AMAZING MAN

I do not know about you my friend, but the longer I go with God the more I come to find out just how amazing people are. People do and say some of the most amazing things where all we can do is shake our head. Now I use to think God was amazing, but I have discovered God is more than amazing, He is God He is beyond my ability to understand Him so I just try to walk beside Him daily and do the things He tells me to do and say, but now people they are another thing they do and say some of the most amazing things in the world. Amazingly I was told by a good friend a few week ago that he knew of a pastor who had a congregation of over 200 people and was not a Christian: he married, buried, counseled, preached every Sunday and Wednesday, all of the pastor duties, but was not a Christian then one day amazingly he discovered he was not a Christian. That night the pastor walked the aisle at an old fashion camp meeting (in front of the head deacons of his church) and made it right between him and God, something even more amazing and wonderful to see and hear about. Recently Karen and I have been painfully reminded again just how amazing people can be. The name of the pastor (who I still admire and love) nor the church is not of any real importance, but what is important is the critical spiritual lesson to be learned so that others do not make the same mistakes. Amazing to me there are pastors who do not know much about the things of the Spirit and more amazing they refuse to allow Spiritual things taught in “their” church so that peace can reign, but even sadder also to keep the rice bowls (monthly paycheck and positions) intact. Please hear this my friend; compromising the Word of God for peace at church is devilish. Jesus said, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. 37He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.” (Matthew 10:34-38) This pastor who has been in the ministry for a very long time who told me he knows little of the Spirit yet he has asked us to stop attending his church (knowing in his heart God has brought us) because he does not want to deal with all of the questions that come up from my deeper teaching. At first everyone (including the pastor) loved what I had to say, but when I started sharing some harder truths (please read John 6:60-64) to understand from the Bible problems began. Until then all was sunshine and lollipops, but sunshine and lollipops will not get to you heaven as an overcomer. This pastor told me to my face I was spiritual man, yet he also told me he does not want to put up with the hassle. Now we know a man cannot give what he does not have and if you know little of the Spirit you cannot give answers to spiritual questions. Thus the outcome is typical; carnal Christians attack the Spiritual Christian and the Spiritual Christians move on in spiritual authority to the pastor. And as this shame plays out all over the Body of Christ pastors stand-by with their hands in their pockets, after all if people get upset they will not come and bring their money and worse still the Word of God is lost to the people. Personally to me the saddest part of this whole mess was the pastor requested of us not to contact any of our friends we made at church because he does not want our friends to learn anything from us that might rock the boat at church and cause him more problems. The truth here my friend is any pastor who would ask this is selfish and self-centered trying to cover their shame and lack of knowledge of the Word of God. Telling members of their congregation not to go somewhere or not to talk to people is nothing more than manipulation and control which is the biggest sin of most church leadership today. Oh I know the pastor will say he is trying to protect his people, but here too he is wrong because it is not “his people” they are “God’s people” and they have been given the Word of God and the Holy Spirit to help guide and direct them to all truths. If we have a walk with the LORD and are led by the Spirit of God we need no person to tell us who to talk with or where to go. It is the Holy Spirit’s job to do this not man’s. God has given us the ability to make choices and He (God) expects us to make Godly choices that will draw us closer to Him. It has been my observation over the years those pastors who do not work, outside the church, for a living seem to really depend on their rice bowls. When I pastored in Germany I worked two jobs; this way the congregation does not own me thus I could not be pressured by the folks and only responded to God’s desires. Working also helped me to never forget the effort needed to make the commitment and dedication to make it to church. When we started our church two Nigerians, Chuma and Augustine, would travel two hours (one way) to make it to our home group meeting on Wednesday nights I have never forgotten this. When we can feel another’s sacrifice we so appreciate it the more. I am amazed at all of the good works we do to be seen. This is not a rice bowl thing as much as it is a “blow your own horn” thing. David said in the Psalms, “Yea, though I walk (not with our pastor or best friend) through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” (Psalms 23:4) We must learn to walk alone with the LORD when in the valley of the shadow of death or we will not be able to recognize our friend who sticks closer than a brother comforting us. If we have been taught the truths of the Word of God and have allowed God to work in our lives we will have a foundation and strength to be able to face anything in God, but if not and all we know is just being saved by grace (which is a critical foundational spiritual principle and a wonderful experience please understand me here), but God has so much more than salvation waiting for us. Salvation from our sin is just the beginning of what God has for us. And please know being saved from our sin does not afford us the rights in God to receive anything else, it just get us into heaven; naked we come into this world and with salvation (which is critical) alone naked we shall inter