A GOOD SMITING

In my life there has been three times I know I have been smitten by God. And yes, all three times I needed God’s hand of correction. I am not going to go into the details, but let me tell you God knows just how to get our attention. There was no doubt in my mind it was God who drew me up close to Him, there was no doubt it was God who flooded my life with fear. In 1 John 4 we read, “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 18There is no fear in love; but perfect (selfless) love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:17-18) I will be the first to testify “fear has torment” and often for others under the fear. Now we think these verses talk about God’s love being made perfect in us, but I believe this is not what John is talking about. Here John was talking about the fear that jumps on us (often from God), the fear we feel in the pit of our stomach, the fear we feel in hopelessness and despair, the fear we feel from the shame and humiliation we may have to face out from our words and deeds. Now it is true there is no fear in God’s love towards man this type of fear is an awe (where we get the word awesome) we find in God, but I am here to tell you my friend there is fear in a self-love we can hold when we think our way of life and even our physical life is being threatened. God will allow this fear in our lives to get our attention and if we respond to Him correctly then the love and appreciation in our heart for God will replace the fear if not it will torment us day and night. When we respond to God correctly no longer are we thinking of ourselves, but are now thinking of God and how He has saved us from total ruination. It is God’s perfect (a selfless love; please see Matthew 5:48) love in our lives as He smites us and as He corrects us it is what draws us closer to Him and anytime we draw closer to God we are made whole and complete. When is the “day of judgment” you might ask? When God brings us face to face with our words and deeds as he did with the Prophet Nathan and David in 2 Samuel 12:1-14. My friend unless you have gone through something like this or have allowed God to lift you from a horrible pit my words are strange and foreign to you. In Psalms David said, “I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. 2He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.” (Psalms 40:1-2) The key to salvation here for David and us is to “wait patiently for the LORD” then in God’s good time and when He thinks we have learned the lesson he will incline (turn towards) unto us and hear our cry. Many Christians would say God would never do this well these are the same Christians who know not the love of God’s discipline in their lives, because they have never allowed God to deal and judge in their lives. At the end of Hebrews the writer tells us, “And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 11Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” (Hebrews 12:5-11) There it is; a good smiting will end us in His holiness and the peaceful fruit of righteousness. My friend unless God can have free reign in our heart and lives to correct us we will never know God. The more we allow God to correct us the more we will be able to know the heart and ways of God. I wonder why we think God does not deal with us as we deal with our own children? We correct and discipline our children so that they can grow up and be productive, mature, and responsible adults, well God is no different His intentions for us are the same we hold for our children to learn how to be a functioning member of society. Now God does not spank us or send us to bed without our supper as we would a child, but His ways are just as affective. When God wants to get our attention over something we have done or said He will bring conviction into our lives which is the precious work of the Holy Spirit. How dear and precious conviction is and it is God’s intention for us to respond to the gentle tug at our heart, but if we refuse and resist the conviction of the Holy Spirit God will raise the ante to chastisement. Here is where a good smiting by God comes in; the gentle tug of the Holy Spirit was rejected maybe because of a hard heart or an unwillingness to give way to God’s desires so God will allow things to happen in our lives that will threaten our self. I really believe God never wants to chastise His children (as we never want to chastise our children), but there are some children out there that will not listen to a gentle appeal and God must take it to the next level. Now if chastisement does not work God will have no problem with letting our friends and neighbours know what he is doing. After chastisement is open rebuke, you can ask David what that felt like when Nathan said, “Thou art the man.” God knows what it will take to break us and get our attention. If open rebuke does not bring us to our knees then God in His love and desire to give us mercy will bring judgment in our lives for our unwillingness to submit to God’s dealings. For someone who God must bring into judgment their heart is hard towards God and His people and are in dire straights of losing everything. This can happen also in a country as we see in the life of America. And lastly if God’s judgment does not get our attention than the final stage of God’s correction reprobation (total darkness) where our salvation can be lost is rewarded. Their mind and heart has been seared by sin, pride, disobedience, whatever, and nothing God can do will cause a change in their heart condition they know not right from wrong, they have no desire for God and His ways and they slip into eternal darkness while alive on earth. This my friend is never God’s intention, God desires we all come to salvation (our choice), but we also read in the Bible where Hell expands it borders daily. 

