LET US PRAY

I would like to share some thoughts that will help us with our prayers. I think one of the greatest mysteries of God is prayer. I have told this story in the past and share it (in brief) to express my point. God took me all the way to India to teach me this lesson. God will go great lengths to teach us the lesson we need to learn to be victorious in Him if we have a heart to be obedient and a willingness to learn. I think one of the most troubling heart conditions I see in the church today is most Christians do not have a desire to want to learn. Here seems to be a lot of know-it-alls in the church today. Now I will be the first to admit I do not know everything and the things I thought I knew, well God is showing me years later truth is progressive. What I once considered to be true (and would die for) now I confess I know nothing at all. What a safe place in God. But while in India after two weeks of eating chicken, curry, and rice because of a stomach upset and diarrhea and ministering three times a day (for two hours each time) and praying for the sick in between, I was weak, drained, I had no strength within me, another safe place in God. When we are weak, then and only then is God strong. Paul learned this truth time and time again as God worked in His life and as Paul laid down his life for the Brethren. We will never have a desire to lay down our lives for anyone (even our family) unless God can first work in our lives and bring us to place of selflessness, the place of total perfection in God. At about 10:00 pm I was looking down the barrel of another plate of chicken, curry, and rice when Pastor S.J. Peter asked me to pray for a little girl who has not walked in months. To make a wonderful long story short I prayed this long, religious, and powerful prayer something like this, Oh God please heal this little girl. I had no words or strength to muster up a religious prayer. I saw no lightening bolts nor did the hair on the back of my neck stand up. My emotions were stilled and my spirit was down in a low place (where Jesus is) expecting nothing when the father put the little girl on the ground. When her little feet hit the ground she was not walking she was running. I have never in my life (even today) seen a girl run so fast. I never got to my chicken, curry, and rice that night a line quickly was formed and we had church. How did God do that? How does prayer work? My friend prayer is mysterious. It is beyond me and my thinking, yet another safe place in God. In Colossians Paul shares these words, “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; 3Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: 4That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.” (Colossians 4:2-3) And one of Christ’s greatest mysteries is prayer. There are five points on prayer I think I have learned (to some degree) over my many years that I would like to share with you. Now the word “prayer” is translated six ways in the Bible, but most often the word prayer is translated as, communion with God and does not substitute for each other. We are to let the Spirit of God teach us. If the Spirit does not give it to us then we will never really get it. The word “prayer” is not in the Gospel or Epistles of John, but “prayer” is tied into john’s life more then the other disciples. It seemed there was a greater quality of love in John’s life. One can not really be involved in prayer if there is no love in our lives. Understanding these previous thoughts are critical for our understanding of knowing God and His ways through “prayer.”

The first of the five points is; we learn to pray by praying. How can we expect God to answer our prayers if we never pray? I am reminded of the story of the man who prayed, “God bless the work of my hands” and God replied, “Do something.” This is the same with prayer. God is waiting for us to do our part so He can do His part. God does not engage in our lives to do what He wants to see happen, in anything. We must start the process when dealing with the things of God. We sing the Vineyard song, “Change My Heart Oh Lord,” well God is waiting for us to do the things required to allow a change of heart. God does not have a magic wand to bonk us over the head or heavenly angel dust to sprinkle over us that magically changes us. Oh no my friend change in God is deliberate and difficult. Those who think change in God happens effortlessly have been deceived by the major denominational religions of the day. Change in God will put to death our fleshly carnal desires and ways. Change in God, becoming the new creature Paul talks about in 2 Corinthians 5:17, will require us to be obedient and submissive to God and some men. Our selfish nature adamantly rejects God and His ways and must be put to death by us. For this to happen we must pray. Please know we do not have to pray, we really do not. But if we do not pray we will not get very far with God. If we have a hunger in us too, “draw nigh (near) to God, and he will draw nigh to you.” (James 4:8) then we must pray. Prayer is how we “draw nigh” to God and how He “draws nigh” to us.

The second point is; we cannot change God’s mind with prayer. Most Christians would rather prayer for hours then give one minute of obedience. We think if we do not like God’s answer we can pray and our earnest heartfelt prayer will change His mind, probably not. God is sovereign and He has plans for our lives. Why would we want to twist God’s arm to get what we want? We seek the understanding of all things, but when we find something we do not like or understand we push for a different understanding and most often we come up with a misunderstanding. Understanding got Eve in a lot of trouble. We do not need to know everything in prayer, we need to rest in prayer. Our understanding in prayer comes from God not figuring things out. In prayer we really do not know much. We often think we know that is why we pray and pray wit the gimmies so much, but the Spirit knows and the Spirit who knows will help us who do not know much. In prayer the goal is not to know what God knows, but to know God. If we can know God then He can tell us what we need to know. To do this and flow in the will of God in prayer we must lay down our ways and will to take up His ways and will, we must lay aside our thoughts and take up His thoughts.

The third point is; prayer helps us to adjust our heart and thinking to God’s will. God knows what we want before we even ask, right? Wrong! Jesus said, “Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” (Matthew 6:6) We many times in prayer insert the word “want” for the words “ye have need of.” There is a big difference between a want and a need. Anyway it is God who gets to say what we are in need of not us. Prayer helps us to see things from God’s perspective. God knows (He made us so) we are beings that need to talk. In prayer it is not God needs to know, but we need to tell Him. Please remember prayer is rarely a time to receive something from God. There is a divine spiritual principle at work here, what we want we must give that away. If we want God to bless us we must ask God to bless others. Remember, God already knows what you need you do not need to ask Him, but He is waiting to see if you are willing to spend the faith He speaks to you on your self or others. Did you know we are to invest the faith God gives us in others? Will we be selfish or selfless like Jesus? And still a deeper thought, God is trying to teach us now how He thinks so that we will be able to function and operate with Him now, but more in our next life with Him. In prayer God is training us. We ask God for something and He says no. Okay, fine. After we stop crying and bellyaching, we learn the next time we come to this cross road we will not have to ask we already know God’s heart in this matter. Again and again different issue after issue God is teaching us how He operates and thinks, what He wants, what His will is through our prayers.

The fourth point of five; obedience to God is never substituted by prayer. Charles Haun told the sad story of a lady who God would wake at night to pray for people and things. God is God at disturbing us at the most inopportune time. You think not? Well serve Him long enough and He will see what you are really made of. One night God woke up this lady (it was very late) to pray for a missionary in Peru. She got out of her bed, went over to the chair in the corner, knelt down, and began to pray. After maybe one hour she went back to bed. A little later God woke her again. This time she got out of her bed and knelt by the bed. After maybe 30 minutes she slipped back beneath the warm blankets. A third time God woke this lady up to pray for the missionary, but this time she did not get out of bed. She just laid there all warm and cozy in her bed praying a few minutes then drifted off back to sleep. God never tried waking her again. About three months late the word came to her church that a missionary had died. The Holy Spirit pricked her heart letting her know it was this missionary she was to pray for the night she slept. A tough lesson in deed it cost someone else their life. There is always a cost for our disobedience and most times to others bear that cost. Prayer is never substituted for obedience. Enough said about that point.