heaven, but God has so much for us. God desires after salvation, “there grow in the grace and knowledge of the LORD Jesus Christ. “ (2 Peter 3:18) this my friend requires teaching. Often times when someone is near death we go outwardly in a big show to support the family, but inwardly we do it to be seen of men to hear our brothers and sisters say at church, “what a wonderful dedicated brother or sister to go and talk with so-in-so, how wonderful and dedicated he is.” They even will stand in church and proclaim how the brother or sister is, well if God sends you to a brother or sister keep it to yourself God sees it and that is enough He will reward you in secret. If you stand up and speak of your good works you have your reward in the speaking. Amazingly we go and do things in church often to keep our position in the power structure, well that is not how God operates. God cares nothing about all of these selfish conflicts and power struggles, but cares greatly about our love one for another and our obedience to Him. He cares not what we do for Him (He sees everything), but how we do things for Him and about our heart condition for Him and our brothers and sisters. Did you know just because you do not understand something in God does not mean it is wrong or it is ungodly. Remember in God is not about right or wrong, but holy or unholy, righteous or unrighteous, godly or ungodly. I have been holding many things before the LORD for years and I know (because God’s word is true) in God’s time and when I am able He will reveal them to me. No one person (I include myself here) knows all things and knows what all of the Scriptures are saying, but often to justify our position we find friends to side with us to embolden us to take actions that are not in keeping with God’s word. Make no mistake my friend; in the natural realm if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, looks like a duck, and smells like a duck it is probably a duck, but in the Spiritual realm if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, looks like a duck, and smells like a duck please be careful because in God it may be a chicken. In God things are not always the way they seem. Who would believe God creates darkness? Yet in Isaiah we read, “I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: 6That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. 7I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.” (Isaiah 45:5-7) And in a few verses before we read where God gives to his children treasures, “I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: 3And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.” (Isaiah 45:2-3) Who would believe God has treasures in darkness? In most churches we are told darkness is bad, well now we know better or are these verses wrong? In Genesis before God make light for man He and the Spirit dwelt (Genesis 1:2) in darkness. I wonder how long God and all of heaven existed in darkness? Look into the starry night sky, in the realm of the heavens, and outer space, we see darkness. Look at the bottom of the oceans and seas, darkness. Even man created in the womb not in light, but in darkness. God is not so afraid of darkness I wonder why some many Christians are, maybe they have never been taught? There are two types of darkness in God. The first darkness is that which arises from sin. It is a darkness that is filled with unhappiness and leads the Christian to eternal death. The second kind of darkness is darkness which the LORD allows within our inward parts in order to establish and settle virtue. This is a happy darkness because it illuminates our inward spirit, strengthens it and gives it greater light. We must not try to look for some emotion or even a tender devotion toward the LORD. Only expose our desires to do His will and to be His pleasure. Otherwise we will go in circles throughout our entire life and take not even one step toward God’s goals in our lives, which is more than salvation. An emotional experience with Jesus Christ must not be our goal for it is not God’s goal. I am just so amazed Christians who do not know what other Christians know try to snuff out their light (because they disagree with their doctrine) especially if they are in authority. You can say what you want to about the crime (and it is wrong) of the Mafia, but one thing you can also say about them is they take care of their family. All we have is us. Paul said to the Church at Galatia, “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:10) Did you get that? We are to “do good unto all men.” The writer of Hebrews instructed the church at Rome, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” (Hebrews 12:14) then how about the church, “especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” I promise you my friend if you are given the opportunity to share some hard things found in the Word of God you will be the talk and the discussion at church, criticized, vilified, and even marginalized, but that is okay. Peter who at first was not a Spiritual man, but in the end could say, ”And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 16As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. 17Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.” (2 Peter 3:15-17) You see the truth is Peter was not as much as a Spiritual man as Paul (and that is okay) was and caused problems for Paul taking the Gospel to the Gentiles. Peter and Paul did not see eye to eye on church doctrine and even got into a fight, “But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face (the Biblical way of saying they got into a fight), because he was to be blamed. 12For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.” (Galatians 2:11-12) But in the end (and thank God because Peter was standing in the way of the message and teaching of grace) it does not matter what you know or the number of Bible verses you can quote, but in the end what matters is who you know. In the end, Peter and Paul understood what was really important, “Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? 7Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Micah 6:6-8) If we can do this my friend we will not worry about our rice bowl, our position in the hierarchy at church (knowing who we are in Christ), or who’s getting the credit, but just be in love with “the man Christ Jesus” our example. Written by David Stahl

