HGM FOR 18 DEC 18 WTFMT 59

WILDERNESS TRUTHS FOR MODERN TIMES-59 TEXT:
" For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9)

I. GOD'S WILL
A. Confronting a hostile enemy in or out of the will of God makes a heap of difference. Joshua faced the children of Ai both out of and in the will of God. The different results were opposites, one of defeat, one of victory.
B. One of the reasons why most Christians live in defeat today is that they face the enemy contrary to the intentions of God. Of course, they face the world and life itself the same way. They have much in their hearts which is contrary to God, and thus they are defeated, as was Joshua at Ai.
C. The only place of victory is in harmony with God. I cannot depend upon my own spirit, my own thoughts, my own faith, my own strength for victory. Instead of moving in line with God, many work up an emotional stir against the enemy. This seems to fortify themselves. It certainly deludes them.
D. But when you are moving with God against an enemy, the battle is not yours in the first place, and, in the second place, the victory is certain. "And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever." (Exodus 14:13) You can't get a better deal, no matter how hard you try. We are not to engage in a struggle with the enemy; we are to engage in a lopsided battle; we are to win the victory.
E. Since the battle is not ours, but God's we can afford to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. Even while moving, one can stand still in God. Even while engaged in battle, one can rest. In God one can do nothing and at the same time accomplish mighty deeds. "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13) "For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his." (Hebrews 4:10)
F. If we can surrender our own works and our own strength, and rest in God, He can give us, from Himself, all that we need; He can accomplish His will in and through us.
G. We can meet the problem, the storm, or the difficulty in the power of God. Now that is victory. Catastrophe and defeat occur when we attempt to face and overcome such things in our own strength, the reason why some Christians do not progress. And that also is the reason why some Christians never possess that which God has for them.
H. Let all of life's confrontations take place in God. It is not healthy to confront our enemies outside of God. Only in God will we be able to move forward, will be able to progress in the Lord.

II. PARTING THOUGHTS

A. It is not healthy to confront the enemies outside of God. That would frighten me. Almost anything outside of God frightens me. It would frighten me to choose a mate outside of God.
B. It is rather restful to let God handle things. "To go along for the ride." Then it really doesn't matter what path your life takes, nor what you confront.

A WIND IN THE HOUSE OF ISLAM

I often hear many Christians say, "what is God doing now in the world" I shake my head, and say to myself, "if they only knew what God is doing in the world they would be shocked." And that my friend is why most Christians do NOT know what God is doing in the world. Most Christians (especially in America) are secure (in their once saved always saved doctrine) and safe in their little church Sunday world (and maybe a mid-week service) three fast ones and a slow one, some announcements, pass the plate (cannot forget to pass the plate), maybe a special number or two, no more than 20 minutes of a sermon (sound familiar?), and then off to a local restaurant for the main course. Sadly this not what God has intended for His people when they come together, but this is what He gets in most churches. But what is God doing around the world? Well I will tell you my friend, there is a wind (the Holy Spirit) blowing around the world that is moving millions and millions of people from country to country, that are destabilizing nations. As a matter of fact this move of God is (in my humble opinion) bigger than the Azusa Street Revival of 1906, bigger than all four (1730-1755, 1790-1840, 1855-1930, and 1960-1980) of the Great Awakenings, and only second to the coming of the Holy Spirit in the Book of Acts. What is going on? The Holy Spirit is blowing people groups from one part of the world to another part of the world. If you want to read a good book to understand this mighty move of God I recommend you get the book, "A Wind in the House of Islam" by David Garrison. There are nine geo–cultural regions or "rooms" as David calls them in the "House of Islam" and the Wind of God's Spirit is blowing through every one of them. In every corner of the Muslim world Muslims are turning to faith in Jesus Christ. God is speaking to them in dreams and visions and the result is a historic and unprecedented movement of the greatest turning of Muslims to Christ in the history of the world. And it is happening right under the sleeping nose of most of the churches. These geo-cultural rooms are found mainly in what many missionaries call the 10/40 Window. The 10/40 Window is the rectangular area of North Africa, the Middle East and Asia approximately between 10 degrees north and 40 degrees north latitude. The 10/40 Window is often called "The Resistant Belt" and includes the majority of the world's Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists. The original 10/40 Window included only countries with at least 50% of their land mass within 10 and 40 degrees north latitude, but the revised 10/40 Window includes several additional countries that are close to 10 or 40 degrees north latitude and have high concentrations of unreached peoples. Approximately 5.04 billion individuals reside in approximately 8,631distinct people groups in the revised 10/40 Window. 5,918 or 68.6% of these people groups are considered totally unreached and having a population of 3.04 billion. This means approximately 60% of the individuals in the 10/40 Window live in an unreached people group. The 10/40 Window is home to some of the largest unreached people groups in the world such as the Shaikh, Yadava, Turks, Moroccan, Arabs, Pashtun, Jat, and Burmese. These are the people Jesus told the church to go after, but sadly we see these people have not been told about Jesus shoot they have not even be contacted. They are still unreached today. And why? Too hard, too expensive, too dangerous, plainly just too difficult. Maybe God made a mistake with these folks. In the last 50 years only 10% of all of the missionaries in the world have ventured within the 10/40 Window. Again approximately 60% of the individuals in the 10/40 Window live in an unreached people group.  So here is the question I have for the denominational missionary organizations. "What happened to Jesus' command to "Go ye" in Matthew 28?" Jesus commanded, "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." (Matthew 28:18-20) Maybe "all" does not mean "all." Or maybe they do not believe He will be with them "unto the end of the world." Now I have been to some of these places on the above map and I am here to tell you when you are there you feel like you are at the end of the world, but that is why it is important to know (before you leave) that God will never leave us or forsake us. Let us be honest and truthful my friend the church has significantly and miserably failed (especially over the last 50 years) to do the great commission work as Jesus has commanded and this (believe it or not) is at the heart of this massive movement of people. Now we would blame the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria that caused the people to exodus but not so. God has always used war, famine, and even governments to do his bidding to further the plans He has for mankind, just read the Old Testament and He had not changed. It is the hand of God in these wars and the wind blowing (the Holy Spirit) that is driving the people into places where the Gospel message can be heard. God in His love and mercy wishes none to be lost no not one. Brother Peter tells, "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9) God desires all to come to repentance and the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ so if the church/missionaries will not go where the people are then God (in His love and mercy) will send the people were the missionaries/church is. And that is what is happening. I have seen it with my own two eyes. The last time we were in Turkey we traveled to the Turkish Syrian (on the border) Town of Aleppo and saw the massive refugee camp. As far as the eye could see was white tents (and all of the things needed for a refugee camp) in the desert. The streams of people head west into Turkey or up from Greece to get passage into the Balkans and follow on into Eastern and then Western Europe. And all along the way destabilizing villages, town, cities, and countries. Like a swam of locus devouring everything in their path. Here the sad truth plays out; the price paid for our disobedience is usually paid by others. This scenario has been playing out since 2015 with no sight of shutting down, yet the world and most in the churches snoozes on. This flood of people will stop when the Holy Spirit stops blowing in the hearts and lives of the people who have never heard of Jesus Christ. But until then people are coming. Knowing the church has missed it in not going what is the church going to do now? What is God doing in the world? Giving the church another chance at the Great Commission. Written by David Stahl