David knew something about a good smiting by God and how important it was to his spiritual growth and development. In the Psalms we read, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted (or smitten); that I might learn thy statutes. 72The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver. 73JOD. Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments. (Psalms 119:71-73) A good blessing will not carry us very far in God, but I am here to tell you a good smiting by God will cost our mouth so that we can learn. In Deuteronomy 26 we read of 42 rewards: 14 blessings and 28 curses, remember a reward from God is something we receive from Him based on our behavior and character. I wonder why God would be more concerned with the cursing than with the blessing? Maybe He knows a good blessing does not carry us too far into spiritual maturity, but a good cursing or a good smiting will help us to learn His statues and His commandants. Also in Psalms we read, “Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. 4Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties. 5Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.” (Psalms 141:3-5) When our kids were growing up we would have them learn these verses and share them at our family devotions. There is only one righteous and that is God and see what the results of His smiting will be, “it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head:” Isaiah also knew of the smiting by God in verses 4-7 in Chapter 50 we read, “The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. 5The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. 6I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. 7For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.” (Isaiah 50:4-7) Isaiah knew only God could do a work in our lives that could give us the tongue of the learned, to know how and when to speak to those down and out, those who have lost all hope, and through this smiting the LORD opened his ear. Why did Isaiah not turn back? Because he knew this smiting was from God, “therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed” and in the end he would not be ashamed. Even Jesus (our Master) was not spared from God’s smiting. In Hebrews again we read, “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 9And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;” (Hebrews 5:8-9) In Philippians we read, “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:” (Philippians 2:8-9) Wow Jesus, “yet learned He obedience,” Jesus, “humbles Himself and became obedient.” Jesus first learned obedience at the hands of Joseph and Mary. Many Christians today want to be exalted and have a great name in the nations, but do not want to humble themselves and suffer loss by a good smiting from God. Is the servant greater than the Master? My friend a good smiting from God will soften and even quiet our words towards circumstances and situations in our lives and towards people. A good smiting from God stills our emotions and hunger for things of the world, a good smiting from God stills all of those things in and around us those things we think are important and leaves only God and what He wants before us. Let us remember the next time God draws us to His side by bringing us down to where He is please know it is for our benefit and spiritual growth. They say the best view of God is always seen from the bottom of the barrel and if we are serious about serving the LORD the best thing for us is a good smiting from God. Written by David Stahl

WHAT IS HOPE

At the end of 1 Corinthians we find a run of three powerful words which are connected in spiritual function and operation: faith, hope, and charity (or love). Starting in verse 12 we read, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13And now abideth faith, hope (Strong’s #1680 joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation), charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” (1 Corinthians 13:12-13) Three little words that are critical to all we do in God. Now most Christians go after “faith” and “charity” (love) as to being the most important, but in reality the middle word “hope” is the word that makes it all happen. My teacher Charles Haun asked two pastors from Kenya what the best concordance to use to study the Bible; after some time and after much debate among them themselves they replied, “Strong’s Concordance” to which Charles relied, “no the Bible.” My friend the Bible is the best concordance or reference book on the Bible. We kind of understand the word “faith” as the writer to the Hebrews defines it, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) Many people ask me to give them a verse that really defines faith in a practical way and I take them to Esther, “if I perish I perish” or to Job, “though God slay me yet will I trust Him” now that is faith that transcends theory and the parching of thought and words, but if you really want to understand the word “faith” from the Book of Hebrews Chapter 11, it would be from verse 32 to 40. For example verse 36 and 37, “And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 37They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;” now that is “faith.” We can really understand the word “love” as defined in 1 John, “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 9In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:8-10) Sadly we use this word “love” to mean so many different things today even the