TO HONOR AND RESPECT

When we travel Karen keeps a pen at the ready as I drive, because God often speaks to me as we talk and cover the miles. I really enjoy these times as God gives me short bursts of thought and revelation that later becomes an article or is used to help write our newsletter. So was the case on our last trip, but I did not share my thoughts with Karen because I was resisting God’s word. I thought if I just ignored the thoughts and prompting of the Holy Spirit they would just go away, not so. I really wrestled writing this article maybe because we (that means me too) all have a lot of disrespect moving in our lives that we must allow God to remove if not we will never be able to come to the plan and purpose God has for our lives.

We have known a nice young lady for about one year or so who is a good friend of one of children. This young lady was having some problems with the older woman she was staying with and knowing her husband is a U.S. Marine serving in Afghanistan Karen and I opened our home to her until her husband comes (about three months) home. No money for rent, no money for food, no money for utility was asked of her, an unconditional invitation was extended and she accepted. Not a bad deal Karen would even make her breakfast and dinner. At first all was well no problems, but we noticed when we invited her to church she declined, strange for someone who claims they are a Christian. If you are a real Christian and have a honest walk with the Lord you will make time for God’s people or even talk about God once in a while. As time went on we noticed she was very disrespectful to her friends and especially some teachers at the college she attended. One evening after her first class I asked her about her teacher she relied, “he is an old fart in his 70s, wears hearing aids, and laughs at his own jokes.” I was shocked at her disrespect, but I did not say anything. One night the three of us went to a high school football game during the game (not once but three times) she called me by my first name and tried to correct me in public, I am older than her father, what disrespect. I had to speak to her with a stern voice she was shocked when I spoke to her that way. Now you can disrespect me all you want (I have tough skin) it is not really a big deal I am usually longsuffering, but when you disrespect my wife I must, before God, draw the line. When you have no respect for someone who cooks and cares for you, someone who has opened up their home to you this reveals an inward spiritual lack of honor and respect. Someone who really respects and honors someone would never ever think of speaking against them. My father was not a perfect man as we all are not, but even when I saw him do or say something he maybe should not have done I never thought about correcting him I had no right before God he was my father (God placed him there) in a superior place of spiritual authority and I was his son, my place was to keep my mouth shut, honor him, and pray if need be. This younger generation (even young Christians) has a big problem with respect for their parents and those in authority over them. After disrespecting Karen the three of us had a come to Jesus meeting. I told her she should be ashamed of disrespecting us and her teacher and she has no right, before God, to correct me even if I am wrong. Karen and I could not abide her open rebellion to us in our home so we asked her to leave. Later we softened our position and said she could stay, but she left anyway. We told her many times we would rather she stay, but it was her choice, not ours, to leave. Open rebellion and disrespect to authority always runs away when confronted with the truth. Disrespectful people always cast off restraint this is why they can never grow to any maturity in God. Restraint (restrictions) and limitations enable us to come to fulfillment and purpose they enable us to work well within the guide lines and rules God has laid out for us to walk, but a disrespectful person wants to operate outside God’s guidelines, they are the center of attention, the main attraction, the captain of their own ship, they think they lack for nothing, but in reality they are naked, poor, and blind to their own spiritual heart condition. I am really concerned about this younger generation, say 20-30 year olds (for the most part) have not been taught to give honor and respect. Their lives (for the most part) seem to be so plugged into screens, keypads, and electrical gadgets to the point they have forgotten how to be caring and respectful to peers, parents, and people in authority. Paul in Ephesians taught the kids, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)” (Ephesians 6:1-2) What is the promise Paul talking about? Long life? Maybe so, but I think Paul was talking about much more here. Children are to be taught to honor and respect their parents, the elderly, and those in authority from an early age and from this single lesson they begin to learn how to honor God when they become of age. In school I can always tell the kids whose parents have taken little to no time in teaching manners and respect. They are the one who always seem to be in trouble, dress poorly, and get poor grades. Honoring our parents has nothing to do with taking care of them in their old age. But, the real honoring of our parents is only achieved when we become what they have tried to instill into our lives, when we become the value set and standard of what they believe and tried to work into our lives. This alone is honoring to our parents as obedience alone to God is honoring to him. In some churches today they sing, clap, and wave flags thinking they are honoring and giving God glory, oh no my friend they are sadly mistaken. Our obedience alone (as it is with kids honoring their parents) is honoring to God.

