FIRST IN OUR LIVES

Each of us has varying amounts of information about Jesus, and many are satisfied with this. But some (I wonder why not others) are being stirred to seek a higher level of spirituality in which they experience not only His presence or power, but have an active personal relationship with Him. Jesus desires to make Himself personally known to us. It is essential that we respond to this inner stirring of the Spirit especially at this present time as things seem to be collapsing while unfolding. Jesus said that we cannot enter the Kingdom (which is righteousness, love peace and joy in the Holy Spirit not a place or even a concept) except we first become as little children. In Mark Jesus tells us, "Allow the little children to come to Me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say to you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.” (Mark 10:14-15) Did you know little children are not that intellectual and unforgiving like most adults? Little children for the most part are obedient and can play (without causing problems) with about anyone. It is also important for us to understand that the LORD may move in ways that differ from our past expectations or experiences. The Children of Israel (In Exodus) never knew this and could not relate to God on Mount Sinai when He wanted to spend time with them. This means that our approach to this present stirring within our spirit must be with a child-like trust and faith. God's ways are high above our ways, but at the same time God's ways are foolish to the wise and strength to the weak. Paul tells us, “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.” (1 Corinthians 1:27) The LORD's response to our seeking may be in a way that is not familiar to us or that may appear offensive ( most often when we resist Him) to our intellect. The LORD may do this to see if we are really sincere and if we are willing to accept Him on His terms. Herein is the test of our child-like faith and trust, “I love them that love Me; and those that seek Me early shall find Me.” (Proverbs 8:17) The LORD will respond to the expression of our heart’s desire to know Him. As we vocally express to Him our love for Him, “LORD, I love You” and you are first in my life He will respond to our heart and spirit felt approach. In the LORD's approach back He will respond in a special way to those who seek Him “early” or "those that seek Me early shall find Me." This "early" could mean we are to seek Him early in our lives as children so the years of our youth will not be lost in the stubble of misgivings and youthful waywardness we all seem to experience, but I think this “early” means that we are to quickly set aside "early" in the problems and circumstances we face in life, even "early" whatever we were doing and with a single purpose respond to His quickening presence in an unquestioning, unqualified anticipation of all that will follow without any attempt on our part to understand why or what. And when we put the LORD first and in all things acknowledge our utter dependence upon Him, then He will make Himself known to us. He then will work in our behalf and as a result we will receive a spiritual impartation from him which means that our lives will become a witness of His life. This is the “testimony of Jesus,” which is the expression of His life flowing out through the expression of our relationship to Him. Our primary calling as we put Him first (all else will follow in time) in our lives is to come to the LORD spending quality time in fellowship with Him. As we are faithful in our part He will be faithful in His part. This ministry may take many forms; from the expression of our personal experience as a witness to another, to our being called into some level (I shudder to call it higher) of ministry. In Matthew 13, a sower went forth to sow seed, which is the word of God and not money or abilities. Some of this seed fell by the wayside and was eaten by the birds. It is very important that the seed falls into carefully prepared soil if God has called us to be a teacher, if not scattering the seed as a sower broadcasts the seed will work fine with an Evangelist. But please know the distance from the hardened soil of the wayside to this prepared soil can be only one step. This step that we take into the place of preparation is very important, but while this inner work of the Holy Spirit is taking place, there may be no evidence of a harvest. This should not concern us as during this time of change, oh no the important thing is the changes that are taking place within us rather than what we are accomplishing. There have been times (I think we all experience them) when I have struggled to meet the LORD trying all kinds of ways, but getting nowhere. Then I became quiet and found that all the LORD required of me was for me to take one step to the side. When I did this He was there, He had been there all the time just waiting for me to wear myself out so I would yield and come His way. You see I have been trying to force the LORD to move as I thought He should. All I had to do was put Him first, yield, and come His way in child-like faith. The demands of our soulish desires are very real and ever present. To seek Him “early” requires of us a time of heart preparation. This involves a crucifixion of these self-centered desires with a determination to seek the LORD and spend time alone with Him. We must become serious concerning spiritual things. As we put the LORD first He will draw us to Himself and impart into us an adequate supply of what we need for our daily bread and what we need to build for the future. Written by David Stahl

HGM TEACHING FOR 22 MAR 16

Home Group Meeting Teaching notes for 22 March 16 without margin notes.  Audio for 22 March posted soon.

WILDERNESS TRUTHS FOR MODERN TIMES-31

TEXT:  "And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him."      (Exodus 34:14)

 

  I.  IMPARTATION

      A. If God stops us in our tracks, apart from correction, it may be for a time of impartation.  The impartation in this verse is the glory of God.

      B.  Impartation is the reason for God's drawing us unto Himself.  He desires us to wait in His presence for the purpose of impairing His glory and power.  He must accomplish this impartation in order to express Himself to others through the one receiving the impartation.  A minister who waits in His presence before the service, carries God's glory and power with him into the service.  During the service, that impartation is manifested.