And the fifth and final point, Jesus always prayed because He wanted to maintain contact with His Father, not to do or get things. Prayer is communion with God not taking with God. Our best prayers have no words, just groanings. Never forget Jesus was not given “a name about all names” because He was God’s Son, oh no my friend but because, “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:8) We must never forget Jesus gets everything from the Father. He does not do or say anything of Himself, only those things He sees the Father doing and what His Father would be saying. Prayer is something alone, between us and God. Prayer is not wordiness, nor must it be loud. God is not hard of hearing. He knows our heart’s cry and groans better than our native tongue. Prayer cannot be formed or read, it must be natural, it must be something of the Spirit, it must be spontaneous. Prayer reveals God’s nature and heart to us. There are three patterns of prayer: duty prayer (praying over food, for people, and etc.), a prayer life (spending time alone with God where we stop living our life long enough to pray), and what God is looking for in prayer, a life of prayer (where our life becomes a prayer of God). God’s goal in prayer is not to give us things, but to be able to bring us into righteous living, where all we do is righteous. Our lives before righteous as automatic as breathing, everything we do is righteous, every thought and action is righteous just like Jesus’ life. Is not God’s grand objective in our lives to conform us into the character and image of His precious Son Jesus Christ? Yes of course, well how will He do this? What tool will he use to show us how he operates and functions? What tool will He use to show us our selfish and self-seeking heart condition? Prayer! God must be able to get us over our “give me things” thinking so that He can take us deeper into prayer. I believe we have only scratched the surface of prayer and in our next lives God will open up so much more about prayer to us. But until then let us pray. Written by David Stahl

KNOWING GOD THROUGH HIS WORD

When I was a little boy I would sing, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” and I believed it until the words struck hard at my heart and I crumbled beneath the load of hurt. My friends in reality words hurt more than sticks and stones. Bones and flesh can be easily splinted and repaired, but once our heart is damaged only God can do the healing. We must be careful to speak words that are of God (even if they are stern and hard) because they ultimately and in time build up and edify our friends and acquaintances. I think if James and Paul were alive today they would not be well received by the church because their words were to hard and cutting at our flesh to be called loving and kind. Today we seem to go after John the beloved type of fluffy words. We often think our words have to be soft and fuzzy to be full of love and kindness, but you know soft and fuzzy words rarely have a positive change for our betterment. Most often it is those strong, stern, and cutting words that move us to a place of spiritual improvement, growth, and maturity. Often it is those cold and prickly words that rub us the wrong way that seems to energize the Holy Spirit and gets us thinking and soul searching as David said, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24) I wonder why we most often like to hear warm flattering words that stroke our ego or words that pat us on the back? One would think God is trying to make us happy, well my friend God is not trying to make us happy, rich, popular, or successful as many in the church teach, but has started something in the Book of Genesis and has not changed His mind, God is still in the process of creating man into His own image and will do everything we allow Him to do to bring this process to completion. One of the greatest truths I seem to continue to learn about my self is out of our mouth speaks our heart. Please notice knowing or not knowing the truth is evident of what is in our heart and by our words that come rolling our of our mouth. “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.” (Luke 6:45) Now I love my wife very much and she loves me, but there are times when we do not see eye to eye on some issues. During these times getting the words “I love you” to easily roll off my tongue can be a challenge, but when all is well with her and the Lord words to show my eternal thankfulness and gratitude slip off my tongue with ease. If we really love (agape) someone we will say we love them without realizing it. Our words of praise and dedication become automatic as natural as breathing. Make no mistake, have it be a good or evil treasure it will be seen as it comes out our mouth. We also see this process in the way we live our individual lives. Understanding correctly and applying truth makes up the way we live our lives. Our understanding correctly and applying truth is always the foundation of our lives. From our understanding (not applying yet) truth we develop our precepts; a maxim, original individual bits of truth that govern our ideas, thoughts, and intentions. And from our precepts we get our concepts; the way our ideas, thoughts and intentions are executed. It is important to know if our precepts are wrong then our concepts also will be wrong. If our understanding is wrong in areas then our application in these areas also will be wrong. It is no wonder many in the world and in the church today are wayward and off track, their original individual bits of truth (precepts) is wrong, they did not lay a correct understanding to truth and everything built on this wrong thinking also is wrong. Never forget our precepts and concepts come from our truth. I hear so many Christians say they know the truth, but their words, doctrine (what they believe), and lives do not match up with the words of Jesus and the words in the Bible. When Jesus stood at Pilate’s judgment seat, Pilate asked him (like many Christians and non-Christians today) “Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. 38Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?” (John 18:37-38)

Truth is not what we believe is true or even what we want to believe is true, but has been settled in heaven for all times. Truth is always from God’s perspective and always progressive. Truth is eternal and has already been spoken and for those who have the Spirit of God dwelling in them this spoken word can speak to our heart with a newness and freshness of life. There are two types of truth written and spoken, both born of the Holy Spirit. Written (the Bible) is general and applies to everyone, but spoken is personal, intimate, and applies individually. We cannot serve God correctly unless we have the ability in God to access both veins of truth this too is another reason why we have so many denominations in the world today. Most major denominations and religions do not believe God through His precious Holy Spirit speaks to us while others go over board and believe God speaks to them about every little thing. Many denominations pay lip service to the Holy Spirits as being involvement in our day-to-day lives and the church, but when it is all said and done the functioning and real power (Act 1:8) of the Holy Spirit is left laying on the ground in favor of traditions and doctrines of men by most denominations. As previously stated both types of truth are from the Holy Spirit and I think we do well in understanding the Bible being the written type of truth, after all most if not all major denominations use some version of the Bible. But the spoken type of truth (God speaking to our heart) often is misunderstood and by some totally rejected missing out on the God of the universe personally and in an imitate way speaking to them. In short, spoken truth is what God speaks to our heart. In Romans we read Paul sharing this truth with us, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17 (KJV)) But in the Greek text we get a better feel for what the Holy Spirit is speaking to us, “So then faith by hearing a word from God.” (Romans 10:17 (Greek)) Now is the KJV of Romans 10:17 wrong? Absolutely not! The word “cometh” was added by the translators to complete the thought and has not changed the meaning of the verse. However, the Greek text has a different and more complete meaning. Often words do get in the way. Here faith comes by hearing a word (spoken) from God. In the late 80s and early 90s many Christians in the church would ride around in cars or run with their walkman listening to the Bible on tape or CD and expect to get faith, well my friend faith comes to us when we hear God speak a word to us. If we could get faith by listening to the Bible on tape or a CD there would be no need for God’s work in our lives or God speaking to us. Sadly many people sit in churches around the world listening to sermon after sermon on Sundays (and maybe Wednesdays) and leave with no faith, but when God speaks a word and we hear it, faith is birthed in us. For in the word spoken, faith and all we will ever need to do what God wants us to do is contained. In the hearing and receiving of God’s word to us we can move in power and authority. Even in the ministering of God’s written word this process of receiving God’s spoken word is critical, the difference is the difference between receiving God’s life or ministering man’s doctrines and traditions of death in the church. There is a process of receiving God’s word that a Godly man must endure to be able to speak words of life and not death. Like all things of God this process starts and ends with communion with God. Many Christians say they have no power or authority in God, well these come by way of communion with God. No communion (spending time with Him alone) with God no power or authority (revelation) in God. Never forget God measures us not by how many miracles we can do by the Spirit or how long we can speak in tongues or fast, but by how much revelation we possess about God. Revelation is God’s measuring stick to how much we look like His precious Son. After time spent in communion God will lay a burden to minister the word on us. This burden is only released when we deliver the word God has put in our heart, until then we carry it in our spirit waiting for our obedience to discharge it. Next while we are alone with the Lord we will experience quick, brilliant flashes of light (sometimes before our eyes) in our spirit and mind. These enlightenments are hard to hold in our thinking, but are the revelation the beginning to the words we are to shared with the people. Before these revelations become words they must first transfer into thoughts. I really like this phase a lot. As I ride down the road with Karen or while alone with God I get these thoughts and as I mediate on them (many for years) these thoughts are turned into words; first external words many words (usually in the form of written notes and the like) and then internal words, a few words are produced in my spirit. These are the words God is after in us ministering to the people. When I first starting ministering God’s word, I would have pages of notes and would read them more in an expository format, but as time went on my notes became less and less and God’s Spirit because more and more in my delivery. God can use a few words to speak volumes to our heart.