THE WHISPERS OF GOD

Back in September our sleepy little fishing village (population around 10,000) was looking down the barrel (in the middle of the cross hairs) of a category 4 hurricane (winds 130- 156 mph or 209-251 mp/k) name Florence. Thank God it weakened to a Category 1 (winds 74-95 mph or 119-153 mp/k) and turned south at the last minute and we missed the brunt of the winds and storm surge. Still it devastated the area to the point even today four months later people are just getting some sense of normalness. I can remember getting a phone call from an old pastor (Doug Price from Johnston, PA) inquiring about our safety and I told him if Florence take our home we will move to Johnston, PA (and we meant it) and help him with his church. It all seems surreal, but in my spirit I felt a calm and peace that all would be well, but we all know God's ways are not our ways. As Florence drew near the coast it was certain Karen and I had to make some hard and fast decisions. So I did what we all need to do at times like this, ask God what to do and all I got was, "stay put." God spoke small to me, He seemed to whisper to my spirit in an almost quite way. You know often we miss God speaking to us because we have all of these other voices loud in our ears and thoughts. It is not God is not speaking, but most often we lack the ability to hear His voice. So I said okay we will go a school shelter in town. Now again at this time Florence had not downgraded and was still packing winds of over 156 mph. I felt good with our decision for safety and we were staying put as God directed. Our wonderful son Dan in Fort Payne AL over 10 hours by car and another wonderful son David in Greenville, NC about two hours (as well as many other friends) away invited us to come, but God said 'stay put." As the shelter at the middle school in town opened we found out it was built for storms not greater than category 2 (96-110 mph or 154-177 mp/k) and so anyone who signed in at the shelter would be bused three hours away, which is not staying put. What to do now. Here is where if we have a hearing ear we can hear God whisper to us what to do. Now many who say God does not whisper to us, oh yeah? In 1 Kings Chapter 19 we find God whispering to Elijah. "And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice." 1 Kings 19:11-12) The word "small" here is Hebrew #1851 for thin, dwarf, or whisper. A voice cannot be big or small, but is measured in loudness of sound. You know when we expect God to speak to us we are looking for trumpets to sound, clouds to roll back, thunder to crash, but that is not how God speaks. God is not into the flashy, loud, look at me entertainment projections or even the sad, sorrowful heartfelt tear jerking songs like in most churches of today use to manipulate their people to get them to do things. Oh no the church thinks it is God, but in reality it is nothing more than our carnal, fleshy emotions that moves us to tears or to boast of things we have no intention of doing when the music stops. I always find it funny how while the music is playing and the drums are beating God is in our presence, but once the music stops God seems to disappear. Here in verse 11, "a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks" and Elijah expected to hear God in the mighty wind and the destruction of the mighty mountain, but God did not speak. And "after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:" God did not speak after the earthquake. And "after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire:" Surely after the mighty wind, an earthquake, and fire God would speak, but God was silent. What would make God speak if not for these major disasters? Does God not care? Yes my friend God does care and He wants to calm the raging storm, but it is not the wind, or earthquake, or fire He is concerned about oh no it is the storm that is raging in our heart. The fear and uncertainty that fills our heart and head during times like these. A day or so later I was talking to a really good neighbor Mr. Eulyss Stafford (a retired from the USMC and works as a contractor with the Coast Guard, we affectionately call him Prophet) who is a Christian and we told him we were planning to go to the middle school, but we heard they were going to send folks hours from Sneads Ferry and God said stay put. I asked him what was he was going to do and he said he was going to ride the storm out on the US Marine Corps Base at the Hostess House. The Base is self contained and self sufficient and the Hostess House (built in 1954 of steel and brick) provided a hard structure for Category 4 winds, had generators, power, food, everything we will need to ride Florence out and best yet it was still in the area so we could stay put. God spoke again. In my spirit faintly I could hear God say, "stay put and go to the Hostess House." I think God speaks low (like His nature) because He wants us to know we have heard Him speak. There was no doubt in my mind. I heard the voice of the LORD (I have heard it before) and now all we had to do is move in obedience. So in obedience Karen and I drove over to the Base and got a room at the Hostess House (plenty of rooms available is that just like God) and then drove back to our home and loaded up our truck with everything we would need to start our life over. It was quite a humbling experience getting all of the important papers, weapons and ammo, pictures, suitcases of clothing, everything we would need to start over. Driving out our drive way I said, "the LORD gives and the LORD takes away, blessed be the name of the LORD." We arrived at the Hostess House, rode out the storm and had to wait about a week before they opened roads to return home. Just like with Elijah after the storm God spoke. Verse 12 ends with these words, "and after the fire a still small voice." Please notice AFTER the storm. God whispered to Elijah not to still the storm, but to let Elijah know everything will be okay. So too in our lives seldom does God still the storm, but when He speaks is to comfort and reassure us that as He promsied He would never leave or forsake us and all will be well. Now that is not denying the storm, but in the strength of God enduring the storm and out from the storm we are developed and not just delivered. You know if God has to keep delivering us from the storms of life He knows the plans and purposes for our lives He has established are in jeopardy of being lost so he will pick us up and plant us in another field, but we must know we have not succeeded in God oh no we have failed. God wants us to go through life's many problems (in Christ) so that we can be developed and not delivered. While we were at the Hostess House I received an email from a good friend from Africa and he told me I am a man of God I need to command the wind, speak to the wind, command the storm, well the only storm I needed to command was the storm in my heart. If I had not heard God whisper twice and allowed Him to reassure me after the storm then I would not have been able to hold a church service at the Hostess House that Sunday. The Saturday before I was talking with the manager of the Hostess House and I asked him if the Base Chapels were closed and he said yes. So I said, "on Sunday most people go to church and we need to thank God for sparing our lives and community." And he said, "you are right." So I asked if I could hold a service in the breakfast area and he said, "yes, but the Hostess House could not look like it was in support of the effort so Karen and I starting spreading the word of the church service at 12:00 that coming Sunday. I would have never thought this could be possible knowing how the Department of Defense restricts Christian activities. But after the storm (like with Elijah) the LORD spoke and when the LORD speaks (especially a whisper) no one can stop it and only those with an hearing ear can hear it. Written by David Stahl

WTFMT 58 FOR HGM ON 27 NOV 18

WILDERNESS TRUTHS FOR MODERN TIMES-58
TEXT: "And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done." (Judges 14:5-6)

I. VICTORY

A. As an enemy against the children of God, Sihon became God's enemy. It is not up to the children of God to conquer this enemy by their own strength alone.
B. But as an enemy, judged and defeated by God, he is delivered into the hands of the children of God for the execution of God's will. We may have a will as Moses once did, zealous to get our hands upon the enemies to give them several stinging swats, sending them sprawling to the sand.
C. That is not what God had in mind for Moses, nor for us today. It is God who delivers our enemy into our hands. It is then they become powerless in our grip. We can see this in the case of Samson.
D. A young lion roars against him, and the Spirit of God comes upon him. Samson is not characterized by a spirit which says, "I'll show you that I've got the power!" This is not an antagonistic spirit which comes upon him, making him so mad that he tore the lion to pieces. In the Bible "wrath" is only appropriate in God; it does not belong in the heart of man.
E. Samson "had nothing in his hand." This refers to no natural faculty to execute his feat. "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." (John 15:5)
F. With Him (in the full sense of the meaning) we have in our hands all that is necessary to execute His will. In the final analysis He give the victory which we think we have won.
G. If there is to be forward moving on in our victorious Christian living, we must deliver ourselves into God's hands, and take our orders from Him. It is not for us to move in our intentions, fulfilling our own wills. It is not for us to execute our decisions upon the enemy. Watch this in the Bible. Read the Bible!
H. Do not spend more time listens to preachers and teachers and reading books than you spend in the Bible. The Bible is your place of anchorage in truth. In the Bible watch the prerogatives of God versus the prerogatives of man. And learn!
I. Moses does not have to change his spirit of peace to one of antagonism simply because the king of Heshbon is moving against him. Moses had never thought that he had to knock over every king in his path. His basic concern was the will of God. God delivers kings into the hands of the children of Israel, who receive the victory God gives.
J. Later, out of the will of God, Israel herself is defeated upon a number of occasions. This whole thing of victory moves upon God's prerogative, His intentions. "Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts." (Zechariah 4:6)
K. Moses does not move against Sihon. "Then Sihon came out against us, he and all his people, to fight at Jahaz." (Deuteronomy 2:32) David does not move against Goliath. Sihon and Goliath move against the children of God, and thus against God. In Moses and David there is a response from God.

II. PARTING THOUGHTS

A. I am never disturbed by enemies outside my soul. If any enemy sets his power and forces against me, that is his problem, not mine. I have a strong high tower. "For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy." (Psalms 61:3) I have no need to set myself against the enemy. It is not in my heart to strive with the enemy. If it were, it would distract me from my focal point upon God and His will.
B. We are not to be against anyone or anything. We are for God. If God is against someone, that is His business, not mine. My business is to serve God, doing want He wants me to do. If He wants me to confront a hostile enemy and defeat him, fine; that is what I will do, but I will do it in His strength.

