A LOST GENERATION

I have really wrestled with this article because I do not want to believe it is possible. This article is somewhat different than most that I write and in ways is a call to action to parents who do not want to see their kids and an entire generation end up in hell. Lately, God has really opened up my eyes to the lost millennial generation. Now I know there is always hope as long as there is air in our lungs and I do not want to sound defeated, but I fear the youth, the millennial generation, of the day does not have the wherewith all to be saved. Please let me back up. I am not talking about all millennials there are some raised by Christian parents and there are some who are not so plugged into the world and have a heart for God, but the majority statistically speaking eight out of ten millennials know not God and the disturbing part is they have no desire to know God. Again I know they can be saved, but for this to happen they (like us all) first must recognize their need for salvation, confess their sins, and then repent (about face or go the opposite direction), but I do not believe they have the social and mental ability to achieve these requirements for salvation. How can they? They have been so mesmerized (since their youth) with fantasy by the school system, TV, movies, games, entertainment, social media, parents, and even their peers that they do not have the spiritual discernment nor the ability to understand the basic concept of salvation. They have had their minds stuffed with fairies, pixies, vampires, wizards, witches, (since their youth, thank you Disney) to the point they really do not know reality when they hear it or see it. Bewitched, Star Wars, and Star Trek in the 70s and 80s, Harry Potter and the like now, and all of the trash on TV has stolen their spiritual discernment and understanding. Almost everything in their lives has been design to pull down the truth of the Gospel in their lives and blurred the lines between good and evil. Their lives are filled with distractions (things that give instant gratification, but have no real lasting meaning) and meaningless, unfulfilled relationships communicated through a hand held device. At best their character is selfish, self-seeking, and at worse is narcisstic and delusional. They have been given everything they have asked and more while not really having to work. Sadly indulgent parents have ruined this generation trying to be a friend (drinking and shopping buddies) with their children (not parents) and now they are lost. This all has a chilling and damming affect on our society. Take for example the swing in acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle in America, something God called an abomination, the millennial generation (Christian millennials too) have wholeheartedly embraced and why, because of the lack of Godly parenting and the garbage the millennials have been fed all of their lives. You can look at any social issue in America have it be abortion, environmental issues, social justice all the millennials have embraced them against what God’s word says and against what God would have happen in all the earth. Let us face it most parents have raised a generation of children that are lost and do not have the ability in God to know they are lost. You would think the church would be a place for them to find safety and a sound footing, but not so. Many churches today where millennials go are nothing more than an extension of discos, theaters, and lounges. In manner of preaching and worship (a watered down Gospel and a hip Jesus) in most churches where millennials attend have shifted to be like the world so that they can be cool and net them like fish, well what you use to win someone to Christ you have won them to that. We do not need to change the message nor do we need to change the delivery all we need to do is give them the truth of the cross with the power of God and God will take it from there. The so called, “Christian music” that most churches have where millennials go is nothing more than rock and roll heavy metal music. Just turn off the sound and you cannot tell the difference between the Christian band and the heavy metal bands from the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Remember the duck. If it walks like a duck and looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck it is probably not a chicken. In Romans Paul give us a description of a person God would call a “reprobate.” “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;29Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” (Romans 1:28-32) Now please notice their ungodly character resulted in their inability to make clear and concise judgments about life and situations in their lives, thus it affected their character and not knowing nor having the ability to correct their character they just drifted farther and farther away from God and He just let them go. This is proven out in the word “reprobate” (Strong’s #96; void of judgment, not standing the test, not approved, that which does not prove itself such as it ought, unfit, spurious). It was not the people were all of those evil things in verses 29-31, but because they were “void of judgment” and “not able to stand the test” “God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.” And why? Because God was angry with them? No because “they did not like to retain God in their knowledge.” They were not concerned about God, they were more concerned with the things of this world: what they will wear and eat, who they will have relationships with, what they will do to make a living. You know it is sad not to know the truth, but it twice as sad not to know you do not know the truth. This is the case with the millennials today, they care less about God and His word, they live for what they want and can get without much effort in their entitlement world. We must take back the mind of the millennial generation through prayer and by telling them the truth and the great danger they face if there will be any hope of their salvation. Many parents will face alienation from their kids, but we can rest in God knowing we did our part in telling our kids the truth. We must stand in defiance to the social progressive liberal way of life and stress the traditional principles of self-governance, hard work, family, and God. No more sugar coated sermons to get people to come to fill seats and offering plates. No more talking about a hip Jesus. No more programs ad nauseaium to keep the people too busy to spend time with the LORD. We MUST demand the churches we attend stop selling out for mammon (money), for numbers, and cease all of the entertainment based worship. Who cares how much money, how big, and how much power your church has in the community! Churches must get back to basics and stop offering all of the amenities of the world to lure people in, if the power of the Gospel does not do it at your church then maybe your church needs to go away. We MUST tell the millennials what they have been told by the world and even by some leaders and teachers in school (elementary, middle, high, and college) that they have been lied too all of their lives. We must tell them they are being conformed into the image of this world through social media and entertainment. Parents MUST stand up and not be a part of the “beautiful people, the kool crowd” and tell their kids no matter their reaction how much you love them and how much you want them to turn away from the world and all of its delusions and distractions. Yes the Bible does teach in the last days there will be a great falling away, “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;” (2 Thessalonians 2:3), but that is conditional based on people hearing the truth then making the choice to reject the truth being void of judgment. We as parents can choose to tell our kids the truth and then allow them to make up their own minds ever keeping the truth before them in word and lifestyle. In Proverbs we read, “Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. 26Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. 27Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.” (Proverbs 4:25-27) We must allow our kids to ponder their ways, but it is our responsibility as a part of our reasonable service to God to teach them, “turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.” Even though our kids are grown and some have their own kids there hangs a plague (Daniel bought for us in Germany) over our (Karen and I) front door that reads, “as for me and my house we will serve the LORD” taken from Joshua 24:15, “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15) No matter how old our kids get and no matter how many kids they have our kids are still a part (not physically, but emotionally and spiritually) of our (Karen and I) home and we (Karen and I) have an obligation and duty (while alive and on earth) to train and teach our kids (as they do their own) the right way to walk on the highway of holiness. Oh we may not have been perfect in this and I promise you if you stand your God given ground you will face challenges from almost everyone who disagrees, even your kids, but that matters not. The spiritual order in God’s home is: God, father, mother, children and the accountability to God in order never changes. Today we as parents in America can either accept the possible truth that our kids are a part of the great falling away generation (and that may be the case but, I hope not) or they can stand up to the foolishness the world spins in their mind and heart and counter it with the truth of the word of God in love. And yes speaking the truth in love will hurt feelings (usually all concerned) and ruffle feathers, but that too should matter not. What matters is character over consideration for feelings. What matters is, we as Godly parents have done that which is right in the eyes of God to help ensure our kids and their friends are not a part of the lost millennial generation of today. Written by David Stahl