As we can see God’s two types of truth is woven together and cannot be separated. Written truth is the word of God (the Bible) and what makes it true is what the author was saying through the written words the Holy Spirit used to capture the authors thoughts. The truth of the written word of God is contained in the written words not in what we think it is saying or what we spin the words to be, but what the Holy Spirit is saying to the church then and now to us. To understand (and lay those correct precepts so that our concepts will also be correct) the written word of God we must study the individual words in the Bible for the truth is contained in the words. This too is why the statement, what we do with the Bible we do with Jesus, is true. When we arbitrarily change the word of God; so that we can read it better, do not agree with the way it is worded, or worse disagree with it is saying we are changing Jesus. For us to understanding God’s written word (the Bible) we must dig out the treasures buried in each word that the Holy Spirit draws our attention to and to do this we must go backwards in translation to study the Bible; back to the Greek and Hebrew and this is why it is almost impossible to use the NIV and other versions of the Bible. Now please do not think I am saying you cannot use the NIV (or other translations, this is your choice) and be a Christian, but I am saying you will not be able to study the Bible as Paul instructed Timothy. What I am saying is the KJV must be the beginning point and compared backward to really understand what God is speaking to His Children. We can see with the example with Romans 10:17, there is a difference. With a change of one or two words (adding or omitting) in a verse the meaning of that verse can be changed and truth can be lost. We see this in Luke when Jesus at age 12 was teaching the Teachers in the Temple when Joseph and Mary found Him He explained, “And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49) If you look at the Greek text of Luke 2:49, you will not find the word “business” it was added by the translator. Even Dr. Strong tried to mend it my giving “Father’s” and “business” with the same number #3962 for each words. But Jesus was saying something more powerful and exciting. Jesus was not saying He had to be about doing the “business” of His Father, but was saying it was time for Him to be about being or becoming His Father. Do you see the difference? All throughout the Gospels Jesus would say, He does nothing of Himself, except for what the Father tells Him to do and say (John 5:19, 12:49) and of Himself He has no power, except what the Father gives Him (John 8:27, 14:10). Even at age 12 Jesus knew He had to be about becoming like His Father, He would send Him to earth to give His life. My friend do you not think it is time for us to begin to look like our Father? Another error we can make when reading the Bible is transposing word meanings of today over the written words of God. For example in Galatians (also in Romans and Ephesians) we read, “To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” (Galatians 4:5) Here we read the word “adoption” and think of the 21 Century meaning of to take another’s child into your home, well this is not the meaning the Holy Spirit is expressing. The “adoption of sons” is a Jewish custom, a three day feast the father holds for the son AFTER the son completes his training and schooling. Now (and only after his training) the son can speak for the father in all affairs of the family. So too when we complete a phase of our training and schooling the Father adopts us as children and not until. Until then we are a bastard (spiritually) in school learning the lessons God has for us to learn. Another example is in Hebrews we read, “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” (Hebrews 4:13) Here we read the word “naked” and over lay our thinking of someone being without clothing, well this is not what the writer of Hebrews (I believe to be Paul) was expressing. Here the word “naked” was referring to a gladiator submission hold of death, called the “naked hold.” All good citizens would go to the gladiator games and cheer their favorite gladiator. They were given almost a god like status and knew their moves and holds. And they also knew once a gladiator got the other gladiator in the “naked hold” the contest was over with a little pressure of his forearms he would crack the neck of his captive. While in the submission hold all the captive gladiator could do is look up in the eyes of the one that held him and hoped for the favor and grace of the people or a swift and painless death. The writer of Hebrews knew the people knew of this submission hold and expressed the thought of how the Holy Spirit holds us too in this naked hold and with a little pressure He presses us into submission and even death to our selfishness and self-life. All we can do is look up into the eyes of our captor and hope for mercy and grace.

How can we say we know God and His ways and do not handle His word correctly? What we do with God’s word (both written and spoken) is what we do with God. My friend let us handle God’s word (both written and spoken) with understanding and significance. I see in my life often I am casual with my approach to His written word after all I know this verse or that verse, but later I can see my casual approach to His spoken word to me. Oh Lord please forgive me of this familiarity. They say familiarity breeds contempt. Oh how I can see (if we have eyes to see) this dangerous shift when I think all is well. We must never get comfortable with God, but always allow Him to be sovereign and holy. How shall we come to know God, through His blessings and gifts? I think not. Maybe through our singing and dancing or service and money we give Him? No I think not. We come to know God through His dealings and judgments in our lives, as we walk with Him and talk with Him. And yes through His written and spoken word as He speaks to our heart sweet words of instruction and encouragement guiding us into all truth. Written by David Stahl

DECISION 2008

Back in 2000, I wrote an article “Decision 2000” from the Christian perspective on the election and since then my friend things have only gotten worse. Now I am not a gloom and doom kind of guy, but God expects certain things from His children and one thing that is sorely lacking in the Body of Christ is spiritual growth and development. You know you never hear any one speak on spiritual maturity any more, yet it was the heart cry of Peter, James, John and especially Paul. Maybe this is the reason for America’s (me too at times) continual drifting away from God? As much as we hate to admit (and preach the contrary) the affairs of this world often moves the Body of Christ to get involved and influence the political affairs of men (at the cost of their spiritual demise), but sadly when we do this we lose the spiritual high ground. I will be honest I have struggled within my self (because I too love America, I have given 24 years of service in defense of her and do not want to see her continue walking away from God) not to get my heart involved with the election of 2008, for I know my identity in God is not tied to a man, a political party, or a political belief, but is founded, rooted, and settled in being “in Christ” our hope (not in winning the White House or a majority of the Congress or Senate) of glory. Nor is it moved by our economic situation and circumstances. It is God not a man who makes our way prosperous. Those Christians who believe a man can change things to make their way prosperous know not the God of the Bible. Now I did not vote this election, Jesus never got involved with the politics of His day, He was far above the masses of people trying to save a country or an ideology. He had the truth, He is the truth, and expects us to walk in His footsteps. I do not know why so many Christians who say they are not of this world get so emotional, so passionate, and give almost all of their energy and resources to see a political party take power on earth. Could it be they have never really been transformed into the heavenly way of thinking and living? I think so. Jesus kept saying He has no power except what the Father gives Him and He changed the world. We run around like leaves on the wind saying we have the power and change nothing. Oh how foolish we are thinking we can do things outside God. And my friend politics is far far outside of God and His ways. Did you know the concept and practice of voting is not in the Bible. In God, if we really serve Him, we do not get an opportunity to vote on what we want God to do, He is God and does what He wants to do. Those Christians who think they get a voice in what God is doing do not know the one and only true and living God of the Bible. God is not a democrat or republican, He is an autocratic loving dictator and if you do not go His way you cannot be a Christian, your disobedience has willfully forfeited the name (even if we go to church, sing and dance, pay our tithes and offerings, and faithfully serve the Pastor) and are not a son or daughter of God.

