WTFMT 70 (TAKEN FROM HGM ON 19 NOV 19)

WILDERNESS TRUTHS FOR MODERN TIMES-70

TEXT: "And when we passed by from our brethren the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, through the way of the plain from Elath, and from Eziongaber, we turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab." (Deuteronomy 2:8)

 

I. AVOID IT

 

   A. The only reference to the Wilderness of Moab as such is Deuteronomy 2:8. This is one of two wildernesses which should be not be part of the Christian's life. However, at times if does touch the Christian's experience.       B. When the word "moab" first occurs in the Bible it is in an incestuous situation. "Ab" is the word for "father" and "mo" is the preposition meaning "from" and attached to "ab." Thus the translation of "moab" is "from father." When the elder daughter of Lot gave birth to her child which she had conceived by her own father she named him, Moab. (Genesis 19:36-37)

  C. No part of Moab, wilderness or whatever, was to be part of Israel's possession. "And the LORD said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of their land for a possession; because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession." (Deuteronomy 2:9) As the children of Israel were to have nothing to do with this territory so is the Christian to avoid it in its spiritual sense which in its first setting is incest.

   D. The second reference in which "Moab" occurs is, "And Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who smote Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Avith." (Genesis 36:35)

   E. This is a setting of defeat. Midian is smitten in the field of Moab. Defeat is not to become a possession of the believer victory is, but so many believers seem to be living in defeat in the field of Moab. They live in the world's field or the field of personal circumstances. They do not live in God. If your life is hid with Christ in God you will discover that there is no defeat in God.

  F. Fear and distress causes defeat in Moab. "And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel." (Numbers 22:3) This is more than suggestions it presents a type of fear and dread which should not be part of the Christian's life, this is not the believer's possession. King David pens, "I will fear no evil."

  G. A believer's life in God should reflect his faith in God's power and care. Some believers live a fearful life. This is unbelief. Furthermore, there is no vision in the soul. God's loving care cannot be seen; instead, enemies and adverse situations are seen. They are the focal point of some Christians. Come out of Moab and be healed! Come out of Moab for your peace and strength! The aspects if Moab should not be found in a believer's life.

 

II.  PARTING THOUGHTS

 

     A. How can one come out of Moab? The very fact a Christian is in Moab indicates a lack of complete and unconditional surrender to God. One's own will and desires are followed and catered to. Thus, to come out of Moab requires a reversal of these detrimental trends.

   B. How does one suddenly reverse patterns following for years? He doesn't. The solution is to continually and habitually bring oneself in helplessness and dependency before God. The solution is to continually and habitually read the Bible with a desire to be conformed to it.

WTFMT 69 (FROM HGM ON 8 OCT 19)

WILDERNESS TRUTHS FOR MODERN TIMES-69

TEXT: "For ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water before their eyes: that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin." (Numbers 27:14)

 

I. MAKE A CHANGE

 

A. We are brought to the same situations, as the children of Israel, for the same tests over and over again. In this way, we have ample opportunities to correct our errors, then change our attitudes. Take advantage of these testing. Charles Haun said, "Count your testing name them one by one and your will see what God has done." Repent, make your renewed dedication, and avoid permanent failure.

B. The Wilderness of Zin is the most critical and serious of all the wildernesses in the Bible. Rebellion persists right up to the last minute of opportunity; that's serious.

C. There was no submission to God in the situations and conditions in which persisted. The attitude of knowing more than God persisted. "And why have ye brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?" (Numbers 20:4) Why? Why? Why? Moses, don't you know any better than that? Rebellion against spiritual authority, rebellion directed toward each other, rebellion at God. Thus they bring an indictment against God at Kadesh, the place for their renewed dedication.

D. Are we much smarter than these people? Have you ever heard or said words something like these? Why am I in this situation? Why am I without the blessing of God? What did I do wrong to be brought to such a desolate place? What's going to happen? I don't understand any of this. I'm going to fail here, I just know it. All indictments against God.