TRUE WORSHIP

As we enter what many Christians call the “Easter” season I am reminded of the greatest display of worship man has even seen and that was when Jesus (willfully) laid down His life for us on a cross and arose from the dead on the third day as He said he would. This last point is critical to our belief in our salvation for if Jesus never rose from the dead then all of our good intentioned church activities are in vain. In Matthew we read, “From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. 22Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.” (Matthew 16:21-22) Am I ever glad Peter never had his way with Jesus. Can you imagine if Peter would have won out and Jesus would never have died? Where would we all be? Lost and undone, but Jesus’ words were true and up from the grave He arose with a mighty power against His foes, He arose praise God, Christ arose. Now we have a hope and future. Without the death of Christ we would not have a hope and a future. Paul taught the Church at Corinth, “Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 14And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 15Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. 16For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 17And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 18Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 19If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” (1 Corinthians 15:12-19) My friend if Christ not be risen from the dead then we have no hope for ourselves to be risen from the dead and notice verse 19, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” My friend if our hope is only in this life then at best we are miserable (Strong’s #1652 pitied). What a hope we have in Jesus! But notice our hope and future is based first on the death of Christ then the resurrection. Paul in Romans tells us, “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:” (Romans 6:4-5) The only way to walk in the Father’s newness of life is to die (some physically) and be raised from the dead. Many denominations use these verses when they do a water baptism, but Paul was not talking about a water baptism he was talking about dying spiritually. Jesus with His death on the cross was teaching us about true worship. There is a divine spiritual principle in play here, to have true worship something or someone must die. True worship is a willful act of the heart and sprit and not of our intellect and emotions. Even when we do not want to worship God, “in spirit and truth” we must willfully die to our selfish desires and self-seeking ways. We go to church and say let us begin our worship and start singing songs, playing music, and in some churches wave flags and call that worship, well that is NOT worship that is singing songs, playing music, and waving flags. True worship is a thing of our heart NOT our emotions trying to get our spirit charged up or our fix for the week. Biblical worship is to bow our head to the ground. In Exodus 34 we read, “And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped. 9And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance.” (Exodus 34:8-9) Moses knew where his strength came from. When Moses was confronted by Korah and the 250 elders again we see Moses in a spirit of worship instead of defending himself or vilifying his enemy, “And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD? 4And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:” (Numbers 16:3-4) Again Moses worshiped and again Moses knew where his strength comes from. Moses died to his pride and arrogance, he put his leadership mantle (how refreshing to see this) on the altar and allowed God to choose between him and Korah. In Genesis 22 we read where Abraham and Isaac worshiped the LORD. “Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. 5And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. 6And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. 7And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? 8And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. 9And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. 10And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.” (Genesis 22:4-10) What faith? Did you get that? “I and lad will go yonder (I wonder where “yonder” is) and worship and come again to you.” I wonder if Abraham knew something about worship? At that time Abraham had every intention to sacrifice his promised son (of his old age) to God in worship. Again something or someone must die to have true worship, but God provided the sacrifice for Abraham and Isaac which is always the result of true worship. God provides for us when we lower our heart and head to the ground, like with Moses and Abraham. Maybe that is why not many people receive from God not much death in us we want to live well, God wants us to die so that He may live through us. My friend worship is not singing or dancing, but dying. Who wants to die? Not many, but Jesus did so that we may have everlasting life. Take heed when we make melody in church and call it worship. In John Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 25He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.” (John 12:24-25) Who wants to die, oh no our flesh screams, “I want to live!” Well to live we will lose our life. True Worship is not conducted by instruments, it is born of the Spirit. It is not mechanical, but uplifting and ascending to God, to a holy God – holy, holy, holy – something fresh we offer from our heart. No flesh can stand in His presence, “that no flesh should glory in His presence.” (1 Corinthians 1:29) These days this needs to be brought out and emphasized because we try to bring God down to our level. Our highest vocation is not ministry, but it is to know and worship God. The more we come to know God the more we will want to worship Him. Many churches spend hours trying to work the people and the Spirit up (and they call that worshipping) to worship God, but if they really knew God there would be no need to work anybody up. We do not worship because we do not know God. Our attitude in God often counts. Worship is a tremendous self-giving to God, something that comes from within, and is going right up to God and right back to us to worship Him the more. We cannot worship in ourselves. Worship is born of the Spirit then He can worship through us for the world to see. Many Christians say we will have all eternity in heaven worshipping God well we better get it right down here on earth (and learn of the quietness of His heart) to be able to function correctly in heaven. How far we are from this in so much we see and hear. Oddly enough when we get really get into true worship we find He is just about 1,000 miles away from so much stuff we are doing, but that holds us it fascinates us and it keeps us going. A.W. Tozer said, “The feeling that we are to make converts at any cost has greatly wounded the church of today.” We cannot make converts we can only share the message and the LORD does the converting. If someone does not come forward to accept Christ we feel we have failed, the message of the Gospel has not went forth, but not true. We are to present the truth and then let the Holy Spirit do the converting. He (the Holy Spirit) needs no showbiz parlor tricks, music, light shows, or smoke and mirrors to do this. This soft and fluffy idea that in order to keep people coming and giving we do not need to offend them is not the message of the Jesus of the New Testament. The preaching of the Gospel must offend us if we are going to be changed. The crowds-at-any-price mania has taken a firm grip on American Christianity and is the motivating power not the power of the Gospel. My friend true worship must precede evangelism. For it is evangelism that God desires to use to draw those out of the world and from that group God will find His elect to sit with Him for all eternity. But, today we are working contrary to what God wants. We are bringing the world into the church. If we can but get some big shot (sports figure, Hollywood movie star, some celebrity) to say nice things about us or our church we rush to the media and airwaves to repeat the wonderful things they have said about us, but who cares what the world says about us? We need to be concerned about what Jesus says about us. The truth is Christ saves us to make us worshipers and workers and the more we know Him the better worshipers and workers we will be, but sadly we are ignoring the first principle the worshippers and only making workers. Christ calls men to carry a cross, we call them to have fun (be blessed and highly anointed) in His name. Christ calls them to forsake the world, but we assure them if they but accept Jesus the world will be their oyster. Christ calls them to suffer even endure persecution, we call to them to enjoy all of the comforts modern civilization can afford, in the name of Jesus. Christ calls us to self-abnegation and to death we call them to find their destiny and fulfillment in God. Yes my friend we have gotten off track. There must be a turning from this humanistic, amusement-based, pseudo-religion that the church of today around the world is. Way too much activity (too busy) and you know noise is not worship. It is far past time for the church to get back to worshipping God, “in Spirit and truth.” Let us learn to know God and worship Him rightly He deserves it. Let us learn to die so that He may be resurrected in us. Written by David Stahl