Being disrespectful or dishonoring is a big big deal to God. Did you know in every sin is an element of disrespect moving. If we truly honor someone we will not try to kill them or take what is not ours. We will find value in them and encourage them in areas they may need to improve. But people who are disrespectful quickly speak and seek to deflect their own short comings and failures. A respectful person does not like being the center of attention even if they have earned it. I am reminded of the archangel Michael when he contended for the body of Moses with the devil, “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.” (Jude 9) Michael could have said I rebuke you and probably would have won, but he did not he was not so presumptive to think he was that important and powerful. Disrespectful people know not how to give honor to someone who rightly disserves it. Oh the number of people I have met in my life that are jealous of someone else’s victory. If we cannot be gracious in someone else’s victory God will see to it that we have no victory. We must be able to “render therefore to all their dues.” Paul told the church in Rome, “Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.” (Romans 13:7) If God cannot get us to give honor to whom honor is due then He cannot use us, we disqualify ourselves for service out from our disrespect. Now please know I am not talking about a honoring as the world says to show honor; through tolerance and diversity oh no. The world’s way of showing honor is by allowing sin to continue in lives. The world says I will honor your choice to reject God and His word. The world says we are to abide or be tolerant with ungodly, immoral life styles like sodomy and lesbianism, liars, thieves, etc., but God said these lifestyles are an abomination and He will destroy those who would dare reject and disrespect His word. The world dishonors a baby by killing them in the womb while the world would be tolerate and accept a woman’s right to choose. God too will destroy those who would murder an innocent life. Today we (even many Christians in the church) protect homosexuals and even give then a special status. I find it amazing those once powerful “men of God” (you know their names) who have been openly rebuked by God and found out for their homosexual desires and tendencies are now openly embracing this ungodly life style in their church and give permission to others to allow their fleshly desires to control them and the many Christians in their church.

This honoring and respecting is a big big deal to God. It is a part of our daily sincere, Godly walk with our brothers, sisters, and most of all our walk with God. Unless we can learn how to honor and respect people God will never give us His spiritual goods. Unless we can give honor where honor is due God can not use us, He cannot trust us to be faithful and honest. It is always about honoring and respecting.

READ THE BIBLE

Lately there have been a lot of preachers and teachers on TV trying to encourage many Christians into believing there will be a great turn around in the world and there will be a great revival (word not in the KJV) and many people will come to know the Lord. I will be bold and set the tone of this article early (as a matter of fact) I personally believe the best days of the corporate “Church” in America is behind her and if not careful it will taint the church world-wide causing great harm and deception. Now I am talking corporately, there are some solid local bodies of Believers left that still have a heart for God and to do what He has asked them to do, but the majority of the so called “churches” have sold out to the humanistic, apostate message of the Gospel – prosperity and blessing; serving and giving to God to get instead of serving God out of a heart of obedience and giving so that others may receive. I know what I am talking about I have seen the destructive influence of the American church for years in America and around the world. Now please do not get me wrong I would love to see many people come to the Lord this is God intention for us, but the Bible I read does not talk about this happening. So, why don’t we just read the Bible and believe what God’s word says instead of making up things to believe. But that is not what we see going on; large amounts of money is collected and some is spent on Christian TV programming and traveling the globe to prime the pumps for this great end-time revival, but again I do not see this anywhere in the Bible I study. Denominational kingdoms and mighty temples of worship for “mighty men of God” are being established all over the earth to fund and reap this phantom end-time harvest, but again the Bible I read speaks nothing about an end-time harvest as preached today. Now Jesus does mention the harvest, “Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.” (John 4:35) and in Matthew, “Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 38Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” (Matthew 9:37). Please notice in Luke Jesus answers His own question, “Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.” (Luke 10:2) Did you get that Jesus said the harvest is ready, but there is no one to go. Who was Jesus talking to? Why His disciples. It sounds like they were not ready to go into the field and reap the harvest. I wonder why not? When I traveled abroad every other month I would go and do the work of God, well after two or three years of this schedule I quickly saw I was not doing the work of God He was doing His work in and on me. All of the traveling, preaching, teaching, signs and wonders were more for my benefit than the people I ministered to. My friend we are the workmanship of God (Ephesians 2:10) and if we allow God He will work on us to the very end of our self.

