, and punishment. The difference is our heart condition toward Him, not His towards us. His heart is always, all of His agape towards us. Written by David Stahl