Yesterday while Karen and I were raking up some leaves in our yard the Lord began to birth this article in my spirit. I think one of the reasons I like doing yard work is I find the Lord often speaks to me; my big mouth is shut and I can hear His words. One of the first things He spoke was I was to write this article as a father not as a son and parts are prophetic. Now I have already stated I did not vote (nor did Karen), but if we would have voted we would not have voted for some one because they boasted of their tax policy or domestic plan to restore wall street to its former glory or even because of the color of their skin, but we would have voted the Bible. I hear many in the church today say it is okay to vote, just vote your conscience, wrong! If we are a Christian we MUST vote the Bible. If not we have mocked God and called Him a liar. Now this may be strong, but I cannot understand how a Christian can identify with the democratic party; who believes in killing babies (abortion) and who believes sodomy and lesbianism is okay and normal, but God, all through the Bible, has called these lustful (not love) acts sinful and an abomination to Him. These Christians who identify with the democratic party have said in their hearts God is wrong, we know better, they have said God is a liar and mock God’s Holy Scriptures. You cannot believe in some things the political parties believe and reject others. It is like believing in the Bible, we must believe it all (every verse) or we must believe none of it. There is no defense of this, no words or spin can change the fact they have turned their backs on God, because they have been blinded by generational traditions and deceived by the gods of this world. They all stand guilty before God and must repent while they still have air in their lungs and there is time. Jesus said, “either you are for me or you are against me.” Either you believe what I say is true or you do not believe my words and have called me a liar in your hearts, actions, and associations. James talks about these types of so called Christians, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:5-8) “Ask in faith nothing wavering” to what? What we believe or what we want to see is true? No, to what God has said is true in His words and revelation. The Bible (God’s written word) is the standard and no family tradition, self-belief, or political cause can change that eternal truth. A Christian that identifies with the democratic party “wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed” because they have known the truth, but fail to agree with God what He is saying is true and now they are “double minded” (going in two directions in their heart at the same time) and “unstable in all their ways.” Now the Bible says, “all their ways” (when the Bible says “all” it means all not some or a few) not just the way of wrong thinking, but everything they say, do, and think they are unstable in it. They have shaken their fist at God in defiance, like Nimrod and his people, “And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. 4And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven (presumption: man desiring to go up in his heart, the opposition of what God expects in us to go down in our thinking and heart condition); and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. 5And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. 6And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. 7Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” (Genesis 11:3-7) These folks too called God a liar in their hearts, actions, and associations and God showed up to correct their disobedience. Please do not think I am endorsing a political party, I am not. My friend our disobedience (oh me) to God will always be dealt with by Him. Oh He may wait 10, 20, maybe 50 years, but make no mistake our disobedience as a person and as a country will be dealt with.

Please do not think the winner of election 2008 was elected by man, oh no God is the power that elects a man to a place of authority. If you think man elects man you are wrong in your approach to God. “But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.” (Psalm 75:7) The winner was selected not by the popular vote or even the electoral college, but by God according to the hearts of the people. The nation of Israel was led by Prophet Samuel, but they wanted to be like every body else and have a king, so, “The LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.” (1 Samuel 8:7) The people were not rejecting Samuel, but (like most people and many churches today in America) were rejecting God. Thus God raised us a king after the heart of the people. (read 1 Samuel 8:11-17 for complete understanding)

The Bible says, “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” (Proverbs 14:32) If as a people we do not stand for “righteousness” how can God exalt our nation? He can not. How can God go against His word? He will not. My friend sadly, I believe God has raised us a king or leader (like Saul), after the hearts of the America people, to fashion America (like He did Israel) as a vessel for dishonor because America has chosen to shake her fist at God’s words and what He says is true. How can God exalt a nation if so called Christians embrace things that are ungodly? How can Christians (republican and democratic alike) embrace unrighteous practices, ungodly behaviors, and engage in the deception of politics trying to win favor, influence, and money from a political parties? And we think God will wink or turn His head at this? Oh no my friend we have deceived our selves and the truth is not in us. I have not been moved to write this article because my man did not win (the only man we vote for is Jesus) the election, oh no my friend I have been moved by the Spirit of God to share His heart and give warning to the critical need to change our heart condition and maybe God will relent from His wrathful plans and once again America will come under the shadow of the Almighty God. God will use our enemies to chastise us. God will allow our wealth to be carried away. I really believe God has raised up leaders to lead America as a vessel of dishonor because of her continued slide and waywardness from the truth in the word of God and from God Himself. “Or hath not the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor? 22What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering vessels of wrath fitted unto destruction: “ (Romans 9:21-22) They were chosen by God based not on their ability, talents, and skills, but based on the heart condition of the people and for His divine and sovereign purposes. My friend God will not allow us or America to play fast and loose with Him. There is an end to God’s longsuffering. You see from God’s perspective it not about an election, but about the righteousness of the people within a nation. There is no such thing as a Christian nation, but there can be a nation of many Christians. Christians that are not double minded, Christians that believe the word of God in their hearts, actions and associations. My friend unless we humble our selves under the mighty hand of God I fear He will come quickly and remove America’s candle stick from the world. Let us be, “ . . . clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5) Let us, “Humble ourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:” (1 Peter 5:6) and heal our land before it is too late.

JUST WIPE THE SLATE CLEAN

I wonder why we think God just wipes our slate clean and forgives us of our “sin?” This wrong thinking is at the heart of the reason the church, especially in the States, has lost its power and authority in the world. Who wants to be told they will have to face the consequences of their actions? No one wants to be held accountable for their actions (me too at times), but if we are going to come to any spiritual growth and development we must settle this issue well in our thinking and heart. Did you know there is a difference between “sin” and “sins.” Did you know in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible there are 448 occurrences in which 389 verses talk about “sin” making “sin” the most important topic in the Bible. But today all we hear from most pulpits is: expository review, our destiny in God, how to get our next blessings from God, or highlights from the latest and greatest self-help book, rarely do we hear someone talk about “sin.” Did you also know the topic of “sin” was the number one topic of Jesus during His earthly ministry. In Romans Chapters 5, 6, 7, and 8 Paul was not talking our “sins,” but our “sin” the disobedient, manipulating, selfish nature of man that wants its way and not God’s way. “Wherefore, as by one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 13(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him (Jesus) that was to come.” (Romans 5:12) Also in the KJV “sins” are recorded with 172 occurrences in which 166 verses talk about our individual acts or works of our flesh. “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:19-21) I think this list about covers them all in some form.

Now please understand our “sins” get their evil roots and origins from our “sin” nature. If we do not accept God’s terms to deal with our “sin” our “sins” can never be dealt with and we will live our lives being led by our self-seeking selfish emotions, lusts and sinful desires. My friend God does not just wipe our slate clean, our “sin” and “sins” must be dealt with. Our “sin” and “sins” are never just forgiven there must always be a price paid for them. Our glorious Savior Jesus Christ paid the price on Calvary’s cross shedding His precious blood and making a way for our “sin” nature to be dealt with and if we accept His terms: confess with our mouth believing Jesus died for us and repent (about face or flow in the opposite direction) turning from our sinful and wicked ways our “sin” nature will be dealt with and never to be remember by God. Many Christians say, our “sin” separates us from God, oh no my friend, this too is wrong denominational thinking. Yes man sinned (I have a hard time blaming brother Adam, I too have sinned), but because of this “sin” nature that was passed from Adam to all born of woman God sent His precious Son. No our “sin” does not separate us from God, oh no my friend our “sin” and the thought of us being eternally separated from God in Hell moved God to give His wonderful Son to pay the price for man’s disobedience and waywardness. How can we say “sin” has separated God from man? Never forget and never allow any one to deceive you into believing that our “sins” are just wiped away as our “sin” nature is. This wrong thinking is at the heart and the foundation of most religious denominations (Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Pentecostals, etc.) in the world. Just come to Jesus, He will wipe the slate clean, and you will be forgiven, well that is half true, but a half truth is the same thing as a lie. Just come to our church, get involved, give your tithes and offerings, and you will grow in God, wrong. Doing things for God will never produce spiritual growth and development in us. Now it is true, if we accept God’s free gift of salvation our “sin” nature will be forgiven, but our “sins” individual acts or works of the flesh still will need to be dealt with by God and us. Many Christians never get victory in some areas in their lives because they are waiting for God to do all the work, well my friend God is wanting for us to take Him at His word and receive His promise of strengthening us in the inward part to be able to overcome our flesh, to be able to stand and withstand life’s problems and the enemy of our soul. Did you know there is a big difference between standing and withstanding? This wrong thinking of God just wiping our slate clean without a cost being paid even bleeds over into our personal relationships inside and outside the church. It is no wonder relationships within the church are so fractured and painful, we expect God and our brothers and sisters to keep forgiving us for our ungodly words and deeds. It is no wonder some have no victory in God, they have never really allowed God to work in our lives to the point we have been developed into a mature son or father in God. We just keep (as the Baptist say) walking the aisle and asking for forgiveness. Did you know this is not God’s intention for us needing forgiveness again and again. As I work as a substitute teacher I tell the kids they are not suppose to be making mistakes, now knowing I am a Bible teacher they go right to this forgiveness issue. Well, I tell them forgiveness is true and needed, it is God’s love for us, but if we live our lives thinking we can make mistakes again and again and it will be okay we will never become mature. In God making mistakes is only okay if we learn from the mistake. We are not to get stuck in making mistakes, if we do it is “sin” to miss the mark of God’s intention for us. This is also true for God’s forgiveness again and again. God intends for us to once ask forgiveness and then grow in the grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Most denominations teach it is okay, just keeping asking and God will keep forgiving, well my friend I would hate to stake my eternal soul on this unscriptural advice. Would it not be better if we ask God and our friends to forgive us and then march on never needing to retake the same ground? Retreating and re-fighting for the same ground always cost twice the price.

