DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE

Belief is a power tool in our lives. History is full of examples of men enduring countless moments of death, mighty armies, unbelievable odds on their shear faith of believing something that was spoken or written that was divinely received. So too is the way of the Bible. Jesus told the disciples, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." (Mark 9:23) Now I will be the first person to admit I do not have the total revelation on this verse I do not have the ability to "whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." (Matthew 21:22) nor have I ever met anyone in my entire life who could "ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive," asking yes receiving always no. Maybe someday I will be able to operate in these verses, but for now I am content in walking in the revelation I understand that God has given. You know we will never get more revelation from God till we walk correctly in what He has already given us. Yet in my spirit I am troubled. Within me there is a struggle between my desire to see America be the light and salt to the world (spreading the wondrous Gospel message around the world) as I believe God created her for. America was not created by God to spread freedom and democracy around the world oh no in God there is no freedom or democracy only our total obedience and unflinching commitment to our king. Some of my friends say America was birthed in rebellion, well this may be true America did break free of England, but if we take a good look at England spiritually she was the light bearer of the Gospel till around the middle 1700s when she began to slip into humanism which she still thrives in today. God needed a new light bearer and America was birthed in His heart and today we celebrate our 239th birthday. Sadly America too has slipped into humanism (because of the humanistic message the church now preaches) and so much more over her many years and today she is no longer the light bearer of the Gospel in the world as God ordained. The other side of the struggle I see play out in the scriptures and I know (somewhat) what is going to happen before Jesus comes back. When I do not know, it is not important, but what is important is He said He is coming back and we must believe it. The struggle in me manifests my belief or maybe my unbelief in His word. For example do I believe such a verse as: "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." (Hebrews 11:13) Do I really believe I am a "pilgrim" and "stranger" on this earth, if so I would think I would not be so concerned about my home car, my retirement, all of the eases life can afford, oh no if I really believed this verse I would be more concerned about doing the things God wants me to do. Maybe my TV watching would be cut way back maybe completely cut off from my life. The TV is not our friend. How many Christians watch more TV, spend time on the internet surfing for ungodly websites, and playing ungodly sci-fi computer games than they do in prayer or reading their Bibles? How about this verse? Do we really believe, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) Do we really believe God promises us tribulation in the world? Who would want to believe that? And then He says, "be of good cheer" really? To believe all of this one must believe Jesus has "overcome the world." Do you really believe (I do) Jesus overcame the world? How about a verse like this one, "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;" (2 Thessalonians 2:3) Do you believe there will be a great falling away? But that is not what I hear on Christian TV oh no I hear there is a great end-time revival that will sweep the nations, but that is not what the Bible says. I guess the writers of the word of God did not have a TV program to pay for. Notice "let no man deceive you by any means." You know we will never be deceived if we know the truth that is why the truth is so dangerous to people (like on Christian TV) who are not honest and full of integrity. Here we go again with another promise from God. Who would believe, "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." (2 Timothy 3:12) "Suffer persecution" oh no God must have made a mistake, I do not want to "suffer persecution" I want to know what my destiny in God is. Well my friend our destiny in God is to die to our selfish, arrogant, carnal nature, and the best we can ever hope for is to be a servant just like Jesus and to die like John of an old age, anything else is presumption. Now we must not get moved out of God by the SCOTUS ruling on gay marriage. The church reacted in panic (same way we are acting today) and outrage in 1973 when abortion on demand became the law of the land, but in time they forgot the spiritual damage done to the country and marched on with life building bigger barns and storehouses. We must allow the Holy Spirit to open up our eyes of understanding to the devastation this ruling is bringing to America and to the whole world. This way we will know why things are happening. It is amazing how soon we forget, but before God can give us mercy He first must judge us, judgment always comes ahead of mercy. God was not moved by the SCOTUS's decision. He was not taken by surprise, nor has it changed His plans for America. As a matter of fact I would believe it plays right into God's hands for America. Do we believe God knows the beginning and the end for America? Better yet do we believe God knows the beginning and the end for each and everyone one of us? Who would believe God would send us out into the world (even in ministry) like this, "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. 17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; 18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. 19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. 20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. 21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. 22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. 23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. 24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.:" Matthew 10:16-24) Well is the servant (us) greater than the Master (the LORD)? Do we believe this? If they vilified (so they could marginalized Him) and then killed Jesus do we believe we are going to get any better from the world? The evil spirits then are still in the world have not changed, there is nothing new under the sun. In Genesis when the men of Sodom wanted to commit sodomy (a homosexual act between two men) with the Angels Lot offered up his two virgin daughters, but they replied, "And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door." (Genesis 19:9) In other words, Lot who are you to judge us watch out we are going to get you. The same thing the sodimites of today are saying to God and anyone that stands up for the truth in the word of God. The world is lost and the things we seem to love in the world will destroy our Christian witness and our lives. All of those things that seem harmless, fun, and even makes sense, but in the end will put us out of God. Christians hear me loud and clear take great heed to your soul get off of social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc) before it is too late. They will use social media to round Christians up in the future. They are already using social media today to track us why do we think they will not use social media for other ungodly purposes? What else in our lives have such sway? Let us face the truth the "nominal church" has not engaged nor has it effected the social culture of the world. And why? Because she has willfully given up the moral high ground (we have the words of life) to politicians and other liars for political favor and financial gain. They (the nominal church) have allowed men and women who despise our God stand behind the sacred desk for popularity and worldly acceptance. They (the nominal church) have supported and encouraged ungodly spiritual truth by calling evil good and good evil compromising the word of God deceiving many. I asked the LORD what must America (the government and the people) do for Him to turn His wrath away from America and quickly and with a resounding roar in my spirit I heard these words, "the government and the people must humble themselves before me, put prayer back in school, stop murdering their children, and overturn the abominable ruling on same sex marriage, and then I will heal them and their land. Now here is the good news fear not my friends God has always had remnant and today is no different. Yes it is true America is a sinking ship spiritually and you better be in the life boat of His protection and safety bad times are coming our way, but all though out the Bible God has protected those who (how about you?) put their faith and trust in Him. Their times were tough, persecutions, tribulations, many have died for their faith, but God has always had a remnant He could build on to see His intention done on earth as it is in heaven. My friends in the last days Christianity will continue to break into two. There will be the apostate false church (better run out and take your family now before it is to late) and that which remains true to the Gospel and a biblical worldview, which one are you in? The true Church (remember we are the church) will boldly speak the truth on moral issues while the rest compromise and fold into the lies and half truths of today's multi-cultural world. At the beginning of the age we had an anti-Christian pagan culture that persecuted believers well it is back. We are at a pivotal point this new period of total lawlessness and apostasy in which whole Christian denominations are falling in line with the world’s changing view of marriage (and other things God hates) is only the latest symptom that the world and the Church are racing in different directions. Friend we are watching the gradual shift and in some cases a total change of tectonic significance. You know I always thought I would never be alive to see the return of Jesus Christ to the earth, but now I am not so sure do this increased rate of ungodly change. I feel in my spirit we are living in the most exciting times know to man and we are standing on the threshold of the greatest event ever known to man. God has a plan for us all and He will bring it to pass, yes our God reigns and we shall reign with Him if we only believe. Written by David Stahl