Sure God’s grace is ever there and I daily pray many people take God up on His offer of salvation, but as time continues man also continues to walk away from God faster than he did in days of old, thus I cannot see more people coming to the Lord. As a matter of fact the Bible talks about the opposite happening. As we watch history unfold before our eyes and read the Bible how can we not believe what Peter, Paul and even Jesus Himself has said applies to today? How can we not believe we are living in the last days of man’s rule on earth and a time of grace for our sin and after that the judgment, but not too many Christians believe when Christ returns He will judge them and the nations, oh no they are looking for a baby in the manger to sing about and the presents associated with His birth. But all we have to do is read the Bible to discern the times. Back in Genesis God established a spiritual principle and man as ruler of the earth, “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” (Genesis 1:28) and he will keep this title and function until Christ returns to judge the world. This is why man has some power to say and do things on the earth and they happen they are backed by God’s authority and His word. And why do we have no problem with worshipping or saying God, but we do with Jesus. I wonder why? Well that is easy, Jesus is Lord and man (me included at times) has never wanted a Lord reigning over him. Secretly in our heart we want to be the boss who wants to be ruled? We think God is afar off out there in space some where or some big sugar daddy who rolls over at our every whim; so God is safe to worship and serve, but not so with Jesus. He troubles us, He wants to come and live in our heart and expose our evil nature and character. Jesus wants to be involved with all of our relationships and our labors, how can we allow this? If we do we will not be in-charge. In 2 Peter we read, “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 5For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” (2 Peter 3:3-7) When is “the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men?” Does this not sound like today? Jesus told the disciples, “I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8) When Jesus comes back will He be surprised to find “faith on the earth?” How could that be? Does that sound like today? The Bible I read tells me what to expect when Jesus comes back why should I believe something else. In Matthew Jesus shares these words, “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. 10And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 14And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” (Matthew 24:4-14) Wait a minute I thought things were going to get better in the last days and there is going to be a great end-time revival? But the Bible does not say that the Bible says, “the love of many shall wax cold” And after the Gospel of the kingdom has been preached to the nations, “then shall the end come.” I cannot believe in this technological age of satellites and the internet not to mention the 2,000+ years of sending missionaries the Gospel message has not been preached to the nations. Further on down in Matthew 24 we read Jesus saying, “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. 23Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” (Matthew 24:22-24) Now I do not know about you, but these verses here give me great pause. I do not consider myself to be the “very select,” but Jesus was saying unless time is shortened the “very elect” would be deceived and no flesh would be saved. The Bible tells us all of these things so why don’t we hunker down and get serious with God? Did you know the Bible even gives us a picture of man’s heart condition, “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” (Romans 1:21-32) Does this sound like today? What else do we need to convince us that all we need is the Bible? What is the context Paul is describing here in verses 16-32? Was Paul talking about only the Church at Rome? I think not. Many Christians believe the Scriptures are written to only certain groups of people for a specific reason, well if this be true then all of the Scriptures in the Bible that deal with salvation do not pertain to us. Like when Paul told the Churches in the New Testament; women should not exercise authority (1 Timothy 2:10-14, Titus 2:4-5, etc.) over any man, oh that was just for them, but now it is okay for women to be a pastor, teacher, evangelist, a deacon, or elder. Does God’s word change with time or audience? I think not. I believe Paul here was describing the heart of man without the harnessing and discipline of God’s work and authority in our lives from the beginning of mankind to the end-times of man’s domination of the earth.