PROSPERITY AND SUCCESS

As we travel around to many places in the world we do not see a lot of people who want to be poor and fewer yet who want to be "poor in spirit." But being "poor in spirit" assures us we have a place in the kingdom of heaven and maybe the kingdom of God. Jesus told the people gathered on the mountain , “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3) Not too many people heard His words as many do not hear his words today. Now remember the kingdom of God is not a place and you cannot get a good job in this kingdom nor is the kingdom of God the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven is a place we all (or I should say most Christians) hope to go to some day, but the kingdom of God is a heart condition it is within us. The Pharisees demanded of Jesus, "when the kingdom of God should come" and Jesus asked them and said, "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17:20-21) Paul told the church at Rome, "For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." (Romans 14:17) I am afraid the nominal apostate church of today has done a great job in deceiving many Christians in not knowing the difference between the two kingdoms. We must come to a correct spiritual understanding of these two kingdoms if we will ever come to know other important concepts and precepts like what is prosperity and success in God. One thing for sure unless you come into the kingdom of God you will probably not come into the kingdom of heaven. Again the nominal (denominational churches, etc.) and the apostate churches have done a great job in redefining these words for those Christians who do NOT read their Bibles, but have a heart for God. They target theses Christians specifically so they can get money and service out of them to further their ungodly ambitions and programs. I have seen it all over the world in and out of the church. I will tell you God is not pleased, but He will let things go on and on (God's longsuffering), but my friend I am telling you now there is a day (it may be coming soon) when God will say enough is enough and pull back the curtain taking away our comfortable places to (what we call) worship and expose people for who they really are. Biblically prosperity has nothing to do with money yet the church (around the world ) is obsessed with collecting every dime and mite it can get its little greedy paws on. We use to go a church where no matter how many people were in the service the offering had to be taken up. Other components of the service could be exempt, but not the offering. Somehow I think they have missed the point of why we come together as a local body of believers and later (as we attended) it became sadly clear their true focus was not God, or the people, but the money and their agenda. It does not matter how much money a church has oh no money is not a measure of prosperity (especially spirituality) in God. Oh the number of churches that think they are "spiritual" because they have a nice building. And even sadder the number of churches that think they are spiritual because they are moved by their emotions. This year while teaching at the Mission Bible School in Agigea (a wonderful school), Romania the second year students and I had much discussion on the topic until I took them to the word of God Jesus told Nicodemus, "Verily, verily (a double imperative) , I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (John 3:5-6) They got it then. The Word of God always settles the issue if you have a heart for the truth. In Genesis God said of Joseph, "And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian." (Genesis 39:2) Did you get that? Joesph was a prosperous man yet all he had was probably a loincloth. My friend Biblical prosperity is not about money and riches, but to be in good condition or bring to a successful conclusion. To push froward in God. Not too many Christians are looking for this type of prosperity maybe that is why not many Christians are in good condition or are successfully brought to a conclusion. Success in God is not measured by who has the most toys, houses, or cars when they die oh no. Success in God is measured by correct understanding and wisdom in relationships and other things of God. No wonder Joseph was such a big success in life he always kept his relationships in check with reality. I will be honest here I get this wrong often. I like to see everyone as my friend, but in the end those people who like to use and take advantage of me well . . . . as God said about a pastor the last time this happened, "your were his friend in your heart, but he was not your friend." This prosperity and success message go beyond the church walls and into the depth of our heart. In the past there were times and places in which there was a substantial moving of the Spirit and many came to respond to the presence of the Lord. However, as soon as this presence lifted they left as their interest was in being blessed rather than in being changed. we must desire to be changed and not just blessed. God can bless anyone, but cannot change someone unless they have a desire for the truth for the word of God and what words God speaks to our heart. Many have experienced touches of this higher realm of worship and desire more, but it cannot happen in the atmosphere of loud rock-like music and entertainment within the present day Church. This limits us to praise which cannot lift us into the higher realms of worship in the Spirit. True worship has nothing to do with singing, dancing, or flag waving, but to bow our head to the ground yet the church muddles on in its presumption, but her time is slowing running out. There is a present urgency and need to present ourselves as being available to become a place of habitation for the presence and glory of the Lord, beyond anything that has previously been experienced or seen. This manifestation of His glory will impact the nations as we have never seen before and some things God is changing up in parts of the world. As I said in this article we spent the week at the Mission Bible School (CRST) in Agigea. We got there on a Friday night and class began on Monday to Friday, but on Saturday they had a great symposium of the refugee crisis in the Balkans. Over the years I have followed it more from a distance since we live in the States and not touched by the magnitude of the mass of people and the seemly unending need to care, feed, and house the masses. But if you look close there is much more going on here. To really understand what is going on you must read a book called, "A wind in the House of Islam" by David Garrison. The book talks about the nine geo–cultural "rooms" in the "House of Islam," and the Wind of God's Spirit is blowing through every one of them. David Garrison spent three years travelling a quarter–million miles through every corner of the Muslim world to investigate reports far and wide of Muslims turning to faith in Jesus Christ. In this amazing odyssey, Garrison gathered the stories of more than a thousand Muslim–background believers, asking them the question. Due to the wars in Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, and other hot spots huge streams of people are moving from a dangerous place to a safer place. Strange how God would use war to move the Muslim people. So now we have country after country (Greece, Turkey, Germany to name a few) in crisis from this exodus of people. Now even though I was not asked to speak at the symposium they asked if I wanted to say something, but I told them they would not like what I had to say. I told them I would say the church for the last 50 years has miserably failed to answer the great commission call to go and make disciples of all nations as Jesus asked in Matthew 28:20. Only 10% of the missionaries (in the last 50 years) go to where 90% of the people who have not heard of the wondrous name of Jesus. It is either too hard, too dangerous. too expensive, you name it are not going so God said okay fine. I wish none to be lost no not one. So if the church will not go to the people then I will send the people to the church. The question I would ask is what will the church do now? The church (collectively) has failed to do what Jesus has asked so God is taking the initiative and now the masses of people are at the door and now what is the church going to do? You could say God would not do that. Well if you say that you would sound like my second year students at the Mission Bible School when I told them God changes His mind. You would have thought I was teaching heresy. God will do whatsoever he needs to do to get this wonderful message of grace through faith to people who have never heard it. God will stop at nothing and will use anyone who has a heart to share His love. This is why I really admire and honor the students at the Mission Bible School because when they graduate they go to places where Islam is the only religion knowing it may cost them their lives to share the Gospel. Yes my friend times are changing in the world. God is lining up things and closing some things down to keep things moving forward in God. On our trip this year to Bulgaria we found out about the new laws that would close down almost every Christian Church in Bulgaria. You would say God would never allow that to happen, well as of the printing of this article we are waiting for the news. What does the new legislation say? These are the main problems with the new legislation:

- Only Bulgarian citizens will be able to carry out liturgical activity if they have had theological training in Bulgaria or their foreign school is approved.

- Only Eastern Orthodox & Muslim believers will be able to train clergy and run schools.

- A foreigner will only be able to preach if doing so with a Bulgarian ordained minister.

- Foreign donations will only be allowed for building construction or social aid and will need government approval. No salaries of pastors for example could be paid from abroad.

- No religious activities can take place outside of buildings designated for them.

- Only religious groups with +300 people will have legal status.

On our trip to Romania and Bulgaria in every Church we went into we found stacks and stacks of KJV of the Bible. They all came from Greece from an organization that gives away free Bibles. All you have to do is contact them and they will send you (even pay for the shipping) as many Bibles as you want. I believe God is flooding Bibles, now in these days, into places where the freedom to share this wonderful Gospel message will soon be restricted. My friend we cannot get it wrong any more too many lives depend on us getting it right. Written by David Stahl