homosexuals today refer to the lust they hold in their hearts for each other is God sponsored, but this can never be because God’s type of “love” is holy and righteousness where there is never any darkness (perversion, evil, sin) in it. John tells us, “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:” (1 John 1:5-6) So now we have a pretty good understanding of “faith” and “love,” but how about that middle word “hope?” I think the importance of this word gets lost in the tons of sermons and in the betweens of “faith” and “love,” but make no mistake my friend “hope” to our salvation and spiritual growth and development is just as important as “faith” and “love” maybe more important. No matter what we do in life (which includes our walk with the LORD) to be successful in it we must be able to see ourselves doing it. Over the last three months I have been coaching a basketball team (to beef up BHG’s account) at the middle school where I substitute teach. As we ride the bus to the games we talk about what has been planned (types of defense and offense, etc.) for this game and then I ask the kids to close their eyes and sit quietly imagining different parts of the game. I ask them in their mind to start the game at the tip off what is their responsibility then what happens if we get the tip? What happens if we do not get the tip? Where are they to be on the court in their mind? Where are they running plays? Where are they running out of bound plays? My goal is to have them paint a picture in their imagination so vivid they can see themselves in action. I learned the importance of imagining things when I was studying for my master’s degree. I went over my notes so often all I had to do is roll back my head and look up where I could see my notes in the air. How could I not get a good grade on my tests? I could even turn pages in my mind. God has made our mind a very powerful organ and when we engage our imagination nothing is impossible, but this my friend takes work, commitment, and dedication. Hope is what keeps us going until we see the reality of what God says comes to pass. It is not faith that keeps us going, but hope. Faith is the operation, the power that energizes the word of God in us to believe through the good and bad times. Faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17) this is why we must hear clearly from God to what He wills in a certain situation before we can have faith and then hold on to a God inspired hope until the victory is won. Hearing what? A good Sunday sermon? What our Christian friends tell us the LORD is saying? No what God personally has spoken to us about a given situation or circumstance in our lives and then we must allow this word to literally paint a picture in our heart and spirit. Before we left for Germany in 1996 I knew I would be traveling to many countries both in the service of the U.S. Navy and in the service of God. I would sit before the LORD (quiet and still) and imagine what this would be like. I imagined what the people would look like, what the counties would be like, what the landscape would look like, what the church services would look like of course they all were beyond my understanding when they happened, but what this did in me was build up my expectation. My imagining what God has called me to do painted pictures inside of me that developed my hope and expectation. Even when traveling while in Germany it was this expectation and hope that kept me going during tough times. Times when I was sick, lonely, sad, or disappointed, but within me was a God inspired hope that kept me. All along a two or three week trip to Africa or Asia I would imagine myself walking down the jet way to the airplane to board, walking down the hall to baggage claim, and then to the waiting arms of my wonderful wife. I could just feel her arms wrap around me and pull me to her breast. This hope is a leading of God that keeps us going forward no matter what we see or feel, it is evidence unseen (but in our heart) in reality until we walk in a present experience of fulfillment. Hope keeps us going until whatsoever we are hoping for comes to pass. Now there is no formula like all we have to see ourselves doing something and it will happen, oh no this thinking is wrong. God does not operate on what we think, feel, or say, but on His will and what He has spoken to us regarding His will. David who knew something about hope said, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” (Psalms 19:14) Notice not the meditation of my mind, but “the meditations of my heart.” The word “meditation” here is Strong’s #1902, but is from the root word Strong’s #1897 which means imagination. Let the words of my mouth and the imaginations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight. What we imagine in our heart will come to pass in our lives. This is why David wanted his imagination to be acceptable to God; he wants his life to be acceptable to God and he knew what was in his heart would define and detail what his life would look like. In Proverbs we read a similar (something Solomon learned from his father David) truth. “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.” (Proverbs 23:7) In the Greek the words, “as he thinketh in his heart” is translated as a gate operates or opens. Our heart is the gate (the gate is also a place of decision all throughout the Bible) and whatsoever we open our gate to and allow behind we shall be that. So if we open to the things of the world we shall be that. But if we open to the things of God we will be that. And if our imaginations or meditations are of God then we shall be those things God spoke to us those things we have allowed behind our heart gate and we will not be moved. Abraham knew something about hope, “(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. 18Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.” (Romans 4:17-18) I wonder what kept him going until he saw the promise of God’s word? “Who against hope believed in hope.” What kept this hope alive in him? Every time he went outside and looked at the night shy and saw the stars, “And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. 5And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. 6And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” (Genesis 15:4-6) or every time he stepped in the sand “That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.” (Genesis 22:17-18) God’s word came back to him stronger and fuller and like Mary he pondered these words in his heart. The Apostle Paul too knew of hope and of hopelessness. In the 27 Chapter of Acts we find Paul in one of these seemingly hopeless situation, “Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven. 18And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship; 19And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship. 20And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.” (Acts 27:17-20) Many people and yes many Christians today have allowed troubles and life’s many situation and circumstances to destroy the hope in their lives, leaving them like the 200+ folks of the ship with Paul to say, “all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.” If this is you my friend take heart and look to the middle word “hope.” It is not “faith” or “love” you need now it is “hope” because only hope can keep us going until the battle is over and the victory is won knowing the victory comes when we do the will of God now that is hope. Written by David Stahl

WHAT IS DISCIPLINE

Over the last seven months Karen and I have been losing weight something we originally thought to be impossible at our age. It seems as we get older the harder it is to lose weight, but in reality weight loss is difficult only because as we get older we exercise less discipline in our lives. Now I use that word “exercise” in particular because as we get older is seems for most people the less exercise (activity) we have going in our lives. Increased exercise and discipline eating are the two major ingredients in weight loss. Many diet companies are getting rich on people trying to lose weight when all it takes is a real desire to lose weight, control the amount of calories going into our body, and increasing our daily activity; walking, running (for those who can), going to the gym. We have been amazed as the pounds just melt off our bodies as we exercise some discipline in our eating and activity. Did you know there is no real difference in our Christian walk with the LORD and our physical well being? Both our Christian walk with the LORD and our physical well being both require discipline to certain principles and rules. In the natural we cannot eat cake and ice cream until it runs out of our ears and expect to lose weight as in the spiritual we cannot expect to grow in the grace and knowledge of the LORD if we fill our mind up with the things of the world and the cares of the day, it will not happen. We must discipline our thoughts and lives, we must bring every thought, every motive, every desire into the subjection of Christ Jesus. Paul shares these verses with the Church at Corinth and us, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5) Please notice the parenthetical (innermost thought by the speaker in the text) thoughts of verse four here Paul was thinking about the struggle or “warfare” we must engage in to pull down “strong holds” (two words not one) or those things we depend on for strength, those things we are propped up on for support, things in our lives that make us strong, but the direction in God is weakness not strength even “every thought” all must be brought into captivity of the obedience of Christ. The weaker we are the stronger the LORD is in and through our lives. This teaching is contrary to what you hear in most denominations and religions today. Most denominations and religions teach we must be mighty in God to “the pulling down of strong holds,” but that is not what Paul said, it is not us, but our weapons (read the verse again) that are “mighty” we are to be weak, we are to decrease so God can increase. Many say we must be high, powerful, and great, well that is not what Jesus said, oh no Jesus said we are to learn of Him how gentle and lowly (Matthew 11:29-30) of spirit He is, but who wants to be gentle and lowly of spirit? I really believe the greatest characteristic of Christ missing in the church (especially in men) today is gentleness. David said in Psalms 18:35, “thy gentleness has made me great.” If we truly desire to be great in God we must get back to being gentle. Now please do not tell me one can do this without having discipline in their lives. Gentleness comes by way of discipline and perseverance. It is much more than the “power of God” taking control (as most denominations and religions teach) and changing our lives, yes God is there to give us the strength and ability to turn from sin, but it is up to us to do the