The Bible tells us all of these things and yet we still make up things and believe a lie. Why do we not just read the Bible and believe it as it is written? Remember God is not trying to Christianize the world, oh no my friend man is trying to do that. God is trying to evangelize the world (in one-on-one, personal, cost effective simplistic way) and having evangelized the world He desires to gather them together in what He calls the Body of Christ. And it is the Body of Christ; those who have answered the call of God will be His bride and to do this God expects us to read His word the Bible to know what He wants and what He does not want. My friend there is no big end-time revival coming (the Bible does not support it) be not deceived be a good steward with your resources, but there is an end-time coming and we must be ready for it and the only way to be ready is to just read the Bible and then move in the revelation given. Written David Stahl

OUR CHARACTER

God has really been pressing me on my character. I know the word character is not in the Bible (KJV) verbatim, but the entire word of God speaks about what God expects our character to be. My friend it is our character not our natural abilities, God-given skills and talents, or even our spiritual growth and development, oh no God is concerned about our character: how we treat our fellow man, what and how we hold things in our heart, are we honest or do we take advantage and manipulate people and situations for our benefit, do we have a simplistic view of God and how He relates with man, these and so much more as it relates to our character God is very concerned with. I like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his “I have a Dream Speech” he said these words, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” Now Dr. King could have used any thing else instead of “be judged by the color of their skin” this was an issue that was at the heart of the civil rights movement, but please notice Dr. King wanted people not to be judged by the color of their skin or anything else, the criteria to judge someone was their character. This is the same criteria God will use to judge us when we stand before Him. God will not judge us according to the number of songs we have written and dance (Michael Jackson found this out) to, how much money or land we had, or how many houses or cars we owned. I wonder why we go so hard after these earthly things and neglect investing in our character? We always go after the things we think are important and will benefit us. Many Christians think a good character is of little to no value, but my friend they are dead wrong. It is our character that God is gravely concerned with not our personality or our outward looks. It is the inward man God focuses on and wants to see us develop, but we seem to put in little effort in developing a Godly character.

This character issue touches every area of our lives. I have seen this truth over the last 48 years of being a Christian. Now I will be honest I have not had the best of character all of my life, but I see the importance and desire for this transformation to happen in my heart and mind which will manifest outwardly in my character. I have seen this in the lives of people I considered to be mentors and fathers in the Lord, but in time and in the end I have seen the true character of these folks manifest and I was greatly disappointed. I have seen so many areas of my life where I have allowed these folks to persuade me, where I followed their advice and retrospect it was to my disadvantage. Please be very careful in the people you commit yourself to. Jesus never committed Himself to anyone, only the Father had Jesus’ total reservation of commitment. Even in prayer we must be careful here. I remember when I pastored in Germany many Bishops, teachers, preachers, pastors, mighty men of God who would come to our church (mainly to collect money to take home) and want to pray over me, well I said no. I did not know them from Adam and they would get offended this also called a separation at times between my associate pastor (a Nigerian) and I, but that was okay because Paul in 1 Timothy tells us, “I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality. 22Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.” (1 Timothy 5:21-22) That also means we should not allow someone to lay hands on us. I have shared before in a few other articles about a wonderful (I will still call him my friend because I still love him and I hold no anger in my heart towards him) friend we have known for over 30 years, but got offended at me and God and has broke off our relationship. Can you believe he even stopped sending me his newsletter? (since 1996 before we moved to Germany) I know why, he has been writing about us (Karen and I) to his (and our) friends. That is okay there is nothing else he can get from us because he has sucked our relationship bone dry. After all he said it is okay to talk about someone as long as you do not use their name. Is this right? No my friend I do not believe that is so. He has separated himself from me, my family, and the many people who would come to our monthly home group meeting quoting Scripture to justify his separation like, “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 18For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.” (Roman 16:17-18) Please know when you have to quote Scripture to justify yourself and your actions you are dead wrong. I am kind of puzzled though, I know he cannot be talking about me here, well I do have a big belly, but my “good works and fair speeches” have deceived no one. My heart is still towards him and sharing the Gospel message as we have done around the world for many years. But I am not surprised his parting shot to me was to tell me how he would come down to our home and share the word of God and sometimes not get any money. His character speaks loud and clear of his true heart condition for money and not so much for the sharing of the Gospel. After all out of our mouth speaks our heart. But we all are like this at times right? I know often I am. True character is not concerned about what they will receive in exchange for service to God, but is concerned about how much of service they can be to God.