RESTRAINT

The longer I go with God the more I am coming to understand just how critical restraint is in our lives. Recently I have lost 73 pounds (and keeping it off) and Karen almost 40 (it is much tougher for women to lose extra weight) pounds this was achieved by restraint in our lives. We restrained ourselves to the same foods and portions so we could measure our caloric intake the secret to reducing weight. We had to be consistent and disciplined two words most people today do not like we seem to want to “go for it” or “just do it.” In the early 60s the hearts desire was “if it feels good do it,” well these mottos to live life by will only bring you to ruin in the physical and in the spiritual realm they will end us in death and loss all along our lives. Our lack of restraint will bring to our lives destruction, loss in every relationship we enter, and ultimately death. If you get nothing from this article please hear this; limitations and restrictions (or restraint) bring us to fulfillment and completion. Without this restraint in our lives we will perish and the less of restraint in our lives the sooner we will perish. In Proverbs we read, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” (Proverbs 29:18) Now this word “vision” here is the not the word we think of when we think of “vision” oh no the word “vision” here in the Greek means (that right) restraint. So let us cut and paste in this truth into the verse and we get, “Where there is no restraint, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” (Proverbs 29:18) This makes sense because a vision in doing something will NOT prevent us from perishing, but restraint in our lives will keep us from getting over into areas where there may not be any coming back to God. The Bible is full of examples of people where restraint was dismissed, even scoffed at, and the people perished. The world tells us to, “get ours” or “be all that we can be,” well that is NOT the message of the Bible. We are not to be all we can be we are to be all God wants us to be and for that to happen in our lives we must function in restraint and limit ourselves to only the things God wants for our lives. At the heart of not restraining our lives is an unwillingness to follow God. At the heart of not walking in the limitations and restrictions for our lives is a selfishness and a desire to do what we want to do and not what God wants us to do. Jesus knew this all too well. In Matthew we read, “And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” (Matthew 26:39) Apparently Jesus had a will that maybe was not according to the Father, but in the end the Father crushed this will out of Him at Gethsemane. It was no coincidence that Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane (which means where oil is pressed) to pray after the Passover Meal. In Gethsemane the Father pressed the life and will out of Jesus. And is the servant greater than the Master? As a matter of fact this was the secret of Jesus’ ability and power; it was not that He was the Son of God, but it was that Jesus was restrained and limited in doing only that which the Father told Him to do and if Jesus operated in this same spiritual principle (and he did) is the servant greater than the Master? In John we read, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.” (John 5:19) Did you get that? “The Son can do nothing of himself, but what He seeth the Father do” But you say Jesus is the Son of God and yes He is, but He chooses to do only those things what He sees the Father doing. What restraint what limitation of unlimited power! We run around proclaiming we have the power, but in reality we see little power moving in the church unlike in past days. I wonder why that is? I wonder what power we could have if we did and said only the things the Father tells us to do? It is odd how when we are under restraint and then when loosened somewhat from that restraint we seems to always go to one extreme or the other this is the danger from coming out from under the restraint of the Spirit of God. We often see that with our children when they leave home for college, etc. they seem to go crazy the restrain on their lives from their parents, friends, etc. has been lifted and now they have a great freedom to do as they desire and get off track, There seems to be a parallel to the reaction: the more restraint one is under the more off track they get when loosened, but thank God for His longsuffering, mercy, and in due time if the word of God has been planted in their heart they will return to the restraint they once knew as a child. That restraint that gave them their home: a happy, warm, nurturing, and safe place to live, that same restraint that established an order in their tiny little world. You know it is funny, but the older I get the more I enjoy restraint in my life. When I was young I enjoyed the wild winds of adventure and excitement, but now that I am older I enjoy the quiet moments of the day, the birds, the clouds, the trees, things I have no control over in my life, but are held in restraint by a loving God. The older I get the more I see I must eat from the trees and garden. The older I get the more I see I must limit and restrict myself to the things of God. The older I get the more I see I must restrict my heart and thinking from things of this world. The older I get the more I see I must limit my words and actions, my ministry, the places we go, the churches we minister in. When I was young I went and did what I wanted to do, but now that I am older I see I must restrict myself to what God wants for our lives. The older I get the more I am coming to understand this verse in John, “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) Here is the limitation, restriction, and restraint of God in action. We have no strength