A MEDITATION ON EASTER

Around Christmas time last year I shared some thoughts on Christ not being a baby and now as we draw closer to what many call the Easter season I would like to share some thoughts on this topic. First, the word we use to express the great victory of Christ, “Easter” is found once in the KJV of the Bible and has nothing to do with the Gospel; the death, the burial, and (our blessed hope of glory) the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The word “Easter” is found in Acts and is talking about Peter not Jesus, “And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.” (Acts 12:4) and is translated from the Greek as Passover, again it has nothing to do with the Gospel message. I am not going to go into all of the pagan rituals and religious traditional practices that surround the historical myth of Easter my intent is to lift up the name of Jesus. But, my friend we have “truly” (taking something from the physical realm and projecting it into the spiritual realm) drifted so far from the true meaning of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and the great price He paid for my sin and your sin. We have insulted God’s supreme act of giving His only begotten Son and the truth for an emotional swell during the holiday season, to increase church attendance, and to spread ones denominational message under the guise of sharing the Gospel. We do so much in church that displeases God and cover it up by saying we are sharing the Gospel. God please forgive us. God does not need special services that effect our emotions and feelings to share the Gospel message. God needs dedicated and consistent children to follow Him and His basic plan. A few years ago I heard a statement from a pastor (of a church we once attended) that just shook me to my knees. He said after Jesus was arrested and crucified the light of the world went out. How my spirit quivered within me. How my stomach churned and ached for this fellow’s words were not true, but was in keeping with the emotional Easter tradition. At no point in time has Jesus not been the light of the world. My friend even when Jesus obediently and willfully laid His life down, He was still in control; of all Heaven, earth, hell, and will always be the light of the world. His light will never go out. Death could not hold Him, the grave could not hold Him, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:55-57) Because this is true about Jesus we too can say, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” Let us not be led by our emotions and plans to practice an Easter season, but be led by the Holy Spirit to know and understand the true message of the Gospel. This my friend is the message that will change your life forever. At the Passover Supper (before He went out into the garden) Jesus knew the garden experience was there and He knew that the cross, death, the grave, and hell was waiting Him. Yet Jesus went out with a hymn in His heart, “And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.” (Matthew 26:29) How could He do that? He could sing because He had the victory already in His heart. The victory and trust He had in His Father to carry Him through the garden, onto the cross, and into and out of the grave. He knew His Father would never leave Him nor forsake Him. The victory was first won as the Father pressed out the life and will of Jesus at Gethsemane (which means where oil is pressed), “Then saith he unto them, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 39And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” (Matthew 26:38-39) Knowing what was before Him Jesus could still break bread with His disciples, “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.” (Matthew 26:26) Knowing what was ahead for Him Jesus could still give thanks, “And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; 28For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Matthew 26:27-28) He could only do this because it was the most sublime manifestation of faith ever expressed. We think He had faith when He restored sight to the blind, strengthened limbs, and raised the dead. Yes that was wonderful, but we must see the spiritual side of things. We must see the necessity of faith in the realm of the Spirit, not in the flesh (like the Easter myth), but the realm of the Spirit where we have the faith to dare to believe like Jesus. It is Jesus’ victorious life which leads up to His victorious death and that is what presents Him as the Lamb without spot and blemish. When seen on the Mount of Transfiguration, He is a Lamb without spot or blemish, but it is a Lamb that has been slain! We are not saved by His life we are saved by His death. His life is exemplary it is beautiful, but He did not come to display great character and to do miracles, He came to die for us. The way of life is through a region of death and unless we partake of His death we shall never reign with Him. “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:” (Romans 6:3-5) The truth of the season is a bitter sweet message of death so that we may live. It is not about new clothing, many church activities, special foods, and musical programs to get people to come to church, but it is about us loving God enough to be willing (like Jesus) to fall into the ground and die, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” (John 12:24)And, to love God’s word enough in simplicity to share it without fanfare and emotional ceremony knowing the Holy Spirit will do His work in lives. Then too we will be able to say we have before the throne (our heart) of God today a victorious risen Lord. Let us keep the love feast of Jesus’ sacrifice. Let us honor Him and His work in us and for those who we are to lead to the cross for His glory. Let not this season be a myth or holiday, but an invitation to life, the life of God. Written by David Stahl

TAKEN BY FORCE

This world is in a mess and sadly I do not see the church (especially in America) a part of helping fix what is really a wrong. Now please know the world as we think about cannot be saved. The “world” is not the earth nor is it the people on the earth. The world is a system, a way of doing things that is contrary to the way God does things. John tells us, “And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” (1 John 4:3) The world has a carnal, antichrist way of thinking and doing things. Most people think the prefix “anti” means against, but that is not true. The prefix “anti” means “another” and if we plug this thought into 1 John 4:3 we find, “that spirit of antichrist (another Christ) . . . even now always already is in the world.” Just a short 90 (or so) years after Jesus’ death, resurrection, burial (the Gospel), and ascension there arose false teachings in the church called Gnosticism; derived from the Greek “gnosis” meaning knowledge. Gnostics taught salvation by mental enlightenment (sounds familiar today) which only the elite spiritual initiates not the ordinary rank and file Christians. They substituted intellectual pursuits for faith and exalted speculation above the tenets of the Gospel. Sounds like today in the church. Sadly we have substituted salvation through enlightenment for works and doing good deeds instead of becoming the work of God. Sadly not much has changed since John’s days in the world when it comes to false teaching. The Gnostics were beat back with the truth of the Gospel, but today most Christians do not read their Bible, spend any time in prayer, and most certainly know not God. Sadly there is little standing in the way of false teaching in the Church today. I am not sure if John would have been able to beat back the Gnostic teachers if they (the Gnostics) had Christian TV. Now do not get me started on Christian TV this is not the intention of this article, but make no mistake Christian TV has done more damage to the Body of Christ (by teaching lies and half truths) than the devil himself. This spirit of “antichrist” is alive and well in the world and in the church. It is easy to tell who are antichrist John helps us here, “And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God.” Any spirit or teaching that points one to salvation not though the death, burial, and resurrection (the Gospel) of Christ on the cross is another Christ. Now do not be deceived many false teachers and many denominations talk about how good Christ was and all of the wonderful miracles He did (which all is true), but they are talking about another Christ and another Gospel message that was not delivered to the church by the early fathers. We see this with the Church at Corinth. Paul chided the people, “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 Church at Corinth has been beguiled from the simplicity in Christ though false teachers and through a false doctrine, sounds like today. So too with the Church at Philippi, “Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. 