GOD'S NAME

In the Book of Exodus beginning in Chapter 20 we read about God giving the Children of Israel and mankind today His 10 Commandments. Funny how some Christians think they do not still apply today. I have always wondered if God wanted man to follow these 10 Commandments why did He wait until Exodus 20 to let man know what His standards for living were? Why did He not give the 10 Commandments to Adam? I think there is much more here in God’s heart and law (the 10 Commandment) than what we understand and commonly teach in our churches. In verse seven of Exodus 20 we read, “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” (Exodus 20:7) Now many Christians believe this verse means we are not to use God’s name while reeling off a host of unsavory words of profanity; well this is so far from the truth in which God is trying to express in this verse. Now good common sense and moral teaching tells us we should never use the same word (God) when cussing that we use to identify our heaven Father. Now if you are doing this please stop, but God is not talking about our language here He is talking about our heart condition before Him and how we misuse the power and authority of His name. Our thinking that God is talking about us not cussing (and we should not) only diverts us from the truth of this verse. The word “vain” here in this verse is Strong’s #7723 and means emptiness, vanity, falsehood, and has nothing to do with our language, but looks at our motives and desires when mentioning God’s name. The vainness is not of the tongue, but of the heart. What do we want to get from God and man when we invoke the name of God? What is our purpose and desire when we bring God into the picture, how do we use His name to meet the end results? Do we manipulate people using God’s name to get what we want? Do we make God bigger in the eyes of people to match a selfish goal in our lives? If so we are making God smaller. Do we use the word of God to get people to give us money or power?

In a church we use to attend there was a fellow (would be evangelist) we will call him Anthony for the sake of this article. Well, Anthony often would ask me if I could set up a huge crusade in Africa or India, something that would draw 100s of thousands of people so he could preach. Anthony was not interested in starting small oh no he wanted something huge for his first time outside the country. Well an opportunity to share in joint services between churches in Romania and then some in Bulgaria (it was the first time this ever happened) came available yet Anthony was reluctant to commit to it because it was not big enough, but in the end he said yes. One of many problems Anthony had was he did not have the money for the plane ticket and other expenses so he starting asking people of means in our church if they could give him some money to make the trip. He told me what he was doing and smiled when he said, “Ye have not because ye ask not.” My heart and spirit sank, his focus and motive was all wrong. He was trying to get the money by all means possible, but it is God who provides our need not our wit and ability to spin words to charm or manipulate people into doing what we want them to do. Money (even for ministry needs) should never be a focus of ministry. The focus of ministry is always about relationship between people. If money is the focus then it is a carnal and earthly pursuit with no Spiritual value to our soul. I tell my many pastor friends overseas Godly ministry comes out of Godly relationships, the need for money must never be what bring us together. Yes money buys things, but God can make things happen far beyond what money can buy. Since 1996 when we headed over to Germany God has always provided all we needed without begging Him or twisting the arms of people. Every time God wanted something to happen the funding came in and the need was met. For me this was great blessing for it served as a constant confirmation to me that God was behind what I felt He wanted us to do. Amazingly the funding came from strangers from most unexpected sources. The first time I went to India God brought Belinda into our lives. I met Belinda at the base health clinic in Stuttgart, Germany where she worked as a physical therapist technician and an E-7 in the U.S. Army. I really got to know her when she laid hands on my back during my physical therapy treatments. One day as she was working she said, “I would like to give you my tithes.” I said, “okay I am planning to go to India soon.” After my treatment she said she wanted to see me next week for another treatment and for the rest of the money, but for now here is a start. She handed me a check for $700. I could not believe my eyes. The next week I showed up as she requested. She said, “you better sit down.” I said, “okay.” You know obedience is always the right answer. I thought she was going to give me a check for $300 rounding it off to $1000. I was wrong she handed me a check for $1300 rounding it off to $2000. I needed every penny for my ticket and to bless the people along the way. Belinda continued to support BHG for years and even when she returned to the States in spite of her great struggle with breast cancer. Our hope for Belinda is that she is with the Lord and in our heart there is a very soft and very special place for Belinda. God will use any circumstance, situation, or person He wants to use to meet our need. We need not try to save our self or make things happen to meet our need, but rest in God knowing He knows what we need and He knows how to make all things work out for His glory and our good.

We do not need to invoke God’s name to receive from God. Again, He knows what we need before we even ask. We must be very careful when asking people for money if not careful our dependency and self-sufficient strength on the money and the person becomes greater than our faith in God to meet our need. Too often our first stop is to our friends of means who has helped in the past. Now God may use this individual, but this is His call not ours. Our job is to be able to discern God’s leading in this situation. Sadly when we do this we miss out on the God of the universe not being able to meet our need in ways far beyond our understanding. My friend either we will operate in the strength, resources, and power of man or of God, it is our choice. Sadly today when God come into the picture it is only after our friends have said no. We in the church have really mastered this asking man and God for things. Now I will be honest lately (like Anthony did for his trip to Eastern Europe) I too have been burdening (asking) the folks on our ministry email distribution list to keep our clinic in Aveile, Nigeria in their thoughts, prayers, and finances each time I would send an email out. This my friend is wrong and I ask your forgiveness. God knows what we need; it is His maternity clinic, this is His idea, and He is duty bound to take good care of it without me twisting arms or manipulating people. In Mathew Jesus touched on this thought in a very familiar portion of Scripture. “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 9Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 10Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Matthew 7:7-11) Jesus was not telling us here to keep on asking, seeking, and knocking (many preachers and teachers believe it and minister this wrong thinking leading many Christians astray) until we get God to jump through the hoop for us or beat Him over the head with His own words. Oh no my friend we do not get to God’s heart by repetition or nagging. Jesus was telling us to take heed; if we ask for something, something will be given to us now it may not be what God has in mind for us, but it will be something. The same goes for seeking and knocking. If we seek something we will find something, again it may not be what we are seeking for or what God has in mind for us, but we will find something. If we knock on enough doors one will open. Now it may not be the door God wants us to walk through, but it will be the door we have knocked on and it will be the one opened unto us. Jesus ends His words (verse 11) by saying, “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” Jesus was saying to let our desires be known to God (no nagging) then rest in knowing God knows all things (even what we want before we ask) even the intents and desires of our heart (the good and bad ones) and He knows how to give us, His children, good things. It is not that God needs to know what we want, He already knows, but it is because we have a great desire within us (and feel better) to tell Him. Within us is a desire to tell God what we want (like a child tells his parents) and when we do we are satisfied and content within our spirit until we do not get what we have asked (like little children) God for. I am so glad God has not given me what I have asked for in the past. God knows all things, He knows the future, and He knows His plan for our lives. Jesus was telling us to stop all of this asking, seeking, knocking, and just rest in our heavenly Father knowing He knows what He wants for our lives.

How sad it is when we hear people invoke the various names of God: Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Nissi, Jehovah Rapha, Jehovah Shalom, and all of the other names mentioned in the Scriptures in an attempt to be able to tap into some supernatural power as many TV pastors and evangelists will tell you to do. This my friend is nothing more than our greedy, selfish desires groping and hoping to use these words as a magic wands, but my friend God’s power comes by way of our obedience, submission, and surrender not by invoking His names. Remember our usefulness and authority in God will only be as far as our submission and surrender will carry us. There is no magic formula or words we can conger up to get what we want from God we must receive His “good things” by commitment and obedience to Him and His word. And it funny how we think we get to pick and choose one of God’s names and then “claim” (word not found in the KJV of the Bible) the power and it magically manifest in our lives. This my friend is nothing more than wrong thinking out from wrong teaching and is just plain greedy, selfishness, and self-seeking in our lives. We take God’s name in vain every time we mention or invoke it not in accordance with the word of God (the Bible) and His will and plan for our lives. Last week the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) had their beg-a-thon (they have it now three times a year) on as well as other TV Christian networks begging people for money so they can do the work of God. But does not God own all of the wealth in the world? Does He not own the cattle on 1,000 hills and even the hills? Why does God’s servant doing God’s will have to beg people for money? Something is just wrong here. Could it be maybe they are not doing God’s will and could be it they are not God’s servants? Does God need a Spiritual Diseyland so Christians can go on vacation? Is this what the Gospel message has been watered down to? When Beholding His Glory started finances were never a problem; everything that God wanted me to do was funded with more than enough and still is today.

