HOW WILL THEY HEAR

There is an amazing (as all of the verses in the Bible) verse that talks about one of the most important elements of our wondrous mysterious walk with the Lord, hearing. There are 516 verses in the Scriptures that talks about our critical need to hear from the Lord for direction, correction, our approving or qualifying. But, I do not know about you, I do not hear well at times. Now it is true I do have a significant physical hearing loss from my 24 years (too many loud machine guns, howitzer, etc.) and at times when I get emotional about issues surrounding my family I raise my voice louder and louder due to my hearing loss. Make no mistake my friend the fastest way to get my dander up is to do or say something to Karen, our kids or their spouses, and our grand kids. God has placed Karen and I in a leadership role of oversight and protection (we take this calling serious) all the days of our lives. If you really study the Scriptures you will discover there is no ending to you being a parent. In God we wear this hat all the days of our lives and hopefully we have instilled Godly spiritual principles into our kids and they in turn will do the same in their kids. We often read, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6) and think our responsibility of training our children is over, but that is not what this verse is saying. Why will the child not depart from the way he is to go? Because they have been trained correctly by their parents and their parents are still training them when they get old. This is a central part of the Jewish and Biblical culture, parents training their kids all of their lives. Sadly the American culture says, when you are 18 (you pick an age) you are on your own, sink or swim. What does an 18 year old really know about life? This is why today many Christian 18 year olds sink into the abyss of the darkness of this world and get off track, some forever. Enough I am getting off target in the butts.

Now I am not talking about physical hearing (there is some of this moving) but I am talking about the spiritual hearing of God’s words to us in our heart. In Romans Paul asks a bunch of good questions that we must continually ask ourselves today if not then we too will miss the mark to the whole point and the fundamental concepts and precepts of the Gospel message. Many people have laid their lives down for these concepts and spiritual principles. Jesus the chief cornerstone that the builder rejected laid His life down so that many sons and daughters could be won to the faith. Funny how the answers never change, but the importance of the questions is not the answers it is the asking. Paul asks the Church in Rome, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 16But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias (a famous Hebrew prophet who prophesied in the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah) saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:13-17) The heart of Paul’s words in these verses is towards people coming to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. How can they call on Him (Jesus) in whom they do not believe? And how can they believe in Him (Jesus) if they have never heard/ Heard what? And how can they hear without someone telling them. Telling them what? And how can someone tell them unless someone goes, “as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” What a nice verse to make a song out of. But please notice the next verse, “16But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?" Who are the “they” the people or the preachers? Well the next verse gives us the answer, “17So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Paul here is not talking about the people, he is talking about the preachers who have not heard from God to have something of great importance to say. To understand this verse better one should read it from the Greek translation, “So then faith cometh by hearing, a word of God.” (Romans 10:17 (Greek)) As we hear God speak to us our faith to believe whatsoever He says will be birthed in us. It is not the hearing of the word of God, the Bible preached to us or played on CD or tape, but the hearing of God’s words directly spoken to our heart which contains all of the faith and whatever is needed to do that which God has spoken to do. All of the longsuffering, joy peace, endurance, etal is contained in the spoken word to us. Faith (or whatever you need from God today) comes by hearing. I wonder where Paul learned that?