      C.  In Exodus 33:18-23. Moses expressed his desire to see the glory of God.   He said,  "And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory."  (Exodus 33:18)

If this becomes the  prayer of our heart, we may have to be brought to a standstill in order to have our prayer answered.  Be still and know Him!!

      D.  God responses to Moses' prayer;  "And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy."  (Exodus 33:19)   It took more than Moses' natural vision to see the qualities of God.  It is one thing to see the manifestations of God's mercy, love, grace, etc. and quite another thing to see the qualities themselves.  Remember, we are moving toward Jesus (being conformed into His image) and not the provisions and wonderful works of Jesus.

     E.  If our prayer is to see the invisible, then we must expect God to bring us to a halt and bring us apart from some natural and spiritual involvements.  Moses was separated from all natural involvements.   He did not eat, drink, or sleep.  God actually waited six days for Moses' body system to be cleaned out so that Moses would not have to excuse himself for nature's call.

     F.  That which is impossible for man to see, will be brought by God to man's spiritual vision.  The unseen beauty of the Lord will be seen with the eyes of man's spirit.  We have eyes in your spirit.  When our body falls to the ground dead, our spirit will not be blind.  We will then see more than we ever saw with our physical eyes. 

    G.  Moses actually saw God's form.  "And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee."   God promised Moses.  In the fulfillment Moses saw goodness in form, and heard its identification.  Moses was not able to explain what he saw.  It is beyond language, Paul testified of this; "How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter."  (II Corinthians 12:4)

     H.  It is so far above the natural that there is nothing in the natural realm to which it can be related.  And it happens in the wilderness!!  It does not happen in green pastures.  It does not happen every day.  Most of the time God works with us on lower levels.  In fact, Scriptures is in the lower form, even in the natural and physical form.  That way, we all have opportunity to see His goodness.

     I.  Things of God must be reduced for us children.  Otherwise we would never grow into wise adults.  So God must say, " I am your Banner; I am your shield; I am the Lord Who supplies all your needs."  Almost everything from God moves in this level so that we ALL can grasp His truth.

     J.  Hidden in the lower level language is the spiritual sublime.  God will bring is through and beyond the lower level into the unknowable.  He will transcend all that is high and noble in our culture and language, and bring the unknowable to the heart of man.  He will instill within man such mysteries of the Kingdom of God that man is at a loss to explain them.  But that which man cannot speak will be communicated as light flowing from that life.

    K.  That which God has shared of Himself will be manifested in that human life and seen and felt by others.  The Love of God, His mercy, the grace of God, His faithfulness, cannot be translated into terms.  But God's qualities can be translated into a life.  That which is not understood and not able to be known by the human mind is expressed by a life.  Jesus, the character, in the Greek, meaning "impression," of God, becomes the greatest example of this.

    L.  Language and man's mind will limit communication of God's glory.  The inner spiritual being of man breaks through this limitation.  But even with this breakthrough, the glory of God is still limited to man.  The reason for the limitation is that man, in all of his spiritual qualities, is finite and God is infinite.  Man does not have the capacity to contain the capacity of God. 

II.  PARTING THOUGHTS

      A.  God will give in relationship to our ability to hold His things.  Strong meat will kill an infant, just as revelation was Adam's downfall.  He was not able to handle all that the tree of knowledge of good and evil brought to him.   Even Jesus said;  "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now."      (John 16:12)

They were not able to walk under such a load; they could not carry nor sustain such sublimeness.  Moses in his limitations, would not be given such a fullness of God as to render him inoperative.  Little by little God brings the infants into the strength to sustain heavier revelation.

     B.  Revelation is progressive.  This progressiveness can be seen and traced in the Bible from Genesis through Revelation.  The revelation of God to man is like an ascending stairway, one step up, next step up, the next step up, and on it goes, one  a step at a time.  This method is not suitable to man.  This is why God said to Moses in so many words, "you will see only so much at this time, and no more."  "Now I know in part" as Paul said in Corinthians; "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known."  (Corinthians 13:12) We are to be content to have something which is a mystery, without pressing to know which God has no intention of revealing at this time.

    C.  As it is to our advantage to know certain things, it is to our advantage not to know certain things.  The unknown things will be revealed to us when we are in the proper place in God, and with the suitable strength to receive and properly carry them.

