DIVINE GUIDANCE

I think it was the second time I went to India, I was asked to pray for all of the kids in the congregation who were preparing for their summer exams. Now in America there is no summer exam, but in most of the world kids must sit for an exam in the summer to qualify for a seat in the coming school year. No matter how well your did last year all students sit for this exam and if you did not score in the upper 15% then you would not be going to school in the coming school year. This exam was big deal to the kids in India (unlike in America where education is a given) and the kids were concerned because they knew no school meant they were off to the field to work from sun up to sun down. Well all of the kids came forward for prayer and as the kids were coming the LORD spoke to me, “by a show of hands ask the kids who studied and the ones who did not study tell them to go back to their eats.” So I did as the LORD wanted and I was surprised to see many kids turn around (at least they were honest) and go back to their seats. The ones who studied I prayed for to do well on their summer exam. All of the kids wanted to hear from the LORD “divine guidance,” but most quickly learned divine guidance from the LORD comes only by way of obedience to the LORD. Jeremiah knew God yet he felt utterly dependent upon God. “O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walks to direct his steps.” (Jeremiah 10:23) The LORD’s approval is with those who are dependent upon Him; those who seek counsel from His mouth. Because of one act of disobedience the human race fell and that one act of disobedience cost the Son of God His life. Some of the consequences of being out of the will of God are seen when Israel (and often us) continued in her disobedience to God. “And among these nations shall you find no ease, neither shall the sole of your foot have rest: but the Lord shall give you there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind.” (Deuteronomy 28:65) Did you know there are conditions which are symptomatic of being out of the will of God like: uneasiness, restlessness, uncertainty, fearfulness, lack of assurance, discontent, and spiritual bondage? There are others, but these indicate something is out of alignment in our relationship with the LORD. When these conditions are present we would do well to consider our having missed the will and purpose of the LORD. Knowing the mind of God in matters that pertain to us is very important. Guidance can be divided into two distinct categories: “unconditional” and “conditional” guidance. Unconditional guidance is God guiding us in His sovereign grace, independent of anything we do, or do not do. Now many of us could testify that the LORD had been guiding us unconditionally (in spite of our heart condition) before we were saved to be able to bring us to a place of salvation. However, conditional guidance is much different because there are conditions that must be met in order to enjoy what we might call divine guidance. There are times when we need wisdom and direction from the LORD and He has promised to grant such help. Here are some conditions we must meet to be able to receive God’s divine guidance. One condition for this guidance is unselfishness. When we are selfish we incur the disfavor of God for selfishness is the very opposite of the love of God. The love of God is a love that gives. The more we love the Lord the more unselfish we will be toward our fellow human beings. If we want to enjoy the continuous leading of God in our lives we must have a burden and concern for others. Another condition for guidance is for us to trust in God. Solomon said, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) We cannot foresee the future. Therefore we should prayerfully make our decisions giving God the opportunity to redirect us because only He knows what is ahead. We must maintain a position in which we can say (to the best of our knowledge) we are moving in the ways and will of the LORD and desire His correction. We should not hurry the LORD because sometimes He takes us only one step at a time. Still another condition is sincerity of heart is another factor. Jeremiah reveals a condition for this guidance, “For you dissembled in your hearts, when you sent me to the Lord your God, saying, Pray for us according to all that the Lord our God shall say, so declare it to us, and we will do it.” (Jeremiah 42:20) A dissembling in our hearts is making a false pretense in intention. They had already determined that if God told them to not go to Egypt they would go anyway. They did and carried the Prophet Jeremiah with them. We cannot expect God to guide us unless we are sincere and willing to obey His Word. Another condition for guidance is patience or our being willing to wait for the LORD. Sometimes God is silent because we already know His will, yet we ask God again thinking that He might change His mind. God may change His mind and let us have our own way, but remember what is written: “He gave them (the children of Israel) their requests (the desires of their heart), but sent leanness into their souls.” (Psalm 106:15) When God has not spoken it is better to wait than to move on our own. We should abide in the circumstance and place to which we are called, until the LORD speaks differently. Sometimes the LORD waits to see whether we really desire His will or whether we are bent on having our own way with or without His guidance. Do not take the silence of God to be equivalent to consent. Did you know there is a huge distinction between instruction and teaching? Instruction reveals the principles of divine guidance while teaching helps us to receive and move in divine guidance. The LORD may teach us to discern His will through our circumstances or problems. Therefore, we must understand the principals of guidance. The LORD has promised to guide us (Psalms 32:8) even when we are not aware of our need for guidance, but this guidance by intimation what God does want for us. If we desire guidance we must be pliable. “The meek will He guide in judgment; and the meek will He teach His way” (Psalm 25:9). This meekness is a pliability that enables the LORD to guide us gently rather than by the force of circumstances. Guidance can come through the Word of God, the Holy Spirit, or by divine providence. The LORD in His wisdom has given us these three clocks so when we are in a difficulty, if the Word, the Spirit, and divine providence agree as one we have a three-fold factor of safety and we then can be reasonably sure that we are hearing from the Lord. Still another form of guidance relates to personal integrity. Again Solomon said, “The integrity of the upright shall guide them….” (Proverbs 11:3) There is guidance by integrity (standards of righteousness) that we receive from the written Word of God. The LORD would have us