In the mid 60s after returning from a trip to Kenya East Africa Paris Reidhead delivered “Ten Shekels and Shirt” (I strongly recommend you listen to it or read the text) a powerful message from God that debunks and strips the wrong thinking of the secular apostate church (TBN crowd) today. Reidhead said, “The philosophy of the church today is humanism. And you can define humanism this way: Humanism is a philosophical statement that declares the end of all being is the happiness of man. The reason for existence is man’s happiness. Now according to humanism, salvation is simply a matter of getting all the happiness you can, out of life.” Is this not what we see in most churches today? Christians going after happiness instead of God’s will for our lives? And yes Christians going after happiness instead of God’s dealings and judgments in their lives. The church has adopted a humanistic philosophy and approach to God in application and tries to mix in some parlor magic tricks to make it seem spiritual, but “That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit and that which is born of the flesh is flesh.” (John 3:6) Pastor Reidhead boiled it all down concluding; “we all work for God at His good pleasure and that is our reward no more no less because of who He is.” Our reward is God being glorified; it is not about our happiness or us using God’s name to receive supernatural power or resources, but just God allowing us to be used is God’s good pleasure. When I first started traveling overseas in ministry I would say look what God has done; now to a certain degree that is true, but it is not what God has done in the world through me in ministry as much as what God has done in me. God does not need me to do the work for Him, but I need the work of God to be done in me. Paul said, “For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10) “We” not the good works. “We” not the names of God are the workmanship of God. Let us not get lost in the humanistic approach of the nominal church today; using God’s name in vain for personal gain and power, but just submit and surrender to God’s work in our lives and become more and more His workmanship day after day. Written by David Stahl

GOD'S POWER

Where is the spontaneous move of God? I can remember growing up sitting in church and suddenly like a mighty rushing wind the power of God would move; everyone would be crying and praying on their face before God (now that is true worship) people would run down to the altar no need for 15 -20 minutes of twisting arms or manipulating. Now the two characteristic marks of early Pentecost that I remember were originally in the moving of the Spirit and spontaneity. These two marks I think are all blurred now. I have been in many Pentecostal meetings, but this substitute that we have now these two marks are not evident. There was an originality of the Spirit, but no one today wants to make room for it. We encourage the Spirit, but tell Him what we want Him to do. This is wrong. When the Holy Spirit wants to work we do not need to instruct or encourage Him we just need to flow with what He wants, but in most services it has come to a method where He has no original design because He is so coached. I remember the Holy Spirit might use one person as a channel to flow through to provide the theme for the meeting it would be the key for that one gathering and the meeting would center around that theme. Now the next night the Spirit may not move on that person (the one the night before) and choose another. The move of God was spontaneous; it was not studied or encouraged. I hope and pray that raising our hands when the recognized harmony of the music is just right or speaking in tongues out of order in a service against what Paul instructed us (1 Corinthians 14:5-6, 18-19, 21-23) is not what the Holy Spirit has been reduced to in our church services. We do need the power of God moving in our church services it is the missing piece the world is looking for. It is what separates the world-wide church from the rest of the world’s meetings. Not the gifts and power of God just to show the power, but the gifts and power of God to show God’s power to a lost and dying world who need a God who can save them from their sins. To answer this critical question I would like to share some reasons (not in order of importance) why I believe the spontaneous power of the Holy Spirit is not present in our church services today:

The first is we have programmed God into doing what we want Him to do in our services and do not allow the Holy Spirit free reign to move in our hearts; we hamstring God out of design. In most churches when we come in we go for the piece of paper that gives us the order of things to come and when we do this week after week we are programming ourselves into what is expected in our service. It is a subtle and an oh so sinister programming the flow of a service in our spirit: three fast ones and a slow one, take up the offering, some announcements, 15-20 minutes of a sermon with a good moral story (not a message of thus says the LORD), and out to beat the other denominations to your favorite cafeteria style restaurant. Every second is spoken for, but what if God just wants us to just sit still and be quiet before Him? What if God does not want us to sing, dance, or wave some flags? What if God just wants us to pray? Lay on our face before Him? Will we give God room? Do we have the Spiritual leaders with a Spiritual ability to recognize the shift of the Spirit to accommodate God’s desires? In most churches I have been in lately I would say no: they plow ahead and do what they have written out in their programs, they sing the songs, they give the announcements, they do what they want to do, as God watches.

The second area is a huge issue in the church world-wide. I cannot begin to tell you of the number of pastors (around the world) I have spoke with that struggle with this one issue. We have denied the truth and ignored the word of God by allowing women to take leadership roles, preach, and teach in our churches. The Holy Spirit is very clear here, “Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. 12But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. 13For Adam was first formed, then Eve. 14And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.” (1 Timothy 2:11-13) The Holy Spirit did not forget women and has provided for their role in the church and in society, “The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; 4That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, 5To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.” (Titus 2:3-5) But this is not what you see in most homes and churches today, this is not good enough for some ambitious women like Jezebel and even some ambitious women we personally know who have leave their husbands to tramp all over the world thinking they are doing God’s will or worse ambitious woman who have emasculated their husbands stripping them of their spiritual authority in their home. Sadly the folly of these ambitious and rebellious women to God’s word is destroying the Spirit of God in homes and in our churches. Say what you will and justify what you may, but God’s word is clear women have NO leadership authority from God within the home and our churches. Now some men will give women this authority, but I have seen time and time again the great confusion, falling away, and destruction (in the end) that comes out of it. God has ordained men to be in leadership positions in the church. The Bible does not support women as: elders, deacons, bishops, apostles, evangelist, preachers, pastors, or teachers. No need for a prophet or prophetess the Holy Spirit is now here. Nowhere in the Bible does God give His permission, now women may be qualified (educated, a great speaker, know the Bible), but so was Jezebel, “Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.” (Revelation 2:20) Women may be qualified, but they are not authorized and this my friend is the difference. For those churches who choose to reject God’s word and order, so be it you will reap what you sow.

The third area I would like to discuss is we have gone after emotions (we want to feel good and be blessed) instead of the leading of the Spirit of God. What happened to those verses in the Scripture that talk about enduring trials and tribulations? Whatever happened to, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (2 Timothy 3:12) Do we not want to be godly? Most people in church do not want to suffer, they do not want to overcome anything. Sadly we want to use the power of the Gospel to soften life’s problems. Well my friend this is not God’s idea. If we desire to see the power of God again we must get back to enduring life’s many problems with a song in our heart and the word of God on our lips. Why do we think the Holy Spirit should reward our lazy, slothful behavior? We read of the hall of faith in Hebrews 11, but when was the last time you heard a message (or even a sermon) from verses 33-39? “Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: 36And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 37They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 38(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 39And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:” (Hebrews 11:33-39) After doing all of these mighty things of God by faith, “And these all, having a good report through faith receive NOT the promise.” Why would or should God give us the promise and not them? Who do we think we are? Do we think we are better than the Christians in Hebrews 11:33-39? They saw the power of God because they endured tribulations and even death. How about us?