E. These statements and the like are a manifestation of a heart in disagreement with God's divine arrangement. At this point there is only one element into which this heart can enter, and that is failure. Prevailing impatience, murmuring, and rebellion mean failure. There can be no further progress in God until these matters are out of the way. "Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:" (1 Peter 2:1-2)

F. To follow the correct course is not a matter which is so mystical, so high above us that we cannot come to it. It's a simple matter of obedience. It all boils down to a heart desiring to be submitted to God and all His appointed situations. It is not something which is so far above our understanding that it is difficult to comprehend and obtain.

G. It is not even doing that which God wants done. It is doing that we know God wants done. It is a matter of reading the Bible over and over to become familiar with God's priorities in relation to His will.

H. The problem with most intelligent people is that they always must stop to analyze everything. There is no matter they call allow to rest in simplicity. "Behold, the LORD thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged." (Deuteronomy 1:21) It is difficult for some to obey without analyzing. As a result, paralysis of analysis sets in. Instead of a simple obedience to the word, their feet are stuck in the analytical quagmire. I. They are attempting to understand, rather than obeying. We must first see what it is; we must tear it apart and examine it. Instead of moving on in obedience, they piddle around in some curious investigation. Thus a substitute for obedience and dedication stops them cold.

 

II. PARTING THOUGHTS

A. So when we come to our Wilderness of Zin, and we will time and time again, the very first thing we must do BEFORE we start looking around is to make sure our dedication is up to date. If need be, again come to our Father in complete surrender so that we can follow Him in obedience.

B. Doing so will assure our success in going up to possess that which He has set before us. He has set before us the great unknown. Do you have the courage and faith to move toward it? But look head to the right the Wilderness of Moab is waiting.

OUR FAITHFULLNESS

Faithfulness is a big big deal to the LORD. I wish many Christians (myself included at times) would have such a great concern as the LORD does knowing His eyes are ever on us and on our faithfulness to Him and our brothers and sisters. In the Psalms we read, “Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful…” (Psalm 101:6) Ah yes we have grace now and we do not have to be creatures of our word. We can presume on our brothers and sisters good nature and forgiveness to say and do things we really do not mean. How many times have we said, "I will be over" or "I will do this or that" or "you can count on me" yet when these words were spoken there was no intention in us to make them true. My friend God is serious about our faithfulness to Him, our brothers, sisters, and others in this world. If we will not be faithful to God how can we be faithful to anybody else? Sadly we cannot, our words and actions only convict us of our wayward heart and our glib reaction to situations and circumstances we try to manipulate in our lives. We see this truth play out in the parable of the talents. Jesus shares this parable with us, "For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. 15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. 16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. 17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. 18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. 20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. 21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. 23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. 26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: 27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. 28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. 29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. 