My friend, God never just forgave Adam and Eve (take heed to who you hang around with) for their disobedience, “And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: 23Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. 24So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.” (Genesis 3:22-24) Adam and Eve had it all, what a wonderful life, but because of their disobedience God did not wipe their slate clean, but held them accountable for their actions. Later on in Adam and Eve’s life their son Cain killed his brother Able, the first murder. Cain’s slate was not wipe clean, oh no, “And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand; 12When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. 13And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. 15And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.” (Genesis 4:11-15) A walking dead man, because of disobedience. Not so strange I have met many people like Cain. Now some Christians would say these stories are from the Old Testament, well here is a very sad one from the New Testament, “But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, 2And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 5And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. 6And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. 7And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. 8And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. 9Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. 10Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.” (Acts 5:1-10) God never wiped Ananias and Sapphira’s slate clean, they died because of their disobedience. Now I was not there nor is it recorded, but it looks like God never gave them a chance to ask for forgiveness. Disobedience (oh me) is always dealt with by God. The Bible is full of examples of God holding people accountable for their actions. I wonder why we do not hear these examples taught this way in churches today? Never underestimate the power of denominationalism. When started our church “Christliche Gemeinde Stuttgart” in Germany I just knew the American people I worked with and knew our friend around the base would attend, but to my amazement no one person who I worked with attended our church. And only a very few of our American friends came for a visit. Now when they came they really enjoyed the service and the people, but they never stayed. Their denominational pull was too strong to move them into what the Lord was doing. We just left a major denominational church (oh how we still love some there), but their doctrinal believes has yoked their judgment and is controlling them even in the face of knowing the truth about ungodly situations and people, a blatant error in truthfulness and Godliness. Sometimes you just have to stand for the truth and separate yourself. Religion, denominations, and traditions of men are powerful, controlling, and eternally destructive it is, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” (Proverbs 14:12) My friend only God’s power can break people free of these yokes and “sins.”

The longer I go with the Lord and the more I study the Bible the more I come to recognized just how important the restriction and limitation of God are to be able to come to fulfillment and completion in Him. My friend it is when we walk in God’s ways and in His restrictions and limitations we are about to understand the truths of the Bible. In the church today we have so many versions of the Bible it is no wonder we have so many denominations, and it is no wonder we have so much wrong thinking, like freedom and liberty in God. Oh no my friend if you have a desire for spiritual growth and development it comes by way of learning and walking God’s way. We cannot keep making up new doctrines and Bibles and expect to understand God and His ways. If you want to understand God through His word you will have to study the Bible, what Paul instructed Timothy to do. And to do this you will have to go back in translation not forward. The truth in the word of God is found in the words as the precious Holy Spirit guides and leads us revelation and all truth. This is why you cannot use the NIV and other versions of the Bible. This too is why we have so much wrong thinking in the Body of Christ. We just keeping changing the Bible (with each new version) to what we want it to say, now we are justified by a Bible and now we can make up new doctrines and teachings. Let us stick with the KJV where most tools to help study the Bible are based. This truth I have learned as I have observed there is an eternal difference between a gifted speaker and a broken speaker. Gifted speakers: well-dressed, flashy, zealous, animated, strong in their ability to preach or teach because of their many notes and preparation, well versed in words and in hip saying expressions of today’s culture in their approach to preaching and teaching the word of God. But a broken speaker is one that speaks from loss, one who speaks out from the dealings and judgments of God, who stands to deliver the word of God and his legs are weak and his hands hang down by his side. One who has been taught, through God’s dealings, and fears to speak because they know the responsibility and accountability God holds them to. His words are hard to mouth because the Holy Spirit of God is pushing them through his spirit as tears of repentance and cleansing flow like a cool summer rain. My friend which one are you?

My friend God does not just wipe our slate clean, we must come to the realization of the price Jesus paid for our “sin” and allow God to work in our lives to deal with our “sins” if not I must let you know yours “sin” and your “sins” have not been yet forgiven. We are not saved unless we have had the revelation of what “sin” has wrought in our lives and the world. Unless we have been devastated, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” (Romans 7:24-25) we will ever be lost. Written by David Stahl

SUBSTITUTING THE SPIRIT OF GOD

Did you know there is a difference between compromising and substituting? I hear many Christians say we are compromising (I may even be guilty of this) the Spirit of God, but in reality we are not compromising (settling an argument or dispute in which each side gives up part of what it wants or to put in danger of being criticized or disgraced) but substituting (a person or thing that takes the place of another) the things for the Spirit of God. Now both are ungodly and we (I include myself here) in the Body of Christ ought to be ashamed of ourselves if guilty. As we drive around town we see many churches with signs selling their latest and greatest program, but wait a minute, where and when does the Spirit of God fit into these programs? One of my favorite signs is the announcement of revival services. My friend you do not have revival (word not found in the Bible) at a church just by posting a sign on the grounds. If your church is being revived (word found in the Bible) by the Spirit of God you will not need to hang a sign or publish your revival services note in the church happenings section of the newspaper, people will be drawn by the Spirit of God and will come and be filled and changed by His Spirit. By word of mouth this good news will spread like wild-fire from town to town, but you know I do not see this. I see sign after sign substituting man’s plans and programs for the Spirit of God. I see churches offering counseling like the world. I see signs offering divorce counseling. Well does God agree with divorce? I see signs offering mental heath counseling. What is the answer to man’s mental heath? Someone knowing God enough to be able to give them the Spirit to God without using worldly techniques and ways. Why there is even a Baptist church in town where you can get your college degree, who needs the Spirit of God, education is where it’s at, isn’t it? What are we doing to the house of God? We are substituting things of the world for the Spirit of God and making God’s house a house of merchandising (John 2:16). We may not be selling doves and bulls, but we are selling CD’s, books, anything with value.