I have seen this character truth play out in the churches we (as a family) attended. Remember the character of any given church will always reflect the character of the pastor and the people. I am reminded of a non-denomination church (that was started in our home) in Henry Country outside of Atlanta, GA that went United Pentecostal Holiness after we left for Germany. My three sons (Dave, Dan, and Joshua), Clyde Waldron (the pastor’s father), and I literally raised the walls of the building we were building to meet in, everybody else was busy that week. I have never seen such a group of people that grumbled, bellyached, and complained yet God worked in the lives of our children, Karen, and I preparing us for ministry in Germany. God can work in our lives anywhere if we give Him opportunity. God expects us not to retreat from God’s standards even to save the world. But this is what the church (especially in America) has done. We have compromised the truth of the word of God to pedal a humanistic, prosperity message, we have jazzed up the hymns (what a supreme insult to the writers like Fanny Crosby and Horatio Spafford) to make them more enjoyable to the younger population instead of telling them the true history how the hymns were birthed out of great loss and hardships. We have dumbed down true and honorable service to God, by making everything a ministry. After all everyone in church must be doing something for God, right? No everyone (in church or not) is to be allowing God to work on their character. This is God’s grand goal in our life to allow God to conform our character into the same character and image as was in Jesus Christ God’s precious Son through the transforming power of God. Not allowing God this opportunity and right of way has everything to do with a lack of character in our lives. Presently, Karen and I go to a solid non-denominational church here in Jacksonville the message is usually right on (the message of the cross) and their music is not too humanistic or self-seeking like most churches, but I cannot believe (like most non-denominational churches) they have a “them verses us” thinking. Not everyone else is wrong, but everyone else needs to be like us and if not then there are probably going to hell. It is the absolutes of the Gospels (the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ – saved by God’s love and grace) that must be followed and agreed upon not the optionals (outward adorning, doctrines and rituals of man, church traditions and ordnances), but sadly most churches have made the optionals the absolutes and the absolutes the optional. And again this is because of lack of a Godly character in the people. I thought we are one Body, one Spirit? Paul taught us, “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (Ephesians 4:2-5) Whatever happened to those verses (from the Bible) in the church today? I guess we think there is going to be a black and white section in heaven or a denominational or non-denominational selection. What are we doing? We are fracturing the Body of Christ for political and financial gain in the world.

Now after reading this article many Christians would say, Dave Stahl you are being too critical (I have heard this before) with regards to the Christians and the church, God is in control. It does not matter all we have to do is just keep loving the Lord and people and things will work out fine, well it is true we must keep loving the Lord and people, but God expects much more of His children than this Pollyanna, lazy attitude. God expects us to speak the truth in love so that people will grow up in God and become able to shoulder some responsibility and accountability. Paul scolded the church folks at Ephesus when he said, “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” (Ephesians 4:15-16) But this is not what we find in most churches, who wants to grow up when we can stay a baby and get by with messing our spiritual pants? No responsibility, discipline, or accountability just do and say whatever we want to do and say. Well this is not God’s intention for us. God’s intention is for us to grow up and come to a place of maturing where we can join with Him in the yoke and plow the field of life together.