TWO REALMS

The eternal attitude of God toward humanity is that of a seeking God. We may think we are seeking Him, but rather, He is seeking us. As we expose our hearts to Him, He responds. At times, we may even feel as though He is invading us; that He has taken the initiative and is pushing in from every angle to find, or discover us. We become acquainted with one another; but as for the real inner person, we know very little. In fact, we know little about ourselves. The Lord desires to fully possess us, to shape and mold us into the image of His Son. As we advance in God, the Holy Spirit will keep projecting before us unexplored territory in our lives that we have yet to move into, and over which He seeks domain. We say, He reigns and rules in our heart and this may be true. But have we given the Lord absolute and perfect control and possession of all the realms within us that are yet to be possessed? We are but little cells within this mystical Body of believers that has been developing and projecting itself down through two thousand years of history. In His time, He will lift this Body out of time and present it to the Ancient of Days. This is the great desire of His heart. Therefore, He desires that He will have something worthy to present to His Father. There is no experience into which the Lord leads us, no matter how profound or revolutionizing that experience may be, that will of itself mature us. Many are deceived because they think, I have received, now I have. Never allow yourself to come under the power of an experience and then build your life around it. This is not a question concerning the fact of our salvation, but of how we allow God to move and work within and through us while we are within this present condition of time and sense. Whatever there is of spiritual value within us - that which we will carry into the next age - must be acquired in the here and now. Therefore, we must ask ourselves has the Lord been able to accomplish within us all that He seeks to accomplish? After we have been released from this present realm of temporal life, we cannot come back to choose or decide. We should not be disturbed if the Lord is not using us as a missionary, or in some ministry. Unless He has given this, He is not expecting it from us. He had one Paul, and one Wesley. He has one of you, and you are the only specific edition of who you are. Since this is true, He is desirous to bring forth all that the potential within us will allow. Thus our “works” are the technique, or the method which He will use to accomplish this miracle of changing us into the image of His Son and equipping us for a higher purpose. If He has called you to be a preacher, then preach; if He has called you to be a plumber, then be a good plumber. Whatever we are called to do, we are to do it to the “Glory of God,” and sing while doing it. Why do we sing? Because we are to say, I Thank you Father, this is what You asked of me, and I am doing it for Your glory with all the strength I have. We often become entangled in the mechanism and forget the objective. We must be careful to not lose sight of our objective. We are to keep it always before us, our life surrendered and our whole being moving back again to the heart of God. We are being disciplined, educated, trained, and conformed to His image, by the thousand and one things that the Lord throws into our pattern of daily life experience. We may say, this is sacred and that is secular. To one fully committed to the Lord, everything should be holy and sacred; there is nothing secular about it. That is common talk among people who do not know the things of God. Therefore, they have categories into which they place certain experiences of life. We never should do this. If I am called to be a good plumber, this is a sacred calling. What makes it sacred? Plumbing? No, the will of God. None of us have arrived; we are in the process of becoming and we will be in that process until the Lord takes us home. When we were saved, the Lord dealt with our sin nature. He can do that in very short order, but it takes a life time to deal with our character. After we have gone through several dealings, we may feel we have arrived. Then the Lord will say to us, I have been dealing with your sins. I dealt with all that externally, now I want to come within, and get a hold of you. Truth has a two-fold way of disturbing and moving. If allowed truth will slay us, yet it is the truth that resurrects us. There are two opposing forces, and we swing back and forth between them. The Lord talks about death, but He also speaks of life. He not only talks about crucifying, but about resurrection and life also. We are to keep them together, not separated. In Luke we read, “He entered a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me. "And Jesus answered and said to her, Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42) We should never separate Martha and Mary. They are sisters in the same family, having different vocations. Martha has a valid place within us. She represents our activities, our ministries, all the things we do. But Mary has a place also. She represents our spiritual aspirations, our moving toward God. But all we receive at the feet of Jesus must descend and find its place in the daily activities of our lives, where it is to become a practical reality. Otherwise, we will become unbalanced. Thus, we are not to remain detached in even the most magnificent revelation of life and truth. Whenever “Martha” gets up within us and busily hurries around, we know that we will not receive a revelation from the Lord in all that activity. We must let “Mary” arise within us and sit at the feet of Jesus. Each has their proper place and time in which to function.

 

  Up - Mary - Revelation.

  Down - Martha - Demonstration

 

Both are essential parts of our spiritual development and growth and must be maintained in the right balance. “And seeing the multitudes, He went up into a mountain: and when He was set, his disciples came to Him: And He opened His mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:1-3) and “When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. And, behold, a leper came and worshiped him, saying, Lord, if You are willing, you can make me clean. Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, I am willing; be cleansed. Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” (Matthew 8:1-3) Jesus went up into the mount and sat. His disciples came to Him and He taught them, but He did not stay there. Afterwards, He went down into the valley among the multitudes, where He was met by a leper seeking help. Here in the valley of life, the revelations of the mountain top became a practical reality. The Lord may wait for years for us to come into this balance between our devotion and our works. Only then will we come into the balance of “being” and “doing” that He desires for us. Written by John Wright Follette