TRUE PROSPERITY AND SUCCESS

I was surfing through the channels last week and I came across this guy by the name of Mike Murdock. Now I will be honest it has been a long time since I have heard someone spin and misrepresent the truth of the word of God when it comes to prosperity and success. He was shameful. Now I am not going to tell you not to listen to this clown that is up to you. If you feel to give this man your hard earned money that is up to you, but be not deceived do yourself a favor and ask the Holy Spirit if this is what He wants or are you being deceived by a slick talking charlatan. You will thank me for it later. I was really struck by his sales pitch, "you have just 10 minutes to call in and get a piece of this special onetime offering." I guess people were calling I heard phones ring and saw people talking, but not sure the context. Again I am not going to tell you to give or not to give that is up to you. But one thing for sure we are to have a spiritual wherewithal to prevent us from being taken advantage of by people like Mike Murdock and the rest of the prosperity teachers and preachers like: Kenneth Copeland, Jesse Duplantis, Benny Hinn, Andrew Womack, Creflo Dollar, Morris Cerullo, Paula White, and so many more. When it all comes down it is more about greed, manipulation , and self-promotion by the charlatans than about hearing from God and given. Prosperity in the Scriptures has little to do with money or wealth, but it seems those who pimp the Gospel for money and wealth (see names above) think it does. Now do not get me wrong God wants to met our NEED He does want the needs of the Gospel to be meet, but when you tie your obedience to man's requirements (what they tell you God told them to tell you) you are off the mark of the truth. We give not because man tells us God told us to, but because we feel in our heart this is what Jesus would have us do and in obedience to God in the giving we are rewarded not by the amount given, but by the act of obedience of giving. It mattered not what we give or do for God, but how we do and give things. God knows what we need does he not? The charlatans (see names above) say you are poor because you have not given your money back God as they feel you need to. Well what are the poor people in Africa and Asia going to do who have no money to give God? Have they sinned? I would say no way, I would say these folks are a lot more Godly than the charlatans. If this be so I guess Joseph while at Potiphar's house must have been in sin. God said of Joseph, "And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither. 2 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian." (Genesis 39:1-2) What? God said of Joseph he, "was a prosperous man?"  What did Joseph have? Money? Power? Wealth? No Joseph had nothing he was slave, maybe a loincloth to cover his manhood, yet God said of Joseph "he was a prosperous man." To God prosperity has nothing to do with money, but everything to do with pushing forward into God. Here in Genesis 39:2, the word "prosperous" means to push forward in various senses. Strange how some have twisted this word for their welfare, well maybe not so strange for the greedy and selfish. All throughout the Scriptures the word "prosperity" really has nothing to do with money or wealth, but means to be in good condition or to bring to a successful conclusion and has to do with our heart condition not riches. Maybe that is why the charlatans do not understand the Scriptures and work for their well being so hard. Mike Murdock's profile on Wikipedia says, "On March 3, 2003, the Associated Press reported Murdock asked followers for money to help the poor but spent more than 60% of donations on overhead, including his salary, and only a tiny amount (reported to be "legal minimums of 1% to 3%") on helping the needy, or any other 'public interest." This is not the heart condition of a broken servant of God. Again I not telling you to give him money nor not to give him money, but asking you to be spiritually aware. We need to be a creditable witness to the life changing power of God not a witness to how much money God will give us if we do something for Him. God is more concerned about our character and integrity than about our ability to do things for Him and that includes raising money for Him. I wonder why we always attach money to God's ability and love for us? If we have no money, a nice car, or place to stay does this means God does not love or want to use us? Many equate God's anointing with nice car, airplanes, big ministries, jewelry, and fame well that is not so. God does not care about these things. Again God's number one focus in our lives is our character. This is just utter foolishness because those who believe these things lack the ability to spiritually push forward in God they are more concerned about the earthly, carnal world of materialism, power, control, manipulation, and things than in God. In Joshua we see this word prosperous, "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." (Joshua 1:8-9) The word "prosperous" here is the same word in Genesis 39:2, to push forward in God. Here the way of prosperity for Joshua comes by the way of, "thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein:' When we "truly" know what God's word says we will not get over into side shows or trickery to try to take advantage of people. We will be rooted and grounded in the divine spiritual word of God that touch lives and help make a change in the lives if people who are lost and in need of a Savior. This is what the world needs not another millionaire Bible teacher or preacher. I do not see a single verse in the Bible that tells us we are to be super rich with many houses living better than the people who give to our ministry. Also from Mike Murdock's profile on Wikipedia, "On March 22, 2012, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that Murdock's home, assessed at $1.5 million, was for sale. The 9,943 sq ft 25-room home with built-in wine cooler located on 6.89 acres at 2010 Whitebridge Rd., Argyle, TX 76226 was first listed for sale on Realtor.com on November 29, 2011 for $3.2 million and then subsequently on September 4, 2013 (MLS 12020088) for $2.7 million. According to public records, Murdock also was the owner of 2013 Whitebridge Rd." There is something wrong with this picture, but again you make the call. Success is like prosperity the meaning has to do with having a correct understanding of relational wisdom in areas of the things of God. It has nothing to do with hitting the lottery or our ship coming in. Oh no "success" from God's perspective has to do with understanding correctly in the areas of the things of God. In the weightier things of God. Once we push forward in God (be prosperous) we then will have the right perceptive in relationship with the things of God. We will understand how things in God operate. We will be able to see (understand) the big picture how things work together for our good. How what we call bad things that happen to us turn out to be a blessing. I am reminded of our neighbor's tree that was taken down by the hurricane that just hit our area. If you would see the tree laying down on the house you would think this is a very bad thing for the house and the neighbor, but a few days ago our other neighbor's house burnt down and if the tree that fell in the hurricane would have been standing it would have been a bridge to my other neighbor's house. Now did God know this in advance (your judge) I do not know, but I do know my neighbor would have lost his house if the tree was standing. "Good success" for us in God is when we have the understanding of how things in God happen and how we fit into His big picture. How can we operate in His will if we do not have the big picture? We cannot! We only fool ourselves, deceive others, and have to resort to being a charlatan. Written by David Stahl

WTFMT 57 (FOR HGM ON 23 OCT 2018)

WILDERNESS TRUTHS FOR MODERN TIMES-57

TEXT: "But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain." (Titus 3:9)

 

I. DON'T BE CONTENTIOUS AV - strife 4, debate 2, contention 2, variance 1; 9 contention, strife, wrangling.

A. A contentious person will be contentious to people. Avoid this attitude. Our life is not to take root in such characteristics and find its activities there. Our life is not to be motivated by that which we want to accomplish, but by God. At all cost avoid antagonism and contention, which are most costly to life.

B. The contentious heart is made manifest toward the enemy, toward a brother, and in the verse in Titus quoted above, toward God's word. Believers argue and contend over the Word. Contention jumps out of the contentious heart in almost every circumstances and situation.

C. Believers reveal their hearts to others. "Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:" (2 Corinthians 3:2) That which is characteristically manifested in one area is generally moving in the whole of that person's life.

D. Jesus said, "He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much." (Luke 16:10) The truth of His statement rests upon the fact that you are what you are, regardless of the circumstances in which you are operating.

E. In the Church, in the home, on the job, your character remains basically the same, with differences in the wrapping. Some wrappings are designed to hide the real character, which may fool some people. But many folks see through the covering to see the character for what it is.

F. A contentious heart can be seen even in prayer, and in reading and discussing the Word. The-real-you can be nothing more nor less than the-real-you. There is no helping that. ". . . for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." (Matthew 12:34)

G. Do not be dissatisfied and disgruntled in what you do in this present life. Be dissatisfied and disgruntled in what you are. If there is a real dissatisfaction in what you really are, that is the beginning of change. He can correct a malignant (cancer) heart. We cannot affect the change simply by acting differently. It takes the creative powers of God. "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." (Psalms 51:10)

H. A life surrendered to the burning coals of God's altar will be purified. But there must be a willingness for the fire to burn our dross, a willingness to let go of our malignancy for the sanctification and purity God desires to establish in us.

I. The peaceful approach to Sihon by Moses is rebuffed and the king sets himself against the children of God. "But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him: for the LORD thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into thy hand, as appeareth this day." (Deuteronomy 2:30) His heart is contrary to the character of God, and becomes more cemented in its malignancy by a continuous refusal of God's dealings. Thus he becomes the enemy to this peculiarly peaceful people.