As I said recently God has been pressing me on my character and as He presses us our spirit is always more attuned (if we allow it to be so) to what the Holy Spirit is bringing into our lives. Here are two statements by two wonderful friends in my life that the Holy Spirit quickened to my spirit when I heard them. We had Pastor Victor O. Foster (Senior Pastor of Ecclesia Ministries in Richlands, NC) and His lovely wife over for dinner last week-end and as we were talking he said, “listen not to my words, but look at my life.” What a profound statement about character. Words are cheap and often clumsy, but our life is the truth about ourselves. And then today while at the gym I was sitting in the sauna talking with Mr. Russell (a retired SGTMAJ from the U.S. Marine Corps) and he said, “I have gotten much further in life with manners than with money.” How simplistic, but oh how true. We think money is the key that opens unto us the abundant life Jesus talks about in John 10:10, but not so my friend it is the silence of the heart before God and the character of Christ knowing we are ever becoming like the Father. Money my friend cannot buy this, but a Godly character can.

THE OFFENCE OF GOD

One of the greatest central truths I have learned in my life is there seems to always be some type of offence in me. The longer I go with God the more I see and feel these offences in me that well up in my flesh to take control of my heart, mind, and of course whatsoever is in our heart will come out our mouth. I am amazed just when I think I am over getting offended someone says or does something that touches an offence buried in my heart and I say or do something (usually dumber than what the other person said or did) and I am exposed for the carnal, fleshly man I am at times. Did you know we cannot be offended if there is no offense in us. What happens when we get offended is a word or action from someone reaches out to us and touches the offence laying dormant in our heart and when it comes alive all hell breaks loose in our spirit. Now there is some good news and bad news here. The bad news is our words usually alienate our friends and strengthen our enemies hand in our lives (at times like this we usually do not pray for them as Jesus asked us to) not to mention the hatred and wrath that begins to move in our heart, but the good news is this offence has given God an opportunity to work in our lives by showing us what wicked and ugly thoughts and feelings are buried deep in our heart. Believe it or not the continual sin and immaturity of the Church at Corinth was the very thing God used to bring repentance and restoration. God allowed these things to go on so that something was moving in the Church which allowed correction the opportunity to work in their lives. We can then either agree with God what He is saying about us is true (the Biblical definition of the word – confess) or call God a liar and reject His work in our lives. Yes I said God’s work in our lives. God will even use an offence in us to reveal our heart condition and show us how WE ARE NOT like His precious Son Jesus Christ. My teacher Charles Haun would always say God does not play fair; He will use everything in our lives as we allow Him to reveal our nasty attitudes and ungodly character. Did you know God is more concerned about our character than He is about our ability (even to be used as a vessel to do miracles) or our faithful dedicated service to the church or Him. God is very concerned about our character, He would rather have a child that knows how to move with Him in righteousness than one He can count on to get the job done. Both are needed in God’s economics, but the one who can move in righteousness knows His heart and this my friend is what God is after with His children, just as earthly parents are after with their children. When we get offended again and again it is a sign we have refused to allow God to deal and judge in areas of our lives. When we get offended there is no peace in us, our home, or any relationship we touch, but that is not God’s intention for us oh no, God’s intention for us is, “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” (Psalms 119:165) In our personal lives and in the relationships with others in the world we are to live our lives by, “Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: 4But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 5In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; 6By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, 7By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, 8By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; 9As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; 10As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich ; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.” (2 Corinthians 6:3-10) Here Paul lays out our guide to daily living with Christians and non-Christians alike in the world in verse 3-10, please reread them again and examine your life here. I know I fall extremely short in many areas here, but still the standard is before me to measure up to. I am amazed when I read verses 9 and 10, “As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; 10As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.” What truth, how do we measure up to these words? Can we ever measure up to these words? In this life I think not, but still that does not excuse us from not meeting God’s expectation. Oh how far we are from what God expects of us. Lord please help us to want to be like You.