WHY NOT ME LORD

Salvation does not exempt us from the everyday problems of life nor does it prepare us for ministry and service unto the LORD. I remember when the LORD was drawing me in greater ways I would pray why not me Lord. Well this went on for some time and I think it was after I got back from spending 55 days (roughing it) at a Joint Task Force Headquarters (as the Deputy Surgeon) in Haiti with the US Army in Port-a-Prince the LORD spoke to me, "you are not ready yet." I was shocked! What I am saved come on LORD get your magic wand out and make me ready, well my friend God does not operate like that. The LORD expects us to ready ourselves in obedience (our choice) as he works in our lives. Those who are fully committed to the LORD often find themselves entangled in on-going difficulties. Finally a release comes, only to find that another pressure has taken the place of the one that was resolved. Job had it right when he said, "Yet man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.” (Job 5:7) "Sparks fly upward" all the days of our lives, up to where the LORD resides. And why? Because we are on the grinding wheel of the LORD to grind and hone off the rough edges of our character and nature. Funny how the Scripture uses the wheel symbolically to represent our lives. We all (as Christians) are on the potter's wheel and as the wheel goes around the LORD crushes, molds, and breaks us as He makes us into a vessel of honor or dishonor. Paul tells us in Romans, "Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?" (Romans 9:21) We as the clay have no say in God's finished product, the LORD and He alone fashions us as He sees fit for the Masters use. The harder the master squeezes the more He works it the life of the finished product and of course that which comes with the squeezing is the difficulties the clay experiences, but there is a reason for these difficulties. Therefore we should view them as servants placed in our circumstances to accomplish a higher purpose. Only as we refuse to allow these seemingly unending pressures and difficulties to hinder us and instead rise above or overcome them will we be able to successfully become the vessel The LORD has created us for. One thing for sure the longer we stay on the wheel (our choice) the more the LORD can work on us. But how can we refuse to allow these unending pressures and difficulties to hinder us? This is accomplished as we respond appropriately to the circumstances, testings, and disciplines of obedience that we face, and recognize them as the means to prepare us. Therefore it is important that we respond in heart obedience looking to the LORD for a way through these difficult times. As we respond correctly we must remember a few things, one is clay never talks back to the potter. All clay gets to do is go around and around on the wheel of life as the potter fashioned it. In life there are few things we are really in control of. The only thing we are in control of is our attitude and how we act in troubles and difficulties will determine how long we get worked over by the LORD. Victor Frankl (a holocaust survivor) said, "Everything can be taken from us but one thing the last of the human freedoms to choose ones attitude in any given circumstance." I can think of no person in the Bible other than Joseph who experienced Frankl's words in depth. Did you know Joseph's life can be explained in five "P" words? The first word is "Plenty." Joseph was raised in a world of plenty, loved and favored by his father. He had a coat of many colors his father gave him. God even spoke to him in dreams what a wonderful life, but at the tender age of 17 Joseph's brothers threw him into the second word, the "Pit." God loved Joseph so much and the word He spoke to him in his dreams He put Joseph in a pit for safe keeping. But the LORD did not leave Joesph there oh no because the LORD loved Joseph He had his brothers sell him into slavery. I think Joseph learned something while he was in the pit because, "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) Now you have to get this image in your mind to really appreciate the LORD's way of seeing things. Here is a young boy standing naked on a slave block waiting to be sold and the LORD said of him, "he was a prosperous man." God does not see things the way we see things. We would think Joseph is poor and naked, but the LORD sees him rich and prosperous. The next "P" word is "Potiphar" the Captain of the guard and to whose home Joseph was sold. But while he was a slave in Potiphar's house the LORD was with him. Did you know it does not matter where you are or what you are doing if the LORD is with you? Moses tells us, "And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. 4 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand." (Genesis 39:3-4) Joseph learned something. He learned the only thing we are really in control of us our attitude and because of that God was with him, gave him favor in his master's sight, and blessed all that Joseph touched. One would think all is well with Joseph and the world, but because of the LORD's word to Joseph and the eternal plan the LORD had for him Joseph was take to the next "P" word the "Prison." Through no fault of his own (all God's will and plan for his life) and because of the favor of the LORD on his life, his good looks, and a lie from his master's wife he was cast into prison. But Joseph knew something. He learned the lessons of the pit and the house of Potiphar (all progressive lessons) and now he could keep his attitude in check. We read, "And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was therein the prison. 21 But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. 23 The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper." (Genesis 39:20-23) Again the LORD was with Joesph not because he was Joseph, but because he learned the lessons the LORD wanted him to learn. And again God blessed him in the prison. When we are in the right place (spiritually) with the LORD it is easy for Him to bless us. Lastly the LORD did not leave Joseph in prison he elevated him to the last "P" word the "Palace." "And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt. 45And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt." (Genesis 41:44-45) Joseph was raised up to be number two in all of the world (at that time), not because he was Joseph, but because he learned how to keep his mouth shut, endure, and follow the LORD in obedience. At the ripe age of 30 (13 years later) Joseph was made (by the LORD's hand) "Zaphnathpaaneah" or God our savior. Many Christians ask "why not me LORD? Why can I not get involved in ministry? Well have you learned how to keep your mouth shut, endure, and follow the LORD in obedience? This is the price we pay to be used of the LORD not abilities, gifts, or talents. This process will be effective only when we accept the fact that these pressures have been placed in our daily life experience to press us into the image of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord may permit us to remain without satisfaction for a time, while our problems linger without an apparent solution. If we were quickly or easily released from these and given an uncluttered pathway we would relax and feel that we had arrived. There would be little inner change or spiritual progress as we would be resting in the blessings and provision that we received. Now here is the lesson for us. In the Psalm we read of Joseph, "He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: 18 Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: 19 Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him. 20 The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free." (Psalm 105:17-20) Did you get that, "Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him." What time and what word came forth? The time is the manifestation of what the LORD has spoken to us. What has God spoken to you? But notice until the manifestation of the LORD's word in our lives the approving and qualifying of our obedience will be tried time and time again. In Joseph's life at age 17 the LORD spoke, his father and brothers would bow down (all the LORD's plan for their livers) before him. And for 13 years, "the word of the LORD tried him" not till age 30 did the LORD's word manifest in his life to fulfill the plan and purpose. The LORD takes time to do things, no instant Godly leaders and His ways can hurt, but as we rightly respond to the process of being tested and corrected we grow spiritually and enter into our spiritual identity as a mature son. I am chastened when I do something wrong. Our being scourged has nothing to do with any wrong doing. Rather it has to do with the reduction of our independence and is an indication that we are doing everything right. Scourging reaches into the very depth of our being and crucifies our self-life (our right to our own ways) and removes our propensity towards our self-sufficiency. Even a spirited horse has to be broken before it can be ridden. This is done not because the horse has done something wrong, but so it can become productive. Likewise, scourging has to do with our becoming a yielded vessel in the hand of the Lord. John W. Follette once said, "there are few who minister out of a broken spirit. This is because there are few who are willing to go through the process of being reduced, through scourging." We may feel that we do not deserve the problems that we find in our pathway and this may be true, but they are there because the LORD is seeking to make us far more capable and useful to Him in the outworking of His purposes and it all start by our attitude. Written by David Stahl

TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Faith is one of the most mysterious works of God in our lives. Often times we like to short circuit God working in our lives by going after miracles and such instead of waiting on the LORD or allowing Him to take us through some hard dealings and judgments in our lives. After all getting something for almost nothing feeds our carnal nature the more. Now I will be honest a good miracle makes me stand up and salute smartly, but in the end a good miracle will not get us far in God because a miracle does not develop faith in our lives and in reality it stunts our spiritual growth and development. Remember if the world is running after you God is not. I see so many ministries that are built on signs and wonders, yet Jesus said do not seek a sign He called them "perverse and a wicked generation. Now were they wicked people well I will leave that with the LORD, but for sure they were misguided because of their desire to see something in God instead of becoming something. In the 4th Chapter of Exodus we see Moses learning some lessons that will carry him his entire life. The lesson's God teaches are to be used our life-time not just for a given situation. Here in the wilderness Moses asked God how will the people know you have appeared to me, "And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. 3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. 4 And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand: 5 That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee." (Exodus 4:2-5) Ah a miracle what a sign, but if we look closer we will see much more happening in Moses. Now I do not know about you, but if God told me to reach out and grab a serpent by the tail I am not so sure I would be as obedient as Moses. You know if you grab a serpent by the tail you make a foundation for the serpent to strike. Believe it or not God was testing Moses' obedience here even to the point of death. God knew if He was going to use Moses as He wanted He had to get Moses to be willing to lay down his life at God's command. So too in our lives. If we are going to be used by God to do mighty things for God we too must be willing to lay down our lives. No flesh shall glory in the sight of God. So much is missed by many Christians and many people do not receive because many Christians are not willing to put their life on the line. God always asks for everything, nothing is free in God, and nothing is ever left for our self. Once we have made up our mind God can begin to use us beyond our abilities, but not until. Later on in the 4th Chapter of Exodus we see a change in the life of Moses. The rod in Moses' hand has undergone a name change, now it is called the "rod of God." In verse 20 we read, "And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand." (Exodus 4:20) The "rod of God" all throughout Moses life was God's power and authority in his life. Oh that we would have a "rod of God" to do miracles with, we do. Later when Moses has an audience with Pharaoh he uses his rod to do a miracle. "And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 9 When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent." (Exodus 7:8-9) God has already prepared Moses for this encounter and Moses won a great victory, but the victory was short lived. After some time Pharaoh let the Jewish people (you know the story) go and off they went into the wilderness (the wilderness has a way of taking care of things in our lives) a wonderful place of spiritual growth and development. The Jewish people left Egypt with the spoils of her treasury in great victory, but this miracle was short lived. In the 14th Chapter of Exodus the Jewish people are trapped (God is good at putting us in a fix so He can fix us) between the Red Sea and 600 chariots of Pharaoh's army hot on their heels. Here now we find Moses crying. "And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: 16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea." (Exodus 14:15-16) I guess the miracle of the rod to snake and then back to rod again and the miracle of the exodus from Egypt was not enough to build up Moses' faith for this situation. Moses was reduced to crying! Now let us not beat up on Brother Moses too often this is the position God often finds us. Moses was saying, God you will have to do something or all is lost, come on God do another miracle on our behalf, well that is not what God had in mind. God told Moses (what is in your hand?), "But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it:" Why are you crying to me for another miracle I have already given you what you need to take care of this situation. Here Moses was operating in one level of faith (what he needed God to do for him) but as God saved Moses and the people their faith in God never really increased. We know this to be true, because only Joshua and Caleb (from the original group that left Egypt, even not Moses) made it into the promised land. The others the Bible says their carcasses fell in the wilderness from unbelief. The writer to the Hebrews writes, "But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief." (Hebrews 3:17-19) We see in this story from Exodus one level of faith "seeing is believing" (lives characterized by carnality, unstable, and emotional), but that is not God's best for our lives. There is another level of faith God wants us to move in that is beyond our natural senses and emotions that is the opposite "believing without seeing" (lives characterized by spirituality, stable, and established). Sounds simple, but make no mistake my friend it is not. Faith is not added