DOWN IN BAPTISM

Nothing is more contentious today in religious circles than the topic of baptism. I think that is because most Bible scholars, the Christian educated folks, and the pew sitters of the day do not understand the direction of baptism which is down. Most Christians do not want to go down they want to go up, but the condition to go up in God is to first go down and die. Ah there is another reason why many Christians do not understand what baptism is they do not want to die to their self-life nor their self-seeking nature and ways. John shows us this way downward and the spiritual death we must experience to be able to walk with the LORD in newness and resurrection life. John writes, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. 26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour." (John 12:24-26) Verse 24 starts out "Verily verily" now this is a double imperative (strongest implication for truth) that means this is the only way there is no other way we can do what is being asked of us. John tells us we must "fall into the ground and die." "No I do not want to die I want to live, live, live I want to enjoy life after all in John 10:10 Jesus tells us, "I have come so that you may have life and life more abundantly."" Sadly most Christians can recite John 10:10 (backwards and forward), but they do not know John 12:24 which describes the process in our lives to become fruitful in God. My friend to be fruitful in God we must die. And why, our self screams to be satisfied and fulfilled, but in God fulfillment and completion is only satisfied by the death of our selfish character and ways. This is what Jesus was telling us here. The next verse (v25) tells us if we love our life we will lose our life, but if we hate (word means hate as we know it) or lose our life we shall keep or find our life for all eternally. Losing comes first then secondary we find. Jesus then asked the disciples to "follow me and where I am" well, where was Jesus? He was on His way to the cross to die. We will never be able to follow Jesus in any type or form of ministry if we do not desire to die spiritually to our fleshly appetites. We cannot kill our flesh we do not have the will power or ability within us to deal with our flesh, thus if our flesh is to receive a death blow we must give God permission into our lives to lay the axe to the root of all that grows forth (that stems from our selfish flesh) in us that is not of God. My friend down is the direction in God if we desire to go up. Spiritual death is the direction in our life if we desire to rule and reign with Him now on earth and in the ages to come. Paul knew this truth well. We see this in 1 Corinthians and in Romans when he was trying to help the Christians work through all of the wrong teaching (like about baptism) that was infecting the "church." Wrong teaching in the church has been more of an obstacle to the truth than sin and the devil. From the start, the church in Jerusalem (I believe) they got it wrong. For example all though out the New Testament we read where disciples were directed by leadership to bring money to the Church in Jerusalem. I wonder why? Now this is the right model one local body of believers bringing money or support to another local body of believers and not one local body of believers giving their money to a headquarters who divvies up the money according to their likes, dislikes, or if someone is playing ball with them. I have seen this all of my life (around the world) this denominationalism is a form of socialism. In Acts we read where, "And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart," (Acts 2:44-46) Now I believe they got verse 46 right (not called a church, but "house to house"), but verses 44 and 45 is nothing more than socialism and a form of social justice. No wonder they were poor, had no money, and needed support. No wonder all of the disciples had to bring money back to the "mother church." Sadly I have seen this around the world, especially in Africa. Collectivism and /or socialism does not work. Alarmingly socialism is being considered by the United States of America today, well the only problem with socialism is at some point you run out of somebody else's money. America take heed it did not work in the Bible and it will not work today. Looks like I drifted somewhat, well I guess the LORD wanted me to throw that in. In Romans Paul told the Body of Believers, "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:" (Romans 6:3-5) Now let me stop here and make a statement, baptism in water is NOT as a big deal as most churches today make it. Are we to get baptized yes! And why? Because Jesus asked us to. (see Matthew 29:17) It is an outward sign of an inward work of the heart from tradition, but you can get baptized all day long (even get your name on the church role) and still go to hell. Baptism will never save us from our sins nor will it lead us into greater spiritual development it is all about obedience. Many denominations (like the UPC and other Pentecostal groups) will put you in a devil's hell if you are not baptized in Jesus name, utter foolishness. We can see John the Baptist got into trouble because he would not stop baptizing God had to put him in prison a place where there was no water. Here Paul continues the theme in John 12:24, "many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?" What we are baptized into the death of Christ and not His life? Well that is what Paul said. Paul went on to say, "we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." Did you get that? Verse five, " For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:" How clear do we need it to become? If we want resurrection life we must be "planted together in the likeness of his death." We have to be dead to be resurrected. And that way is down. To have life we first must die, dying comes first then resurrection. Not too many churches teach this deeper truth they seem to glaze over these verses looking for verses that tell us of our power and authority in God, our destiny, well the only destiny we have in God is to follow Jesus to the cross and die so He can live through us. Paul all too well knew this truth because it has been worked into his life from the time he held the coats of the men who stoned Stephen, when he was called into service on the Road to Damascus, ship wrecked, naked, almost starved to death, in the deep (sea) for days, stoned through all of these and more Paul learned this truth. Paul also knew that there was only one Body. Let me say that again, Paul also knew that there was only one Body. There are many local bodies not churches because we are the church Jesus is not trying to build buildings or denominations to save the world, oh no the world is lost Jesus has come to save those who are lost in the world. My friend we (the people) are the church never forget that and never let some religious person tell you otherwise. There is only one Body of Christ in which we are baptized into. Paul in 1 Corinthians tells the local Body of Believers in Corinth, "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." (1 Corinthians 12:12-13) Though many members (people) yet one Body! One Spirit! We are NOT baptized into a denomination or a church, oh no we are baptized into the Body of Christ. Did you get that? And the way in Christ is down into His baptism into His death so that He can live though us. Written by David Stahl

A NEED FOR REVIVAL

Growing up in West Virginia every year we would go to Camp Meeting at Union Grove Camp Grounds. What a wonderful time we had each night for a week of services. One of the first things I would do each night was to hit the trick tracts rack and get a few of the new tracts. "Holy Joe" is my favorite with "This is Your Life" (the first tract that started it all) a close second. Another track I always enjoyed was "Why No Revival." If you want to save yourself some time (and not read this article) you can get a copy of "Why No Revival" or the updated 2011 version "Still No Revival." In the original tract it looks at the many reasons why there is no "revival" in the land. As cartoonish and funny as the tracts are they do express an ever sadder picture of society, culture, and the church. The answer to the problem "Why No Revival was no broken Christians. In the Book of Revelation John writes to the Church at Ephesus, "Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent." (Revelations 2:4-5) Here we read where the Christians at the Church of Ephesus have left their walk with the LORD and are in need of repentance. They once walked with the LORD, but now their relationship was slim to none they have left what they once knew and the love of God. Now here is the question; will a revival help them and bring them back? This will be the main thought I hope to explore in this article. Now I like the need for repentance because we know repentance is always the first step in coming to the LORD, but how about a revival? I hear America needs a revival. On Christian TV I hear about the great revivals sweeping around the world, but of the countless contacts I presently have I hear nothing of the broadcasted good news of revival. What is most talked about on Christian TV is the great end-time revival coming (sometime), but the Bible I read talks nothing about it. I read on church signs, "Spring, Fall, Summer, or Winter Revival" well one thing for sure if your church is really being revived by the LORD there will not be a need to put a sign outside everyone within 100s miles will know by word of mouth and people will be beating down the doors. Did you know the word "revival" is not found in the Bible, but as such the experience is there and so is the idea. This concept is found in an impressive variety of more or less synonymous expressions employed in prayer and promise. Here are some examples: “Will You not revive us again?” (Psalms 85:6), “Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years” (Habakkuk 3:2), “They shall revive as the corn” (Hosea 14:7), “To revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones,” (Isaiah 57:15), and “When the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19). When you get a chance I encourage you to take a prayerful review of these Scriptures. These Scriptures are about a process of a move of God within our heart and not some service we add to our very busy church schedule two or three times a year. It is the LORD working in our lives. In these and other expressions the idea has to do with bringing one to a previous state in relationship with God by some form or measure of divine intervention. Strictly speaking there should be no such need. Whenever we speak of the need of "revival" we indict either ourselves or others (frequently both) as having backslidden at least to some degree. Nevertheless where such backsliding has actually occurred this indictment constitutes a desirable confession of failure as an initial requisite to restoration. It should be obvious to everyone that the LORD's plan is not a continuous cycle of sinning and repenting, backsliding and restoration, but a steady growth in the LORD and a constant walk with the LORD on an ever-ascending path. However, since fallen nature with its innate propensity to gravitate away from the LORD is what it is, this ideal is unfortunately not the experience of a multitude of people as amply evidenced by the history of Israel and the Church of today. Israel’s apostasies in a many times repeated cycle of sin, judgment, repentance, and restoration were due to her failure to keep her covenant relationship with the LORD. Therefore a so called "revival" was the only means to arrest Israel’s drift away from the LORD and to restore her to divine favor in whatever possible degree for however temporary a period. But as miracles are not God's best for man (obedience to His word is) revival too is not God's best. While Israel was still gravitating toward national disaster (like America) a course which these revivals only temporarily interrupted, but does not ultimately prevent. On more than one occasion these revivals gave Israel periods of peace and prosperity sometimes of considerable length, but the end in time was the same. The failure of these revivals to keep Israel from relapse and provide a permanent cure lay in Israel’s failure to abide by divine Godly principles as a remedy not in the failure of the remedy itself. The story would be entirely different if they had maintained after a move of God the same consecration which brought them into a so called "revival." The LORD was certainly not pleased with their defection, but He was with their return. The very same principle applies today in the history of the Church; denominations manipulation and Christians not really knowing the LORD in any tangible way. God’s people should never be in need of revival. I like that so much please let me say this again, God’s people should never be in need of revival. There is a far better provision. Now as I said I do not believe in the need for revival, but when such a sense of need finds vocal expression among the people of God it is at least an honest expression of a regrettable fact and a glimmer of hope for a change for the better. Such a sense can only be accounted for by the drawing of the Spirit of the LORD in accordance with the will of God. A conscious need of God and a hunger for God is actually a hunger within us for Himself. When such a drawing and hunger of the Spirit is followed by the correct and a necessary response to the LORD on the part of man He can be revived. God Himself is delighted to respond to man’s response. The Book of Joel tells us of a time when Israel was being drawn back by God and has critical application to us today. The message of Joel is first addressed to the older generation because of their experience and greater observation over a longer period of time. We read, “Has this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers?” (Joel 1:2). This older generation had seen what the younger generation had not seen. God’s people suffered a national calamity without parallel in the memory of even the oldest inhabitants. The drought was so severe that the daily sacrifices had come to an end for lack of grain, wine and oil. Now the old are asked to reflect on the present state of affairs in contrast to the past so as to impress the younger generation. The older generations seems to remember deeper and feel stronger than the younger. They seem to have a greater appreciation and respect for God. In Ezra, when the second temple was built, the older men could not rejoice as the younger, but cried. "But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy: 13 So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off." (Ezra 3:12-13) Here there seems to be a wholesome reflection on the glories of the past that the young did not understand. We see this today where the hymns today are being lost to emotional feel good music that have no root or expression just some vibrant tunes. Next in Joel we see an alarm being sounded. “Blow you the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm” (Joel 2:1). There are times when God’s people need to be aroused to an honest assessment of the factual situation because a church beset by increasing worldliness and decreasing spirituality needs to be aroused into a state of alarm. When the people of God substitute entertainment for worship, rhetoric for prophecy, ritual for Godly expression, luxury for self-denial, social media, and the television set in place of family prayer, the approbation of the world for the reproach of Christ, there is ample ground for great alarm. Joel, in faithfulness to his nation and in obedience to the LORD did not play a lullaby on his trumpet to induce a slumbering unawareness of the realities of his day, but an alarm to arouse the people into a consciousness of their need. Next comes the repentance we discussed, “Therefore also now, says the Lord, turn you even to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning” (Joel 2:12). True repentance has three major components involving man’s entire personality namely: intellect, emotion and will. Intellectually man sees his wrong, emotionally man feels his wrong, and man corrects his wrongs. Consequently repentance is a change of mind, a change of heart, and a change of deeds. Each one of these three factors are present in true repentance and in that sequence whether we are conscious of them or not. The repentant prodigal son reached the turning point in a far country when he came to himself in the realization of his state and the acknowledgment of his situation and heart condition with God. When he felt in his heart the sting of remorse and the shame of his deed then he returned to his father with confession of sin in humility of spirit. Lastly there must be supplication. “Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly… let them say, Spare Your people” (Joel 2:15-17). Now the prophet sounds the trumpet call for collective prayer by old and young, male and female, priest and people, sinner and saints alike. Even the wails of the suckling’s are a part of this prayer meeting which is characterized by earnestness in supplication, self-denial, genuineness in repentance, weeping in sorrow, persistence in intercession and diligence in seeking God. When was the last time you have seen this happen? There is no thought of prayer beautifully phrased and impressively uttered, no delight in mere rhyme and rhythm, no interest in dignified robes and religious paraphernalia, and no clamor for ornate ritual and imposing architecture. The need is too great, the distress too deep, and the cries too loud for the observance of ecclesiastical proprieties and traditional sanctions. Things lose their meaning and men become shadows when God is all that matters. He will restore what was once enjoyed when those things that displaced Him will be displaced by Him, when we pursue again that which interests Him and discard that in which He has no interest. He will be found anew. When we return to our first love. Who needs a revival? No we need not a revival we need to be revived (our choice) every day of our life, something much better.