We substitute singing songs with all of their instrumentation and emotional pseudo-spiritualism for true worship; which is bowing down our heads and hearts (before the Lord) to the ground. Worship has nothing to do with singing, but being quiet before God. David said, “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.” (Psalms 95:6) Joshua said it this way, “And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?” (Joshua 5:14) Jehoshaphat worshiped this way, “And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD.” (2 Chronicles 20:18) the list goes on Moses and so many others. True “worship” is not speaking or singing words, but bowing down our heart and lives before God in quiet awe and reverence. I hear many Christians praise Sister Miriam for her worship after the great miracle of the parting of the Red Sea, “And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. 21And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.” (Exodus 15:20) Take heed pastors when you get a bunch of women moving in a service. Just like today many Christian women dance around the church with their tambourine in hand singing, “the horse and the rider hath he thrown into the sea,” but I guess they have never read in Numbers how Miriam spoke against her brother Moses, “And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.” (Numbers 1:1) and for this she received, “And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.” (Number 1:10) You see Miriam carried these hateful feelings and offence through the Red Sea. All of her singing and dancing profited her nothing. All of her singing and dancing was not true “worship,” but a mask, a cover, a substitute for the Spirit of God. Her true heart was exposed and God had to deal with her and the people. In so many churches today we sing and dance instead of allowing God to work in our heart, well keep on singing and dancing my friend, but I promise you there will come a time when all of your singing and dancing will come to an end and you like Miriam will be face-to-face with a holy and righteous God. Paul tells us, “Quench not the Spirit.” (1 Thessalonians 5:19) When we substitute things of the world for the Spirit of God we are quenching the Spirit. God does not want us to sing other’s songs, but allow God to work in us to such a degree our lives become a song. Young David’s songs in the Psalms were not written for us to make songs of, but were produced as God developed David from the pastures to the palace. I think all of this singing in church is nothing more than traditions of men and idolatry, from church to church we sing the same songs, why? Now if you want to sing songs in church to pump up your emotions or get everyone to feel good about themselves okay, but please do not call it “worship” please call it what it is, Christian entertainment or even service filler. My friend music is a very powerful tool to get people to do what your want them to do. People love and will die for a song. All you need to do is take a good look at history, especially World War II and see the extremes some people will go. I really cannot believe all of the effort and resources expended for doing something Jesus and the disciples did not do. They may have sung hymns (I enjoy too) or even recited Jewish scripture chants, but it was nothing like the worldly contemporary and rock-n-roll Christian music of today. Some one has to sound the alarm before we drive another generation into a ditch and get them off track. I know I am speaking heresy to most Christians and my words might cost us some friends, but I am not trying to tickle your ears, manipulate you, or make you happy (nor is God, He is trying to conform us into the image and nature of His dear Son Jesus Christ), I am trying to warn you and the church corporately before it is too late. Our society is (and sadly so is the church) so music orientated. We give an altar call and the musician rush up and start playing softly, is the Holy Spirit not able to move hearts and emotions? My friend it will take the Spirit of God to remove this thinking from us and the church. For us it is not about singing, but about being developed, singing has never developed anyone into the character and nature of Jesus Christ. But who wants to be developed? This my friend is a very painful process in God. It is much easier to sing about others being developed. We sing “I want to dance like David danced,” well to be able to dance like David danced you have to go through the things David went through. In Psalms 30:12 we read, “To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.” (Psalms 30:12) David is not talking about singing songs, but his “glory (Strong’s #3519, honour, abundance) may sing praise to thee, and not be silent.” The “glory” that he has allowed God to work in his life will come forth from the recesses of His heart and not be silent before Him. We must not substitute singing and dancing in the house of God for the Spirit of God.

Another area we substitute the Spirit of God with something is a desire to see miracles, signs and wonders. God’s intention for us is to come to the fullness of His Son, to grow in the grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, to come to know Him and the power of His might, but if we have a taste for manna (miracles, signs and wonders) we will not develop a taste for the deeper things of God and His word. The writer of Hebrews shares some of the saddest words in the Bible about a church of believers, “Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. 12For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” (Hebrews 5:11-14) Mature men and women of God, men and women “of full age” survive not on milk, but on strong healthy meat from God’s wisdom and experience as He draws us, as He deals in our lives, and as He judges us for greater qualification. When we go after miracles, signs and wonders (manna) we are babes. Meat is worked into our lives through the many experiences we have in God and as He is able to deal and judge in our lives. The stronger the dealings and judgments of God in our lives the stronger the meat we can eat of. David says, “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. 9O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. 10The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.” (Palms 34:8-10) Where did David learn, “the young lions do lack, and suffer hunger?” When he tasted of the things of the world, but when he tasted of the Spirit of God his testimony was, “they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.”

We see this truth moving in the lives of the Children of Israel. It was not God’s intention for the Children of Israel to spend 40 years wandering in the wilderness. God’s desire for the Children of Israel was for them to go directly and possess the promised land, but they did not have the maturity and Spirit of God in them to believe God because they too have substituted the things of the world for the Spirit of God. Even after seeing miracles, signs and wonders that was not enough to develop them into the people needed to conquer the promised land. “Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; 23Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it: 24But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it. 25(Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley.) To morrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.” (Number 14:22-25) so they wandered in the wilderness in training. And in the wilderness God could not feed them meat they were not able to receive meat God had to give them manna, “what is it?” Manna (God’s supernatural provision) was not God’s idea for the Children of Israel He wanted them to eat meat, but manna is food for those Christians in training, meat is for those Christians who have been trained and of full age. “And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.” (Deuteronomy 8:3) For 40 years they wandered in the wilderness in training and until the older generation who saw the miracles, signs and wonders of God in Egypt died. Seeing God’s miracles, signs and wonders was not enough, God was after teaching them, “that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.” Seeing God’s miracles, signs and wonders was not enough to replace the true Spirit of God. The disciples rejoiced over miracles, signs and wonders, but Jesus corrected them, “And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. 18And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. 19Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:17-20) Miracles, signs, and wonders will do little for us, we must not go after them and when we do we are substituting the Spirit of God. It is not God’s intention to do miracles and wonders for us. We go after the miracles, signs, and wonders, why? It is not about the miracles, signs, and wonders, but about following the Lord in obedience. When the Children of Israel were ready to conquer the promise land, the manna stopped. “Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 11Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals (Strong’s #6718 provision of meat, venison); for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God giveth you to possess it.” (Joshua 1:10-11) Manna (miracles, signs, and wonders) are for babes and those in training, but meat is for the mature Christian one who can be counted worth by God for conquest and victory. I wonder why there are so many babes in the church? Are we ready? Did you know while the Children of Israel were wandering in the wilderness because of their unbelief and disobedience (Hebrews 3:16-18), while living on manna they defeated 5 kingdoms, but when their diet changed to victuals (meat) and they entered the land promised they conquered 31 kingdoms. What we eat and use for strength makes a big difference to our physical body, but even more to our spirit man.

Behind all of this substituting things for the Spirit of God is unbelief and our self-seeking glory. We really do not believe God can and will do it as He said, so we try to help Him with programs and our good ideas, but no man is God’s counselor. God needs no help from us, what God needs is our willingness and obedience. Our presumption is religious and very subtle, but in the end it brings our self and others to a dead end. Substituting anything for God’s Sprit always leads to a dead end. Paul warned Timothy of this very thing, “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy 3:5-7) You know when we substitute the things of the world for the Spirit of God, thinking we are drawing those in the world to church, they really in their heart loathe us even the more for our compromise to the truth and us denying them the opportunity to satisfy the hunger in their soul. Let us desire the real Spirit of God which comes not by way of works or good intentions, but by being broken and poured out. Written by David Stahl

FOLLOWING TO OBEDIENCE

My heart is full and my mind has many thoughts to share. I wonder why we sing songs like “I surrender all” and do not. We say we are ready to lay down our life for the sake of Christ but, I find big singing boastful words usually means quick retreat in the face of the enemy or in austere times. I wonder why we raise our hands in submission to God swinging our arms to and fro in the air while having a tearful emotional experience promising God to do something and not do it? It would be far better for us to just keep our mouth shut. We must be very careful with what comes out of our mouth God is very good at making us eat our words, you can ask Jephthah, “And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, 31Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD’S, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.” (Judges 11:30-31) and now the result of a quick emotional vow to God “And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter. 35And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back.” (Judges 11:34-35) In these cases others usually pay most of the price. Did you know when we raise our hand and promise something before God we are making a vow, an oath, or swearing to do something for God? My friend, God takes a very narrow view of saying something and not doing it. I would recommend at your next song service to please pay attention to the words you are mouthing. As I began to grow in the Lord I thought these emotional approaches to God was what He was after, but now much older in the Lord I believe (even though I was well intended) these times did little to help me overcome things in my life that would enable me to be obedient to God. My friend we must be very careful when we get our emotions involved with the things of God. Our emotions are dangerous and will run us out of God and off track faster than anything I know. Please take time as you read the Bible to see how emotions got such mighty men of God as Adam, David, Solomon, Samson, Jonah, Gideon, Elijah, all of the disciples (the list goes on and on) in trouble and off track. In the Proverbs Solomon shares, “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit (control our emotions) than he that taketh a city.” (Proverbs 16:32) I wonder where Solomon learned this truth? Maybe from his father King David. Today we want to conquer the world for Christ, well He wants us (with His strength and ability) to be able to conquer our spirit and mouth. If you really want to grow in God to be accountable do not look for the next praise and worship service to get all blubbery in, but look within your heart and spirit for the next area of fear (that lives in the pit of your stomach) or failure in your soul that needs to be conquered by God by allowing Him to strengthen you in your inward parts. Did you know the word praise in the KJV Bible has little to do with singing, but more with making confessions, thanksgivings, a discourse like speaking well of someone, or a commitment to something in words not music? Our progression in God is not measured by what we do or give to God, but what we lose of our selfishness self-life and how much we allow God to strengthen us. We must not allow our emotions (and that includes our flesh) to rule over us, but channel them into a Godly focus from following to obedience.