to us when we see a miracle oh no, but the world and the "church" scream for one. Jesus constantly performed miracle after miracle, but five times in the Bible Jesus said of the disciples "oh ye of little faith." First of all faith is added to us when we hear from God. It is the way it is the only way. Paul tells us in Romans, "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.' (Romans 10:17) In the Greek we read, "Faith comes by hearing a word from God." (Romans 10:17 (Greek)) Do you see the difference? In the Greek version (better articulated) it is the word directly from God that contains the faith and everything we will need to do that which God wants us to do. Hearing a word from God contains all of the wisdom, the knowhow, all of the provision, everything we will need. Faith does not come by what we hold on to, what verse we stand on, or even what we believe. I can sit in my garage all day long, go beep beep, and believe I am a car, but that will never make me a car. I am a man created in the image of God. "Faith comes by hearing a word from God," but there is a deeper level of faith God is looking for in our lives, the believing without seeing. In John we see this play out in the life of Thomas. Now I like Brother Thomas he gets a bad rap too often, but in reality he said and did nothing that almost all Christians have done. In John we read, "And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27 Then saith he to Thomas, "Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:" (John 20:26-30) Did you get that? Jesus said, "blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." The next level in the LORD is in faith not needing to see a sign or a miracle before we believe. We just simply believe based on what the word of God says and what we know in our spirit to be true. Now like for the disciples in verse 30 Jesus still had to do "many other signs" for them to believe even though they touched his flesh. So too I will lay hands on your head till your hair falls out if need be for you to believe, but that is not the best God wants for our lives. Why does the LORD have to keep doing miracles for us? God has already given us everything we need to do His will and plan for our lives. Peter writes, "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." (2 Peter 1:3-4) The LORD has already given us "all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:" what else do we need? How many more miracles do we need before we believe? What will it take before we can go to the next level where we believe without seeing? Growing up as a child in Assembly of God, Church of God, Pentecostal, etc. churches I can remember unannounced spontaneous sovereign moves of God where you knew it was God, but it has been over 20 maybe 30 years since I have seen this manifestation of God. I am sure it is not God who has changed maybe it is us. For greater than 15 years I have held before the LORD questioning (if you do not know something hold it before the LORD and in time when you can handle it He will respond) why we do not see this move of God in churches today and I feel God answered my question through this article. In the past there was a simplistic, naive approach as a little child to the LORD where we just believed without having to see or feel something, but that is not the case today. In the past our emotions were dulled by hard work (both in our occupation and in the service of the LORD), commitment, and by a sublime desire to hear from God in a meaningful way, but not so today. Today our emotions are energized with lights, music, sounds, videos, even fog with a desire for God to come and bless us, make us feel good (self-seeking songs have sponsored this wrong heart condition) or we have not heard from God. No longer are the hymns (songs sung to God) sang in our assemblies they have become old fashion and do not represent a hip Jesus. They have been replaced by praise and worship songs (songs sung about God) that seek even command a blessing from God. Well I will be honest if God never blesses me again that will be okay as long as my wife and family receive from Him. We have forgotten we go to church so that we can be a blessing not so God can bless us. The Christians of yesteryear knew this that is why God met them in their circumstances in a powerful and meaningful way. Our flesh and our senses are fed till they scream, but wait a minute God is trying to kill our flesh so we can be conformed into the image of His dear Son. You know we use the word "spiritual" for all kinds of things, but our forefathers knew being "spiritual" was being sensitive to the Holy Spirit and Him responding back in kind. As we lay our head to the pillow at night we (Karen and I) often listen to teaching tapes from deep spiritual teachers (all who are not with us today) such as Haun, Follette, Beuttler, Taylor and there is such a child-like quality, but a depth that calls unto deep in us. We have become so sophisticated and we think we are "deep" in our understanding, well deep my friend is down where Jesus is, meek and lowly. Maybe that is why I enjoy so going overseas and ministering. There in Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia you find a lowly spirit and a true appreciation for the things of God and for what God provides. I think once we return to a child-like approach to God and stop all of this silly entertainment (can you believe all of the Christian movies? Hollywood found an untapped market, Christians) and self-seeking God will be able to take us to the next level where we do not have to feel or see something, but just believe. Written by David Stahl