ALL IN

Now I am not a poker player nor do I watch poker (Texas Holdem) on TV, okay maybe as I surf I will stop and hear a player say "I am all in," now this gets my attention. When you are "all in" you are betting all of your chips (money) that you have the best hand and are totally committed. You have nothing left to play with; sink or swim, fish or cut bait, your future in the game all depends on the hand you are betting on. Now the rewards are great usually you double or sometimes triple your chips (money) if you win, but the cost is high. If you lose it means you lose everything. As I look at our walk with the LORD this is where we all need to be, "all in," but that is not what I see or hear today and sadly even in myself at times. I will be the first to tell you my brothers and sisters that I have not made it, I have not forsaken all to follow the LORD, but that is where we must be to receive God's the best for our lives. Brother Peter said to Jesus, "Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?" Matthew 19:27), if so where did he get the boat to go fishing in John 21:3? It was not about the disciples fishing, but about the disciples going back to a previous revelation (fishing), they were not "all in" as they had said and thought since Jesus died (in their eyes) better go back to what we used to do before we heard of Jesus. My brothers and sisters we must be "all in" now and more important in the future. The LORD has satisfied our spiritual hunger to some extent, however, no one of us should be totally satisfied. Rather we should be holding our spirit before the LORD seeking more. There is so much available to us from the One who is the source of all life and truth. There is yet before us an expansive field of spiritual reality and we are to venture into it with our eyes closed (into darkness) and our heart open as the Holy Spirit leads us into new discoveries. Our present attainment of spiritual life and experience is the place to which we have been brought through Jesus Christ our LORD. As I have been teaching at our Home Group Meeting the process is: training, exercising, and obedience and the more we are trained by exercising in our lives the more we will be obedient to God and yes also to man. Now God has a reason for all of this. All of this is a preliminary training school for the ages yet to come. It is in the here and now that we make certain qualifications and are approved for our placement in the eternal ages. These qualifications will not be given to us spontaneously when we get there oh no rather, we are being qualified for them here during this present time. Then in the eternal ages to come that which has been acquired through discipline and training through the surrender (by going all in) of our old life to the resurrection of the new all of this will be projected upon another (higher) plane of living in the ages that are yet to come. Our present life is a test it is only a time to qualify for our next position in Christ. These are the treasures Jesus was talking about when He said, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: (Matthew 6:19-20) Jesus was not talking about money or gems He was talking about the "true" treasures that will enable us to move and function with Him in our next life. Whatever we build up of spiritual value, vigor, and vision during our lifetime this is all that the LORD will take of us into eternity. We who have been touched by eternal truth and are seeking to go further, must have a correct perspective and goal. The LORD is very busy building His Body, of which we are a member, training it and doing a thousand things within and for this to happen we must come to place in God where we are "all in," no matter the cost. The day is coming when we will cast our crowns at His feet, but before then we must count the cost to acquire the crowns. Each of us has a certain degree of spiritual hunger. This hunger rests on certain levels of spiritual obedience and experience, ever seeking to take us further. We do not belong (I must keep telling myself this time and time again) here; we are here for just a few fleeting years of training and discipline and then we will be taken. We are to continually move from one level of spiritual understanding and experience to another. This is determined by the amount of spiritual revelation that we have obtained through our responses to the LORD's presence and His workings within us. Because we are reacting agents, we learn our lessons through these experiences. We were made this way in the structural law of our being so this might be possible. I have discovered that I must carefully order my steps as I walk with the LORD. I must be continually sensitive to His voice and responsive to His presence. Then He will guide my path, as He disciplines and trains me in order to push me up into a higher order of spiritual reality and life. You know we become spiritually hungry on different levels, according to our commitment and dedication toward the LORD. Sometimes people say, “oh I know that as I heard it before tell me something new.” But first we must experience the depths of the word we heard. We must come to realize that there are a thousand facets of truth in this glorious treasure of redemption, which radiate from it continually. All revelation is purely a progressive matter. It is eternally moving and is inexhaustible. Anyone who tries to pull it down and label it into a fixed doctrinal pattern will only hinder and frustrate its full outworking. We must always remember that spiritual truth is a progressive revelation which continually expands and moves upward, as Job said, "as the sparks fly upward." (Job 5:7) The truth I have for us today is, "are we all in" with God? It is wonderful to gather other truths, but commitment and dedication will never be a truth that God overlooks in us nor will they be a truth we will never have to pay for. In my spirit I am troubled by the way Christians (especially in America) handle the things of God, but I know God has a plan and He will bring it to an end no matter what we say and feel. Take heed, hear me Christians of America: look at the world you live in, look at your neighbors dying and going to hell, look at your lesbian and sodomite friends who shake their fist at God in defiance calling lust love, good evil, and evil good. Look at the Supreme Court with each major ruling contradicting God and His word moving America further and further from the truth of God's word and closer to all out debauchery. So now God has given us leaders and rulers after our own heart, vile and reprobate. My friend God is looking to see who is "all in" and who is willing to sell out. The rich young ruler was not. God is looking to see who will stand up for His truth and His word or who will compromise the truth wanting to be politically correct, not wanting to offend. Looking at those Christians who have sold their soul to a political party (the donkey or elephant) saying, "if we just can get our man in the White House" thinking their man will lead them to the land that flows with milk and honey when in reality they have been deceived duped, and taken advantage of for more political gain, fame, and money. Oh Christians please look at what once was and what is now. Look at how far we have fallen in knowing the truth and morality (shamefully setting aside the things of God) in the last 10 years. Has our God lost His power and ability or have we sold God out for other's powers and authority? James 1:8 tells us this type of Christian "is double minded and is unstable in all their ways." When the Bible says "all" it mean all. In all of their ways these Christians are unstable. Oh I warn you my Christian brothers and sisters God is NOT mocked! When I heard the Supreme Court ruling on same sex marriage He brought these verses to my attention, "The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken. 16 The LORD is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands Higgaion Selah.17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. (Psalms 9:15-17) Scoff and laugh at me all you want. Shake your fist at God all you want, but in the end God gets the final word whether you believe Him or not. Take heed my Christian friends God is watching to see who is "all in." My friend America is a sinking ship spiritually you better be in the life boat. Written by David Stahl