to be guided by principles of integrity where we do what is right even though we could evade it. The Word of God establishes standards of right and wrong and the LORD expects us to adhere to these standards without special revelation. We do not need a revelation to discover that we are obligated to obey the Word. There are those who seemingly receive a special revelation which either modifies or supersedes the Word of God. I have a friend who thinks God needs to tell him by some special revelation to move into the community of a church he seeks to pastor is just presumptive, lacks spiritual discernment, and plain down arrogant. The Spirit of God will never give any revelation which in any way takes from, adds to, or modifies the written Word of God. God is very concerned about our integrity and our character. Are our words true? Are our motives honest? Do we do what we say or change like the wind when it benefits us. Let us be like Paul who said even though an angel should say anything to the contrary let him be accursed. The Spirit of God will never violate the Word of God. The Word of God stands preeminent as an infallible means of guidance when rightly understood. Last there is an aspect of divine guidance that is the restraint of the Spirit of God. For instance when Paul sought to go into Asia he was forbidden by the Holy Spirit. And when he wanted to go into Bithynia, “the Spirit suffered them not” or did not permit them. The Spirit restrains or confirms through our being checked or by the witness of His peace. Did you know there is a differentiation between peace with God and the peace of God? Peace with God has to do with our relationship with God while the peace of God has to do with our walk. Peace with God comes first whereby the enmity between us and God is removed. The peace of God should follow soon after, but not all Christians who have peace with God also have the peace of God. The peace of God comes through our walking in the Spirit and is a state of tranquility and rest produced in our heart by the Spirit. It is a supernatural peace that passes all understanding. It keeps us at rest in the midst of conflict, difficulty, and enables us to say, praise the LORD. The peace of God is one of the forms of guidance restraining us by an inner unrest, uncertainty, or confirming and is a certain course of action by a witness, satisfaction, or a deep inner rest. The peace of God can be described negatively, positively, experientially, positional, and judicially. It is not a mere absence of disturbance, but a conscious rest which is independent of circumstances, favorable, or unfavorable. Jesus taught in principle, “My sheep know my voice.” Many have often said, “But how do I know it is the voice of the Spirit?” One of the best ways to learn the recognition of His voice is like these sheep; they had learned to recognize His voice through continued association and hearing. If we are interested in the recognition of His voice we must see to it that we live and walk in close association with Him and in doing so we will hear the divine guidance we so badly need to hear. Written by David Stahl

DISPUTING GOD'S WORD

Right after Karen and I moved to Sneads Ferry I saw a note in the Topsail Advertiser (a local publication) for a pastor position at a local community church. I prayed about it and felt the LORD saying to contact them to at least fill the pulpit while they were looking for a new a pastor. There we met some really great folks who have a heart for God (we still talk with many today) and desire to know Him in a greater way. They gave me five services to speak; I thank God for them and for the opportunities to share what God has given me. After the Mother’s Day service one of the members (who I really respect) said of my teaching it was the best message he has heard in 11 years. He said he thought they had one of the “big guys” like you see on TV speaking how they enjoyed it. A mid-aged lady came up to me and said I was the most dynamic speaker she has every heard. But the next service was quite different. Two nights (Friday and Saturday night) in a row before I was to speak at this church again on a Sunday morning God woke me up around 2:00 am and gave me three dramatic things I was to share with the church. I was puzzled in all of this, but I know God had a reason unto Himself in all of this so I wrote it down. Sunday service arrived and when called to speak I began to share on the rule of threes how faith operates from John, “Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?” John 11:40) When I was about half done the LORD said, ‘you are through tell them what I told you to write down and go sit down.” I was shocked and thought to myself I was not done, but I teach by the Spirit of God and if He says I am done then I am done. So I stopped in the middle of my teaching and just read the three points God wanted me to read and sat down. The people were bewildered and the leadership scrambled to end the service. Funny as I look back now they thought I was auditioning for a pastor’s position, but I was giving them a word from the LORD. Now make no mistake my friend any time you are led by the LORD most Christians will probably not understand and come to dispute your words. After the service ended a lady sitting in front of us stood up and pulled her wig up and said I am one of the ladies you spoke of with cancer please pray for me and I did. God’s word was confirmed. The lady who said I was the most dynamic speaker she has ever heard came over to me with tears in her eyes and thanked me. Now here is where the bad news comes in. The following day I received a phone call from one (who I honored and also respect) of the pastor search committee members. I could tell he had some bad news by the way he was beating around the bush. I am sure you know what I mean. Well he started by saying one person did not like the way I ended the service, another person said I said something that was not true, and another person just flatly disagreed with what I was saying. I thought how far I have fallen from the grace of these folks. I guess he was waiting for me to defend and justify myself, but I have learned it is God who defends and justifies us before men and if we do it then we make man and not God our judge. I said really? He said, “yes” I said, “okay.” Then God spoke to me and said, “this is why I wanted you to sit down. This is why I woke you up and told you what to say. My son the people were disputing the word of God. They were not disputing you they were disputing My words.” There was a long silence and then I said, “does this mean I am not to speak next Sunday?” And he said, no. Well, next Sunday God had a strong and telling word for the disputers before I shared on the application of faith. My friend being a disputer of the word of God is probably the most dangerous and destructive thing to do in God. We must NEVER no EVER dispute the things of God. If we do not understand them we must never speak against them, but hold these things in our heart in good faith and in time when we are able to understand what we once could not due to our immaturity in God or just God’s time for us to understand them we will have the revelation we lacked. Being a disputer of God’s word is a big deal to God. This is one of the fastest ways out of God. In Acts we read where Stephen was teaching and there arose disputers, “And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. 9Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. 10And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.” (Act 6:8-10) The church is full of Christians who dispute what God says and does and at the heart of disputing God’s word is always unbelief and ungratefulness. The word “disputing” here is Strong’s #1256; to think different things with one’s self, mingle thought with thought, to argue and disagree. Later on in the story with Stephen we see where the disputing turns from words to action and Stephen’s life is taken. This is the heart of disputing: anger, wrath, and violence. After some time of preaching by Stephen the disputers had heard enough, “When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. 55But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 56And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. 57Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, 58And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.” (Acts 7:54-58) And Stephen became the first martyr of the faith. All throughout the Gospels Jesus daily contended for the faith with disputers. If not the Sadducees or the Pharisees then it was the disciples who disputed His words to them. Make no mistake my friend disputers will kill you (spiritually and sometimes physically as with Stephen) if you stand for the truth. One vital lesson we must learn today is the servant is not greater than the Master. Jesus stood up for the truth and resisted the disputers of the word of God, and for this they killed Him. Count the cost my friend if we stand for the truth they will kill us too. I can tell you of church after church of how the disputers arose up and killed the Spirit of God among the people to such a degree God closed the doors of the church. Paul told the Church at Ephesus and us today, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12) Now this verse is NOT talking about demonic powers having sway in our lives as most churches teach, but is addressing the fighting and disputing going on at the Church at Ephesus and to the persecution they were facing from the Roman principalities, powers, and rulers of their day. Paul said, we fight (or wrestle) not among one another (flesh and blood), but “against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” those worldly influences that would cause us to be moved out of God. I know putting demonic beings at the center of all of this makes it seem more spiritual, but all that does is cover the truth deceiving the people and preventing the real work of God from not being done in hearts and lives. Back in verse 11 we read, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:11) Yes the devil is mentioned here so naturally we continue on down the path of everything being demonic, but that is not what Paul is saying here. Paul is talking about the “wiles of the devil” we are to put on the whole armor of God (listed in verses Ephesians 6:14-18) so we can stand and withstand the subtle approaches (wiles) of the devil. My friend principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places are not very subtle in operation or function there is nothing subtle here. Paul was talking about how the devil can use people; disputers to cause problems among brothers and sisters in a local body to cause division, strife, wrath, and envy and every evil work. This was the same heart condition Paul dealt with the Church at Corinth. Paul told them, “Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse. 18For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. 19For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.” (1 Corinthians 11:17-19) Did you get that, “ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.” In other words Paul was saying it would be best if they all do not come to church. The word “heresies” here in the Greek is Strong’s #139 which means dissensions arising from diversity of opinions and aim, not teaching amiss of what Christ taught. There was strife and division because everyone had their own opinion, because they were disputers of the word like many Christians today. When you find a church that is full of disputers of the word of God you find a church that compromises what it values and believes. This was the case with the Church in Corinth whereby they adopted ungodly practices (even sexual practices) into their services mixing the things of God with pagan idol worship. I find churches with disputers will start off slowly compromising on church doctrinal statements and beliefs and then lose their way in Christian life-style and spiritual authority. They think big a crowd on Sunday and signs and wonders are a reason to compromise the truth, but God is not after quantity He is after quality. God is not interested (like most Christians) in signs and wonders, He is after a change in our character to where we reflect the image of His dear Son Jesus Christ and disputing the word of God will never get us there. An increase in attendance is no reason to think a church is spiritually healthy. Remember if the crowd is running after you, God is not. On my fifth and last opportunity to share at this church I was talking about the application of faith and I made the statement by the Spirit of God, “this is not your church” (this is a family owned church) some lady sitting behind Karen openly replied I am sure for Karen’s benefit, “yes it is.” Open disrespect for me and the word of God. It is no wonder they are in need of a pastor, it is no wonder they argue, backbite, and eat one another. I wonder why Paul told the Church at Galatia, “But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. 16This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:15-16) Because they too were disputing the word of God. Those who walk after the flesh are disputers of the word of God and are not led by the Spirit of God. My friend God measures a man (and a church) not by their talents, abilities, looks, spiritual gifts, or intellect, but by their heart condition, their character, and their obedience to His word and truth. Walter Beuttler once said, “if we build God a house of devotion He will build us a ministry” well . . . as great as this is I would add one other condition; that we not dispute His word. Written by David Stahl