It is much easier to go in our strength than in the strength of God. I know for sure about this I have done it before. Our strength makes us strong in our abilities and talents, but going in God’s strength will make us weak in our abilities and talents leaving us dead, but that is when God is at His best in us, when we are dead to our selves. Paul knew a thing or two about being weak. As matter of fact the hallmark of Paul’s travels and writing to the churches was predicated on the need to hear from God because of the continued need of strength. I wonder where Paul learned this secret? He did not learn it from Jesus like the other disciples Paul never walked with Jesus when He was on the earth. Paul learned this secret while in weakness and then when he was strengthened by God to overcome the situation or circumstance he would find himself in. If God left us in our weakness even less people would serve Him, but God leaves us in our weakness (situation and circumstances) until we have learned the lesson He desires to teach us and then and only then He can raise us up to sit in heavenly places with Him. I wonder why today we do not pray for weakness? Again Paul knows weakness, “Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. 24Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 25Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.” (2 Corinthians 11:23-27) Paul also knew that all ministers in churches are not led by the Lord and have not been called to the ministry. Here the criteria to be a minister of the Gospel was to endure beatings, hardships, separation, sent to prison, nakedness, perils: “in waters, of robbers, by mine own countrymen, by the heathen, in the city, in the wilderness, in the sea, and the worse of all perils among false brethren.” Paul also knew before he could go and teach he must be able to hear from God, hear His words to us, so we will have something to say. “But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. 19But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. 20But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. 21But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.” (Romans 10:18-21) You see here in verse 18 the Holy Spirit is taking about the preachers and teachers, not the people. Just like today “their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.” Moses went first then Esaias went next and said, “I was found of them that sought me not.” And because the people had no heart to hear from God, just like today, “All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.” My friend either we will have a heart for the things of God in our lives or we will have a heart for all of the distractions of this world that drowns out the still small voice of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Either we allow God to develop our inward hearing ears, through His dealings (our weaknesses and infirmities) and judgments in our lives, or we will mature our carnal earthly focused outward man through all of the sensory and emotional pleasures of the world. Is it one or the other, both cannot be developed. I am amazed today when I talk with people and hear their lack of understanding to how we all are eternal beings. We all shall live forever, if we are alive in this earth then we will be alive for all eternity, yet this concept of being an eternal being has been lost in the pleasures of today and through the secular school teachings of man as an organism and dying, well this too is true, but we were made in the image (icon) of God for the earth and we will live with God forever on the earth. Read the Bible. I am not sure why everyone thinks we are going to live with God in heaven forever. This is why we must learn our lessons well so that we will be able to function with God correctly in the next age to come. Never forget God’s grand goal in our lives is not to make us rich, popular, happy, or beautiful, but to conform us into His image and character, especially His character and if He cannot do that in our lives then we will not spend our eternal life with God we will be cast into outer darkness.

Now it is critical to know hearing in God is a two way street, the evangelist, preacher, or teacher MUST hear from God so they will have something of spiritual significance to speak, something that will enable the transforming power of Jesus Christ, with the obedience of the individual, to operate in the lives of the people and the people MUST be able to hear from God individually, they must have the ability in God to hear Him speak. Now I have never heard (and probably will never) God speak to me with an audible voice there is no need He can speak to my inward spirit. Most Christians want to see the miracles and hear God speak from heaven like He did with His Son when He was baptized, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” well that all is nice, but if we have allowed God to work in our lives we will not be going after the miracle show His speaking to us will be enough. It is easy to see who can hear from God; those who quietly go abut their business doing what God has asked them to do. Those who cannot hear from God; try to pray fire down from heaven, gather crowds to gain earthly support, and work with all their might and strength to manipulate and yoke as many deceived Christians as they can. The show is the goal instead of the work of God.

I think one of the biggest reasons why many evangelists, preachers, or teachers never hear from the Lord is because they are preaching another Gospel. Hearing from God is too painful so they will preach or teach something other than the Gospel (the death burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ) message. Man always takes the path of least resistance even in God. They speak of themselves, half truths which are also called lies, they glory in denominations and religions, they go after personal gain of wealth and popularity all the while deceiving and leading good-hearted people out of the way God would have for them. Paul confronted these evangelists, preachers, or teachers also and has (even today) a word from the Lord for them, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:6-9) Correct hearing does matter my friend. Written by David Stahl