TRAINING FOR OBEDIENCE

Note:  Article taken from teaching outline for 23 June 15 Home Group Meeting

 

The Children of Israel was brought to the Wilderness of Sin by God to learn obedience and to learn how to fight in the wilderness and for the promised land, but they failed time and time again. They were brought there to be given weapons for warfare, the right diet, the manual, even tactics of warfare, but they did not learn they were disobedient. Obedience seems to be one of the hardest things for Christians to do. Now do not misunderstand me here I have not made it always being obedient to the LORD, but I have learned the more obedient to God we are the easier being obedient to God becomes. So too is the learning process in our lives: learning, experiencing, and obeying. The more we learn of the LORD the easier learning becomes and the easier learning becomes the more we will experience in greater depth His nature and character which will cause us to willfully obey. The Prophet Samuel said, "And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." (I Samuel 15:22) Our training begins on an elementary level, nothing too difficult. As we progress, we are brought to more difficult levels and on to more difficult levels. As we continue in the LORD proving or testing us we will also increase in His rewards as well. The LORD would not prove a babe at the same duration and intensity He would a father in the LORD. He wants to get from us the greatest degree of fulfillment possible. Obedience is an extremely important area very very important. Samuel said, "obedience is better than sacrifice" and God means it. It has such far reaching implications that it defies the imagination. Obedience is certainly necessary in our lives in order to function properly in God. How can we function properly in God's intentions if we cannot and will not obey? We will function as properly as we obey. We cannot function properly in God if we are disobedient. God attempts to bring us to obedience which is immediate and without reservations. Hopefully, it becomes automatic. We do not have to think to breathe, breathing is automatic, so too is God's idea of obedience in our lives, but it is not put into us automatically. Our training and learning is to become so ingrained in us that we just do it without thinking. God is after perfect obedience -- full, complete, immediate obedience without taking the time to think about it. Perfect obedience is far reaching. It is necessary among other reasons for the purpose of functioning properly in the millennium and more. Learning obedience now is a necessity to fulfill God's intentions now and in the ages to come. How do we expect to know how to function in ages to come if we cannot be obedient in the here and now? Here are a few reasons why obedience to God the first time He speaks is so critical in our lives. Obedience works purification into us. Peter gives us a clue about the importance of obedience as it relates to our soul. Brother Peter says, "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:" (I Peter 1:22) Learning to obey purifies our soul in honesty, integrity, and righteousness qualities greatly lacking in most Christians today. Most Christians see no importance in being people of their words and actions, thinking God understands their dishonesty and His grace will cover them, but without learning to obey we will never be able to love "one another with a pure heart" in other words we will want to love people with an impure heart trying to get over on them in all we do. Our motives and intentions will be vile, corrupt, selfish, and self-seeking. John tells us, "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." (I John 1:7) Did you know the word "if" is the most important word in the Bible; it always sets the stage for receiving a reward -- something from God have it be good for us or what we would consider bad for us based on our behavior. The result of that obedience is "the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." How can we have fellowship with our brothers and sisters if we are always trying to cheat and defile them? Obeying the truth which we have is quite important. There are believers who do not walk in the light which they have. Some will neglect one area of light which God gave them, in order to fulfill a certain desire or ambition. We cannot do that and still come to the fullness which our Father has in mind for us. We have to obey that which He brings to us; we have to walk in the light which we have; we have to obey the truth which we know and understand. Some folks will worry so much about the truth which they do not know or understand. Walk in the truth, rather than neglect it. We will not get any more truth until we walk in what we have. Obedience to the truth is necessary for the work of God to continue in us. There are two directions we can follow. In obeying the truth, there is a growth in obedience. This means that one grows stronger and is more deeply rooted in God. His obedience becomes more habitual and complete. In disobeying the truth, there is a growth in disobedience. This means that there is a stronger inclination to follow one's own will, ever drifting further and further from living in the truth. Obedience to the will of the Lord will enable us to abide for ever . Again Brother John helps us here, "And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." (I John 2:17) Plainly said, no obedience no abiding forever. Now please notice I am not talking about eternal life that is something totally different. Eternal life is not living forever. John tells us, "Now this is life eternal that we may know God . . . ." (John 17:3) Eternal life is coming to know a holy and loving God now on earth and in the ages to come. Man since time eternal has been chasing his tail when looking for the fountain of youth where they would live forever while all of the time it is found in the Bible and all you have to do to find it is just read the Scriptures. Everyone alive or have ever lived will live forever; eternal life in that sense is for everyone, but the question still stands before everyone who has ever lived where will they spend their eternal life in hell or with a loving and caring God? The choice is not God's nor the devils, but ours. This way he that does the will of God is woven into the eternal purpose of God that He purposed in Christ Jesus. As one does the will of God they remain in God and continue on in the purposes of God. He that is obedient and does the will of God is transformed by that will which is one of God's goals in our lives to be transformed from the earthly to the heavenly in thinking. Transformation and conformity to God's will enables us, "That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;" (Philippians 1:10) We then can make the proper choices not only for today, but also for tomorrow. Thus our ability to choose correctly tomorrow is based upon our choices today. We say God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow (Hebrews 13:8), but really there is no yesterday nor is there a tomorrow there is only today. Our choices today dictates our tomorrow (which will be today when we get there) out from our obedience to God today. Just how important is our obedience today? Our future depends on it.