Thus far this year Karen and I had not traveled to the nations. The first part of 2008 we were helping to take care of my parents (and still are in ways) and the middle of the year we hosted some wonderful friends from Nepal and India, but now Jake Luffy and I planned a trip to Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria. The need was certainly there and God provided the funds, but just because God provided does not mean this is what He wanted to happen. I think most times God is more concerned about our heart’s desires to go and do than the actual going and doing. Now here is where things really get foggy and over into some gray areas in God. Oh you say there are no gray areas in God? Well walk with the Lord long enough and go to the places He wants you to go (and not the places you want to go) and you will see the gray areas fade to black and into the darkness of the unknown of God. I have been traveling abroad for the Lord since July 1996 and at first I went to where I wanted to go and said the things I wanted to say within His call on my life, but when I got older I needed others to “girdedst” or strengthen me. In John Jesus shares this wonderful truth with Peter, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.” (John 21:18) The older I get the more the truth of this verse becomes more alive and more of a reality in my heart and life. Now I will be honest I wanted to go on this trip the need was great, but still in my heart (I will be honest) I did not want to go on this trip. I do not need to travel ministering the word to be fulfilled and satisfied in God. I know there are many great men of God in Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria who can do a much better job than me. I am very content and very happy at home with Karen, working on writing my books, writing our newsletter and articles, helping keep the maternity clinic in Aveile, Nigeria, the radio station in Katmandu, Nepal, and the tuberculosis clinics in Addis Abba, Ethiopia (on auto pilot now) up and running, soon Bible schools in Rwanda and Kenya, and attending a local Body and ministering locally. There are plenty of Godly and righteous things I can be doing to feel like I am “ministering” or doing something for God. However, we planned and prepared, but the night before while I was laying on the couch and Karen (my sweetheart) was rubbing my feet a cloud like veil descended over my eyes, right away I knew my blood pressure (for no apparent reason) went up. I went up stairs and got the blood pressure cuff bought for me in Turkey last year and I asked Karen to take my blood pressure. Sure enough I was right. I should know this happening by now because on the last five trips I have taken I have experienced blood pressure problems. Starting in India in 2006, in Rwanda, in Romania and Bulgaria, in Nepal, on my way to Tanzania but ended up in Istanbul, Turkey where the plane dropped me off and I spent six hours in the emergency room, and then again on our (Karen and I) last trip to Turkey in 2007 (where they bought me the blood pressure cuff) I had a blood pressure problems. And now before we leave for Turkey another blood pressure problem, well I remember all to well the feeling of helplessness and danger I was not so fast to run out the door the next morning. God sure has ways of getting our attention. When we are in our teens or early 20s we think we are invincible and we will live for ever, but as we get older say into our 30s and 40s we begin to see our mortality ever before us. And as we reach our 50s and 60s we notice every pain, bump, and lump on our body questioning everything, wanting to hold on to every bit of life we can. Now please do not misunderstand me here, I am ready to die, but I do not want to die God still desires for me to share His wondrous Gospel message and I so love and enjoy my wife Karen and our family. Anyone that says they want to die, both sinner and saint alike is lying. I was getting my hair cut one day and the Korean lady barber and I were discussing this topic and she said the older we get the more we look at our self, she is right. We even have “beauty parlors” to camouflage our age and faults. Believe it or not spiritually there is a parallel to this thinking. The older we get the more our flesh desires not to do the will of God. It seems the older we get the more and more our fleshly desires needs to be beat into submission and dragged along (even kicking and screaming) as we overcome in obedience doing what God has asked us to do. It seems our flesh is more of a stumbling-block to us than man or the devil. I was very grateful that God allowed me to have this blood pressure problem before we left the States. After going to the doctors I found out I may have a stenosis (narrowing) of the renal (kidney) artery or a tumor on my adrenal glands that produces a sudden surge of epinephrine, both will cause my blood pressure to suddenly go up. Time and testing will give us the answer and a miracle or treatment will follow. Now I am not saying it was my flesh that was causing my blood pressure problem, but on the other hand I would not put it past my flesh. Jake and I must rest in knowing God had a better plan (inspite of the great need) for us than to go to Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria now. In my case now I see it is a physical problem that God wants to be corrected for the future. But my friend our flesh is wicked and deceitful above all causing us to do so many things we would not have done. Our flesh is to be but to death. God has no intention of keeping our flesh alive and is counting on us to help put it to death. When we get over into emotions and allow our thoughts to run away our flesh is in control. Did you know at the heart of our emotions is selfishness? When we do not get our own way or we think we have lost something what moves our emotions is our selfish nature. I remember as a small boy when coming home after school and my mother not at home thinking oh no the Lord came and I was left. I would go from room to room calling her name, get on the phone if need be, just seeking her out not feeling bad about my youthful sinful heart condition, but I was seeking her to reassure my selfish nature. We cannot handle our flesh by our natural ability, but we first must allow the Spirit of God full sway in our lives to work in us an ability to “mortify” or put the deeds of our body to death. “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 12Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” (Romans 8:11-14) If we desire to be led by the Spirit of God we first must put to death the deeds of our flesh. My friend either our fleshly emotions or the Spirit of God will be leadings us it is our choice.

Now we (Karen and I) are not saying we will never travel in ministry again, we already have had wonderful friends in India, Nepal, Nigeria, and Tanzania wanting a visit in 2009, but what we are saying is; if God wants us to go and we know that we know it is God’s leading then we will endure even blood pressure problems. Our heart is to glorify God and His children. We cannot glorify God and His children if we come with problems to add on top the problems our wonderful friends already face. Times are perilous and expensive enough the last thing our wonderful friends around the world need is to have to care for people who ought to have known better. And it is not about going in faith and counting on God to make a way, this my friend proves to be foolish and unscriptural. God gave us a mind and expects us to use it. I still shake my head at Peter leaving a place of safety and provision that Jesus provided so that he could do something spectacular and miraculous yet in the end Jesus had to save him from his fleshly ambition. It was not about going to where Jesus was or Peter walking on the water, but about foolish ambition and pride as it would be the same for us going to minister some where in the world (like in the past) with a problem in hand. Jesus told Peter, “This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.” (John 21:19) When reading this verse we often focus on “what death he should glorify God,” that is true, but we should be focusing on the “Follow me.” Where are we to follow Christ? Into the great abundant life in John 10:10? No my friend in reality we are to follow Christ into His death. We are to follow Him into a death of our selfishness into a newness of life into our selflessness and then literally into a physical death. I think the more we die to our selfishness and self-life the easier it will be to fall into the group physically. Today Jesus says to us, “Follow me” yet I see so many Christians going the opposite direction of Christ while they say they are following Him. Where are they following to? To their cross (not Jesus’) to daily impale themselves on? How are they following Him? In a humble, lowly, and contrite way? Are they following to obedience or are they following to presumption; thinking they are doing right, but in reality doing wrong? The only way we can glorify God is to follow Him in obedience. Following to obedience will kill you time and time again, but if you can die then you will really be alive to follow Christ anywhere He leads. Written by David Stahl