The fourth area why the power of God is absent in most churches today is because in the early 70s there was a deliberate movement away from evangelism to teaching in most Bible Schools. Not much money, power, or fame in evangelism, but in teaching you can get a big international ministry and travel the world, feed and heal the masses in huge crusades, get your picture in all kinds of Christian magazines (an oxymoron) and on Christian TV. In teaching you can get a huge international church and then hit the conference and seminar circuit that are advertized in those Christian magazines or on Christians TV (another oxymoron). This time in history also was when we started to see great crowds of people gathering in tents, stadiums, and conference centers instead of a church. All Godly ministry must be built on Godly relationships and must be filtered though the church, a local body of Believers. If not then it is man focused and profit driven, sounds familiar does it not? Power and manipulation are the characteristics and not the spontaneous and original move of the Spirit of God. Also in the early 70s Evangelist, pastors, and teachers started watering down the word of God to the people by preaching what the people wanted to hear (making them happy) and not wanting to offend them. Remember if you want people to give you money just tell them what they already know and what they want to hear. They started preaching or teaching a sermon (a story with a moral or religious lesson) and not a message from the LORD (thus says the God). And why, it was easier, a good sermon we can get off the internet, but a message from God now that will require us to spend time before Him and endure His dealings and judgments in our lives to be the vessel His word can flow through.

This last area we will look at I wrestle with even today in my heart because I love my country of which I gave 24 years of loyal, dedicated service in the U.S. military. I read the Bible and it tells of the spiritual condition of the world and of man’s heart condition in the last days (oh how I see this before my eyes and even see this in me at times) and I know God must judge America and the whole world for their waywardness. But I also know why America was created by God; not to spread freedom and democracy around the world but to spread the glorious Gospel message around the world. My friend there is no freedom and liberty (this thinking is the product of the liberal social philosophy of many denominations and religions) in God only restriction and limitations that will bring us to fulfillment and completion. And if the church world-wide and American does not walk in the restrictions and limitation of God’s word both will be erased from God’s plan and from history. In most churches we feed our selfish flesh as it cries out, “look at me I want to sing, I want to dance for the glory of God,” but in reality this all is a lie and a sham we sing and dance, clap our hands because we miss the ways of the world like people at some rock concert and now we have justified and incorporated worldly ways in church to satisfy our fleshly worldly desires. Now please do not get me wrong if you want to sing, dance, whatever in church have at it, but Christian music is just that, music it is entertainment and we must not allow ourselves to be caught up in the emotional feeling thinking we can make an approach to God through music, any talent, or skill. A holy God insist on more than singing, clapping, and dancing to come before Him. The Bible says, “Those with clean hands and pure heart shall see God” that is see God now on earth and in the eternity. Our approach to God must never be with singing songs, playing music, waving flags, painting, drama, etc. God is not looking for these things to get us to Him, He is looking for an approach with our whole heart by the Spirit of God. God cares little about how well we sing, dance, jump, run, or paint, but He is greatly concerned about how faithful, committed, and obedient we are to Him. These are the characteristics God is looking for in His children. Sadly, (and I cannot explain it) we see older ladies (ages 40-60) who should know better, but dress and wear make-up like they are in their 20s, where is their modesty and womanhood. My friend unless the church goes back to a simplistic conservative delivery of the word of God the church will become irrelevant in the world to reach lost souls. I will even go further, if the church does not go back to a conservative, Bible-based, Holy Spirit delivery of the word of God America as a nation is doomed. If the church in America fails so does America. Our churches have become political pitting black against white in class warfare, Democrats against Republicans. America’s strength is not her military and money, but God. God does not care about the White House He cares about a pure and holy temple where He can eternally abide. This is why He desires to conform us into the image and character of His dear precious Son Jesus Christ. Yet we have allowed the church to be divided out over political matters and have ignored the weighty matters, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” (Matthew 23:23) the things God holds near and dear to His heart. Unless America and the church world-wide goes back to a simplistic, conservative method of sharing the Gospel message and turn their backs on the social liberal method that has gotten then both off track their best days are behind them. Jeremiah was interceding for the nation of Israel and here is what God told Jeremiah to tell Israel to do, “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. 17Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.” (Jeremiah 6:16-17) God has been telling the church world-wide and America for many years in many ways these words and has sent many watchmen of which I am one. I have qualified and been approved by God for this position. Let us not deceive ourselves anymore. What we call the Spirit of God moving today is nothing more than our flesh seeking after God. Let us expect more from the Holy Spirit by being willing to do the things of God to see the Spirit move again like in the old days. The way back to the heart of the Father is back on the “old paths.” We must get back to the basic, simplistic, one-on-one delivery of the Gospel then and only then will we see the spontaneous and the originality of the power of God again in our service and in our lives. Written by David Stahl

ANOTHER JESUS

In today’s world our lives often centers around the many choices we have. I remember when we came back from Germany; Karen, the kids, and I went up to New Jersey to visit Karen’s wonderful dad, mom, brothers, and her sister. Well, one day we went to the Path Mart with Mom Kreiss and I was asked to go select a salad dressing, pretty simple right? Well not so simple if you have been use to a selection of three or four choices. I turned the corner on the salad dressing aisle and saw a sea of choices. I could not believe the number of different salad dressings I could choose from. It almost became overwhelming, but I struggled through it and selected ranch. I never forgot the view of cascading colors and labels in the 100 foot long, six feet high aisle. Sadly the Christian world often is like the salad dressing aisle we have so many different types of churches and denominations to choose from. If we do not like this church we can just simply go to another, who cares what the Holy Spirit wants. In Kenya they have a term called “churching” to explain the constant shuffling from church to church while warming their hands at others fires. But even sadder with each different church or denomination also comes another Jesus. Just by common sense one would have to know they all cannot be preaching and teaching the same message; there must be a different slant, a different understanding, a different doctrine and with each difference comes another Jesus. I really believe the denominational infighting, confusion, and deception has done more damage to the Body of Christ than Satan. Satan has been defeated, “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” (Colossians 2:15), but the willful spreading of outright lies and half-truths (which are also lies) for the sake of money, power, control, and authority by the denominations or non-denominations (large fellowship groups with churches around the world) to further their agenda and doctrine (because everyone else is wrong) on the earth are sharing another Jesus.

Paul had to deal with this destructive, deception at the Church at Corinth. Paul shares, “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.” (2 Corinthians 11:3-4) The Gospel messages as is our walk with the Lord is simplistic and if we make it anything more than what the Bible says it is we are getting over into presumption (very dangerous) and deception. The message, the Gospel message is: the death, burial, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the message of the cross, “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.18For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:17-18), but this message is not popular with the nominal church collectively and most denominations and non-denominations today, oh no, it is all about them and their special twist or slant to the word of God or some special revelation God has given just them. To them all I say shame on them and ichabod – the glory has departed.

There must be a coming together in the essentials of God. In Ephesians Paul sets the standard for Christian commonality and brotherhood being “one.” “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (Ephesians 4:2-5) How do we miss this? Could it be we have failed to meet the requirement of “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” by wanting our way and not God’s way and our revelation and not God’s revelation? Or maybe we have failed to keep the absolutes absolute and the optionals optional. The absolutes is the Gospel message, the message of the cross (death to our selfishness and self-life), holiness (without having no man shall see God), faithfulness, commitment, perseverance, obedience to God these are the absolutes. The optionals are all of our feeble religious practices we do to try to reach a holy God, things we have done in the past that worked somewhat so we keep doing them in hope God can be found. Or things that have been handed down to us in ritual worship and if not done God will not honor our worship. For example in most Pentecostal churches in Africa the ladies and men sit separated; ladies on one side of the church men on the other. Now is that wrong? No, but if it is done thinking it will get you to God, yes. In most Pentecostal churches in Eastern Europe and many Apostolic churches in the States ladies must wear a doily or some head covering. They get this from the Bible and adhere to it as the Gospel. Is this wrong? No it is an optional, but it becomes wrong when another lady comes into the church who is uncovered and is shunned. I remember when I first went to Moldova I was given the ground rules: to minister within the city you must wear a coat and tie, but if you are outside the city you need only a coat. Except for those churches where you cannot wear a tie because the point of the tie points down to hell. The problem is we have made the optionals absolutes and the absolutes optionals. We have made the major things of God minor and the minor things of God major and in doing so we bring another Jesus to the church and to the world. They have distorted the word of God and now they have a new Jesus to save them from their sins, but Paul in 1 Corinthians tells us if we do this we will have to “well bear with him.” In other words we will have to put up with or deal with this deception on our own and never receive the intent of God’s wholesomeness, wellness, and grace.