IT IS ONLY A TEST

Our life is nothing more than test. Now many Christians would disagree with me on this one and say our life is to glorify God or worship Him and they would be correct, but if we are not obedient to God in what He wants for our lives all of our worship and all of the glory we give Him would not touch one act of obedience to God. Why do bad things happen to good people? God is testing those good people to see their reaction. Why do we suffer if God is all knowing, well our life is a test. Suffering teaches us patience, obedience, mercy, and compassion. Our life is nothing more than is a test and God is watching to see how we react; not to watch us suffer for suffering sake, but watching us to see HOW we react, what we will say, what we will do. In the Book of Exodus we read where God was testing the Children of Israel. Time and time again. God did miracle after miracle for the Children of Israel in the wilderness and their reaction was always the same. In the Book of Numbers we read, "And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. 5And the people spake against God, and against Moses, "Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread." (Numbers 21:4-5) Time and time again they would say, "Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread." Have you ever been hungry? Time and time again they would rail on Moses (but really railing on God) about the situations and circumstance God has brought them in to. How quickly they forgot about the great miracle of the parting of the Red Sea. How quickly they have forgotten about the taskmasters of Egypt. These situations were not to see them suffer, but God was testing them to see if they have learned anything. In Exodus we read where God came through again and rained bread from heaven. What a great miracle, again God jumps through the hoop for them when they cried. Again God saved them from the circumstance and situation that He brought into their lives. You know God desires not to deliver us, oh no God desires to develop us. Spiritual growth and development requires development and not deliverance. Now if God has to keep delivering us from situations and circumstances in our lives He knows the plan He has purposed for our lives is in jeopardy of being lost (we will walk always from Him) so he picks us up and plants us in another field so we can continue to grow at some lesser level only to replant us in the same field some day. We never get past the present test in God until we pass it. God told Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no." (Exodus 16:4) What a wonderful miracle, "bread from heaven." I cannot remember how many sermons I have heard preached on this verse; how God feeds his people from His own hands, etc., but please notice why God gave the Children of Israel the "Manna" (which means "what is it"), not to fill their bellies or to satisfy their hunger, oh no, but "that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no." God gave them a miracle to test them. Say, our life is a test. God fed them every day (except on the last day of the week they collected two portions) to see if they would be obedient to His words. Who would think God would do such a thing? Anybody who can see the hand of God working in their lives. The bread from heaven was a particular provision and exercise in the people's training. It was their test of obedience. Later on in the Book of Exodus the Children of Israel would swear to God, "And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient." (Exodus 24:7) God knew if they could not be obedient to daily gather bread from heaven to feed their hunger how would they be able to fulfill their words, "All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient." God was testing them with a miracle because God knows obedience does not come from spoken convictions and intentions obedience comes through testings, for everybody even Jesus. In the Book of Hebrews we read of Jesus, "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;" (Hebrews 5:8) Again why do we suffer, to learn obedience. Jesus first learned obedience at the hands of Joseph and Mary as a child. Make no mistake my friend Jesus was given a name above all names not because He was God's Son, oh no but because, "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.' (Philippians 2:8-11) One of the objects in our training program of life is to train us in obedience. This is the very basic element. If there is no obedience then there will be no victory. Obedience is a must! It is one thing to say, "all that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient." and quite another thing to do it. Words are important, but words are much cheaper than actions. God is not after lip service; He is after a life that will be willing to march to His tune. He is gathering together a people who will serve Him in reality. He wants people who will do His will, rather than those who simply talk about doing His will. There are people who pray about doing His will and that's all they do pray about it. That is not what God desires. He desires a people who will actually do that He says to do; who will, in fact, take upon themselves to obey the word of God. That is what He is after. How does God get this arrangement? People are not born with it. They must be trained to obey. Obedience is not something that is automatic. Remember it is only a test of our obedience! There is the need of learning obedience. We have to LEARN to obey. When one is born again of the Spirit of God, it would be just lovely if God somehow dumped into us that quality of total and unquestioning obedience. But that is not the way it happens. How did Jesus learn? Did God say to Him, "Let's sit down together and I'll tell You how to be always in complete obedience?" Oh, no. "yet learned he obedience by the things which He suffered" is the servant greater than the Master? Learning obedience is a life-long process, but here is the good news, as we learn the easier learning becomes. We see this process moving in our children. the more they learn the easier other things are to learn. We teach them to tie their shoes and when they master this skill they now can now learn some day to tie a surgeon's knot. So too in God. The more we learn obedience in areas in our lives the easier it will become to learn obedience in other areas. God's principle have they be in the physical or spiritual realm are the same they must be learned to achieve the goal God intents. And God is after us being obedient to Him the first time He speaks. Oh He will speak again and again if he must, but we will lose some of the original intention God had for us in His speaking. Yes Jesus needed to learn obedience to such an extent that it became a perfect thing in His life BEFORE he began His public ministry. If we are to have a public ministry we too will need to learn obedience. Jesus went to school He did not sit in a classroom in Jerusalem, but He went to school, His Father's school of the Spirit. And yes Jesus learned through situations and circumstances. The difference between disobedience and obedience may be narrower than a cell split in two, but the results may be worlds apart. At time God needs a perfection in obedience that can split a cell in two. he needed that in Jesus' life and He needs that in our lives. Perfect obedience is not understood by many, let alone knowing the price it will cost through experience. Jesus knew and He learned, he paid the price and is the servant greater than the Master? Keep telling yourself life is only a test, it is only a test and God is looking for obedience in us the first time He speaks. Written By David Stahl