30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 25:14-30) In the parable there are two types of servants. The one that pleased the LORD and received a reward. The other did not! I do not know about you my friend, but I want to be like the servant that pleased the LORD. Now regarding the servants that pleased the LORD one servant had five talents, the other two. Though the number of talents varied the reward they received was identical. To both the LORD said the same, “Well done, you good and faithful servant: you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: enter you into the joy of your lord.” (Matthew 25:21) Rewards are not based on how much I have done, but rather in being faithful with that which I have been entrusted with. The LORD was displeased with the servant with one talent not because he only had one, but because he was not faithful in using wisely the one that he had been given. It does not matter if I have five talents, two, or one. What is important is that I am faithful with that which the LORD has entrusted to me in the place where I am. Again it is not about the number or the types of talents, but what we did with the talents. The word “faithful” is found at least eighty-two times in the Bible. The dictionary defines faithful as maintaining allegiance to someone, or to something, of being a constant, loyal, friend. Faithfulness also speaks of showing, or having a strong sense of responsibility, of being conscientious, reliable, and full of faith. Paul talking to the Church at Corinth (who were very unfaithful) in 1 Corinthians 4:2 said, “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” The word “required” is a very strong word. To require means to demand as being necessary or crucial. Of a steward or servant, it is necessary, crucial, that he be found faithful. Well why is faithfulness so important to the LORD? Luke helps us here, “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.” (Luke 16:10) So if we are faithful in small things then God knows you will be faithful in big things. Did you know it is the small things God is concerned about in our lives? Oh we think God is concerned about the big things: how long we can speak in tongues, how much money we give, how hard we work at the church, etc., but the LORD is not looking at all of this, oh no, He is looking at our character and integrity. he is looking at how much we express the image of the Father in our daily living. We like to work for God, but remember it is not much done that counts, but how things were done. Did we do them in the right heart condition and for the right reasons and motives. My heart attitude is the key to my being faithful in whatever the LORD has called me to do. I am to do it out of a desire to please the LORD, and be found faithful in His sight. You know we all have different responsibilities. I may be called to cook or teach. Or I may be called to do construction work or work in an office. Perhaps I am a pastor or a missionary or maybe I have a ministry of helps. Did you know 90% of all ministries are helps? Not a lot of Christians want to help they seem to want to preach and teach. Well the last thing the LORD needs is another preacher or teacher, but now a servant God can use that. Again the reward is not for what I do. Rather it is for my faithfulness in doing what I do. What matters is that I am faithful in that which the LORD has entrusted me with. In my own life, at times I have held multiple positions all at the same time. Lately I am serving as a leader. In another, I am the song leader as woeful as that may sound. In another, I set up chairs and clean up with Karen. In each position I was just as happy because I understood the reward was not for what I was doing, but my faithfulness in whatever it was that I was doing, even if it meant just pushing a broom. Make no mistake my brother if you think you are too good (as I know many Christians today feel) to push a broom or set up chairs God cannot use you My contentment comes from a deep inner desire simply to please the LORD and be found faithful in His eyes. This simple understanding ever changes my life. My purpose (right or wrong big or small) is no longer what I am doing, but how I am doing it. My purpose is to please the LORD in whatever it is I am called to do. As the LORD continues to work in our lives through circumstances and responsibilities that He has allowed a working of the Holy Spirit is to continue in our lives, purifying our love for Him, increasing our desires to please Him. This love continues to grow, displacing all other desires. No matter the size of the work faithfulness is to be borne in our lives. I hear people at times say, if I could do this, or if I could do that, if I could be here, or go there, or have this, or have that, then I would be happy. That is not where true happiness lies. Happiness is in pleasing the LORD where He has called us and doing what He has called us to do. True happiness comes from that sense of being in right alignment with the LORD. True happiness comes simply from being faithful wherever, whatever. Our part is simply to be faithful. He will do the rest. Written by David Stahl