WHATSOEVER IS PLANTED GROWS

When we lived in Germany one of the many joys we would look forward to was having family and friends come by our home for a visit and to minister in the church. Of these friends was a good friend and I would say a father in the Lord named Bill Pepper. A day or two before he would leave heading off to another part of the world we would sit down and have a heart to heart talk. I always admired his non-denominational position of church organization and his Christian witness, Godly influence, and experience. Since we have just started (1996) he told me many of the mainstream denominations will be coming by soon for a visit and to see if they could persuade me into joining their denomination. I kind of ignored it until friends from the United Pentecostal Church, the Southern Baptist, and many more denominations discovered our new church and our old friendship, what a sham. God has and still is using Dr. Pepper beyond his abilities. But during one of these meetings Bill Pepper told me in time I will see what was planted in the folks at Christliche Gemeinde Stuttgart, because whatsoever is planted grows. I too did not really understand what he was staying, but as we were getting ready to return home to the States (in 2003) after seven wonderful years to the second God brought His words back to me, “whatsoever is planted grows.” The fruit that grows from the seed that was sowed in the people will manifest in their lives for all the world to see. Now this truth is two edged. One edge that will be seen will be the good fruit produced from the good seed and the spiritual manifestation therein; the seed was sown, took root, produced fruit and a harvest, and is hanging on the branches of their lives. And the other edge is the bad fruit from the bad seed and the spiritual manifestation therein; the seed was sown, took root, produced fruit and a harvest, and hanging on the branches in their lives. Whatsoever is planted grows my friend that is from the seeds of our thoughts and actions in our lives. Whatsoever we take in our heart and mind will produce a spiritual manifestation from the seed planted. Sadly, today the liars on Christian TV (like TBN and others) project money as the seed of God, well that is so far from the truth. And for God to be able to bless us we must plant money into their ministry, camel cookies! God blesses us because we have been obedient to Him, we have been found faithful, been approved and have qualified for God to bless. Faithful and obedient in serving God is the condition we must meet to receive God’s best. In Luke we see the disciples had problems with the parable of the sower and why? Because of their wrong heart condition so they asked Jesus what the seed was and Jesus told them, “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.” (Luke 8:11) The disciples as well as the liars of Christian TV could not see the truth in this verse because they are more concerned about the 30, 60, and 100 fold (Mark 4:20) return than they were of the word of God. Amazingly Peter got it right, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” (1 Peter 1:23) Yes, there is a seed time (time was added) and harvest (Genesis 8:22) that the liars twist to their own demise, but the spiritual projection all throughout the Bible is toward the harvest or fruit being birthed from the “incorruptible” seed of the word of God. In John Jesus tells us, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat (the seed) fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” (John 12:24) Here we discover we are the seed that must fall into the ground and die and if we do we will bring forth much fruit. Once converted we are born of the incorruptible seed of God and now our spiritual death to our selfishness and self-absorbed attitudes and behavior can yield a spiritual fruitfulness, by the Holy Spirit, beyond our abilities and talents. The seed is not money oh no, it is much much more. You know the more I think of it the more I see “how” the seed is planted is so important. Like all things in God “how” we do things is much more important than what we do. Do we do things for the right reason and with the right heart condition? What are our motives and intentions? James let us know what the right heart condition looks like for those who would desire the good spiritual fruit in their lives. “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” (James 3:17-18) How can we sow peace if our heart and spirit is not at peace? All that we do in God must be done possessing the same character with what we are trying to do. How can we give love, joy, longsuffering, gentleness, or mercy if we are not of love joy, longsuffering, gentleness, or mercy? A man cannot give what he does not have. If we have not allowed God to work in our lives so that these attributes and behaviors of God can be planted in our lives then we can only reflect the bad spiritual fruit in our lives from the bad seed planted. Remember, whatsoever is planted grows. The good and the bad seed is planted side- by-side in us, but we are the ones who determine what seed matures and comes forth in our lives. It is like the wheat and the tares they grow together until both the wheat and tares are mature and can handle having the other uprooted from the field, but until then the wheat and tares occupy the same ground (heart).