HGM TEACHING FOR 23 FEB 16

HOME GROUP TEACHING OUTLINE (WITHOUT MARGIN NOTES) FOR MEETING ON 23 FEB 16

WILDERNESS TRUTHS FOR MODERN TIMES-30 TEXT: "And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace." (Leviticus 10:1-3) .

 

I.  GOD GETS NASTY

 

A. If there is to be a continual approach to God, there must be a concern for holiness in all areas of our lives. Peter attempts to press this into our hearts when he wrote; "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy." (I Peter 1:15-16) And consider these words in Hebrews; "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:" (Hebrews 12:14) This urging to prepare one's heart so frequent in the Word of God that I would be afraid to ignore it.

B. How can one assume to continually approach God for an ongoing and growing relationship, and yet always bring with him elements contrary to the righteousness of God? Divine order must be maintained . Otherwise your communion with God will be hindered and we will not be able to progress ever upward in Him, ever seeking the righteous character of God to become the very core of our life and activity.

C. If we are to walk with God, the two of us must be in agreement. "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" (Amos 3:3) If we have one attitude and God has an opposing attitude, we better straighten out ours. God is not going to change. If we want His best, something must take place in us to cause us to correct our ways in order to conform to God's ways.

D. If correction is not forthcoming, God may take a rare extreme measure. It is not uncommon for God to take one totally, out of the picture to ensure His will is done in a group or in the life of a believer. God's actions may be very drastic at times, but He would like to avoid such harsh measures. "A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory." (Matthew 12:20) This does not mean that God enjoys a broken reed, and loves smoke in His eyes. What Matthew is conveying is God has patience with wrongs, but hopes for correction or victory through the judgment He sends. God does not want destruction, He wants correction. But if there can be no correction effected, then He must go to extreme, harsher measures.

E. The judgment of God for correction will always and continually be applied to those who are correctable, no matter how evil they may be, and no matter how long it takes. If God cannot get correction in one place under one type of judgment, H e will try another place under another type of judgment.

F. The longer correction is withstood, the greater the hindrance to spiritual growth. And as one continues in the wrong path, more and more of one's spiritual life is chipped away. For example: some believers refuse to apologize to others, or to make wrongs right, and therefore grow bitter toward these individuals. The increasing bitterness chips away at their spiritual lives, and no spiritual growth is realized. There are believers (believe it or not) who do not want to correct wrongs and straighten out their crooked paths. Are they waiting for the harshness of God?

 

II. PARTING THOUGHTS

 

A. A refusal to walk a straight path causes personal problems. Basic righteousness must be fulfilled. There is no way to skirt the issue and yet achieve progression in spiritual living. People who are operating in the gifts of the Spirit come to me with their problems. Usually I discover unfulfilled basics. These cause problems. Some do not believe even the most basic Scriptures. Others are more interested in their ministry.

B. God is after correction. He brings His people to the Wilderness of Sinai to iron out the wrinkles. The children of Israel spent many months in this wilderness. God brought them to a long halt in their journey in order to enhance their progression. Often times when we feel halted along our spiritual journey, it may be for correction and instruction, in order that our spiritual journey will be what it ought to be.

C. God will always bring His children into a place where they can receive correction. If we reject correction we are rejecting the best God can offer to us at that time. Correction from the Lord brings us into fulfillment and peace. Learning to receive correction from the Lord or one over us in spiritual authority will go a long way in our spiritual growth and development.