THE COMFORT OF GOD

In the Psalms David said, "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." (Psalms 23:1-4) Now I will be honest when I have read these verses from the Scriptures in the past I have not had total comprehension from the LORD. After all how can a three foot piece of metal used for measuring and a six foot long staff made of wood used for herding bring comfort to someone? How could a piece of metal and a piece of wood bring the comfort of the LORD to us? Yes I do understand how discipline of the LORD comes to correct us and as it corrects and realigns our expectation with what God is looking for in our lives there comes a calming and relaxation of our spirit, but how does metal and wood bring comfort? Well as God always does in His time and in His way He always brings understanding. Pastor Victor Foster and I spent 10 wonderful days on the road in ministry of which seven were in steamy Hyderabad, India and surrounding cities and villages. What a wonderful time we had as we traveled over 1,830 miles on India's treacherous roads. On each trip out from Hyderabad we saw the aftermath of deadly accidents; vehicles rolled on their side in the fields or in gullies, car crushed by buses, and even dead bodies laying on the road from a recent accident. God was very gracious to us as the miles clicked by and if you couple the high temperatures: 101 to 105F during the heat of the day with 100 to 120% humility with the ever present danger (we had a few encounters) from the Hindu and Islamic extremist, God was greatly looking out for us. But as we were driving to the BHG Conference (one of four) in Raghunathapalen we came upon a TATA truck and in the back was a load of about 25 goats and a shepherd. In the hand of the shepherd was light weight wooden switch and as the goats would get excited and try to jump out of the back of the truck the shepherd would pop the goat on top of its head. The goat would calm down and get back into his position in the herd. As the shepherd quieted one goat another goat would rise up in fear and alarm and the good shepherd would pop him on the head and quiet its fears. One goat after the other tried jumping out of the back of the truck, but the loving shepherd knew if they succeeded they would be killed on the road so the good shepherd used his wooden switch to comfort the goats. As I watched this play out in front of me the LORD brought Psalms 23:4 to my memory and said, "see how I can comfort you, even if I need to use a switch?" In the speaking came the revelation knowledge of what I was watching the shepherd comforting the goats as God brings comfort to us with His rods and His staff. Now I would believe God's rod is not three feet long nor is His staff six feet long. God uses difference measuring sticks in our lives to comfort us. Peter tells us to, "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." (1 Peter 5:6-7) I wonder what "the mighty hand of God" looks like? In the life of Joseph "the mighty hand of God" was his brothers. As a matter of fact "the mighty hand of God" can be anything God uses to humble us, because like the good goat shepherd in the back of the TATA truck, "he careth for you." God has His ways and means to comfort us, but all come by way of us humbling ourselves before the LORD. If the goats would not have calmed down the good shepherd would thump them harder on the head until they got the message, relax, calm down, all is well. So too in our lives God is saying, "calm down, relax all is well no matter the situation or circumstance in your life. I see the world situations they are of my doing, I know what I am doing, fear not, be of good cheer, all is well." But we will never hear this message of comfort if we cannot endure the occasional pop on the head by the LORD by one of His rods or staffs. We do not like to be corrected or disciplined, but David seemed to look forward to it. maybe he knew something about God's correction and His comfort. David knew of the "valley of the shadow of death" time and time again God delivered him from things in his life. It seems the comfort of the LORD leads right through the "valley of the shadow of death." Even the restoring of our soul and the leading in paths of righteousness for His name sake come out of being comforted by the LORD. Strange how this works in our lives, well not so strange if you really think about it God is God and we are not. As we traveled the many miles, as the temperature soared, and as we encountered obstacles in our way yet in the back of my spirit I could hear the Holy Spirit speak words of comfort to me. It was the miles, the heat, the obstacles, and so much more that enabled the Holy Spirit to speak comfort to me. Strange how we reject such dealings from God, but expect to receive comfort from the LORD. Well God does not operate that way. It is like God's mercy and His judgment. We want God's mercy without His judgment, but without judgment God will never know how much mercy to give. So too with comfort. Without the fears, problems, hard times, and even times of suffering persecution and loss, God will not know how much comfort to give us. You see collectively my fear (as David felt all along his way) was I would not return to my sweet and beautiful wife. You see the last time I was in India was back in 2006, then I did not leave in victory. In my opinion I left with my tail between my legs, sick (high blood pressure), and in great distress due to my weight, but now nine years later and in better shape I left in victory, hearing God speak as we traveled well over 20,000 miles (planes and ground vehicles) "come and go as planned" and then as the airplane touched down at the airport in Raleigh, NC after 20 hours of flight, "mission complete." Mile after mile, moment by moment, and second by second I would hear God speak comfort to me by Him saying, "come and go as planned" or "all the way home" then He would speak, "all is well my son." What wonderful words of assurance and comfort spoken to my spirit, no matter the situation and circumstance we found ourselves in, I would beseech the LORD and with a resounding, clarion and comforting call I would hear in my spirit, "come and go as planned" and we did. Yes David knew something about comfort and on this trip to India this David too learned something about the comfort of God. Written by David Stahl