WTFMT 68 (FROM HGM ON 10 SEP 19)

WILDERNESS TRUTHS FOR MODERN TIMES-68
TEXT: "But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy:" (Ezra 3:12)

I. FIRST THINGS FIRST

A. Prevent failure by a rededication by a reconsecration, again and again, as often as is necessary. We must always have a solid foundation of continual rededication and reconsecration build on Christ Jesus. If we do not have a proper foundation, return to the basics. Otherwise we will always be in trouble.
B. If we continue to build and build on a faulty foundation we will lose a great deal. There is no short cuts in this. Certain issues and testings cannot be avoided if there is to be spiritual gain and health. We cannot leave out one fourth of our foundation and expect spiritual prosperity.
C. Not to many Christians seem to be interested in the ABC's. More seem to be interested in the XYX's. But God wants us to fulfill the ABC's. Many times when someone is initiated into the Kingdom of God, they are told that they need to be operating in the PQR's. That is why there are so many problems in the Church today. There is a lack of proper foundation.
D. Let us fulfill the basics before waiting to go on to something greater in the Lord. Even if God has called us or is leading us into greater things, let us make sure of our foundation before we go on into them. Remember that there are basic obligations you have under God which hold priority to other obligations, even those which God is laying on you.
E. This was necessary in the life of Moses. Even the will and leading of God has to be delayed in his case until the foundational work was completed. At age 40 Moses knew of his calling. But the foundational work was not completed until he was 80.
F. When answering God's called, especially in ministry, we must be built on a solid foundation and be sure we are obeying Him in proper order.
G. I know many woman who insist upon moving in the leading of the Spirit in spiritual ministry when it disrupts and worsens their relationship with their husband. The universal defense which covers it all is "we must obey God rather than man." Then do it. Obey God. But do not obey God in the matters you like and allow the other areas to rest in disobedience.
H. In obeying God, be sure of the order. Obedience to the basics must take precedence over obedience to the other types of God's leading. The basics are found in the Bible. I cannot understand how some can fulfill spiritual ministries while their households are in great need due to lack of attention. I do not know how one can ship the ABC's and move up to the PQR's without creating plenty of serious personal problems. They cannot.
I. If this is your case, you will have to back down to the ABC if you expect to solve your personal problems. Always return to the basics if they yet need fulfillment. Pride and presumption will prevent us from returning and fulfilling the basics.
J. "When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,) He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee." (John 4:1-3) Jesus comes from His Father and to do His will (John 10:32; 12:50) Thus in making disciples and baptizing, Jesus was doing the will of His Father. But another principle enters the picture, and it takes precedence over the present leading of God in the life of Jesus. The ministry of John the Baptist and Jesus were to be in a certain arrangement, according to prophecy. Thus Jesus had to back down from making disciples in order to fulfill something more basic. Not until Jesus was off the scene did Jesus come preaching. "Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God," (Mark 1:14)
K. At age 12 Jesus said, "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) But what He knew to be His "Father's business" had to be laid aside for 18 years while the basics were being fulfilled.