Some of you know I am a substitute teacher in a middle school (grades 6-8), this is God’s doing and it is marvelous in my sight. This is something God started for me when I retired back in 2000 and He has not changed His mind nor have I. But I see the kids in school and wonder what has gone wrong in their lives. I see their behavior their lack of discipline, truthfulness, respect, honesty, kindness, integrity, and just shake my head. Well, whatsoever is planted grows. Near the end of the school year I had an opportunity to work in the main office there I saw the reason (I believe) why the kids are so dysfunctional and disobedient. Of course at this age they are bombared from MTV, BET, VH1, and all of the garbage on TV and video games. Now, let me say it is not all of the kids, but I could safely say I am describing at least 80 to 85% of the kids at school. There, in the main office, I had a chance to meet the parents of the kids. I could not believe some of the parents. Their dress was embarrassing; ladies came in braless, most wearing see through clothes, clothing too small and way too tight exposing their body parts to kids. Most (both dad and moms) had tattoos covering arms and legs with face, tongue, ear, lip (and only God knows where else) piercings. They have been deceived by the god’s of this world that says this appearance is acceptable well the Bible, in the Old and New Testament, tells us not to tattoo or pierce our body it is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Friends our body is not ours to defile. Our body is not a canvas nor is it a pin cushion we were created in the image of God and when we tattoo or pierce our body we are ignoring God’s word calling Him a liar. At the heart of tattooing and body piercing is open and direct spiritual rebellion to God and His word. Yet I see mainstream denominational pastors with ear rings and face piercing so they can reach the younger generation, mule fritters! (they too need Jesus), but here is the problem they have planted these seeds of rebellion and contempt for God’s word in young lives and whatsoever is planted grows. The Gospel message does not change to meet today’s lifestyle and culture. We are to be separated from what the world looks and acts like. How will the world know we have something different and special if we look and act like everyone else? Sadly these parents were raised on acid/hard rock and even devil worshiping music and now their kids, like them, listen to it. The kids are becoming just like their parents. Another generation is lost and undone without God or His Son. As I talked to the parents the Lord spoke to me and said, “Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. 14Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” (Matthew 15:13-14) It was true the blind (the parents) are leading the blind (the kids), how my heart dropped within me. I always knew this, but God really opened my eyes to this ugly truth. Unless they allow God to turn them from their ungodly lifestyle they all will end up in the ditch. I do pray for them and at the right time I stick them in the heart with truth hoping to capture their attention to the realization of their lack of discipline, lack of restraint, obedience, and honesty that is all I can do their parents and God must do the rest, but their parents are missing in action.

In Proverbs Solomon give us some wonderful advice that is not heeded because of the translation of a word. In Proverbs we read, “Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul. 18Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” (Proverbs 29:17-18) The word “perish” (Strong’s #6544, to cause to refrain, to show lack of restraint, to let loose restraints) here is not the word we use today to discuss dying, etc, but means restraint. Now let us read it in the Greek, “Where there is no vision the people cast off restraint.” Restraint in our lives is healthy and brings us to completion and purpose just like limitations and restrictions in our lives. The last few generations in America have cast off restraint and God and now we are beginning to pay the price for our disobedience and waywardness. And the church in America is no different. The church is to be the alterative, the answer to the world’s problems, but it is infected with the same evils and sickness as the world. We are to be a called out generation, set apart for the Master’s use, but that is not the case today. You cannot tell where the church ends and the world begins they have merged into one. James Dobson from Focus on the Family has some very surprising statistics regarding the Church in America. They asked over 5,000 Christian women if they could go back and do it all again would they have kids and 70% of the Christian mothers said no they wished they never had kids. They must be raising their kids wrong. If you raise a child right, according to the Bible, they will be a blessing and not cause grief and shame. Granted raising kids is very difficult at times we raised four outstanding kids, but the pain and frustration is always erased by the joy of seeing them grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. These woman are selfish and self-absorbed they have missed the mark to what God has called them to do and should be ashamed of themselves. God does hates divorce! I always wondered why so many churches in America offer marriage counseling (you see it on banners in front of the churches), well according to James Dobson 52% of all Christian marriages today end in divorce that is more than the secular world. Whatsoever is planted grows. America is governed by sodomites and lesbians people God said were an abomination, but what does the church say about this? The Supreme Court has reversed almost every law that God hath said was unrighteous and unholy. Christians just because the Supreme Court changes the laws does not mean God’s laws have changed, His word is settled for all times. Jesus said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” (Matthew 24:35) Whatsoever is planted in America will grow and the manifestation will be revealed for all the world to see.