We see this deception and confession with the beloved John the Baptist and John’s disciples. In the Gospel of John we read, “After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized. 23And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized. 24For John was not yet cast into prison.” (John 3:22-24) To whom was John baptizing? Jesus was already on the scene and had already started His ministry. Why did not John the Baptist join Jesus? After all he recognized Jesus as the Lamb of God, the Messiah, the Holy and anointed One. Do you know even to today there are disciples of John in Israel still baptizing? In spite of John’s deep and insightful revelation of who Jesus is (as seen in verses 27-36) John was sharing another Jesus. Not the one before the people’s eyes, but one that he made up from a prior revelation of God. We see this deception and confusion again in Matthew when John was in prison, “Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, 3And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?” (Matthew 11:2) Did you know there often was a great conflict between Jesus and His disciples and John the Baptist and his disciples and the people. The people were often confused to who they should follow. For example, “Then there arose a question between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purifying. 26And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.” (John 3:25-26) This is why Jesus had to put John in a place (prison) where there was not a lot of water to baptize people. So too if we bring another Jesus to people in the world God will put us in a place where we cannot do any more damage to the Body of Christ. Make no mistake my friend God will not allow us to keep messing things up; He has paid a great price for the redemption of the Body of Christ (His only begotten Son) and He will not lay this sacrifice aside for any of man’s foolishness and religious practices, no matter how well intended. God will be longsuffering (and hopes for a change in our thoughts and behavior), but like Jesus was with John the Baptist there will come a time when His patience conflicts with His plan and His correction is made. Take heed my friend. One of Paul’s main themes in all of his writings is, “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” (1 Corinthian 1:12) These words will ring true and sure in our heart and lives today if we bring another Jesus before the people, a Jesus that is not found in the Bible, another Jesus, a Jesus that has been invented by our ambitions, our plans, and our misapplication of the word of God, a Jesus that has no power and no ability to save us from our sins. This is the Jesus I see today in most churches. And sadly this is the Jesus the world sees. No wonder the world is confused and hoping for help, but can only be helped by the real Jesus as presented by the word of God and by those people who really love Him.

Many today are waiting for Jesus to come back to earth, now I believe He will not because of what I see in the news on TV or what the guessers on Christian TV says, but because the Bible says so. If the Bible says it then it will happen, but most people in the world expect Jesus (when He comes back) to be the weak defenseless babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and laying a manger, but He will not. When Jesus comes back He will be THE (one and only) conquering King of Kings and Lord of Lords in all power and glory with a sword of righteousness to judge the nations and all souls. John gives us a fore clue, “And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:14) Karen always says, Jesus is coming back to kick our butts. Jesus will not be the savior of the world in all of His meek and lowly manner oh no, Jesus will, “smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” How can the people of the world see this Jesus as a conquering King, “to rule with a iron rod” when every year around the 25th of December Jesus get’s to be born and then over what we call Easter (translated as “passover” in the Bible) we get to kill Him. But that is not who Jesus is today, oh no my friend Jesus is (for those who honor, serve, and love Him) Lord, ruler, and master of our lives. He desires to sit on the throne of our hearts to rule and reign over our lives, but who wants to have a ruler over them when they can be the captain of their own ship, do what they want to do. Well, in God you cannot do and say what you want to say and do. If we desire to walk in the ways of God so that He can share His heart with us, we must do and say only those things the Father wants us to do and say. We must restrict our lives to only those things that are found in the Bible. This doctrine of liberty and freedom in God is from the pits of hell; there is no freedom and liberty in God, only the limitations and restrictions of God’s word and in them is fulfillment and completion. Liberty and freedom lead us out of God’s way to our way. Isaiah said, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6) What way was that? The way we wanted to go and not the way God wanted us to go. We must preach and teach only those things in the Bible not those things we think are needed to be shared. When I pastored I was so tempted at times to preach against sin I personally knew that was moving in lives in our church, but I also knew the Holy Spirit knew far greater than I how to reach minds and hearts. When we preach and teach the word of God the power of the Holy Spirit is released to do the work of God in our lives. But when we teach and preach the latest self-help, 12 step, Christian fad from the latest Christian best-seller we release the spirit of the world. Just look at the deception of the world from preachers and teachers like: T.D. Jakes, Joel Osteen, Paula White, Joyce Meyers, others, and from the self-proclaimed so called spiritual people like Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Phil has done in the lives of many Christians. It seems every other month these charlatans have a new book out for a donation to their ministry or to be sold for great profit in Christian books stores. Now I am a writer, I have written three books, and I know how long it takes to write a book and my friend it takes much longer than 30 or so days. For the truth to be known most if not all of the “big time” TV celebrity preachers and teachers get books from ghost writers and they put their names on the work, shameful on both parties. When we preach or teach anything (other than from the word of God) we are preaching and teaching another Jesus. We must get back to the word of God and nothing else! Back in 1996 Charles Haun (my teacher) gave me some of the greatest advice and guidance I have ever heard when we last talked on earth, “just give them Jesus” he said. Written by David Stahl

GRACE AND TRUTH

Jesus is full of grace and truth. The Gospel of John and 1 John begins very similar in words and thoughts, Jesus becoming flesh and dwelling among us. I like the 1 John version, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. 15John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. 16And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. 17For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” (1 John 1:14-17)

As I study the Scriptures one thing that has always fascinated me is those verses that have a run (two or more words) we must meet to be able to walk in the truth the Holy Spirit is expressing. For example in Matthew 6:33, “seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” It is one thing to seek the kingdom of God (in man’s perspective in God’s kingdom we can get a job and make money, even manipulate and control people), but it is a different thing all together to seek His righteousness. Not much glory, power, and authority in this, but death to our self-seeking, selfish, fleshly desires which is the requirement to having God’s righteousness. Or “the LORD killeth and maketh alive” in 1 Samuel 2:6. Or in 1 Corinthians 13:13, “And now abideth faith, hope, charity.” Two things I have learned while studying the Bible; words matter and the order of these words matter more. Usually the last word in the run has been particularly ordered by the Holy Spirit highlighting the greater importance. So too here in our text, the Scriptures says, Jesus was “full of grace and truth.” Jesus was “full” there was no room for anything else in Jesus only grace and truth. There is a spiritual principle moving here; to be full of something we must empty ourselves of other things to make room. So too in our lives we are to be full of grace and truth, but to be able to be full of grace and truth we first empty ourselves of all of our worldly desires, hopes, and ambitions. Oh yes, believe it or not my friend we are to be like Jesus here, we too are to be full of (both) grace and truth. Now this is God’s intention for our lives (us being full of grace and truth), but if it never comes to pass in our lives it is not because God has made it so oh no, it will happen because we have chosen to move in obedience to God’s intention for our lives. God has given us the power to decide in these eternal matters of the heart. God really has no say (it is His intention He wants to see it happen), but whether it happens or not is up to us. Now if we are only full of grace we will not be able to judge righteous judgment and if we are only full of truth we will not be able to express love to others as Jesus did. The end results in all we do for God and man must be love out of a genuine concern for their spiritual and physical well-being.