WTFMT #56 28 AUG 18 HGM

WILDERNESS TRUTHS FOR MODERN TIMES-56

TEXT: "He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" (Galatians 3:5)

 

I. DON'T BE PUSHY

 

A. A pushy spirit is sometimes manifested by a preacher ministering the Word. This happens more often in youths than in elders. Many believers minister a pushy spirit instead of "ministering the Spirit" as Paul mentions here in Galatians 3:5.

B. They are wanting to thrust something upon you by force. They cannot rest in the Spirit's work. They want to cram that message, that truth, that word, down your throat with their own fists. "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. (Matthew11:10)

C. Many Believers take this verse and say, "we must be violent, in our Christian walk, kick Satan around, and kick in the doors of heaven. This is so wrong on many levels. God does not want us to take the kingdom of God (not Heaven) through violent forceful means over Satan. Christian violence? But this is not consistent with the Word of God.

D. Believers "minister by the Spirit," not by violence or force. They minister love not violence to enter the Kingdom of God. Jesus here is teaching that the Kingdom of God is suffering because of the violent forceful, pushy means His disciples used to lead ones into His kingdom. They are sincerely desirous and anxious that you receive it, and they are furiously attempting to get it in you. But that is not God's way.

E. We need to be as the messengers sent forth bearing the words and ways of God and not our words and ways. "And I sent messengers out of the wilderness of Kedemoth unto Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace, saying," (Deuteronomy 2:26) We must come to our brothers and sister in the LORD, our friends, and even our enemies in and with peace, not simply with words of peace which may be covering up a striving heart and ungodly motives.

F. We are not supposed to be like those who say with their mouth, "I forgive," but never have such worthy words in their heart. Don't put up a front. Our forward progression in God will depend upon a "frontless" life. It will do us spiritual harm to live our Christian life with an inward habit of disguise or camouflage. This habit will eventually bring us before God in a disguise. We will wear our disguise when we read the Bible and when we pray.

G. Disguises are fabricated for self-preservation and personal gain. We need to quit catering to our self-life. We need to leave off our disguises and take off our camouflage of religion and let God into our weakness, our ugliness, our short temper, our whatever. His strength and work of grace are waiting and ready for us. We need to let Him provide that which we need.

 

II. PARTING THOUGHTS

 

A. Once we make the discovery of His work of grace the rest, peace, and the ease Jesus speaks of we find, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:29-30) His qualities will begin to become part of our character. They will become our true character without any disguises or camouflage.

B. We will not even have to be antagonistic against the devil. It is very ease and convenient to blame Satan for our short coming and failure to walk in obedience to the LORD. Satan made me think those thoughts, made me say these nasty things to my brother or sister in the LORD, or friends, or even my enemies. Satan made me to become disobedient to the LORD.

C. This type of understanding, in most cases, is simply a cover-up for spiritual weakness and lack of confidence, faith, authority, and power. Satan knows what that type of a person is doing better than the person himself knows. The enemy is not frightened by such threats.