II. PARTING THOUGHTS

A. "And when thou [Moses] hast seen it,[the Promised land] thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered." (Numbers 27:13) Moses could only see, not enter, the Promised Land because 38 years ago he failed the basic matter of consecration at Kadesh. Moses died and buried my God without victory and conquest of the land. "For ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water before their eyes: that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin." (Numbers 27:14)
B. Do not fail at your Kadesh, that is in this matter of personal consecration. Failure in the ABC's means failure in the XYZ's. Do not avoid a "foundation" walk with God; it must be a constant factor in your Christian life.

THE PATHWAY TO THE HEART OF THE FATHER (8 OF 9)

A continuation on my teaching on Prayer. Also let us continue to look at the word beseeching. We cannot convince God to do for us what we want Him to do when we want it. Paul tried it. "For this thing I besought (beseech) the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me." (2 Corinthians 12:8) The word "given" is translated "gift"; "there was given (gift) to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, . . (verse7) What a gift from God. We would do whatever we could to get this off our back. Cast out Satan, do whatever it took to convince God to take back His gift. This was a big deal to Paul to the point God had to directly speak to Paul, "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Corinthians 12:9) We must be willing to walk through whatsoever God brings our way, oh me! Jesus in Matthew 4 waited until verse 10 to tell Satan get thee hence. Jesus did not try to kill him, nothing. We would have tried to bind him or cast him out, whatever we had to do to get Satan gone, but Jesus did not do that. Jesus did not attempt that, He accepted, He was willing to walk in what the Father wanted for Him, for as long as the Father wanted Him to walk in it. God cannot develop us unless we are willing to endure His work in our lives. Now there is a point if not developed God will set us on a shelf so we can watch others. This is what Paul was saying here in 1 Corinthians, "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." (1 Corinthians 9:27) The word "castaway" means (in the Greek) to be on a shelf I have seen this in lives of Christians and in lives of churches. God had enough of all the unfaithfulness from leaders and the folks, eating each other, and just selfish ambition which is agenda driven. So God will scatter the people and look for others to fulfill His will on earth as it is in heaven. The will of God is amazing so many things, but it is the very best thing for our lives. Often times, in the will of God, we begin to go under, by not being willing to walk in the will of God and God must rescue us or lose us. And we think because God has delivered us so we have succeeded, but in reality we have failed. We have failed by not going through what God desires for us to go through, not being molded and conformed into the image of Jesus, not willing to trust in God's grace. All the while the folks thinking they have succeeded because they get out of their discomfort, but it is failure. Success is found in and only happens in the will of God. Anything outside the will of God, even if God is doing it, is failure. God does not always get what He wants, look at Adam, Samson, Saul, the Bible is full of people God wanted to use, but in the end they were put up on the shelf. I do not know about you my friend, but that scares me and causes me to double my effort toward God. Just because God is using us does not mean He is happy with us or we are moving in God's will. Make no mistake God will use us in our obedience or He will use us as firewood. So we need to be willing to walk in the will of God and when God is not convinced by us we do not need to get upset and think we have succeeded when God says no. Now if we pester and push God to say yes, after He has said no, we have failed. No means no!! If God appears to have changed His mind rest assured you have NOT received God's best, but His second best. I do not know about you I want God's best for me, my family, and the folks God wants me to minister too. Beseeching also has to do with requesting or supplication. Where there is a response from in a given situation, or we give a reaction. God wants to teach us to make the right reaction or response. Jesus said, "Pray (beseeching) ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest." (Matthew 9:38) God desires to teach us that our life with God is not totally involved with praying, but through the praying much will come out in different areas of our activity in the kingdom of God. To bring us into this, to teach us to be active, so that our response, our reactions should be what they need to be coming out of our life of prayer. Prayer is not the "all and in all" or end, but the beginning of God's response to a situation and events in our lives and others. Jesus did not instruct them to pray to send forth labors into the vineyard, but to look unto the field and then He expects our response, You look and now you can give that response. God wants us to be aware. He wants our spiritual awareness to increase so that we can move in His will and how to join in all of this. Prayer trains us to be able to move with God now and in our next life to come. So that we become an expression of God. Giving what God wants you to give as a result from a response or reaction to a condition that you have seen, know, and understand that comes and now God is getting what He wants in all of that. Our prayers are to be an expression of what God wants on earth in lives as it is in heaven. You know God is not after things as much as He is after our obedience. In Luke Jesus said, "Watch ye therefore, and pray (beseeching) always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." (Luke 21:36) The word "always" means in every fitting situation. We are to give the correct response in every situation and circumstance God wants. For this to happen God must train us in this response. If we would know God's intentions it would be so easy to beseech God's will. But, we get off on our own things beseeching God. But in every situation God wants a certain response. To be trained in the righteousness of God is to walk right in the eyes of God, just to do right. God is after our total life to be a correct response, our reaction, and action is righteous. Without knowing we are right. It is God in us as He builds in us His righteousness to where we just do right. God wants to train us in His righteousness, so we can do right, live, it becomes automatic. Again in Luke, "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32 But I have prayed (beseeching) for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." (Luke 22:31-32) Now Jesus did not pray for Peter, it was a reaction to the Father in form of a request because of what He saw relating to Peter, "Father, do not let Peter's faith fail." Not a prayer but a request to the Father for Peter, so everything ahead for Peter and the disciples does not fall apart. And what is ahead? Returning back to the heart of the Father where he came from. Written by David Stahl