COMING TO THE END

There is an urgent need for the intervention of God in the Church within His people and in the affairs of the nations while seeking out those whom He can use for His purpose as the time in which man is in control of the nations is coming to an end. I do not know about you my friend, but all I see and hear in the world is falling apart. No matter how hard the world system and nations try to put it back together the world continues to deteriorate. It seems with each passing year the deterioration of the world increases in volatility and complexity. Sadly many churches and denominations seems to follow in the same destruction while not even noticing it. They think they are rich in God, spiritual, doing mighty works of God, but in reality they are poor, naked, and blind willfully following the blind into a ditch. In Revelation, John says of the Church at Laodicea, "Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:" (Revelation 3:17) I am not sure if we are in the Laodicea Church Age as many Christians say, but I do see the parallel of the spiritual where-with-all and heart condition then all now. I hear many in the church say we have the power, but Jesus said I have no power. I of myself I can do nothing except for what the Father gives me. In the past, with few exceptions, the LORD moved through human agency, but was limited by the level of faith and yieldedness in those He used. However, the LORD is beginning to transcend these limitations as things continue to fall apart. At the end of 2014 the LORD spoke to me which I have shared in many churches in early 2015 and one thought was, "life as we know it is no more." Oh how this has played out in the world. It seems with each passing year life speeds up as God's minute hand on His heavenly clock has proceeded another movement. Many Christians believe we are approaching the end of the sixth day when the Church Age will close and the Millennial Kingdom will be established. Now I do not know if this is true, but what I do know at this present time the LORD is preparing a body of believers, those who desire to go beyond their present spiritual experience and will respond to His voice in obedience to His end. After all I am not sure how much of the "Kingdom of God" was established in the earth, but my thoughts matter not because God has a plan and purpose and He will bring them to an end whether we like or agree with it. After all time belongs to God it is not ours to command nor worry about. No one (except God) can add one measure of time to our life or the plan God has for our lives. Jeremiah clearly states this to be true, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." (Jeremiah 29:11) It is God who has these thoughts towards us and it is God who has "an expected end" for us. As world conditions increasingly deteriorate it is becoming evident that there is no lasting solution to world problems except through divine intervention, but and as I read the Bible I do not see things getting better for the world. Any possible method of dealing with these present world dilemmas is so elusive that leaders must come to recognize that they are incapable of any resolution of these problems. That is okay God has something better in mind He is bringing His plan and purpose in our lives and in the world to an end, both at the same time. This is the time in which the LORD will lift into His end purposes all those who have entered a state of rest in Him and are willing and available to be used, beyond any level of faith or ability that they may possess. This my friend will require a high level of personal integrity, dedication, and commitment. There are two aspects to God's end purposes. The first is to be able to bring an end to some things in us not of God -- to put them to death, to a dead end. If there is sin in our lives we must stop sinning, we must bring sin to an end in our lives. We must allow God to still and bring to an end our hungers, thirsts, our intentions, motives, our desires that are not of Him. Or maybe it is character issues, lack of integrity, and the like things not open sin, but still things not pleasing to God, we must allow God to strengthen us with might to bring them to an end in us. If not we will never ever be used of God as He desires. The second is for God to be able to bring some things (spiritually speaking) to an end in our lives so that He can bring new things into our lives. We may come to an end in one aspect of our life (schooling, marriage, retirement, etc) or in ministry. God's purposes for us may end (for example) pastoring a church or traveling the world preaching the Gospel, but that is not the end only the end of one phase of the purposes and plan God has for us. Now this can be a very trying and confusing time in our lives. I know I am there in ways and can taste of the seemingly loss of purpose. Often times we will think we may have missed it or maybe we have sinned and God is kicking us out, but probably that is not the case. If we know (and we most often do know) we are NOT over in some area of sin in our lives and things are changing (maybe in our desires or motives) in our lives please consider the fact that God may have brought these things of ministry in our lives to an end so we can move into the next things God has for our lives have they be greater or lesser in scope. There is no economy of scale in God's eyes, great to us maybe nothing to God. We will never come to completion unless God can move us along His continuum for our lives. We humans are slow to react to change. We do not like to change, but change in God is the norm not the exception, yet we resist with all that is within us. These two end purposes: to be able to bring an end to some things in us not of God and to be able to bring some things (spiritually speaking) to an end in our lives so that He can bring new things into our lives can be viewed as being like a two-sided coin. Each side is different yet it is one coin, but if we can submit to His Headship we become a part of a greater purpose for our lives. As we respond to the LORD in obedience we grow into spiritual maturity. This two-fold relationship is impossible of attainment apart from the sovereign hand of the LORD being stretched out in our behalf to qualify us for His purposes. Therefore, to merely read the Bible and mentally grasp them is not sufficient. They must be experientially entered, step upon step. Paul tells us, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10) Paul knew something about God working on him. It was not the good works Paul walked in that made him God's workmanship, oh no it was God's good plan and purpose for Paul life to change his character, desires, hopes, dreams all that God wanted Paul to become make him God's workmanship. To experience this level of identification we must unconditionally submit the totality of our being to God; all that I am, along with all that I do, and then specifically give Him permission to deal with us as He may desire. It is never the end in God. What does the future hold? I do not know and God usually is not telling. Yet man spins the Scriptures and the news of the day to come up with answers that seldom come true. They were known as false Prophets in the Old Testament, but today they are great Bible teachers. Do not be deceived by all of this. This time on earth is all about qualifying us for what God has next for us. Karen calls this earthly experience Christian boot camp where we learn the lessons and develop the ability to be able to function with God in our next life. Yes we will be able to do some things in the here and now in God, but I believe God is doing a deeper work in us, training us now so that we will useful in our next life. Training us now so when we get into our next life we will know how God functions and operates. He will not have to train us we will just flow with Him doing whatever He wants us to do. This allowing God to bring us to ends in our lives (while approving and qualifying us for greater and bigger things) is the first step in the process. We sing songs and write books about going to heaven yet we have never been there. Now I am sure it is going to be beyond my wildest imagination, but we do not really know. I think I like it better that way serving a God who is a mystery and has something waiting for me. Unfolding all He has for us as He is allowed to bring things in us to an end.  Written by David Stahl