I asked the Lord one day why we in the church lack His power and authority and He replied, “because we have gone after His presence and abilities and not allowed Him to shape and mold our character.” Just listen to the contemporary Christian music of today. Sadly, we have substituted a type and shadow of godliness for emotionalism and a mental ascent of knowledge instead of paying the price to personally know God. Our humanistic approach to God (wanting to see if we can get “10 Shekels and a Shirt” from Him) of greedy self-seeking, instead of loving Him for who He is. To my non American friends please do not hitch your wagons to America I believe her best years are behind her unless she humbles herself and seeks the face of God. America whatsoever is planted grows. Hear the word of the Lord! “I am on My way to remove your candlestick from off the altar unless there is a repentance and turning from your wicked ways,” thus sayeth the Lord. Written by David Stahl

WHAT IS TRUTH

I think one of the most complete conversations in the Bible is between Pilate and Jesus when Jesus was before Pilate in the judgment hall. The questions and answers in their exchange of words contain all we need to know to understand this wondrous Gospel message and truth. Make no mistake my friend truth and Gospel message are one in the same. You cannot have truth as a stand alone thought or function in our lives or in the world without some parcel of the Gospel message coming into clear vision. All that is good and holy is identified with truth, this is why many people who lurk in the darkness of sin and unrighteousness searching like Pilate groping for the truth and never finding it, yet all that was ever true stood before him. It is not about seeking, knocking, and finding, but about having the humbleness and simplicity of heart to be able to recognize God in the beauty of a flower, a sun rise or sun set, even allowing God to speak to you in the clouds. A young man came to Charles Haun one day and asked Charles to give him something deep in the Lord because he was to speak to some deep (not really sure what that term means) Christians in the faith, so Charles thought about it for a minute and said okay here it is, “follow the clouds.” The simplicity of the clouds speaks of God’s majesty, power, and authority, yet they flow where the wind blows them without making much of a complaint or being disagreeable. Truth has a two-fold action in us. It will begin pleasing us, of course; quite agreeable, it has a great charm. Now if we embrace it, if we actually open our hearts to it by saying Lord we want the truth we better be careful because the second fold of truth is it will slay us because God is not concerned with the carnal, natural setup in our lives. Truth must go by way of death to our self-seeking, self-life before it can be released into our lives. This is a law in the spiritual realm. Even the preaching of the word of God is not to make us feel good oh no, the preaching of the word of God is to slay us, to kill us so that Christ can live through us. Truth is not only objective (what we say), but when people yield their hearts and lives to the Holy Spirit, the Spirit, can take this truth and incorporate it into their lives (subjective what we and others see/discover) to such a degree until things which are purely judicial may be brought down to actual living, one of God’s major goals in our lives, righteousness living. Truth is never ours unless we have allowed God to personalize it into our heart and spirit, until we have laid ourselves open to God in our inner being and the Spirit has been able to bring that truth in and we have, by faith, taken hold of it allowing that truth to do the work in us that it should. Never forget truth is purely progressive in all forms. The heart has to be conditioned for its reception. It is an invisible miracle in the heart. Ten, 20, 30 years from now the truth we allow God to work in our lives (as the Holy Spirit works on our hearts) will have a much fuller meaning. And why? Because truth is eternally evolving, it is eternally moving, it is eternally inexhaustible. This is the center of all which is in God. God is infinite; truth is infinite too. Nobody can exhaust truth. Nobody has a corner on truth, it is just too big. What you get out of a revelation is what you have brought to it. What we bring to truth governs very much what we get out of it. Our testimony (not what we say but what people see us do) is what we have gotten out of the revelation and truth also will be governed by our own personal experience. Truth always comes by way of revelation; not by our mental processes nor by way of an emotional ascent to God. And please know there is a price we pay for revelation from God and there is a price we will pay to know the truth.