THE PATHWAY TO THE HEART OF THE FATHER (7 OF9)

Continuation of my teaching on "Prayer." In Mark we read, "And there came a leper to him, beseeching (praying) him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean." (Mark 1:40) The word "prayer" is often translated "beseech" (#3870 parakaleo) one who pleads another's cause with one; to convince; to persuade; and convict of sin. The leper was attempting to persuade Jesus to heal him. The leper knew Jesus could heal him because he heard and saw he was totally convinced Jesus could, but he was not convinced Jesus would heal him. I know you can, but will you. In our prayers we often know God can move in our lives, but we question will He. His faith in his approach was in the ability of Jesus to heal him. Our faith is easily put into the ability of God. There is no question about the ability of God. God can do anything He wants to do. Nothing in God should amaze, because God can do anything. But can we put our faith in His willingness to do something right now is the question. At the end of the day we MUST put our faith in God's willingness to heal us not His ability. So God wants to move us in alignment with what He wants rather than His ability. We cannot follow His ability, it is so vast. But His will for our lives we can accurately follow in that and experience the ability of God as it relates to us, and not someone else. What does He want? What does He want from you? What does He want you to do? Our faith must be in God's will for our lives not in what we see and hear or even others victories. The leper was not sure of Jesus' will. He was not convinced, but He pressed in, "And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean." (Mark 1:41) What comes first "be thou clean" or "I will"? The order is important. In prayer all we really need from God is, "I will" and then we know exactly how to move, exactly what to do, how to act. Because when we hear we then know how to move. If God gives us the word then we move on the word knowing we are in the will of God. Knowing faith comes with the word from God. "So then faith cometh by hearing a word of God." (Romans 10:17 (Greek)) Everything we will need to walk in the word God speaks to us is in the word. We do not to struggle, strain, or work it up. It is nice to know we do not have to manufacture faith. If God says raise the dead, just say dead person raise up. God brings it to us. Healing the sick is the easiest thing in the world. God wants us to join with Him, to move with Him, and walk with Him in all of His moving, doings, wishes, desires and ways. God wants us involved. So don't worry so much about straining after the will of God. He will clue us in, and if it is none of our business He will not clue us in. But if He wants us involved along a certain line or issue, He will bring us into that understanding and it will become for us the will of God. And, everything fits together, everything works in the will of God. If God does not tell us we must not try to guess and follow after that guessing, or we'll fall into a ditch. We need to relax and allow God to speak to us concerning what He wants us to do. But often many Christians operate in guessing what God wants and not knowing (by hearing from) what God wants. Then we get into trouble seeking after God's will. God should I do this or that? God is the boss we need to allow God to call the shots and not ask Him just move in what He is giving us at that time. The more we can relax the more we can hear from God. As we begin this wondrous Christian walk we are after something; The key of receiving. The key is not, is He able, but is He willing. And, if we do not get the answer we are looking for, we then go into a tether whether it is or is not God's will, because we are looking to receive. The less we are concerned about receiving the more we will find ourselves in God's will. We should not want to receive anything from God. Do you know God can do a lot without money? We cannot eat money or wear it, nor can we live inside it. Many think God is tied to our money. Often times God will link Himself with our money for us to give and help spread the gospel, in order to get from our heart the habitual giving and sacrifice he wants. Our focus should be on giving not receiving. Why? Because the more we give the more God can give to us. God will give to us as He wills and that will be all sufficient. He is able to give us $20,000 a month if He wants, He is able. But we must move in the will of God and we will see His suffienecy. We will never get a better view of God's faithfulness then from the bottom of the barrel. Do not worry about hard times you will be able to see God better than in good times. Whatever God gives to us should be all that we want. We must not get upset as He does His will in us. Many think Satan has attacked them when they are in the will of God. Satan has nothing to do with it, we are just walking in the will of God, to know Him and see Him. Oh, that He may show Himself to us. We best see God in tough times and narrow places. If we really want to come to know God then we will have to know tough times. Often times we can approach God not knowing if it is the will of God, but knowing God can come across if he wants to, and we move in it and sometimes we hit God's will, but most often we miss it. But sometimes we hit it and God says "I will" we get so tickled and think we are blessed, but if this becomes a pattern and/or habit we get all bent out of shape when it does not happen. We must never get use to God providing one way or another. He is God He can use anything. Did you know there are no rules or formulas in God? God operates by His divine spiritual principles that always leads back to the heart of the Father. Written by David Stahl

THE PATHWAY TO THE HEART OF THE FATHER (6 OF 9)