18(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:” (Philippians 3:17-18) Funny how I have seen one Christian stick verse 17 in the eye of another Christian who they do not like or may have a difference of opinion with. Any time I step on someone’s feelings (I am sorry if I did) and they get offended I am endanger of getting verse 17 jammed into my eye. They foolishly say (because of the disagreement) I am an “enemy of the cross of Christ” and try to turn hearts and destroy friendships. I have seen this too many times (as I said I have had this happen to me by a close friend) in the church and it needs to stop. I will not allow this antichrist spirit to take root in my heart because I still love the brother. Back in Corinth, false teachers have crept in unaware bringing another gospel and Paul is warning the church. Now please know Paul was not saying they were enemies of Christ, oh no they talked about Christ, but Paul said they were “the enemies of the cross of Christ:” You can peach Christ all day long, but when you stand preaching the cross of Christ people’s ears close down and hearts dry up. Why? Paul tells us, “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) The antichrist message in the world today never preaches the message of the cross; death to our selfishness, self-seeking, and religious ways. The antichrist message glorifies and exalts human effort and religious tradition. Just like the humanistic teachings (feel good psychology - I am okay you’re okay thinking) in the church (led by Joel Osteen, Kenneth Copeland, and their ilk) that is replacing the teaching the truth of the word of God. Sadly the cross of Christ is being “made of none effect” and in the end the people will perish because they have believed a lie, they are foolish. Yes there is nothing new under the sun. Even in Jesus’ day we see this antichrist spirit. Jesus shares, “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. 13For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 14And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. 15He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matthew 11:12-14) Remember John the Baptist was Jesus’ cousin. Mary and Elizabeth (Luke 1:36) were cousins. From John the Baptist “until now” was about 30 years (John the Baptist was 6 months older than Jesus) and Jesus just began His ministry. For about 30 years the Jewish people have been trying to force its way into politics to kick out the Romans and establish the throne of Israel once more in the earth and much has not changed since. Even the disciples asked Jesus about this, “When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:6-8) Jesus was more concerned with establishing “the kingdom of God” ( . . . righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Romans 14:16)) in their lives which is not the kingdom of heaven or even an earthly kingdom. Jesus was more concerned with giving them “power” to be able to become “witnesses.” Oh we all want to be a witness for Christ especially when the sun is shining and the birds are singing, but who wants to be a martyr for Christ? Well that is what the word “witnesses” means in the Greek, martyr. Jesus was telling His disciples He will give them power to lay their lives down for the Gospel just like He did. Who wants to lay their life down? Well that is the message of the cross, death to our self. That is the message of the Gospel death to our carnal worldly nature. Unless we deny our self and take up our cross and follow him (Matthew 16:24) where are we going to follow Christ to, heaven? No into our death, our death to our sin nature, death to our ways and desires so that He can live through us. Unless God can strengthen us with might in the inward man we will never be able to lay our life down for our neighbours, the Gospel, or even Christ. No we have lost the simplicity of the Gospel just like the Church at Corinth and now we are trying to force things into being what we think God wants on earth. After all, “the violent take it by force.” Yes “the violent take it by force,” but we are not to be violent. We are to have the same character and nature of Christ, our example. We are not to be violent and push our way into what we think God would have on earth, but allow God to make us into His image and nature. This is why Jesus said, “the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence,” violent Christians can never establish the kingdom of heaven nor enter into the kingdom of God, heaven is suffering because we are doing things outside of God’s framework and plan. It is not our way it is God’s way. We must do things through the divine spiritual principles God has established for our lives and His church. We must not allow the antichrist spirit of this age and past ages creep into the church and our lives deceiving us from God’s best. Yes the world is in a mess and the people in the world are even in a bigger mess. There is an urgent need for the intervention of God in the Church, within His people, and in the affairs of the nations. At this present time the LORD is seeking out those whom He can use for this purpose as the time in which man is in control of the nations is coming to an end. In the past, with few exceptions, the LORD moved through human agency, but was limited by the level of faith and yieldedness in those He used. At this present time the LORD is preparing overcomers those who desire to go beyond their present spiritual experience and are responding to His voice in obedience. These are aware that something different is taking place as they are hearing a call to come into a higher level of relationship to the LORD. As world conditions increasingly deteriorate it is becoming evident that there is no lasting solution to world problems, except through divine intervention. Any possible method of dealing with these present world dilemmas is so elusive that leaders must come to recognize that they are incapable of any resolution of these problems. To be able to overcome these situations in the world requires a high level of personal integrity and commitment. As we unconditionally commit all that we are along with all that we ever will be to the LORD (in obedience) we will rise above all that is less than His best for us, our relationships with our brothers and sisters, and with God will begin to function correctly. To experience this level of identification with the LORD we must unconditionally submit the totality of our being to Him and specifically give Him permission to deal with us as He may desire, the ultimate sign of our submission. Glory always relates to the presence of the LORD in us. When He comes to minister to us it is not to our flesh (He wants to kill that), but the abundance of the life of God that we have allowed God to work in us and this my friend can never be forced it must be developed in us. We cannot take the things of God they must be received this is why the things of God can never be taken by force. Written by David Stahl

COMING IN GLORY

It is not God is on our side, but rather are we on His side, because believe it or not Jesus is coming back in glory. Now that is not our glory, but God’s glory. And it is not in an unconditional way, but very much conditional. I wonder why we think salvation is unconditional? Did you know God has established conditions for those who would be saved. Salvation is only for those who believe, confess, and repent even though offered to all, but it is freely given to only those who meet God’s conditions. Now it is true God’s love towards man is unconditional; there is nothing man must or can do to receive God’s love, but salvation is a totally different thing. God has established for man to believe (John 3:16), confess (1 John 1:9), and repent (Acts 3:19) or they will not receive salvation. Sadly this unconditional thinking has bled over into the realm of salvation and many people miss the mark here. I am afraid it will not be so glorious for many people when Jesus returns, but for those who are ready they will appear with Him in His glory. Sadly many people dispute this truth, but that does not change the fact of the matter. Oh how silly we are when we think by not believing something it will cause it not to happen. I remember as a little boy hiding under a glass coffee table thinking no one could see me. The coming of the LORD in glory is seen in two fold periods of time. First He will reveal Himself to His people. After this He will be manifested to the entire world as the King of kings and