We have received grace in our lives because Jesus first gave grace and now we can give grace to others. God saves us from our sins so that we can save others; not from their sins only God can do this, but we can save our friends from doctrines that do not line up with the Bible, wrong choices and decisions they have made, and etc. If we see a friend (or anyone for that matter) in a burning building would we not do all we could to save him from the fire? Yes of course, well how about eternal things? How much more should we be concerned for our friends and acquaintances to tell them the truth? But the main point here is unless we receive grace from God we will never be able to give grace to man. A man cannot give what he does not have. Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace are we saved through faith,” now this is the process – salvation through faith, but how about the other word Jesus was full of – truth? We must never sacrifice grace for truth and we must never sacrifice truth for grace. Jesus was full (and we are to be also) at all times of both. When sharing the hard truths of God’s word it was done in grace. Karen always tells me I can tell people almost anything, but whether it is received or not often depends on how I am saying it. We must never sugar coat the truth, but at the same time we are not to cram that last bit of truth down someone’s throat. I hear many Christians say they have a great desire to know God, but they run from conference to conference, church to church, from the latest Christian movement to the next, from one mighty and anointed song to the next when all they have to do is, “Looking unto 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) Believe it or not we do not have to do all that running around to know God all we have to do is take a good long look at Jesus, because He is like the Father, “full of grace and truth.” Unless we can walk in the truth of God’s word we will never be able to give truth. Remember a man cannot give what he does not have. The best we will be able to do is judge situations and circumstances out of our experiences and our sin sick present heart condition. The basis for our judgment will not be grace and truth, but presumption and religion that sounds good, smells good, feels good, but in the end if not grace and truth and will lead to destruction and death. Still with that being said we still must judge as Jesus judged, He is counting on us to give righteous judgment in the earth. If not His children who then will be able to give righteous judgment? In Matthew Jesus said, “Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 5Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:1-5) Jesus was not telling them not to judge situation and circumstances in their lives and others; the Scriptures are full of verses that encourage us to judge, but He was telling these “hypocrites” not to judge until they can clearly see from God’s perspective and out from a Godly heart condition. There is a lot of trash goes on in the church today because many Christians fail to hold people accountable to the Godly standards of the Bible all because they do not want to judge. Well my friend this is just flat wrong we must stand up from integrity, honor, and truth. We must call a snake a snake when we see it. To do otherwise just speaks of our lack of integrity (what God is looking for in His children more than anything), not having a Godly character, and no concern for the truth of the word of God. We seem to be quick today to share the feelings of our brothers and sisters that have stumbled out of the way and gotten off track not wanting to offend, but what does it profit someone to think well of you as they are going further and further away from God. Yes, my Baptist friends we can lose our salvation if we willfully choose to turn our back on God. If we turn our heads and look the other way to things that are not consistent with the word of God (sin) we are not extending grace, oh no, we are committing sin. If I am getting off track I would hope I have friends who care enough about me and my soul to come to me (in humility and grace) and share their concerns, then leave their words and softy heart at my feet so that I can inspect my life (before God) through their observations. But that is not what usually happens. Usually we beat our brothers and sisters over the head with our words and leave them bruised and bleeding because of our callous heart. Now I have experienced both ways and the second format does not work. We must be full of truth at all times and extend grace after the judgment is rendered. Remember one cannot extend grace until after the judgment. It is after judgment (be in our lives or others) has been rendered that grace or punishment is executed. We all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; we all are deserving of hell’s fire and an eternal death the judgment has already been made, God has spoken, but for Jesus through His shed blood on the cross of Calvary grace has been extended to a sinner such as I. Grace for grace now I can give grace.

In church we are told to give God praise from the bottom of our heart, but how can we do that if our heart has never been changed by the power of God? And for our heart to be changed we first must come to a place of self-judgment about our heart condition by the Holy Spirit. And then allow God to begin to work on our heart through His dealings and judgments. Singing songs will not do it, working for God all the days of our lives will not do it, attending church all the days of our lives will not do it, but coming to a honest place of self-reflection of our ungodly heart condition before God and then in obedience submitting our will (as Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane) to Him so He can work on us as a lump of clay on the wedging board of life. We must come to an understanding of what sin has wrought in our lives and it must devastate us for us to really have a true conversion. Sadly many people have walked the aisle (some repetitively) repeat “the sinner’s prayer” (which is found nowhere in the Bible) and go off about their way thinking the work of God was done in their heart, well my friend they are no more saved than Grimme our boxer dog. Believing or thinking so does not make it so. I can sit in a garage all day and believe or think I am a car, but that will never make me a car. There must be more to our conversion. There must be conviction from the Holy Spirit, there must be “Godly sorrow,” there must be great sadness and yes even tears, we must feel bad, even be devastated for our past actions to be birthed from above. If not there has not been much of a work done in our heart, thus there will not be much work done in our lives. Paul helps us again here, “Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. 10For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” (2 Corinthians 7:9-10) Did you get the thought “not to be repented of?” What Paul is saying here unless there is “Godly sorrow” in our repentance we are doomed to repeat the wrong process over and over (as many do daily), but God has made a way to do it right the first time. Jesus died once for our sin and He expects; it is His intention for us to repent (about face, go the opposite way sin is going, stop sinning) once and then “grow in the grace and knowledge of the LORD Jesus Christ.”

You know we cannot measure the depth of sin nor can we measure the heights of salvation, but we can measure the change in our lives as we allow God to work in our lives; conforming us and transforming us more and more into the image and character of His precious Son Jesus Christ. We must be able to see God (and God alone) as the one who brings us from defeat into great victory. But unless we come to see the frank sin and short comings in our lives we will never be able to see Jesus “full of grace and truth.” We will never be able to give grace for grace to those lost and going to hell, and the greatest loss we will experience will be never (no never) becoming like Jesus the expressed image of the Father who too is full of grace and truth. Written by David Stahl

NOT OF THIS WORLD

The Scriptures are full of warnings. Warnings to us to take heed to our character what God is most concerned about. Warnings to us to take heed how we do things. Jesus told the disciples be careful how you hear, do we hear things with the right heart condition? All throughout the New Testament the Scriptures time and time again warns us not to be conformed to this world, but sadly most Christians today have not heeded this most critical warning. Brethren this is a very serious matter in our lives, but it seems we just ignore the Scriptures so that we can satisfy and fulfill our fleshly desires. Peter tells us, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. 11Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;” (1 Peter 2:9-11) James lets us know what being undefiled looks like, “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27) John really drives the point home when he said, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” (1 John 2:15-16) Paul again hits the heart of the matter, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:2) And Jesus (our example) also told us to take heed to ourselves in this area, maybe His words is the reason we fail to heed. “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” (John 15:18-19) With all of these verses (and many more) why do we (now I used a pronoun here so I could include myself) still have an appetite for the garbage of this world? The Bible tells us we are to have the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5), well how can we have the mind of Christ if we keep filling our mind up with the cares and news of the day? The Bible instructs us to be separated from the world, it says we are a royal priesthood unto the LORD, we are a called out of the world Body of Believers, and a chosen generation unto God, but from what we see and hear (as Karen and I travel) no difference in the lives of most Christians we meet than those in the world that defy the draw of the Holy Spirit and shake their fist in defiance at God’s word. My friend our earthly hungers and thirst for the things of the world drives us out of God. Oh LORD please forgive us and strengthen us in the inward man so that we will be able to overcome in such areas.

Now one should expect those in the world not to know the truth of the word of God, but my friend this article is not written to those in the world as much as it is written to those in the church. The big saying now is the LORD looks on the heart so it does not matter what we do, what we wear or what we look like, well my friend this is just a bold face lie to satisfy our flesh. God is very concerned how we act, what we say, and what we look like make no mistake. Yes it is true God does look at the heart, but He also knows if there has truly been a change of heart then there will be a change in the way we talk, look, and act. Now we cannot change our self; as we cannot save our self, but God can save and change us as we allow Him to work in our lives, through His dealings and judgments in our lives. There is an old saying that says: if it looks like a duck and walks like a duck and sounds like a duck it probably is not a chicken. So too in God, if it looks like the world and walks like the world and sounds like the world it probably is not a Christian.