Continuation of my teaching on prayer. We need this work of God constantly in our lives. Jesus said, "And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;" (Luke 18:1) It say and He (Jesus) means "always." Just like we have a life of breathing, we must have a life of praying. Do not try to move yourself to the next prayer pattern, it does not work that way. Being faithful in duty prayer and a prayer life, will lead us into the next pattern, a life of prayer. And next, I do not know. All I know is it will be beyond our ability to understand. Paul tells us to, (a continual direction) "Pray with out ceasing." (1 Thessalonians 5:17) God will put things in our heart so we can carry them with us until God gives us the understanding. Carry them until God, what Paul called, "the pure conscience" (1 Timothy 3:9) of the mystery of Godliness." (1 Timothy 3:16) causes things to happen in our lives and cause things to function that we do not understand. You know we do not really need to know everything. There are some things that God knows and not meant for men to know and we must stop wanting to know the things that belong only to God. But we do not need to try so hard, just relax, go along for the ride. We do not need to think about things so hard. But in "pure conscience" just allow God to do the work, He understands and we do not need to. What we need to do is surrender ourselves to His work and He then can bring it all to pass, not us. The more surrender in our lives the more work of God in our lives. Often, most Christians get into trouble trying to bring things to pass for God. We do this in trying to get people saved. God knows the times and seasons, He knows when one is to be saved. We press on for our own time and our own season. We want what we want when we want it. So often, we cannot wait for God, He is too slow for us. But God will teach us to wait for Him if we allow Him. Our wants in and out of God gets us and most often others in trouble in God. Funny how our disobedience to the LORD affects others more than us. Take heed, it does matter who your Christian friends are. Now no one wants to wait. Just go to a food store and see how long you can stand in line patiently. Most people (me too at times) cannot wait 5 minutes without saying something to themselves. But in these waiting periods in our lives God is teaching us to wait, even at a food store. The best making places God teaches us to wait is in our failures and the loss in our lives. Yes tough places indeed, but a sure method of teaching patience none the less. Jesus goes into the wilderness to pray. The wilderness is a great place to pray. It is a great place to develop that communion with God. When it seems you are all alone and no one understands. No one understands what you are doing. And when you tell them they, seem never to have the right answer. They can tell you exactly what is wrong, but they cannot touch you. But God's servants are developed in silent (you can scream in the wilderness and no one will hear you) heart searching and confession before God and man if need be. In Luke we read, "What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?" (Luke 15:4) Here the good shepherd goes looking for one sheep, but he leaves 99 of his sheep in the wilderness. I would think he would have left them in a well watered place with green pastures, but no he leaves the 99 in the wilderness. Why? Because God has lured us into the wilderness to get alone with Him. Strange as Luke 15:4 is in Hosea we find something even stranger, "Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her." (Hosea 2:14) God "allures" or tricks, even baits her to get into the wilderness not to see her suffer, but to "speak comfortably unto her." The wilderness is the place God speaks comfort to us, where we will finally listen. The wilderness has a way of getting our attention. God brings us there alone with no answers. Away from the crowds and masses of people. There in the wilderness He can give us the answers. Unless we get alone with God we will never have our answers from God, the world yes, but not from God. If we find our answer from the world and the religious folks then we do not need to lean on Him. Solomon said, "Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? . . . " (Song of Solomon 8:5) Our direction in prayer will lead us by way of the wilderness to be given answers and learn how to lean on Him. The purpose of the wilderness is to LEARN to lean on God! I promise you one thing here if you go through tough times, bad situations, dry periods, etc. one of two things will happen: you will learn to pray or your carcass will fall in the wilderness and fall out of God. Speaking of the Children of Israel the writer of Hebrews (I believe to be Paul) says, "But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?" (Hebrews 3:17) He knows everything. We do not need to know everything, so now we can rest in Him not knowing , but can trust Him and His wisdom for our life. The wilderness is a great place to learn how to have communion with God, to learn how to pray. God will have to keep us into the wilderness (depending on us learning) for a time, until we get over the complaining, before He can begin to teach us how to trust Him and be quiet to know Him, to walk with Him. So He will lead us to the wilderness to teach us in the wilderness to pray right. We do not need blessings we need God. The one we are to be dedicated to. The blessing and such are by-products. And in the learning process in the wilderness He must strip us of things. Because we seem to want what He gives and not Him. The more we can be stripped by God (we cannot do this work in our lives) of the world and ourselves the more of God we can have. The more of the blessings (the by-products) of God we can have. Now even deeper my friend. When we then learn, when we pray, and things keep getting worse, we must resign ourselves to the situation by resigning ourselves to trusting God in this situation. No longer do we want to get the monkey off our back. We say okay God, I will give your monkey another piggy-back ride around the track. It is not the devil as most Christians say from wrong teaching, oh no, he does not want to see you develop in God he wants to keep you in deception, take heed here. The only way to get to, "my cup runneth over" is by way of the "valley of the shadow of death." We need to be content to trust Him in the valley, in the situation without crying to Him for deliverance from the situation. Until we are at home in the wilderness. Even the valley of the shadow of death is home to us. We then learn who God is. God teaches and trains us who He is by delivering us from difficult situations even when there is no deliverance. Our deliverance comes not by magic wand, but by walking in the making places (the wilderness) of God where we can be developed unto deliverance. Nowhere did God deliver His people. Daniel had to go into the lions, den, the three Hebrew children had to go into the fiery furnace, Jesus had to go to the cross, and is the servant greater than the master? I think not. If God has to deliver us without developing us think not you have been saved, oh no you have lost. God knows the plan and purpose for our lives are in jeopardy of being lost, but think not we have won we have not we have lost the best for our life for now. Written by David Stahl