Believe it or not all of what I have said previously talked can be seen in the encounter Jesus had with Pilate. Let us look at this encounter more in detail. “Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews? 34Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me? 35Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? 36Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. 37Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. 38Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.” (John 18:33-38) Notice this a time of judgment, our life before God (as Jesus was before Pilate) is always a time of judgment. When will we learn this central truth? God is always watching HOW we do things not WHAT we do, but how we do things and for what reasons and purposes we do them. Do we do things for our selves or for others? What are our motives and intentions? The answer to these questions will determine our heart condition and reward. Pilate (a typical ruler) goes for the throat, “Art thou the King of the Jews?” Now notice how Jesus replies, “Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?” Jesus was not disrespectful, but strong in defiance and resistance to Pilate’s authority. There is a difference between being obedient and submissive. Obedience is an outward reaction (truth), but being submissive (progression in truth) is an inward heart condition. We are to be obedient to all authority, but we must never be submissive to those in authority that directly contradicts God and His ways. Every cell in Jesus’ body was resisting Pilate. Pilate countered from a different angle, “Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?” Jesus relied, “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight . . .” Now that got Pilates attention, your kingdom he thought so he goes back to his previous thought, “Art thou a king then?” I mean if you have a kingdom then you must be a king, but in my understanding there is no king except Caesar. So too in the lives of many Christians; there is only one king and one throne our desires and wants. But here is where Pilate makes his mistake, Jesus replies, “Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” Jesus interjects truth into the conversation. Pilate does not know truth so he asks, “What is truth?” Pilate knew he was wrong, truth always brings us to a choice and always testifies of Christ’s nature and character. Sadly Pilate missed the truth, but sadder many people today make the same mistake time after time God draws them and shows them Christ as King of Kings, but like Pilate when truth is interjected, the truth about ourselves as compared to Christ in many different situations we ask like Pilate, “What is truth?”

Unless we learn to make a balance in truth, we will never have equipoise to stand in the Spirit. The disciples were continually feeding themselves on one side of truth, i.e. Christ in exaltation, but the other side of that same truth is Christ in humiliation which is just as if not more important to personalize if we desire to walk in truth. We do not make or originate truth it is owned by God, we discover truth. Truth only confirms; it never disturbs. When an impact of truth comes to us it will never disturb or dislodge anything that is truth, but if there is something with in us that is not truth when truth comes it will cause an uneasy feeling in our spirit and the longer we abide in the non-truth the greater this feeling grows in our spirit until we either reject the non-truth or we reject the truth. At that point God will take His hands off and let us stew in our choices. This process will continue in us until God finally says, okay love did not work so I will have to use my judgment to draw them. If God cannot draw us to himself with His love then He will draw us to Himself with His judgment a very sad state of affairs to say the least. We must discern the truth and live under the power and impact of it. I think that is terrible not to be inwardly aroused to the inner consciousness of truth or to eject it. In our journey back to the Father’s heart where we all started from and belong He will have to use truth over and over for our edification. Truth is corrective, but it is also illuminating; it has strange mystical powers within us. Sometimes it will bring a terrifying disappointment, but with it also is a marvelous moving of the grace of God, so that in the end we would prefer the loss, the disappointment that we might have the grace which only comes through that method. God says, “I can give you truth in one lesson that will take a life-time to work out.” One of the greatest truths we will discover is about our character. Our character is the sum total of our choices and decisions through life. When we hear (see or understand) truth it has made its impact and we cannot erase it from our heart or spirit. Many Christians believe their gifts and abilities in God erase or cover our character flaws, well my friend I am here to tell you this is wrong thinking. Our character and integrity is what will carry our ministry not our gifts from God, talents, and abilities. Many Christians believe their deep understanding and revelation that God gave them will rub out our nasty attitudes, short comings, and even the advantage we try to take over another Christian, but truth stands as a mirror reflecting what is in our heart. Coming to know the truth about our self is the greatest revelation God can bring into our lives, it is far beyond any spiritual gift, talent, or ability.

Pilate missed the truth. He asked Jesus, “Are thou the Kings of the Jews?” (Jesus was and so much more), but in John Chapter 19 we read Pilates spiritual revelation with his encounter with Jesus, “Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him. (I really believe Pilate knew the truth about Jesus. He knew Jesus was the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, but) 5Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!” (John 19:4-5) Twice Pilate said he found no fault in Jesus, yet His revelation of Jesus was “Behold the man!” Pilate chose to believe Jesus was a man. Later on in Chapter 19 the real battle between Pilate and Jesus begins, “And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer. 10Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? 11Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.” (John 19:9-11) Pilate’s hollow threats did not move Jesus. Jesus even questions Pilate’s authority, “Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above:” I can imagine Pilate’s anger, “who does this man think he is to question my authority? What is truth? Truth is from God, it tells us of our heart condition, and it brings us to our cross, is the servant better than the Master? Written by David Stahl