of our own so if we go we must go in God’s strength. And “another (not God but a person) shall gird thee and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.” Not too many preachers, pastors, and teachers want this revelation for their lives, oh no most ministers want to go and save the heathens around the world, but are not willing to operate in the restraint of the LORD. Remember is the servant greater than the Master? The only verse in the Scriptures that talks about “restraint” is found in 1 Samuel, but it gets to the heart of the issue. We read, “And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few. 7And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.” (1 Samuel 14:6-7) What a wonderful promise from the LORD that there is no “restraint” to save! But please notice the armourbearer’s reply back to Jonathan, “behold I am with thee according to thy heart” at the heart of restraint is always our heart condition. It is our heart that must align with what the LORD brings into our lives. There is a small general thought that will keep us on track if we can remember when our desires reach out for the wild things of this world or even those things of God we are not ready for. Did you know just because we do not understand something in God does not mean it is wrong. It most often means we do not have the ability in God to handle the revelation. There are things I have been holding before the LORD for years and in His time (not mine) He will be able to share them with us. We must never push for understanding. Wanting to know got Eve, Adam, and mankind in a lot of trouble. When we do we often get an understanding, but it usually is a wrong understanding out from our inability to wait on the LORD. We must wait on the LORD and He will give us what we need to know. Let us never forget, “others may, but we may not.” If we can remember this single, little thought then restraint is well within our grasp. Written by David Stahl

COMING TO THE TABLE

Karen and I just spent three wonderful days up in Penhook, VA at an old fashion camp meeting. Now do not go to the camp meeting in Penhook if you do not know your Bible. I have never met a man (I include myself) that has a greater love for the Scriptures than Elliott Scott (Scottie to his friends) and with his charming wife Debra “the Red Head” who completes a couple of great generosity, wisdom, and love. For the last seventeen years they have had a Thursday night service and once a year they have a week-long camp meeting. Scottie converted his fertilizer warehouse into a meeting place (not a church because he knows the truth we are the church) in which to hold a non-denominational service. Folks from all walks of life come together to just lift up the name of Jesus in song, the preaching of the word of God, and after the service in a meal. I had the gracious opportunity to minister two of the six days and our special friend Pastor Niki Markov and his family from Bulgaria shared one night. What a wonderful time it was to go back to the old fashion ways that our lives have seemingly forgotten in our hurry up and cannot wait world. Jeremiah said, “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.” (Jeremiah 6:16) “rest” is what God desires for us far beyond faith and trust. Now do not think the church is immune from this break neck life style of ours where we are told bigger is better and faster and flashier is of God; oh no my friend for those who believe this lie they have been conformed to this world and are deceived in their heart. Did you know if you spend more time on face book (or any other social media) than you do reading your Bible or time spent waiting before the LORD you have been conformed to this world? If your life is run by a hand held electronic gadget you have been conformed to the world. I will even bring it down further, if you pack your cell phone around in your back pocket you have been conformed to this world. How subtle this conforming can be in our lives. Please do not get me started on Christians with their bodies covered by tattoos and body piercings. Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and is not a canvas to express our feelings and desires. I have found those people (Christians included) that are heavy into the arts have been conformed by the world. Oh I know you will say he is judging us and you would be right, but how else can I tell my brothers and sisters they are wrong according to the Scriptures and need to take heed to themselves before they get carried away and out of God? This non-judging attitude in the church has opened the church up to an anything goes thinking and life style that lacks the anointing, authority, and the power of the Holy Spirit. No wonder there is little to no Holy Spirit power in the lives of most Christians these days it has been replaced by a religious self-seeking, selfish, unteachable know-it-all spirit of non-judgment. Yes pray for people by all means, but for the love of God please tell them also of the error (according to the Scriptures) in their lives before it is too late. Then let them judge for themselves your words, but do not break off friendship with them be there for them. At the heart of our conforming to the world is a deep love for the world that is greater than our love for the LORD. I have pastor friends that have sworn by “God Almighty” they would never be on face book, twitter, etc., but today they recommend contacting them exclusively through the many social media sites. Everyone is using face book and twitter they tell me, you need to get onboard with social media, step up into the year 2013, everyone is using it . . . well, as Karen always says (words from her wonderful mother) if everyone jumped off the Empire State Building would you? Maybe I am just speaking for myself, but the more I go towards technology the less of God is in me. On second thought I know I am speaking for all of mankind. How can we be so plugged into the ways of the world and expect to hear from God and be used in ministry by the Holy Spirit when we have no ear for Him? Solomon said it this way, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” (Proverbs 16:25) Sadly Solomon would know because he did not listen to his own advice. To me this is the greatest lesson from the Books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes Solomon failed to heed his own words and in the end he was conformed to the world and lost it all in God. Let us not follow after Solomon it is not God’s intention for us to, but let us follow after the example of Jesus Christ which leadeth to life. John tells us, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” (1 John 2:15-17) Again “love not this world neither the things that are in the world” that means our favorite TV programs. I remember in 1968 Howard Reckley (I believe he is with the LORD now oh I loved him so) the pastor of the Assembly of God (AG) church we attended was strongly against TV, now it was not the position of the AG Church just his. Sadly he lost that argument, but now I see the wisdom in his position we are not better today. Maybe that is why the power and influence of the church over the years has dwindled down to just feeding and clothing people when people need hope and a purpose that is only found by coming to know a Holy God. We will never come to know a Holy God if we are conformed to this world because “the love of the Father is not in him” no love no power. In Romans Paul taught the Church at Rome and us, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 3For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” (Romans 21:2-3) So if our mind is not renewed we can never be transformed and will be conformed to the world. How then is our mind renewed? By displacement. When a battleship sinks into the water the weight and space of the battleship pushes down into the water and pushes away the water that would occupy the very space and weight, so too in our lives we are to replace or displace the things of the world and our loves and desires with, “ that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” We are to think on those things that are pure and of a good report. Paul tell us, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:” (Philippians 2:5) Will we do this after or before we read the newspaper? We are to fill our mind, heart, and lives up with the things of God and NOT of: the Real Housewives of New Jersey, the Kardashians, and the like, sports programs, cooking shows, the daily news scrawl, and the endless list of worldly entertainments and attractions that most Christians subscribe to so that we CAN come to the table in sincerity and partake of the bread of life. While at Penhook after each service we would sit down and eat supper. What a wonderful time. It reminded me of a church in Koln, Germany, Christliche Gemeinde Koln with Pastor Terry Jones. After each service the entire congregation (Sunday usually around 2,500) present would orderly and efficiently (German style) help convert the warehouse sanctuary space into a restaurant with tables and the chairs from the meeting. What a spread they would put on, what fellowship and the food was good too. Well in Penhook the same was true a meal was served to all in attendance for free after the service. Everyone like one big happy family would bring something to eat, sit down, and enjoy each other’s company and the Spirit in the meal. As I sat there I thought what did I bring to the feast? Oh we brought some cole slaw and potato salad, but I was not thinking about physical food I was thinking about spiritual food. What spiritual food did I bring to the feast? In 1 Corinthians Paul tell us to, “Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” (1 Corinthians 5:8) We are to keep the love feast with both “sincerity” and “truth” one will not do it, both are required to keep the feast. Sincerity (Strong’s #1505 purity and ingenuousness) without truth leads to an unteachable spirit and selfishness. This was the heart condition of the Church at Corinth. They were sincere in their wanting God in their approach, but it was not mixed with truth the critical element that energizes spiritual growth and maturity in us. How we handle the truth (especially about ourselves) is one of the greatest signs of spiritual growth and development. We can sing, dance, and wave flags all day long, but if the truth does not humble us and bring us down into a low place where Christ is then all we do is for naught. Here is the testimony of Paul about the Church at Corinth, “When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper. 21For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. 22What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.” (1 Corinthians 11:20-22) The Christians here were coming together at church to keep the “Lord’s supper” (probably not the spiritual ritual we keep today, but a dinner like in Penhook), but each was taking their own supper first; they could wait on their brothers and sisters, they could not wait and allow someone hungrier to go ahead and some kept drinking wine to the point they were drunk. You see at the “Lord’s supper” we would prefer others ahead of ourselves. At the “Lord’s supper” there would be restraint and moderation in our habits and actions. At the “Lord’s supper” there would be “simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God,” Thank God for 2 Corinthians. After correction Paul’s testimony of the Church at Corinth was, “For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.” (2 Corinthians 1:12) After the lesson was learned Paul could commend them rejoicing. When we come to the “table” what are we bringing? Are we bringing the unleaven bread of truth and sincerity? What is our heart condition towards our brothers, sisters, our enemies, or ourselves? Just how simplistic is our lives? You know the more I learn of God the more I want to learn of God, but the more I learn of God the less it seems I really understand about God and this is because in the learning we see the vastness of God as compared to our heart. The table is set and the call “come and dine” is given, but what are we bringing to the feast? Written by David Stahl