THANK YOU LORD

Spring time is a wonderful time of the year that speaks of God's love for life and rebirth. This year (and yes I know I am telling on myself) this rebirth of nature really captivated Karen's attention: with each Bradford Pear (whose blossoms come out a brilliant white then turn into green leaves) she would see she would say thank you LORD for such a beautiful tree and oh look at those daffodils, tulip trees, on and on she would go in thankfulness to God for such beautiful creations to the point it would annoy me somewhat until the LORD showed me if I cannot be thankful to the LORD for the flowers and trees I will never have enough of His Spirit in me to thank Him for the other miracles He does in my life. What a wonderful lesson the LORD showed me through Karen, because at the heart of praise and worship (things we hold in high esteem in the church to the point of idolatry) at the very essence of our relationship with God is our thankfulness to God. "True" (always used in a spiritual projection from the natural to the spiritual realm) worship and praise is born out of our thankfulness. This is why many Christians can come to church week after week or day after day and not praise God or come into a place of worship -- lack of thankfulness. "True" worship and praise is born of and directed by the Holy Spirit and is birthed out of thankfulness. When a group of committed Christians who have never been together in a Gospel gathering worship the LORD it is the flow of the Spirit in a beautiful harmony that lifts up the hearts and spirits of the people. A casual observer might think they had been meeting together for years. This flow of worship is not the result of any learned ability, but rather it is due to their respect for and response to the presence of the LORD and the resultant lifting power of the Holy Spirit. Pure worship produces the unity that releases the Holy Spirit to impart the enabling power to lift us in a flow of a harmonious expression -- the heavens open and the presence of the LORD is released upon the gathering. Our worship will bring the Spirit of Revelation into a Christian gathering. It releases the anointing and the lifting power of the Holy Spirit upon the worshippers. As we respond to the presence of the LORD we will experience an increased purity and flow of Spirit and begin to receive prophetic revelation. This ability to flow together in harmony relates to the fact that we have received a prophetic ability to express worship to the LORD. This “spirit of worship” abides deep within each of us and awaits an opportunity for expression. All that is needed for us to begin to worship the LORD is the proper heart condition and some encouragement. “Worship” is the expression of pure adoration to the LORD and increases our desire to be in His presence. All throughout the Bible the word "worship" has been closely identified with bowing our heads and hearts to the ground not singing, dancing, or waving flags. We find Abraham's servant in Genesis worshipping, "And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the LORD, and blessed the LORD God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter unto his son." (Genesis 24:48) The Children of Isreal and Moses in the Book of Exodus worshipped, "And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped." (Exodus 4:31) and Moses, "Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth ,and worshipped. 9And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance." (Exodus34:8-9) After Job lost his sons and daughters he worshipped, "While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house: 19 And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped," (Job 1:18-20) The disciples worshipped, "And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him." (Matthew 28:9) even Jesus worshiped, "And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." (Matthew 26:39) I wonder why we have gotten away from "true" worship? Maybe not much to see or hear when we are flat on our face. It is a key to our becoming sensitive to His presence and to our learning to recognize His voice. As we are faithful and thankful in our expression of worship to the LORD we will become increasingly more aware of His abiding presence and we will more easily discern His voice. Our heart condition to worship (our act of bowing ourselves before the LORD) will do much in helping to develop these spiritual qualities within us. Now “praise” is thankfulness to the LORD for all that He has done for us. In a service, drums and the like stir the soul (this usually is carnal and we must be very careful with music, instruments, and all that move our emotions and feelings) and those present begin to get excited and shout. However, when we become quiet in an attitude of "true" worship we will begin to worship the LORD "in Spirit and truth" and an expression of worship in harmony which will lift our hearts and spirits something impossible for the beat of loud drums. Praise is spoken words to the LORD for all that He has done for us individual and us collectively. Mere words coming from our heart expressing our gratitude, thankfulness, and love to God. I am not sure why we try to make these two expressions of communion with God more speculator with pomp and pageantry. The drum beat will excite our soulish nature (feelings and emotion), but will also reduce our expression to be thankful to the LORD leaving us far short of our desires and Gods' expectation in our gathering together. Satan