LORD of lords. The first day began with the transgression of Adam and lasted until Jesus came on the scene. The second day includes all that Jesus said and did together with the ministry of the present day Church. During the second day what we call the Church Age Jesus is in the midst of His Church. John helps us with that, “And I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned, I saw seven golden lamp stands; And in the midst of the seven lamp stands I saw one like the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the feet, and tied around the breast with a golden band.” (Revelation 1:12-13) We must never forget the Book of Revelation is the unfolding of the “Revelation of Jesus Christ” and not so much about all of the mysteries we find it hard to get our thoughts around and questions that divide us. After His resurrection Jesus appeared to His people, but no one else saw Him. In 2 Thessalonians we read that He will first be glorified in His saints during the approaching time of His return. “When He shall come to be glorified in His saints and to be admired in all those who believe . . .” (2 Thessalonians 1:10) The primary purpose for Jesus coming to His Church first is to prepare them for their part in the judgments of God upon the earth and in heaven. The message to the seven Churches in the Book of Revelation span the entire Church Age and addresses the needs within each of these Churches to correct and purify those who are called to become overcomers. Therefore at the end of each message, Jesus said, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches.” The second reason for His coming to His Church first is to cleanse and purify her by the washing of the water of the Word so that He can present to Himself a Bride without spot or wrinkle. Following this is the revelation of the Son of Man to the entire world for the final judgments which will lead into the establishing of the Kingdom of Heaven. It is important for us to understand that the second coming of Jesus cannot be separated from the establishment of His kingdom. This fulfills the word concerning dominion which the LORD spoke to Adam when He created him. Adam was to have dominion over the earth and all that exists on it. This dominion was forfeited by Adam to Satan and the principalities who presently rule from their usurped places. Now it is through “tribulation” that we are prepared for the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven. “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) The word “tribulation” here means “to put pressure on.” Now this is more than the many daily mundane pressures that we face in our lives, but also intense judgments and dealings from God to purify and refine our character. If we are not presently feeling a measure of this pressure then we may be less than fully committed to the LORD. It is very important that we understand that these pressures are not the result of the LORD being angry with us; nor are they punishment. Rather He is seeking to produce a quality within us that will enable us to stand and endure in any situation we must face in life. When the Son of Man appears in the sky all the tribes of the earth will mourn as a result of seeing Him. I do not know about you my friend, but it does not sound too glorious to me. That which they had chosen not to believe will have become a reality, and now they must face the consequences of their rejection of Christ. Jesus tells us, “But of that day and hour no one knows, no, not the angels of heaven, but only My Father.” (Matthew 24:36) There is wisdom as to why God did not reveal a time or date when Jesus will return. Had He done so we could put off getting ready until almost the time. The disciples had asked when this would take place. The answer Jesus gave was to explain the circumstances that would exist at that time. “But as the days of Noah were, so shall be the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew 24:37) Thus His return will be in a time that is similar to the days in which Noah lived. Lately I have been giving much thought to the “days of Noah” as compared to the manifested presence of the LORD on earth. I have wondered how the “days of Noah” got to be the “days of Noah,” “For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered into the ark.” (Matthew 24:38) They were occupied with the everyday things of life and laughed at Noah for building a boat on dry land. When Noah entered the ark it was God who shut the door of protection. The people did not understand until it was too late when the flood came and took them away. It will be this way again at the coming of the LORD. I can remember as a child seeing the power of God in real and powerful ways where suddenly the power of God would drop (and you knew it was God), but today rarely do we see this power in churches. It seems with each generation there is less and less of the Spirit of God in the people and church not because God is taking His Spirit away, but because we are not as sensitive to His working and not so concerned with the things of God. Worldly and carnal distractions have filled our lives drowning out God’s presence. I think this is what happened to Noah’s generation. God finally had enough, “And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.’ (Genesis 6:6-7) In six short Chapters God had enough of man’s sin, but God never hid His face or voice from man. Man had to have known right from wrong for God to bring such total judgment. The next verse says, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” (Genesis 6:8) God always provides grace ahead of judgment. Even in God’s anger God provided a way of escape for man. Peter tells us, “Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.” (1 Peter 3:20) The Lord embraced these eight souls by putting an “ark” around them. Then He Himself closed the door and they were safe. When the Son of Man comes He will not take us and fly away. The ark did not go up to heaven rather it stayed on the earth rising on top of the waters of judgment. Eight out of millions maybe billions of people on the earth and we think heaven will be crowded? During this time the Son of God will embrace His people. Just as those eight people were spared in the universal destruction of all mankind by water the Lord will save the redeemed in the midst of the fire, but He will forsake the rest. It is those who have rejected Him that will be gone or destroyed in this fire. This is not a flying away process, but rather Jesus is coming to embrace those who are the redeemed and who have overcome by responding to His words when He was in the midst of the Church. Matthew (Chapter 25:1-13) compares the Kingdom of Heaven to 10 virgins who went out to meet their Bridegroom. Of these five were wise and five were foolish. Yes foolish Christians in the Kingdom of Heaven. While the Bridegroom (Jesus) tarried all of the virgins (even the wise) slumbered and slept, “While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.” (Matthew 25:5) Is this not a picture of most Christians (myself included at times) in the Church today? Distractions chiefly due to the rise of technology in the world has blinded the eyes of our understanding putting Christians fast to sleep as we slumber on day after day. I cannot believe how easy and how fast hand-held electric devices have conquered the world and the Church. I hear Christians say technology is the way to share the Gospel message, rubbish! Take heed do not be deceived by those Christians who know not God (foolish virgins) and have sold out to the god’s of this world that broadcast Christian TV (an oxymoron) and the word of faith prosperity crowd. Entertainment: Christian rock (another oxymoron) music, dance, light shows, sound shows, fog shows, every show imaginable to excite and titillate our senses fills our services not allowing the convicting power of the Holy Spirit to humble us. And I cannot believe the sudden rise of Christian movies (yet another oxymoron) from Hollywood. Are Christians that deceived that they would spend their money supporting the abortion, gay, and lesbian agenda of Hollywood? Are Christians that deceived that they would spend their money on parlor trick special effects movies instead of missions and people in need? Are Christians that foolish and deceived that they would give their money to Hollywood’s social engineering that shakes its fist in the face of God? I would say yes. Hollywood has discovered Christians are easy prey and yes even suckers for anything that looks or acts “Christian.” And why? Because most Christians do not read their Bibles nor have an imitate relationship with Jesus Christ. Take heed church in America (and around the world) you are about to get fleeced again with the movie “Son of God” (which Jesus never referred Himself as. Jesus referred to Himself as the “Son of Man” as in Isaiah) and “Noah.” Please do not go and see these movies if you have that much extra time read your Bible or spend the two hours plus in prayer. Those who were wise did not know the time of His coming in glory, but were ready. Did you get that? The foolish virgins did not know Him maybe they only had their sins forgiven, but the foolish put off knowing Him until it was