ALL OF GOD'S LOVE

One of the most memorized and beloved verses in the Scriptures is found in the Book of John. “For God so loved (agape, Strong’s #25 to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly) the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) Now I really like the Book of John, but did you know the word “prayer” does not appear in any Book (KJV) in the Bible that John wrote. Not in the Gospel of John, not in any of his three epistles, or in the Book of Revelation, but the attitude and heart of “prayer” seems to be flowing out from John’s words. The Bible is a spiritual Book and must be understood by the Spirit of God or we will miss its meanings and misrepresent the words just like with the word “prayer” not being in the five books of the Bible that John wrote. God’s word, the Bible, is truth and has many edges of understanding that is progressive. Now please remember there are also God’s words, the individual words God speaks to our spirit so that we will know His will in a given situation or circumstance. Now God can speak to us in many ways: through nature, His word, the Bible, or to our spirit if our spirit is tuned to the Holy Spirit. For example Paul in Romans shares, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17) Many Christians say faith comes by hearing the Bible preached or riding around in a car listening to the Bible on tape. We know this cannot be true, millions of people attend churches around the world and hear the Bible and yet have no faith. This was very popular when I was growing up, but that is not what the Bible says. The Bible says “faith comes by hearing” and “hearing by the word of God.” In other words we get faith when we hear God speak to us through His words. The Greek version of this verse does a better job explaining this truth, “So then faith cometh by hearing, a word from God.” (Romans 10:17 (GK)) Do you see the difference? Today if you need faith you must hear from God (faith is God’s not ours), because in the hearing is contained all of the faith you will need for the situation or circumstance you are facing. We cannot work it up, pray it up, or stand on God’s promises to get it up, we must hear from God, “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)

Well now that I have your attention and we have a better understanding of the many facets of the workings of truth, let us take a closer look at John 3:16. I do not know about you my friend, but this verse scares me to death. Why do we Christians believe our lives are going to be filled with flowers and candy, a real bed of roses, all of the time? Let us read John 3:16 again, but this time let us not use the Pollyanna, sugar coated thinking that sets many Christians up for failure, “For God so loved the world, that he gave (Strong’s #1325, of one’s own accord to give one something, to his advantage) his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) We often miss the point here that God stood by while His Son Jesus Christ was crowned with 3 ½ inch thorns, flogged, beat with a cat of nine tails (whip), despised, spit on, had His beard plucked out, and then when totally exhausted from the loss of blood and physical pain, had His only begotten (a past participle of beget; to be the father of; cause to be; produce) Son crucified. And God loves His Son very much. God the Father gave His own Son for His (not Jesus’) own advantage. What an unbelievable love (agape) by Jesus, but who wants God to love them that much? I am not sure if I would raise my hand here. Paul tells us in Romans, “He (God) that spared not his own Son, but delivered him (Jesus) up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32) God spared not His Son and we think He will do more for us? Why do we think God wants to only give us a happy and pleasant (a life of Riley) things and not allow some hard, difficult, and troubling things into our lives? Is the servant better than the Master? I think not. My friend we better wake up to the reality of truth before we wake up from our religious dream and find God is loving us like He loved His Jesus. Make no mistake my friend hard, difficult, troubling times are coming our way God will see to it. I believe America, because of her waywardness to God and His words (both spoken and written) is looking down both barrels of God’s judgment and punishment. I hope I am wrong (if I am I will get the rocks), but I feel strong in my spirit hard, difficult, and troubling times are heading America’s way. I am really a coward and do not want to see them come, but we can only play fast and loose for so long then God will say enough and pull up on the reins. For all of those who look to America for financial help and support, please I would advise you all to start looking at the Lord for your help and support. Again I hope I am wrong, but as with all things in God time will tell.

For years I had a hard time with the word “agape” (love) because what I had been taught and what I saw around me did not seem to line up with what I was reading in the Scriptures. But one day, my teacher, Charles Haun, opened up a more complete understanding of the word that opened it up to me personally, but also allowed me to help others with it. Agape is defined as a dedication to the well-being of another. The Greeks have three words one being agape to express what we use one word to express our love. But agape is nothing like love as we thing of it something warm and fuzzy. Agape is a marvelous force in God that moves from God towards us and then from us towards Him and then towards others. It makes choices and then it is faithful to the choices it made (faithful, that is, to the object of the choice, or the person to be loved). If I make a choice for Jesus through agape moving in my heart then I will be faithful to him – regardless of the situations, circumstances, or consequences. If I were to be hauled away and delivered to the lions, I would still remain faithful to Jesus. Circumstances and situation never changes agape. It is no wonder Jesus could go to the cross, agape was moving in His life and not just love. If we only love our spouse (or family) when they get old and their hair and teeth fall out we will leave them, but if we agape them, if we dedicate ourselves one to the other no matter what happens in our relationship we will never leave them. In its simplest form, agape is a decision, not an emotion. Whether we like it or not we are saddled with certain emotions and we have to learn to deal with them. If not they will lead us off track and out of God faster than anything else. We must not allow our emotions to dictate the way we relate to God and people, we must let the principles of the Spirit and the word of God direct and lead us. Agape is not affected by our emotions. It is something totally apart from our natural feelings. It was no wonder Jesus could endure the cross, agape was the force and not His feelings and emotions that compelled Him to lay His life down. Please know if we love the things if this world too much, then agape I not in us. It is agape that holds together all of the affairs of men, especially a marriage. A week or so ago our Pastor asked me to pray for marriages within the church, I said I would and I did, but what is needed is not more prayer, or more love, but more agape (dedication) towards each other. If a good husband holds his wife as his objective and her well-being becomes his interest, then his every decision is based upon her needs as agape moves through him toward her. What we need is more agape working in lives today, if so we would have less divorce and unfaithfulness in marriages. Most people can quote Romans 8:31, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” but how many Christians can quote verse Romans 8:32? Did you known agape is the foundation of our faith? We do not want to identify with a God that will hold us accountable for our actions. We will quickly give our life for a God who forgives all of our sins, but how about a God that is holy and righteous and who expects His children to be the same. Now please do not misunderstand me, I too like to be forgiven when I sin or fall short of God’s glory, but unless I learn the lesson of my failure and there is a change in my heart condition (which will always cause a change in my attitude and behavior) my failure and God’s forgiveness will do me little good. Oh yes, my sins will be forgiven and if I die I would probably go to heaven (God gets to make that call not the Pastor or friends), but I will not be of any use to God while on earth. Always wanting and having to have our sins forgiven is a selfish position in God. We say we want all of God’s love, but we are not to keep having our sins forgiven. Jesus died once on the cross for our sin and He Himself died once to sin. “For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.” (Romans 6:10) It is God’s intention for us to confess our sin once and believe Jesus died for us once, then “grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18) There is no wonder there is not a desire for spiritual growth and development in the church we keep laying again our foundation of dead works, “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God.” (Hebrews 6:1) I think today one of the greatest works we should allow God to do in our hearts is faith toward God.’ I believe most Christians go to church to do all of the religious duties and traditions of men, but really and maybe secretly in their hearts have not really settled if there is a God. They may have “walked the aisle” as a good Southern Baptist would say, but there has not been an inward change in their heart and lives. Their decision was based on an emotional response to a gifted speaker or maybe fear from the promise to be saved from hell’s eternal flames, but inwardly there was no realization of what sin has wrought in their lives, no dedication to the things of God, a momentary decision to soothe a guilty conscience, but no real commitment to God and His ways. Apparently we do not believe some day we will stand before a holy and righteous God or we would get serious about our walk with the Lord (I can include himself here at times) and stop all of this religious denominationalism; what the Chinese would call “look see pigeon” or what I call it “a Christian dog and pony show.” My friend let us embrace all of God’s agape. Remember for those who agape God His agape towards them is His longsuffering, mercy, and forgiveness. But for those who only eros (covers our animal instinct and most of our strongest feelings and emotions. It is where we get the word erotic) or phileo (friendship love) God His agape toward them (same agape as those who agape Him) is His judgment, wrath, and punishment. The difference is our heart condition toward Him, not His towards us. His heart is always, all of His agape towards us. Written by David Stahl