     

THE TEST

We are exhorted to set the gaze of our spirit upward toward Jesus whose life was openly displayed for us to look upon. We are to both consider and meditate upon the example of His life as the pattern for our lives. “Looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2) The shame we often feel (believe it or not) can be a test that God has placed before us to see if we can qualify or be approved for the next thing God has for us. Jesus our supreme example was tested not only by the religious folks of the day (like us) and the disciples, but also from His loving Heavenly Father. Jesus' trust and obedience for everything was in the Father will for His life. This is how He could say, "of Myself I can do nothing." John shares this account from Jesus, "I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me." (John 5:30). Yet today we run around and say we have the power and do little with it and say we can do all of these things, but Jesus said He has no power (unless the Father gives it to Him) and can do nothing unless it be "the will of the Father." Something is very wrong here. Even the Old Testament speaks prophetically of Jesus regarding the implicit trust He placed in His Father concerning His life and ministry. “For the Lord God will help Me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set My face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.” (Isaiah 50:7) Due to His faith and implicit trust in the character of His Father Jesus was enabled to fully obey His Father’s will. He knew His Father would not fail Him in the time of need or in time of testing. Paul also set the gaze of his spirit toward the LORD and diligently followed the pattern he saw in the example of Jesus. He gave his testimony expressing the result of his living, as the LORD lived. “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12-14) And make no mistake Paul of all of the disciples was tested more than the other 83. Paul knew something about testings and trials and like Paul, the other disciples, and our LORD we are exhorted to have this same “mind.” Paul writes in Philippians, “Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything you be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this to you.” (Philippians 3:15) If we are to grow spiritually we must have both vision and direction along with an implicit trust not only in the ability, but also in the willingness of the LORD to bring us into the fullness of His intention for us through testing. Yes testing is the tool God uses in our lives to grow (as water, sunshine, and dung grows plants) up and to qualify or be approved for the next thing He has for us. Knowing this I wonder why I kick at the goads like Paul when God brings a good test my way? Maybe because we do not see it as a test? Or maybe we know it is a test, but resist the gain for the cost of the pain. John Wright Follette wrote a wonderful small booklet called, "Troubles Our Servant" that teaches us what we call troubles (what God calls a test) can serve to make us better men and women of God. Charles Haun sang the song, "Count Your Blessing" this way. Count your troubles name them one by one and you will be amazed to see what God has done. Tests and troubles in our lives serve as a blessing if we can allow them to define and refine our character to be more like the image and character of Jesus Christ, God's goal in our lives. Recently a good friend of mine gave me a healthy chunk of money to Western Union (WU) or bank wire to a missionary friend in Africa. After four trips (to the bank) the bank finally told me the Department of Homeland Security (fear does have has torment) turned off the bank transfer pipes and even WU that originate in the US. Well I knew my friend needed the money and I did not want to let him down so with every trip to the bank and trying to send the WU at a local grocery store the level of frustration was heightened. This was a test from God, but I did not see it at first. It had nothing to do with the money transfer that was the tool God used to reveal my heart condition during the test. God wanted to see (but sadly He always knew) and wanted me to see my attitude during the frustration and the 35 minute car ride (one way) to the bank from our home. To be honest I did not do well in this test. My attitude towards the bank representative (who was trying to help me) was poor at best. You know the only thing we are really in control of is our attitude. We must never forget at the heart of every issue is an issue of our heart. If we do then we will fail the test time and time again and the LORD will raise the stakes a little bit for the next test. You know we think God is more concerned about the big tests He brings our way, but oh no my friend this is wrong thinking. God is more concerned about the little small teeny tiny test, those that we think are insignificant. As a matter of fact the smaller the test the more God closely scrutinizing us in it. God knows if we cannot be faithful in the small things then we will not be faithful in the big things. Jesus told the disciples, "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) So too in our testing from God. God knows if we cannot be successful in the small test then we will never be successful in the big test. Lastly we have not exhausted the depth of revelation that is buried layer upon layer within the Word of God. There is hidden manna spiritual principles that are not openly available, but made manifest to those who have certain overcoming qualities in their lives for those who have learned the lessons God is giving and for those who have qualified for them through testing. Many theorize God's end-time plan for man but, before the LORD will reveal more to us we must have a proper attitude, spirit, and a pure heart motive. First we must be walking in integrity with Him in the out-working of the Word that we have already received. Through illumination this present Word should be vibrant (a living reality) having relevant meaning in relation to and through our present circumstances and time. The LORD is progressively bringing us into a greater understanding of Himself, of His desire for the growth and well being of His Church, and the establishing of His kingdom (righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit Romans 14:17) in our heart. I hear many people (even Christians) ask what is life about? The number of books written on the meaning of life are astounding, talk shows on TV (even Christians) command hours and hours of our time, but all fall short of God's working, though His dealings and judgments (His testing), in our lives are not understood. What is the meaning of life? Life is one big test from God not to see if He can trick us or set us up for failure, oh no our life is a series of many tests to see if we can qualify and be approved for what God has for us in our next life to come. May we be found faithful. Written by David Stahl