knows this, but very few worship leaders do. There are many expressions of worship and praise within the Body of Christ, but most never get us to the heart of the LORD. There is a place of communion with God, blessed quietness, that He is looking for, but in most services (now and in the past) time is set aside for an emotional release (people are encouraged to dance, etc., but are told dancing is a sin) making a carnal assent to the GOD. Singing and dancing (what we call spiritual freedom and expression in worship) is not worshipping the LORD it is singing and dancing. "True" worship and praise to God is birthed out of thankfulness and cultivates the presence of the LORD in our lives. Moses both knew and valued the presence of the LORD. In Exodus Moses told the Children of Isreal, “And He (the Lord) said, My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest. And he (Moses) said to Him, If Your presence go not with me, carry us not up here.” (Exodus 33:14-15) This intense desire within Moses to have the presence of the LORD abide with him did not just happen. It came about through circumstances (so too in our lives) that caused him to diligently seek the abiding presence of the LORD. Though Moses was “ . . . learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds” (Acts 7:22), he failed in Egypt and fled into the wilderness. Here while keeping the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, he pursued the call that rested upon his life as he journeyed toward the Mountain of God. As he traveled, he noticed at a distance "to the side of his path" a bush which burned with fire, but was not consumed. We read from Exodus, “And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.” (Exodus 3:2) As soon as Moses noticed this burning bush, he said, “I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burned” (Exodus 3:3). He responded quickly to this visitation from the LORD -    This speaks of something within Moses that desired and was responsive to the presence of the LORD. When we engage in "true" worship and praise we too will turn aside please notice that the LORD appeared in a bush that was a “distance to the side” of the path that Moses was taking, even though he was moving toward the Mountain of God. This is because the LORD desires to be wanted. He seeks a response from us that indicates our desire for His presence. He chooses to reveal Himself in such a way that it requires a deliberate action on our part as an indication of our "true" desire for His presence. My friend please do not fool yourself our spiritual aptitude toward His presence does not come easily. It must be actively sought after and cultivated and "true" worship is a key to developing this spiritual sensitivity and aptitude for His presence. I am always amazed when people say things like, "let us enter into the presence of the LORD," well if not in the presence of the LORD where were they? Cannot God see us at all times? David knew He could, "Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;" (Psalm 139:7-9) Moses knew of this critical requirement to hear from the LORD, “And Moses said, I will now turn aside... And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I” (Exodus 3:3-4). Although Moses was intent on moving toward that which pertained to God he desired the presence of the LORD so much that he willingly responded to this manifestation of the supernatural. He was obedient to the voice of the LORD though at the time he did not understand what was taking place, but Moses wanted more he wanted to see the LORD Himself. God told Moses, "Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. 21And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: 22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: 23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen." (Exodus 33:20-23) What do we want to see of God? Each of us are affected by the worldly environment that surrounds us. As a result of this we develop varying amounts of sensitivity to earthy things. When we were birthed from above we received the capacity to know and respond to eternal things. Through the working of the Holy Spirit within us, we began to understand that we are now a new creation and that we have entered a new and higher realm of life. We learn that the purpose of the LORD is not only to build up the temporal, but also to introduce us to the spiritual. This deeper understanding will help us to turn aside from lesser things and to focus our attention on eternal things by cultivating an increased sensitivity to His voice and presence. Everything that we do in a gathering should be directed toward our coming into this dimension of His revealed expression. We should develop this sensitivity to His presence so we will be able to recognize His presence, and know when to turn aside to lift our voice in pure worship. When Moses responded to the LORD’s presence in the burning bush and turned aside, the LORD spoke to Him and imparted the instructions that led to the deliverance of His people from bondage. The LORD enabled Moses to lead them into a land that was flowing with milk and honey. The value of our "true" praise and worship (not our emotional assent) is far more than we may realize. It releases the LORD to move in intervention as when we worship, the LORD works on our behalf. And, although the LORD has all the choirs of heaven to lead in heavenly worship, He responds and inhabits our praise and worship which all begins with our thankfulness.  Written by David Stahl