TEACHING VS TRAINING

At the end of the 1960s there was a shift from evangelism to teaching in the church and of course with the increase of Bible teachers we now have more false Bible teachers. Remember a false Bible teacher is still a Bible teacher just like a false prophet is still a prophet only they speak falsely. Today we fill stadiums, coliseums, and arenas with Bible teachers of the day, but to what end? If you wanted to be someone in the church then you had to become a great teacher. Rarely are evangelists mentioned if they are they are mentioned in passing and only about them teaching some new doctrine or fad like the word of faith crowd started by Oral Roberts, Kenneth Copeland, and their disciples, which destroyed the church. Now please do not get me wrong I have nothing against teaching the word of God after all Jesus is our great teacher and I teach, but it seemed after the west coast Jesus movement fizzled out the church went to teaching to know God instead of a experiential based knowledge. Again teaching is important, but teaching is not training. The present day model of a church service beginning in the early 1970s and still current today in most churches was: three fast ones and a slow one (songs), some announcements, takes up the offering (to the tune of the doxology or some special number), teaching a good sermon from the Scriptures (rarely a message there is a huge difference), an altar call, and then off to the local restaurant for lunch. We find this same format (except for lunch) in churches if they have a mid week service. The focal point of the service is the teaching (should be the LORD), but remember we go to church not to receive a blessing, but be a blessing. I hear many Christian say if I do not go to the mid week service I will not get my fix, my shot in the arm to carry me to Sunday, I just cannot make it. Well this is just wrong thinking church is not about us, but it is about learning something (in the teaching) that we can share with our family, our neighbours, our colleagues at work and tell them about Jesus Christ. This my friend is called evangelism telling people in the world about the good news of the Gospel, telling people about Jesus. But did you know less than 5% of Christians in America in the last 12 months have shared their testimony (how Jesus saved them and cleaned up their life) or even shared the simple salvation message of Jesus Christ and the Gospel? No wonder the church is off her rails the people who are to share the good news of the Gospel are not equipped nor prepared to take the message to their neighbor, even unto the ends of the world, yet churches are full, big mega churches dot the land, Bible Schools are packed with students who want to gain knowledge of God, but are not sure about the experiences of God. Most have never heard of this concept (God working in our lives) while the people of America and the world shuffle further and further into lunacy and craziness. In the Psalms David said, "He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel." (Psalm 103:7) Here God could not reveal or manifest His ways to the Children of Israel only His acts. Apparently there is more than one way for God to express or reveal Himself to us and I am here to tell you teaching only gets us to knowledge about Him, a mental assent that satisfies our curiosity and feelings (usually from what others write), but there is a deeper way God desires to express Himself, a direct revelation of God. As teaching is to support evangelism training supports the revelation of God. What is missing in the church today is training. When was the last time you went to a Sunday or Wednesday service and was trained to do something for the LORD? Trained to share the Scriptures, trained to help someone with a problem in their lives? No teaching is the mode we see today, but teaching is an academic model patterned from secular education where the professor (the pastor in this case) stands up behind the pulpit and delivers a good sermon to make everyone feel good imparting some knowledge. As I said teaching is to support evangelism, but the evangelism piece of ministry has been lost since the early 1970s. Jesus said "go" (or in the Greek "as you are going"), but we stay and encourage others to go. Going seems to be too hard, too uncomfortable, and too dangerous in which they are, but all of that never will change the mind of Jesus for us nor His plan for reaching the world. No I will sit right here in church and hear another sermon from the pastor and gain more knowledge. My friend we will never know anything about God unless we can allow Him to train us because in the training is found the revelation of who God is. A personal knowing of God's nature and character resulting from the training from the hard times and the good times, from the inward reflection and soul searching that is required of God to know Him. I think at this point we need to define two words. The first word is "teach." Teaching (adj) is the act of passing on knowledge, to teach is (v) the action of teaching. Where training (adj) or train (v) is to develop the mind and character of someone. We will never get to God with only teaching (why the church is in trouble) we must be trained in the "ways" of God to be able to understand His "ways" if not we will only know the theoretical aspects of Him and never know His heart. The push is for the knowledge of another man's revelation in books, experiences, and teachings which will never take us to God. Now God's training can be painful as He takes us deeper and deeper into to the wilderness to train us. Even Jesus found this out the hard way. In Matthew we read, "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:16-17) Even with the Father speaking, the heavens opening up, and the Holy spirit descending that was not enough for Jesus to start His ministry. He (Jesus) had to undergo some training in the wilderness. And I ask you is the servant greater than the Master? Matthew continues, "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness . . . . " (Matthew 4:1) so too for our lives. I think we have enough teaching. What will I gain if I hear another sermon on something I have heard many times before? Oh it may have a different approach or a new twist, but the divine thought and expression from the word of God is the same truth and it works this way, but now training will develop us in ways teaching cannot. Training develops our mind (like teaching they are similar), but training develops our character and our soul. Training develops faith, unity, a singleness of purpose in us. When I was in the military in operational units in the US Navy we would train and train and train. And if we got tired of training we would train some more. Training has a critical purpose it develops faith in our equipment. It develops a boldness and assurance in us that words can never touch. How will we know our gas mask works? Well we have to go to the gas chamber, get gassed, put on our gas mask and clear it, then and only then will we know our gas mask works. The same is true with any piece of our equipment. Just teaching will never do it. We can have classes all day on our gas mask, on our weapons, on the enemy from some of the very best instructors in the world, but if there is never any application experience we will never really know if our equipment, our self, and our friends are battle ready. The principle in God as in the military, is training with our equipment develops faith in the equipment and each other. In a company run we run as fast as the slowest man, why? Because this tells everyone in the company if we get dinged in battle no one will be left behind. And if we have no faith in our equipment or each other then we will be defeated in battle. I will let that sink in. No wonder the church is on the run it lacks faith developed from lack of training and lack of relationship. In Proverbs we 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) Notice this verse did not say, "teach up a child." Why? Teaching only knowledge will not keep them from departing. You know there is a huge difference between teaching a child and training a child. Teaching is the art of passing on knowledge have it be one on one or in a classroom setting. While training is application based, trial and error, hands on learning, how things operate, when enough is really enough when to speak and when not to speak and so much more. Teaching will never provide skills development only training. We talk with our kids and say we are teaching them how to be good little Christians, but in reality they are watching our behavior and our actions to see what we have learned. Only what we have really learned can we pass on to our kids. Sadly too often it is the old, "do not do as I do, but do as I say." If we truly train (not teach) our kids in the way they are to go then it will be a part of their character and nature and my friend it will then be extremely hard for them to depart from the way God has for them to go. There will be a gnawing in their heart that will draw them back again and again. It is not a matter of our teaching or their ability to learn, but did we train our kids through personal example and a Godly life style? Have we developed a faith and a belief in God in them so that no matter what they see or feel their training will hold them in the heat of the battle? Teaching or training it is our choice. The church needs to involve people in the service again and provide some application based hands on knowledge that will develop them is ways where they can come to know God not only through knowledge, but through revelation which is God's measuring stick of man. Written by David Stahl