As we travel around the States we cannot believe all of the Youth Pastors with body piercing (ears and face) and tattoos. Whatever happened to our body is not ours it is the temple of the Holy Spirit? Today Youth Pastors mark their bodies with sticks of metal and paint because they think they will appear “cool” to the youth in the church; wrongly thinking somehow the kids will be able to relate to them better, well this is just plain foolishness. This is nothing more than direct disobedience and rebellion to God’s word while satisfying their flesh. Shame on those Youth Pastors who do this, repent and stop leading the youth of your church out of God’s way and to hell. If you want to go to Hell so be it, but please do not deceive a young person into going. Another area is fashion. We cannot believe the lack of modesty in most churches. Please ladies cover your body. Men you do not need to wear tight pants to show off your manhood, it is a shame before God. We are not to sport the latest fashions in and out of church. We are to be well dressed and modest in taste and style. We are not to dress like the world, remember if the world is going after something God is not. Another area is technology. We cannot believe how Christians go after technology (especially during preaching) having to have the latest electronic distraction the world is selling. Old, but workable in God is okay. I have said this for years and will say it again the more we go after technology the less of God will be in us. Technology drives our spirit. It separates us from the day-to- day contact with people who need to know about a Savior who can save them from their sins. It is flashy, God is not. It often does not work, God does. I do not even like microphones, why because often they can be more transforming than the Holy Spirit. Funny how when you get one in your hand suddenly you think you are someone you are not. Another area is politics. I cannot believe how the Body of Christ is so fractured and divided out along political lines. Heaven will not be separated by Democratic, Independents, or Republicans. God has placed His Body in the moral high ground and when we get involved with the political wrangling of the day we willfully pull ourselves out of the Spiritual place God has placed us. Heaven will not be separated out by color, yet we find Sunday between 9 and 12 is the most segregated time in America. Sadly, most black churches support the radicalized social justice movement of collective salvation instead of individual salvation as the Bible teaches while most white churches are trying to make as much money as they can so they can build bigger buildings, but Jesus said, “For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.” (Matthew 18:10) not to fight for social justice or to make money. The more the church of today (world-wide) goes after money and human rights the less they will be concerned about the lost. I must also mention you cannot be a Democrat and be a Christian knowing the position the Democratic Party takes on abortion, lesbians, sodomy, and gay marriage. I owe no allegiance to any political party I am a Christian, but one thing for sure if you vote and you call yourself a Christian you must vote the Bible if not you are a liar and the truth is not in you. Today I see the church dithering as they play politics, titillating with the excitement of control and power as souls are being lost for all eternity.

Not being of this world means we are not to have a favorite TV program. Most Christians can tell you what is going on with American Idol or their favorite TV program, but cannot tell you what their pastor preached on last Sunday. We are not to have a favorite sports team. Most Christians are so plugged into sports: basketball, football, baseball, you name it. Why, the local Baptist Churches in town on the night of the Super Bowl close down services at their churches, but meet at the Baptist Association and host a Super Bowl party under the guise of evangelism. The church does a lot of deception with the world’s business under the banner of evangelism. Who are they trying to kid? Please do not sit there and try to convince me that the LORD will get some time during the game or at half time. They should be ashamed of themselves for selling out to the world. At least come clean and admits it, be honest with yourselves and the community we will have no services tonight at our churches because we love the Super Bowl and our denomination more than we do Jesus. Often we are so plugged into the world we could care less. Now I know I am taking on some of the unspoken taboos of the church and even going after some religious sacred cows, but these things need to be said. We are not to have a favorite song and that can include Christian songs. Where in the Gospels did Jesus and the disciples sing? Paul talks about making melody in our hearts not in church where our flesh can get puffed up. Why do we spend so much time singing (with amplified instruments, lights, smoke, flags, and more) and money on instruments? In some churches one would think they were at a worldly rock concert. Music, in most cases, is a great distraction to the flow of the Spirit of God. Most churches have adopted worldly formats that serve to enhance the attendance gimmicks (like Super Bowl parties), emotional manipulation, indoctrination, and in some cases out right propaganda. Now I do believe the hymns are okay and acceptable to God because they were birthed out of a genuine love and need for God, birthed out of great loss, despair, and a desire for Him, but look what we have today (where are the song books) in most churches a selfish, self-seeking selection of songs telling God to come and bless us. The focus is not about us going to God, but about God coming to us and giving us what we want. The focus is not on the blood of Jesus or the message of the Cross, but on the gifts and blessings of God. We even have contemporary music that supports the Christian Dove Awards? How much more worldly can you get? Are you kidding me an awards show like the world has that exalts the flesh and glorifies man and his achievements? Oh no my friend most churches have sold out to the worldly Hollywood style singers and movie makers while covering their deception with a religious veneer to sell an ungodly lie to the people. Be not deceived God is not mocked a day is coming where the truth will be known. Why during the altar call do the musicians get up secretly while everyone else is to have their eyes closed and head bowed? They sneak to their instruments to set the mood for manipulation and brow beating by the pastor which makes up for the lack of Holy Spirit convicting power in their message, this my friend ought not to be. Make no mistake my friend when the Holy Spirit is really dealing with someone’s heart they will not need the pastor to make them feel bad, oh no they will run with lightening speed to the open arms of Jesus. And why always the altar? Can not the Holy Spirit reach someone in their seat or in their bed at night? Why is there always a requirement to have people come to the altar? Oh I see it must be a public confession of accepting the LORD, well I am not so sure about that my friend God is every where is He not? I believe verses like, “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33) have been hi-jacked and twisted to manipulate people to make an open and public show of an inward work of the heart. Here Jesus is not talking about “walking the aisle,” but living their lives for God before men on a daily basis. If you have to convince someone they need the LORD they do not really want Him. I will even go further; this public display of “walking the aisle” sometimes is more about the pastor’s ego (I know I have done altar calls) being mighty and anointed, but not so my friend we cannot save our self, it is the Holy Spirit who draws, and it is God who saves no matter where we are. Please do not be deceived into making a public display to please man. God is after the inward work of the heart not a public display of religion. I have found those who “walk the aisle” out of guilt are doing it because they have been manipulated by words and do not really feel in their heart a genuine need and sense of repentance. Without this holy work of God in their lives they will play the part of a Christian, do and say all of the right things, but the Godly sorrow that leads to real repentance and the inward cleansing of the soul will be far from the truth in their lives. Why do pastors use the “cool” terminology, hip phrases, and hand gestures of today or why do they dress in special clothing with monograms or their ministry name on their shirts. Now please do not get me started on diamond rings, gold necklaces, and $500 suits. If we do and wear these things we are trying to win people to a worldly Christ. Christ was not “cool,” He was lowly in Spirit. Isaiah tells us, “For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 3He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” (Isaiah 53:2-3) Did you get that, “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief:” He was a man of sorrows not the life of the party. Pastors who use “hip” language think it will endear them to the people, but God does not care if you are fond of your pastor or if he is fond of you, but God is concerned if you are obedient to His words. Our best in God is on the other side of our obedience to Him. This is the loss in disobedience; missing out on God’s best for our lives and settling for something else. I have a good friend and great Bible teacher who is offended at me, sadly God told me greater revelation for him is waiting on the other side of his ability to restore fellowship with me. God is not into division among the brethren and always desires reconciliation. It seems we Christians are so concerned about the economy, our pay checks, and retirement plans. Whatever happened to God being able to take care of us? Can God take care of the birds? Yes! How about us?