too late. Then when the Bridegroom (the LORD) came at an unexpected time the foolish asked the wise for some of their oil (knowing the LORD through personal experience), but were told to go and buy for themselves, symbolic of developing this personal experience. “And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” (Matthew 25:10-13) In so doing they missed the time of entrance of the Bridegroom into His Kingdom and were lost. Thus the important thing is for us to become ready by coming to know the LORD in this present time in anticipation of His return. There are within the Church those who name the Name of Jesus as their Savior. But within these are those who are overcomers; those who have fully committed their lives to the LORD and have been tested and proven faithful. These will not only survive, but they will be the instruments of the coming judgment. Isaiah tells us “Behold, a king (Jesus) shall reign in righteousness, and princes (us) shall rule in judgment.” (Isaiah 32:1) We are not called to understand how the LORD will do this, but rather we are to be ready in that day when He returns in manifested glory to be joined to Him as a member of His manifested body. Jesus is about to return to establish His Kingdom on the earth, and those who are overcomers will rule and reign with Him. I do not believe we will be raptured out of this world nowhere in the Scriptures does the LORD rapture people from tribulations, trials, and troubles, but will remain here on the earth not as victims of God’s universal judgments, but as overcomers and instruments of His judgments which will lead to our ruling with Him in ages to come. Are we to rule and reign with Him in heaven? No on the earth! John tells us, “And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:10) Regardless of our view of these things there is one thing on which we all agree; Jesus is coming soon in glory and we must be ready. This time Jesus is not coming back as a wee baby in a manager, but as the ruler of all. Written by David Stahl

IN OUR OWN WORDS

It is difficult to express the idea of true spirituality, but it can be narrowed to a principle: in order to relate to and function spiritually one must be “spiritually minded,” or be “in the Spirit.” For us to be considered as being spiritual indicates that we have come into a degree of spiritual balance and maturity wherein we are living and walking in an ongoing personal relationship with our Savior, Jesus. In Romans Paul makes this painfully clear, “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (Romans 8:6) Whether we are carnally or spiritually minded is not up to God (it is His intention we be spiritual minded), our pastor, spouse, family, or friends, but up to us. Are we willing to endure God’s dealings and judgments in our lives to be able to put the mind of Christ (please see Ephesians 2:5) on? Do we really think just because we have asked Jesus into our heart (hopefully we did not repeat the sinner prayer) God will give us the ability to think like Christ? Oh no my friend do not believe the latest lies from the word of faith crowd; coming to know how God operates and functions will cost you something my friend like things of yourself, things of the world you MUST give up to win Christ. To know how God flows and moves today (where we have the mind of Christ) we will have to have an experiential knowledge of God and His ways for this to happen we MUST have experiences with God. We MUST like the disciples be able to say in our own words, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; 2(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 3That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.” (1 John 1:1-4) In these four verses John uses the words “we have seen and heard or we declare.” How can we truly have fellowship with Christians who have never allowed God to work in their lives? What is their testimony? They walked the aisle? To be able to say these words God MUST be able to take us to a place (far beyond faith) where trust is being developed in us. How can we preach and teach a risen Christ if we have never experienced the resurrection power of God as He takes us from one level of glory to the next? How can we tell the truth if we have never allowed God to take us through anything? Far too many Christians are comfortable in their Sunday go to meeting Christianity filled with religious and pious traditions and have never experienced the work of God in their lives. They just go through the motions every Sunday, content in the good feeling they get from the routine and ceremony never allowing God to get them out of their comfort zone so He can become a real God to them. It is when we get outside our comfort zone God can begin to work in our lives and not until then. Far too many pastors, teachers, and evangelists never venture outside their little safe world protecting the rice bowl they have earned, but lacking in real spiritual growth and development from experiences where God can get them out on a limb and maybe cut it off. Did you know my friend it is our own words that reflects where we are in God? To find out where you are in God all I have to do is let you speak, after all out of our mouth speaks our heart. To see what type of person you are all I have to do is taste of the fruit hanging from your branches. My friend our walk with the LORD must be first-hand experience (things we have touched and tasted of God) if not then we do not know what we are talking about. Far too many Christians have this type of Christianity; saved from something, but knowing not the God they think has saved them. Our salvation MUST be in our own words. To be “spiritually minded” also implies that we have been “fitly joined together” into the Body of Christ and function in our position. For us to be considered as being spiritual means that we are living in absolute integrity and have a positive testimony before all those to whom we relate or interact with in life. Paul expresses this thought in Ephesians, “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” (Ephesians 4:14-16) Sadly some pastors, teachers, and evangelists teach from the Word of God that knowing truth as being an end in itself, feeling that this is the mark of spirituality. The revelation may be genuine and true, yet unless it effects a change within our lives we will becomes as a “sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal.” Our consecration to the Lord, our walk with Him, our fellowship with the Body of Believers of which we are a part, our relationship to the world in which we live, must be of such a quality that the revelation which we have (seen, heard, and declared) will find its expression and fulfillment through our daily life experiences. The quickened, revealed Word must become a personal reality so it can be both seen and handled by those to whom we witness. The level of spiritual maturity to which we have attained is not determined by the amount of or the greatness of our revelation, but rather our spiritual maturity relates to the consistent application of spiritual laws and truths to our daily life experience. The Lord is looking for those who are willing to accept and conform to the Word that He is speaking and separate themselves from all that might hinder or limit this flow of spiritual understanding and relationship. For us to be considered as being “spiritual” indicates that we have come into a degree of “spiritual maturity” in which we can discern and respond to His voice and presence, and maintain an active ongoing personal relationship with the LORD. There should be within us a measure (30-60-100 fold) of God (as seen in the parable of the sower) which others can sense and relate to. Now the parable of the sower is not about four types of spiritual ground (heart conditions) in which the word of God can be sown in as much as it is about four types of spiritual growth and development we experience as we allow God to work in our lives and teach us His ways. Jesus sets up these truths and explains “the mystery of the kingdom of God” in parables (Jesus was the Master of using parables) beginning in Mark Chapter 4, “And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 10And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. 