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CHURCH

As a Christian one of the hardest things to do is find a good Bible believing doctrinal church. I can remember talking to my Bible Teacher Charles Haun about this in the late 1990s and he too was experiencing the same problem. If you think finding a place to worship God in "Sprit and truth" with people was tough in the 90s, well 28 years later has only severely limited our choices. Now I do believe God wants us to join our lives with a local body of believers (not a church because we are the church) not to receive a blessing, but be a blessing. To add in our skills, talents, abilities, and spiritual gifts to be "fitly joined" our hearts as one evangelize the community with the Gospel and then helping the down and out who needs a hand up not a hand out. So what happened to the church? In Matthew 28:19 we get a mandate from, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:." (Matthew 28:18), but we are making buildings organizations, foundations, business, corporations, anything to make money. We are to go, teach (make disciples) and baptize. Where did the church get off track? Maybe from the seeker sensitive humanistic movement from books like "The Purpose Driven Life" not wanting to offend people, maybe from the word of faith, "blab it and grab it" or "claim it and game it" crowd, or maybe from the hyper-spirituality folks looking for a devil under every rock. Whatever happened to the churches that were doctrinally sound teaching the word of God as presented in the Scriptures without embellishment? Okay I am going to go ugly right up front, if you think things are okay in most churches you have no spiritual wherewithal. Okay please let me eat my words (God is good at making us eat our words) not all churches are misguided and off track. The churches we visit overseas seem to be more on track doing those things Jesus has asked us to do. Maybe the common denominator of poverty, persecution, and daily struggle has made it so. And maybe that is why we always feel welcome and the presence of God is present in their services. Paul lays it out to us in Ephesians, "From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." (Ephesians 4:16), but before this all can happen Paul tells us what must be established in our heart to make it all happen. "With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;" (Ephesians 4:2-4) The problems with the "church" of today are many. There can be no "unity of the Spirit" and all of the great things Paul tells us about unless we can walk in "lowliness and meekness with longsuffering forbearing one another in love." Whatever happened to these qualities in the church? There are three things (in descending order of importance) I would like to discuss in trying to answer the question what happened to the church. As the church goes so does the country. Make no mistake my friend unless the church is set in order America's best days are behind her. The first reason the church has missed it is losing sight of the main teaching of Christ. Jesus told the disciples, "And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. 9Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, 10Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat." (Matthew 10:7-10) We have lost track of the message we were told to "preach (like at the end of Chapter 28), heal the sick (not pray for the sick), cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and cast out devils." I see no words from Jesus that says build buildings, start denominations, or collect money for salaries. Oh no Jesus said "as ye go" do all of these things. The church of today has lost the original vision of what Jesus told the disciples by substituting some good works (which is needed) and mixed it with religious tradition and ritual while the countless masses of people in the world perish right before their eyes. Remember, if you feed and clothe people around the world and never give them Jesus then what you will have is well dressed and well feed people in hell. It is no wonder people reject the message of Jesus they have learned the messenger really does care about them they have learned time and time again they only care about themselves. Sadly I have seen and heard this year after year and even sadder it still is on display today. Unless you have the right heart condition for the lost you will do things for yourself and make no mistake people know sincerity when they see it. Jealousy, arrogance, and vain glory will be the heart condition of the pastor and church leadership. And notice Jesus said, "Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses," well how could that be? Take no money with you? No that is not what Jesus was saying. Jesus was saying God will provide your needs as you go in His will because it is His idea so He will provide and because, "the workman is worthy of his meat." If we do things with the right heart condition, according to His will we are worthy (not what we have do but how we have done them) and God will provide. I have seen this truth in ministry play out since April 1996 when we first went to Germany. God ALWAYS provided everything we needed for our church in Stuttgart and every time we traveled. Even today when the LORD sends us out He provides or we do not go. It is God's idea, it is God's will so He will make it happen. When you get over in self promotion and self funding we are on shaky ground my friend. Over the last 22 years of ministry through Beholding His Glory we have never had a denomination and only two churches (one a Presbyterian and a Baptist) for a short time support us. All of our support has come by way of a hand full (and I mean hand full) of people. Even today this holds true. All that BHG does is provided by a hand full of people who have clearly heard from God and have a heart condition of obedience to God's word. The next reason the church has missed it is lack of relationships. Few relationships within the church and a lack of desire (make people feel uncomfortable) to share the Gospel message with family, friends, and with the lost in world. In most churches 80 percent (known as the 20 to 80 rule) of the work is being carried out by 20 percent or less of the people. We have become a church of spectators. Lack of relationship and not because of the excuse we are too busy, but we do what we really care about. According to my own personal research, the problems are even bigger than the 20/80 rule. Only 39 percent of active believers consider the Bible as the literal word of God. Less than 20 percent of professing believers follow the biblical principle of giving. Only 5 percent have shared their faith with a non-believer. More than half of all church members attend church once a month or less all lack of relationship. If there was a real relationship between the pastors and the people things would be different. People would be inspired and find value in investing their resources in the church and more importantly the people in the community who are almost always forgotten in most churches of today. Resources are spent on people inside the church (the fortress) first (they pay their tithes right?) and if anything is left after paying: salaries, building programs, utilities, property maintenance, maybe mortgage, mission funding to the denomination (instead of people going as Jesus asked), the list goes on maybe the people in the community who the church is to reach may get something. Casual attendance and the belief that others will serve, give, and share the Gospel are tearing down churches across our country brick by brick. Can you imagine what would happen in our personal walk of faith and in our community of believers if we established real relationships with each other? What if every believer exercised generosity? What if everyone served in their God-given purpose? What would happen if we stopped simply believing and started belonging to each other? What if we changed our approach to Christ and established a real relationship with our families and friends; the blessing, the reward, the joy, the fulfillment, the purpose, and the increase would radically transform our lives and the world. Recently we were attending a denomination church in the local area and the pastor (a good, dedicated pastor who really cares about his people in the church) never understood my writings. When I would write about an issue affecting the "church" globally and corporately he would take offense and get upset at us. In defense he was not the only pastor of a church (we attended) who got offended at us. In the past we have invited the pastor (of the church we were attending) and his wife if married over for dinner to explain BHG, our motives, and even tell some in time they too would probably get offended at us. The offence, jealousy, and envy in these pastors, well I will leave this alone. You might ask why then go to church? Again I believe we are to share what the LORD has given us, but when the pastor sees my light might be a little brighter than his, disagree with our writings, or often times think we are trying to break his rice bowl and take over, well the end is near. Knowing this I tried really hard to keep a good relationship with the pastor and the people, after all this is what Jesus asked us to. I understand I am not a card carrying member and will always be an outsider, but we have always honored and supported any pastor of any church we have attended. When we would host friends from overseas we would have the pastor and his wife if married for dinner to get to know our friends better especially if they were to speak at their church. Sometimes we would just have them over for dinner to talk. We even took some out to dinner and others to events trying to establish a Godly relationship. All Godly ministry comes out of Godly relationships When we would travel we would always bring the pastor and some of the people gifts. We worked hard at keeping a good relationship. The last pastor even commented how we were more faithful in attending services and helping out than his members yet because he disagreed with my writings and when I questioned how he handled some Scriptures we were asked to leave. Now Karen and I are not perfect and make mistakes, but our heart has always been in the right place, so too here. I thought for some time what did we do wrong? To be honest I was shocked when the pastor emailed me, yes emailed me and did not call. That is right he emailed me. He did not call or be manly about it by talking to us face to face. I then realized we had no relationship. Oh no I misjudged our relationship. All of the times he thanked us for helping and said he loved us (and he did many times) was not true. I guess love to some is situational dependant. As long as we did and said what he wanted we were in his good graces, but if we question well . . . you know what happens. I thought our relationship was strong enough (after years) to sharpen each other, but I guess I was wrong. Sadly today the church is full of people with no relationships. People come and go every Sunday and Wednesday (if they have a service) like strangers in the night. Show up for their traditional ritual and disappear. Whatever happened to getting to know people? Having dinners and programs never will help you to get to know someone. As they say, "no one cares what you know until they know how much you care." Now I am not talking about the leadership within the church this goes without saying there will be a better relationship there, but I am talking about the people who come, who are faithful, and are expected to show up every service or things fall apart from lack of finances. Most churches have failed to express themselves in any meaningful way to the community. A quick hello, slight smile, and a how are you doing while the heart of the people is begging for more. I have seen this in the last church (and in its community) we attended, but like a man a church cannot give what it does not have. What would your community look like if the people in your church really cared about each other and the people in the community? Lastly the biggest reason I know the church has missed it is the lack of spirituality. Everything is explained by human reasoning. There is almost never a move of God's Spirit (it has been years since I have heard a message in tongues and an interpretation) everything is routine and religious. I can remember growing up in more Pentecostal (Assembly of God and Church of God) Churches suddenly without warning or being prompted the Spirit of God would fall in great power and manifest Himself is spiritual ways, but it has been many years since I have seen the Spirit of God fall in unmistakable ways knowing this was God reaching His people. And why not? People do not pray the pastor prays. When was the last time you were given an opportunity to share a testimony? Oh no start at 11:00 out by 12:30 maybe 1:00 pm or the people look at their watch and the pastor knows what that could mean, maybe the door the next time his job comes up for a vote. Most services are scripted, controlled, and manipulated leaving no room for the Holy Spirit to move. No spirituality in the people because in most churches they have not been taught, just a lot of feel good sermons. One Wednesday at a local church we use to attend I cast a demon out of a lady, how the small crowd was amazed, but even sadder they did not even know the lady was demon possessed. After all (at the church) most Christians never bring their Bibles which means they probably do not read their Bibles at home so how would they know to recognize a demon? The signs were obvious, but the entire church missed it well I did not and the lady left with a clean face and a different woman. Her language (strange sounds and volume), her mannerisms, even her dirty face told me she was possessed. You know as we looked back Karen said she believes this one event was the straw that broke the camel's back for us at this local church. Most churches today have been dumb downed to keep the people happy with songs, but ignorant to the Spiritual realm. The local body of believers is not a building – it’s a body of believers fulfilling God’s purpose in our lives and these purposes and the fulfillment is spiritual. Strangely enough people will follow someone to hell's door if they are "truly" spiritual, yet they are few in the world of many. Churches that are unspiritual that can be fully explained in terms of the natural, although ever so attractive and competent, will result only in spiritual fruitlessness, corruption3 and immorality. We often see this based on worldly logic and methods, but John tells us, "that which is flesh is flesh and that which is Spirit is Spirit." (John 3:6) we can never substitute or mix flesh with Spirit and expect to get something spiritual it just CANNOT happen. In Proverbs we read, "there is a way that seemeth right . . . " (Proverbs 14:12) the world says you can use worldly ways and means in the Body of Christ and get the same effect, but this will never work. Most pastors and churches do not want to devote resources, time, and effort to teach their people about spiritual things (not a demon under every rock like some churches), but the truth how the Holy Spirit moves, manifests, and functions within each member and then throughout the church to the world. For this to happen the pastor (first) and the church MUST have a real revelation of God. And revelation is spiritual. We are measured by God by the amount of revelation we have received from God. Revelation is God’s evaluation and measuring stick. God's spirituality is built on God’s revelation and His estimation of a person is according to that revelation. If God gives revelation then is His spiritually is established and when His revelation is withdrawn the man is rejected. If we want to learn to be spiritual we must pay attention to our relationship before God. If God desires to have communion with us face-to-face no one can eliminate us. But if our communication above is severed, and the heavens are shut, all we do will be for naught. An open heaven is the seal of God and is God's main credential of the testimony of Sonship. Revelation is therefore the evidence of authority and spiritually. The true manifestation of spirituality is wisdom not power nor knowing right from wrong. God tells us what is right and wrong in the Scriptures, but revelation is God's words to us. The wisdom alone comes from God. You know Jesus felt the church was worth dying for – it should be our mission as Christians to value living for it. Written by David Stahl