Do not kid yourself we will never be able to overcome the lustful desires of our flesh and Satan if we first do not overcome our desire for the world. And my friend I am speaking from first-hand knowledge. Remember our testimony is not what we say about our self, but what other people see and what they hear come out our mouth. In revelation John shares these words, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” (Revelation 12:11) “The words of their testimony” was not what they said in some testimony service, but what the other folks in town was saying about them. They “overcame,” their lives were an open testimony before the world. Their lives testified before the world of the power of God and His ability to keep them. Make no mistake my friend those in the world and God know who are in Christ Jesus and who is in the world.

PEACE OR A SWORD

If we look around the world today (much more than in the past) we find no peace, no civility, and no fulfillment. Now many Christians would say that is because of that mean old devil Satan (we will talk about him later), but this thinking (and the doctrines that are supported by this thinking) is so far from the truth. They say this because they do not know the truth of the word of God and need someone to blame for their greed, arrogance, and disobedience. What blame themselves for not doing what God wants them to do? Heaven forbid. What place the blame right where it belongs; on a sin sick heart that is in rebellion to God? But, this is nothing new blame shifting started in the Garden of Eden when Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the serpent, but God wanted nothing to do with this and punished all of three guilty parties. So too God will punish us for blame shifting we must pin the rose on the guilty party and that party is us. Now do not think some of this chaos and confusion is by some accident, oh no my friend believe it or not most of this lunacy, confusion, and loss of peace in the world we see play our right before our eyes is from the hand of God. Jesus told the disciples, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. 37He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matthew 10:34-39) But you would say I thought Jesus is the Prince of peace and the King of all kings, well He is, but He Himself said, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.” Jesus has come with a sword in His hand to cut those who love Him out of the world. He sticks His sword into our hearts to cut out all of the worldly affection and desires from our lives. Jesus will do whatsoever we allow Him to do in our lives to separate us from the world. This separation theme from the world runs all though out the New Testament. Paul in 2 Corinthians tell the church at Corinth, “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:16-18) Did you catch that? We are to separate ourselves from the world even some people in the world, now it says “them” which is a pronoun for people. In the first Epistle of John we read, “I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. 15Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” (1 John 2:14-16) John tells us, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.” How can we love God with our whole heart and love the world? Yet we Christians of today dig our heels into the earth desiring bigger houses, better cars, a bigger portfolio, a better retirement plan, a life of ease for what? In the world we will have no peace of mind God will see to that, yet the world offers us distractions (sports, cooking, TV, hobbies, traveling, reading, legal and illegal drugs, alcoholic drinks, and the list goes on and on) to give us some type of peace and fulfillment that keep our minds off of what God is trying to do in our lives. These distractions have even joined the churches of today. We focus on the cares of the day instead of the cares of eternity. We get so caught up in our favorite sports team, our favorite TV program, our favorite movie star, our favorite food, and the list is endless, but God desires we focus on Him and the things He wants to see come alive in our lives. When was the last time you just sat motionless and still for some time and meditated on the Lord? Or said no to a passion or desire you know in God is not healthy for you? Sadly God’s best for our lives will never be birthed in us unless we make a conscious decision in our heart and especially our mind not to get involved with things of the world.

Now there is an order, like all things God has ordained in our lives, we must follow to be able to be used by God; if not we disqualify ourselves for service through our disobedience. The order is this: we must first overcome the world, then our flesh (in that order) before we can overcome Satan. Do you know we give too much power to demons and Satan? Are they all not defeated? Yes, Paul tell us in Colossians through the precious blood of Jesus Christ, “And having spoiled principalities and powers (that includes demons and Satan), he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” (Colossians 2:15) If we are true Christians Satan and his minions have no power in our lives unless we give rise to it. Satan was defeated on the cross when Jesus died and for us to have the victory over him we must see him defeated, yet many Christian churches pray (in the open air) telling him what they are going to do to him in Jesus’ name. How foolish they are giving him power; who cares what Satan is doing or what we are going to do to him? My mother never wanted to speak his name, he is defeated and she knew it. My friend we must be more concerned with what God is doing instead of what Satan is doing. God alone holds our lives in His hands, God alone holds our future, our very breath, not Satan. If we never come to the place in God where we can overcome the world then we will never get victory over our flesh. Many Christians battle (do good, pray, and fast) sins of the flesh and wonder why they have no victory, well it is because they have never overcame the world and their worldly desires, thirst, and hungers have never been quieted in their spirit and still draws them into fleshly projections. Their love for the world gives rise and power to our flesh. For the flesh to be conquered first we must still the desires, hungers, and thirst in our soul for the world. It is the old crawl, walk, run scenario. We must see the world for what it is and allow God to break its attractions in our lives. Now I do not know about you my friend, but this is a consistent struggle in my life. The older I get the more I see and feel my life I am losing. The older I get the more I love my wife and family, but Jesus said, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” (Matthew 10:37) The older I get the more I desire a greater life of ease, but Jesus said, “And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matthew 10:38-39) What we have to lose our life? Yes, so that we may find it. Please notice losing comes first then we find. We will never be able to conquer our flesh unless we allow God to cut us out of the world, our flesh will rule and reign over us as lord and king and most certainly we will never be able to conquer anything in the demonic in the spiritual realm if we cannot conquer our flesh. How can we? Our flesh will be tempted and we will succumb to our carnal desires. We see this spiritual principle play out in the 17th Chapter Matthew. The disciples prayed for a young lad to be healed (like in the past), but this time nothing happened. So the father brought his son to Jesus to be healed, “And Jesus rebuked the devil (a demonic spirit not a sickness); and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. 19Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? 20And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. 21Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.”(Matthew 17:18-21) Now many Christians think Jesus was telling the disciples they did not pray hard enough or fast long enough, but that was not what Jesus was telling the disciples. What Jesus was saying was they could not cast the demon out because they themselves had a love for the world that was still alive within them. The focus of the disciples always seemed to circle around earthly things; they rarely caught a glimpse of the eternal things that Jesus daily walked in. They were earthly while Jesus was heavenly. They even asked Jesus to teach them to pray. I wonder why? So they too could do the things Jesus did. They wanted the power, but not the requirements to receive the power. By telling them “this goeth not out but by prayer and fasting” Jesus was telling them you have to be more heavenly minded. Prayer is a direct address to the Father, a direct communion and communication with Him that will enable them to move and operate with God in the spiritual realm where demons (I do believe in them because I have cast some out and the Bible testifies of them) and such exist. And fasting; did you know fasting is good for the soul? Fasting is sacrificing one hunger for another. Fasting quiets our spirit and shuts our mouth where we can hear from God. Fasting kills our flesh. The longer we can fast the greater death we will experience in our flesh, but remember first we must get the victory over the world before we try fasting, if not it will be a waste of time.

The title of this article is really a question we all must answer. Do we want peace as the world gives or do we want the sword of the Lord stuck into our heart and lives? If we choose peace as the world gives we may have civility and happiness for a season, but contentment and fulfillment is far out of the question. Peace as the world gives is not the peace that “passes all understanding” as the Bible says, but a peace that keeps our thoughts and heart numb to the reality of the internal lack within us that cries out for more of God in our lives and what will satisfy our inward desires. The only way we can experience this peace, that passes all understanding, is if we allow God to work, through His dealings and judgments, in our lives. If we choose the sword (as Jesus did) our lives will be painful, frustrating, and confusing at times and we will experience loss in our lives, but that is okay my friend God measures our gain in Him by what we lose not by what we gain. Remember, “He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matthew 10:39) The world says have more to be more, well not so with God. God says, have less to be more. When we have less of the world we will be able to have more of God. Having more of both is impossible though many Christians try with all of their might. It is amazing how man is put in a vise between his desires and passion to save his life and God working in our life. I do not totally understand this. On one hand man is driven by his own lust and the other hand God doing whatsoever we allow Him to do in our lives to bring us to salvation and glory. But it is not God that decides the outcome, but man. The battle for our heart, mind, and lives is one of our will. Jesus prayed, “not my will, but thy be done.” Here Jesus had a will (not sure what it was) that was contrary to the Father, but He submitted to the Father’s will, what we all must do as we submit to the sword of the Lord. Written by avid Stahl