11And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: 12That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.” (Mark 4:10-12) The “without” Jesus was talking about was the understanding that comes with “ears to hear.” These ears are not given to us at salvation, but must be developed in us as we allow God to work in our lives though His dealings and judgments. At the end of verse 12 is a mystery to me. That is okay I like mysteries, who would want to serve God you can figure out? Apparently Jesus was not ready (at that time) to reveal the secrets of the kingdom of God to others, only the disciples. Why I do not know, but I am sure Jesus had a reason. My best guess would be He wanted to lay a solid foundation first in the disciples. Just a note of interest here; seemingly the people had to understand this parable before they could get converted, “lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.” What a mystery. Then in verse 13 Jesus gives us the key, the Rosetta Stone to understand all of the parables He taught. “And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?” (Mark 4:13) Jesus was saying if you cannot unlock the truth in this parable then you will not be able to understand all other parables He teaches. Truth is built on precept upon precept and line upon line, so if we fail to understand foundational principles (and that will be seen by what type of fruit growing in our lives) we will never be able to understand deeper truths that are progressive. Truth never abides alone and is always moving to the next level after we hold the understanding in our heart for a brief second or two. There are things I have been holding before the LORD for years and when I am ready for God to open them up to me I will hold them awhile and they will lead me to the next level of truth contained therein. Jesus goes on to explain what the sower was sowing. “The sower soweth the word.” (Mark 4:14) The seed was not money as most Christian TV celebrities and greedy pastors, teachers, and evangelists teach. God is not so much concerned with money as man is. This has been a liberating truth for BHG, if God wants me to do something He will make the funds available through people who are connected with us and who are obedient to His word. I do make the need known and Godly people respond out of a heart of love and obedience. I do not say, “Brother plant your seed (money) in the good ground of my ministry (it is not my ministry it is God’s that is why my name is not attached to it) and God will give you a 100 fold return” this my friend is nothing, but pure greed. By all means we must be led by the Spirit and give whatsoever He is telling us, God wants His money back and we need the reward that comes with our obedience. The seed was the word of God and not money. Jesus now gets into the four different types of spiritual growth. “And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.” (Mark 4:15) For most people when the word of God is sown in their heart it is lost to misunderstanding. Make no mistake misunderstanding is a form of understanding, but it is a misapplication of the word sown. I do not believe Satan has the power to reach into our heart and steal the word of God unless we allow. Often this permission comes by way of us not understanding what was said and the application of the word then is lost. New Christians often get lost from misapplication on their way to the wilderness (where God can begin to work in their lives), but if they are serious God will keep them until they can once again find their way. Jesus then went on to talk about the second type of spiritual growth and development where there was some understanding applied. “And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.” (Mark 4:16-17) Notice the word was still being sowed. The Christian now has matured in ways where the word was “immediately receive it with gladness” they heard the word, but because the Christians had no experience in dealing with the word of God (no depth of understanding) and had never allowed God to build in him a trust (beyond faith) the word sprang up in their heart, but was cut out of their heart by life’s many troubles and circumstances. Here the new Christian is trying to walk with the LORD (the word of God is getting through), but make no mistake when we desire to walk with LORD afflictions and persecutions will arise in our lives our family and friends as well as God will see to it. Here are a few promises (probably not found in promises boxes) from God, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (2 Timothy 3:11) Jesus said, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) What wonderful promises from God. And make no mistake once you make up your mind you will serve the LORD your friends and family (especially family and even children) will not understand and turn their backs on you, but Jesus said, be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” There is also a danger in this verse. Many new Christians and even many pastors, teachers, evangelists have no root or understanding in them so they hear some truth (get a message from the internet or from another pastor, teacher, or evangelist) are happy and run out and share it, but when troubles comes their way they lose the truth of the message because it was never a part of them spiritually. They then will have to run back to get the message again and again. This is the picture of most churches today or worse there is a cross pollination of churches by pastors whereby a hot evangelist or teacher receives a word from God we often see this on Christian TV and in magazines (that has not been worked into their lives) and then they travel the circuit from one church to the next depositing something they know little about. No root no lasting effect in our lives. One last thought here; make sure the persecution and affliction that comes our way is because of the sake of the word and not because of our sake. Jesus continues on our spiritual progression, “And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, 19And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.” (Mark 4:18-19) Here the word was sowed among “thorns” what Jesus referred to as cares, deceitfulness of riches, and lust yet the word grew, but the word was unfruitful because it was mixed with thorns. Fruit grew from what it was planted with. So too as we grow in the LORD we can mix the word and produce fruit in our lives that was not intended by God. The seed was from God, but the ground was made up from others things which affected the seed. It was sown maybe not in peace, but in arrogance, greed, or even in selfishness, but remember whatsoever is planted will grow. Here the new Christian is growing and failing (even maybe in ministry) in God, but now producing fruit. And lastly we discover the good ground a maturing Christian whose foundation is God’s word and God’s dealings and judgments in their lives. “And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred. “(Mark 4:20) Notice the three steps: they heard (understood it) the word, they received the word, and it brought forth fruit. God is not complicated, three easy steps. Now the amount of harvest depends not on the seed (all of God’s seed produces a 100 fold return), but on the ability of the hearer to receive the word. The more we can receive (by closing out the world and our self) of God the more fruitful we can become. As we walk with the LORD God will plow our hearts, till our lives, dung and water us with others (I have been dunged and watered by many wonderful people) lives achieving a fertile life in us in which to sow seeds that will germinate and bring forth fruit that will produce seed after seed and remain. Now please know I am not saying any of the three previous types of spiritual growths are bad (they are not) they are typical of our walk with the LORD as we develop in Him as He is able to bring us along. The Body of Christ is made up from Christians from these four types of spiritual development and as we allow God to help us overcome things in our lives we all will be fruitful and give God a return on His investment. Our walk with the LORD MUST be in our words and out from our own life; if not then it can never be said we are spiritual and will always be “carnally minded.” Written by David Stahl

DIVINE DECISIONS AND DISTRACTIONS

Our spiritual life (the level of spiritual maturity to which we have attained) is far more than the sum of the spiritual information that we have gathered or any compilation of our spiritual experiences. Rather the core and substance of our being “spiritual” relates to the level of inner peace and harmony that results from our making right choices, decisions, and our reactions to distractions in our lives along the pathway of our spiritual walk with the LORD. The Lord is seeking those who are willing to go beyond that which they have freely received through redemption and knowing our right choices, decisions, and distractions will never be easy. Paul told the Church at Philippi, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14) No matter who or where we are we must make decisions as to what we will see, hear, and do, or where we will go or not go. The ever present temptation is to compromise and go along with the questionable and even the difficult situations that often line our path. We make few major decisions, but each day we make many “minor” (seemingly to us) decisions that feed either the carnal or the spiritual aspect of our being. The accumulation of these choices will result in our becoming predominantly carnal or spiritual. As our spiritual decisions begin to outweigh the negative pulls and responses in our lives we become an “overcomer.” To the extent that we rise above carnal soulish desires we are lifted into a place of communion with our LORD and we grow spiritually. Now the more decisions that we make which are toward the LORD and His purposes the easier it will become to continue making these correct decisions. The further down the road that we go in our walk with Jesus we will progressively become more detached from all that is either carnal or a temptation to us. In the beginning it may be difficult, but