turning which comes by way of discipline. James tells us, “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” (James 4:6-10) The word “resist” here is not the type of resistance most Christian think of when they say I will stand and resist something or someone, oh no the word “resist” here means to flow in the opposite direction; so if sin is flowing to the right we must flow left. If evil is causing bad things to happen we must flow or do the opposite of what is happening because of the sin we have judged. Where do we get the strength and ability to resist evil and sin? Discipline and the learning of the lessons God has purposed for our lives. Discipline enables learning to happen in our lives. Today we see little discipline in the lives of most church members maybe that is why we see little learning in these same lives. Without discipline to “resist the devil” (evil or sin) we will not be able to turn from the temptation in our lives. James also tells us it is not the devil (he gets blamed for a lot of things that is not of his doings) that causes us to stumble, but our own desires. “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” (James 1:13-15) Did you know the devil cannot read our mind and know our thoughts? Did you know the devil unlike God is not omnipresent? Did you know the devil is not God! It is our own lust that draws us away and then we are enticed (not the underhanded dealings of the devil) and when lust brings forth sin, then sin brings forth death. When we yield to temptation it is because of the lack of discipline in our lives: lack of discipline in reading God’s word, lack of discipline of spending time with the LORD, lack of discipline spending time with fellow believers, and the more. Christian discipline in our lives gives us a solid foundation on which to live our daily lives and without Christian disciplines we can easily find ourselves drifting away from God and back into the disciplines of the world. Either our lives will be nurtured and guided by the disciplines of the world or by the disciplines of God it is our choice and oh how subtle this movement is. Drifting away from God is seen in retrospect and always seen after we wake up from the calamity and loss we can experience. Let us guard from this drifting. 

     While meditating on this article the LORD opened my understanding to some thoughts that will help us (me to) with this need for discipline. Paul who was a great man of spiritual discipline shares with us in 1 Corinthians, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” (1 Corinthians 9:27) I cannot tell you the number of sermons I have heard on this verse comparing Paul’s discipline to a gymnast and how they must work out everyday to be fit to compete in the arena, well some of this may be true in physical context, but in the spiritual that is not what Paul was saying. Paul was not talking about disciplining his body by doing calisthenics, but was talking about disciplining the collection of his thoughts, ambitions, and desires as one would have to daily manage a dead body chained to them under a Roman death sentence which ultimately killed the living person. The word “body” in verse 27, is Strong’s #4983, a dead body (used in the mortification punishment (see Romans 5:15 and Colossians 3:5) and where we get the word mortician) or a collection of one’s thoughts, ambitions, and desires. Every Jew and Gentile alike feared this punishment and knew exactly what Paul was talking about or a collection as we see in the Body of Christ: the agitate collection of all of the Christians in a given church, area, or even the world making up one group of people. Paul was talking about disciplining or bringing “into subjection” not his physical body, but the collection of all of his fleshly thoughts, ambitions, and desires. Now this was not just any subjection, but an extreme form of discipline. The word “subjection” here in verse 27, is Strong’s #1396, to make a slave and to treat as a slave i.e. with severity, subject to stern and rigid discipline. Paul said he treats his own thoughts, ambitions, and desires as a slave so that when he has ministered to others he himself should not be a castaway or disqualified by God. I do not know about you my preacher friend, but this verse really gives me pause. If Paul had this concern about his spiritual well being and knowing the revelation he received from God where are we found? 

      I am amazed at the closeness between the words “disciple” and the word “discipline” you cannot have one without the other. To be a disciple of Christ one must be disciplined in their daily Christians living. I will even take it much further one cannot be a Christian (as the LORD has arranged things) and not be disciplined. Many Christians ask, “what does the Church need to day” and many would reply, “a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit” well there is no need for this the Holy Spirit did not become stale, it is us who have drifted and become complacent. It is us who have settled for a compromised apostate religion instead of a spirit-filled life because we lack the wherewithal to discipline ourselves to the things God said are important. What the Church needs today (I include myself here) is a fresh dedication to spiritual discipline in our lives. A fresh commitment and perserveance to our walk with the LORD without it no man shall see God now in this age and in the ages to come. Written by David Stahl