SELLING OUT TO GOD

Paul tells us not to be conformed to this world, but sadly we are or maybe it is just me. I often find areas in my life (that the Holy Spirit reveals to me) I think are insignificant, but in reality they are not. Do you know God is very concerned about the small areas in our lives? The Bible says it is, “the little foxes that spoil the vine” not the big foxes. Now we are concerned about the big areas, but not so with God, He is concerned about the little areas. And as a matter of fact the smaller the areas the more God is concerned about them in our lives. God ever watches us and He watches us in these little areas (not the big ones) how we operate in them; He closely scrutinizes us to see how we do things, our motives, and what the intent of our heart condition is. I seem to be so plugged into this world (maybe it is just me but I do not think so) in so many areas it just scares me. Verse after verse in the Bible warns me of this critical danger in our lives, yet I seem to ignore (maybe it is just me) them as I often hunger and thirst after the meager scraps of what the world offers as compared to what God offers. And why, because I have not sold out to God. God has really impressed upon me that I will need to totally sell out in 2011, if I am going to be able to walk with Him in the things He has for me and my family. Please pray for me in this area.

I always remember the words of (my teacher’s teacher) Walter Beuttler, “If you build God a tabernacle He will build you a ministry.” He shared these words with many Bible School students for years and time and choices bore out whether they built God a tabernacle by the extent of their effectiveness to minister God to the world. In Mark we read the very sad, but true story of one such student that could not totally sell out. Today we call him the rich young ruler, but I will not because the Bible does not call him that. But, he was young and he was rich. We read, “And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17) Please notice this student of Christ, came running, was respectful “kneeled to him” honored Christ by calling him “Good Master” he did all of the religious things, but that was not enough to answer his question, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” Please notice he did not say, “what must I do to go to heaven?” Did you know Jesus is not so concerned about us all going to heaven (we are) as much as He is concerned about us allowing the life of God to operate in our lives? I have learned words are cheap, but actions speak volumes to hurting and lonely hearts. And those who raise their hands in song services, pray the loudest, and speak in tongues the longest usually have little to no relationship with the LORD unlike those Christians who have allowed God to work in their lives out from experiences in God and through His dealings and judgments. Selling out to God will require hard times and persecution. God promises us that, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (2 Timothy 3:12) Selling out will even cause offense because the message of the Gospel does not make people happy. Paul tells us, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18) and I believe it because I have seen, handled, and tasted of it. For those who understand the message of the cross it will offend them and they will get angry with us, but if we endure their anger and childish ways we will come to see the power and effectiveness of God’s salvation. “And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. 19Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. 20And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.” (Mark 10:18-20) This young fellow should have figured out by now something was up, but his presumption and arrogance blinded the truth from his eyes and heart like many Christians today. This lad went to church every time the doors were open and kept the commandants since his youth and even confirmed Jesus’ words to this, “all these have I observed from my youth.” He did all of the right church activities, but this still was not enough to have his question answered. He had to do more. “Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. 22And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.” (Mark 10:21-22) When this lad kneeled down he thought there was nothing he had to do, he had done it all for God, but Jesus said not so fast young man (if we walk with God long enough He will knock the zealousness out of us) “One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.” Now if Jesus would have said give the rich (or even the poor) a good deal on your goods or go sell all you have and give the money to the church he may have been able to do this, but that is not what Jesus said to do Jesus said go, sell, and give. Jesus was after (what Jesus is after in our lives too) his heart. Notice Jesus said if he sells and give to the poor he would have “treasure in heaven,” now he may have gone for this, but I believe he was so shell-shocked and stunned by Jesus’ words he missed this point. Sadly he could not sell out and missed out on eternal life and treasure in heaven, all because he could not “take up the cross” (die to his selfish desires and hungers) and follow (come after or become like) Jesus. Sadly this is the last time we read of this young lad in the Bible. He could not sell out to God and missed out on all that God had for him. My friend this is not just some true story in the Bible make no mistake Jesus today is giving us the same choice and we will either sell out to the world or to God. God’s intention is for us to sell out to Him, but the choice is ours. I know in my life my answer must be selling out to God because I have gone too far now and have too much to lose. How about you?

You know when we do not understand what the Bible is saying we must allow the words in God’s word to speak the truth to our spirit. Sadly most Christians go ask a pastor or friend what this or that verse means, well God wants to show us some things in His word by us cracking open the Bible and spending some time with Him. The truth of the word of God is in the words and for us to really understand what the Bible is saying we must understand the words as they were written from the oldest version you can find. And of course the best version of the Bible today, to do what Paul instructed Timothy to do, “to study the word of God” is the 1611 King James Version (KJV). Almost all of the recognized study references are based on and patterned after the KJV. The newer versions (NIV, ASV, NLT, NCV, NRSV, etc. what a vegetable soup) maybe be hipper and easier to read (in today’s language), but the words have been changed which changes the intent and meaning to what is being said. Newer versions make good sense now in 2011, they are easy to read, but the Bible says, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” (Proverbs 14:12) The KJV is easily tracked backward the direction we must go to understand what the Old Testament Prophets and in the New Testament what the disciples, Paul, Peter, even Jesus were saying. And yes even further back to the Greek and Hebrew where the real meaning of God’s word is found. Now you do not have to be able to speak or read Greek or Hebrew, but to understand God’s word you will need to know what the words mean, for there is the heart of truth. The truth of the Bible is contained in the words as the Holy Spirit gives us revelation – the sign of our spiritual authority. Thus if we do not understand what the individual words mean in the Bible we will not have any authority in God to speak and do for Him. They say in the world understanding is power well that may be true in the world, but my friend in God understanding is authority and there is a huge difference between power and authority. I would rather have a smidgen of God’s authority then all of man’s power. To understand what I am saying in this article you will have to open up your spirit and brush up on your study skills to hear with the Spirit of God. Wise advice that will carry you all the days of your life.

Now many people think the 18 Chapter of Revelation is talking about the City of Rome well I am not so sure about that. Here John is talking about something in the future he saw in the Spirit (he could not explain) Rome was his present day world which he could easily explain. The mighty city of Rome, built on seven hills, fell from within from her idolatry, a promiscuous lifestyle, and just plain old open rebellion to God by not selling out to God. This selling out extends into so many areas of our lives and our culture. In the Book of Revelation we read about how the nations were deceived by the merchants of the earth. “And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. 2And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold (of the place where captives are kept, a prison) of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. 3For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication (Strong’s #4204: to permit one’s self to be drawn away by another into idolatry) with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.” (Revelation 18:1-3) How could this happen with mighty churches on every corner? How could this happen with the so called end-time revival that some say is to happen? Be not deceived by the liars on TBN and other Christians TV stations. All they want is your money (they are the merchants), just listen to their message: money, money, and money it is what moves their hearts. Please do not be caught up in this greed and deception of sowing seed. How could all of this happen that is easy the people did not sell out to God. How could the merchants of the world wax (grow) rich, that is easy the Christians spent their money on the things of the world instead of the things of God. Do you see that moving here? My friend either we will sell out to God or we will sell out to the world. We will either put on darkness or we will put on light. Paul lets us know these are our only two choices in life, “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 13Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” (Romans 13:11-14) We try so hard to be good and put on the light, but it is not really about being good and putting on light, oh no my friend it is about casting off darkness. If we cast off darkness we will put on the light of the glorious gospel. Notice casting off darkness happens first before we can put on the light. Order matters in the Bible. If we sell out to God He will make sure those things we need in our lives, to conform us into His precious Son’s image, will come our way. Let us not be like the young lad who did all of the right things, but in the end lost his soul and why? He could not sell out to God and was never heard of again, the choice is ours. Written by David Stahl