as we progress it will become easier. The pathway of our spiritual life can be considered as being an upward spiral. If we take a large wood screw and place our finger nail in the groove near the point and run it along the surface, we will gradually progress toward the head. Though it may seem to us that we are going in circles as we continue to make right decisions we are progressively moving upward. If we do this in reverse and feed the carnal aspect of our being it will lead us ever downward. There are those who have within them a quality of spiritual life. Now it may not be apparent as to why this is so, but if inquired into these folks would testify that through the struggles of life they have made quality decisions which bring them into increasing levels of fellowship with the Lord. Paul tells us, “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he that in these things serves Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.” (Romans 14:17-18) The “kingdom of God” begins with “righteousness,” in the middle is “peace,” and ends with “the Holy Spirit.” It is not a physical or mythical place, a church, or even a ministry as most Christians like to project in the earth, but is made up and we enter it by making right choices and by dealing with distractions in our lives in God. Our submission to God’s divine government will lead us to becoming a partaker with Christ. In His realm our decisions do not relate only to right or wrong, but with the motives that underlie right or wrong. It is here that the final test of our union with the LORD will find its outworking. If we truly overcome in this area of our being we will be able to enter all three areas of God’s kingdom. Now here is where all of my title comes into play. Not only is correct decisions and choices critical to our walk with the LORD, but so too how we handle distractions in our lives. I do not know about you my friend, but the older I get and the longer I walk with the LORD the more I seem to get distracted. At first we are tested concerning the choices and decisions that we make. As we progress up the spiral we will be tested concerning the motives of our heart which provoke the things that manifest as right or wrong. It is not enough to deny only the “thing” we must overcome the very principle that allows it to abide within us and assert itself. Those who are satisfied with being blessed and eventually going to heaven have their reward (streets of gold and a mansion), but for those who intensely hunger for God’s higher level of spiritual reality there is so much more. These are in the place of pressures, discomforts, and distractions we deal with the issues of our heart. Distraction can fall into several categories which can knock us off the main track. For example just look at the distractions that fill up our lives: TV, movies in the cinema (even Christians movies), hand-held electric devices, social media, sports, sports programs, cooking show, you name it man is doing it, all distractions from hearing God’s word to us. In the political world: Democrats strive against Republicans while the Supreme Court stands staking it’s fist in the face of God with each new law that it passes. Just because the Supreme Court (Rove v Wade 1973) said it was okay to kill babies does not make it right in God’s eyes and America will pay for her disobedience. Sadly the spirit of national and world politics have leaked into the church where many denominational churches are divided along racial and political lines. I have said it before and I will say it again if you call yourself a Christian and you are active in politics you must vote the Bible, what God says is true and not what man says is true. The late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was right, God is not too concerned about the color of our skin, but He is greatly concerned about our character. We must never support a politician (no matter who he is) or organization that does not speak the truth found in the word of God. I was listening to a radio program and a Christian was complaining about the Grammy Awards marrying off 33 same sex couples and I thought why in the world are you watching the Grammy Awards from Hollywood? What did he expect something of God? The world is full of distractions and we must not listen to them if we are going to follow the LORD. Our advancement in God can often be measured by how we tune out things of the world. These distractions that come our way can distract us from our true purpose before God. We can become so immersed in our distractions that we see nothing else. In the same regard the worth of a person can also be measured by what happens when he or she is really facing troubles and distractions. It is a given we will face difficulties, troubles, and even distractions. Paul told Timothy, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (2 Timothy 3:12) What a wonderful promise from God. So it is not that we have distractions and troubles rather it is how we handle these difficulties that really determine the quality of our relationship with God. If we give up what does that say about our trust in God? Now believe it or not these distractions can even be from God. Paul also told Timothy, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 8Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;” (2 Timothy 1:7-8) The longer we go with God the more He expects from us and the more He will exact from us obedience to His words. When I first started traveling in ministry I was zealous I would go at the drop of a hat. No fear, to the ends of the earth and beyond; well the longer I went with the LORD the more He was able to show me my motives, intentions, and my heart. The more I traveled the more I saw my zealousness became a distraction to the work God wanted to do in my life. Soon the ministry to others became secondary, because primary was the work God wanted to do in me after all, “We are God’s workmanship. . . ” (Ephesians 2:10). Trip after trip God was killing me (for mine and others benefit) it seemed like I had to drag my sorry self from country to country (trip to trip) while looking for ways to escape not going or while deployed ways to return home early. Now here is where distractions can be most divine for us, not in the distraction from the LORD’s purpose, but in the overcoming of the distraction. You know I still get this fear (and probably always will), but now it seems it is present after I buy my ticket, I have some skin in the game. When God speaks to us it is His very word that can become a distraction (and get us off track) that threatens our self-life and causes fear to arise deep with our spirit revealing our lack of faith. Do you know where fear lives? Fear is found in the pit of our stomach. Esther said, “if I perish I perish.” Now no one wants to perish ahead of their time, but if this be God’s plan for our lives (to lay our life down so that others may live) so be it. My good friend in Romania Pastor Jacob once said, “no one (Christians included) is afraid of dying, but what they are afraid of is how and when they will die.” My friend we are not really ready to serve God (and go to the ends of the earth or even across the street) unless we first are ready to die for Him. On the other side of conquering our fear is the approving and qualifying of God. Conquering our fear has nothing to do with faith, but everything to do with trust. Faith is what God gives (it is God’s faith not ours we cannot earn it or work it up) us to believe for salvation and such. How much faith do we need? Just enough faith to believe God raised Jesus from the dead and if we die He too will raise us from the dead. Now trust is built in us by every personal experience, every time God takes us through difficult situations and circumstances where we are sure we will be killed along with our dreams and hopes (even those in God), but in the end we see as an open mirror before us, God and only God has saved us. Job said, “though God slay me, yet I will trust Him.” Do we have enough trust in God to allow Him to slay us? If not at the end of the day and when we fail to keep moving through our fear it is because of our unbelief and selfishness. Unbelief in thinking God is not able to keep us in the hallow of His hand no matter the situation of circumstances and if something what we call bad would happens so be it. We must never allow our fear for self-preservation or our love for others and this world win the day over God’s word to us. And selfishness not wanting what God wants for our lives, but wanting our way. A selfishness were we do not want to experience loss (even if it is God’s idea), but loss is the way God measures our gain in Him. The writer to Hebrews told of the Children of Israel, “But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? 18And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? 19So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” (Hebrews 3:17-19) Unbelief will keep us out of God’s rest (even further than trust) not an unbelief of faith, but of an unbelief of trusting God in every situation and circumstance, in every decision we make and every distraction we overcome in our lives and our families. Written by David Stahl