Now there is another side of offence in the Bible that many people do not know about because it is not taught in most churches today. Most sermons (not messages from God) teach about a good moral meaning in how to live our lives in a good and decent way, but that never get down to the heart of God whereby we become the work of God. Not what we do for Him, but our very lives is the workmanship (Ephesians 2:10) of God. Now I really enjoy speaking to Bible School students especially third year students they think they know everything. When I start I tell them I have a goal and a target in mind; the target is their heart and the goal of my words is to strike their heart and see how low I can get them in their thinking and in their heart condition, because the way up in God is down and the lower we can go in God with our self-worth, self-seeking, and selfishness the higher we can go in God no more no less. At the same measure we can go down we can learn and go up. In Constanta, Romania I had a Bible school Students tell me at first he rejected my words and thought I was crazy, but as he listened and saw my method (and madness) before too long my words and heart condition for him captured him for the Gospel. There is a spiritual principle moving here; the preaching of the Word of God is to offend us. When I minister the word of God (as He gives it to me) my intention is not to make someone happy, feel good in their heart, or cause them to jump to their feet and bobble their head back and forth, oh no my intention is to bring them down in their eyes, to stick them in their heart with the word of God and bring them to a place of silent retrospection and reflection. As with the Bible School students my goal is to see how low I can get them to come down in their eyes so that Jesus can be lifted up. The word of God is to prick our heart, it is to cut us to the quick, it is to open the eyes of our understanding so that we will be able to see the Lord high and lifted up so that His train can fill the temple of our heart. The word of God is to be a rock on which we are to stumble and fall to our knees. Peter tells us, “Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed (Jesus the word), the same is made the head of the corner, 8And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. 9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” (1 Peter 2:7-9) If we are going to be “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people” something will have to be used to cleanse our lives from the filth of this world so that we can be chosen by God and become the “royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people” He so desires we become. It is the word of God; the Gospel message that offends us as it exposes the sin in our lives. And as we see our sinful heart condition as compared to the word of God coming to us God is able to draw us unto Himself. This offence is not until death like us getting offended at our brothers and sisters, but is an offence unto life. Remember Paul words in 2 Corinthians, “By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; 9As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;” (2 Corinthians 6:8-9) The offence of the preaching of the word of God kills us, but it makes us alive at the same time. The more you look at these verses the more you have to scratch your head and wonder. Paul told the Church in Rome, “Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; 33As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” (Romans 9:32-33) The Christians at this time in Rome were into a works salvation as most Churches in America and the world are today. They stumbled over the words of Paul when he said, “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? 4Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. 5He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” (Galatians 3:1-5) and when he said, “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,” (Hebrews 6:1) or when James said, “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” (James 2:17-18) All of these words caused the people who were seriously listening to stumble at them, but for the ones who were serious about their walk with the Lord got up from their knees with a new sense of purpose, commitment, and new calling, “Be ye holy for I am holy.” What else in our lives can God use (of His own) to hone and refine our character? Not suffering this is ours for the softening of our heart. Certainly not God’s blessings these are ours to give away so that others may receive. How about troubles and persecution? No, these are ours to work righteousness and Godliness in us. There are two ways for our soul to be cleansed. The first is through affliction, anguish, distress, and inward torment. And the second is through the fire of a burning love, a love impatient and hungry. Make no mistake my friend if you are serious about walking with God He will get us one way or the other.

GOD'S WORD SAYS

I think (if you have any Bible teaching) you would have to be as dumb as a red brick not to be able to see we are living in the day and hour that Jesus Christ could return from heaven as the men in the crowd promised when Jesus ascended on high. In Acts (the only history book of the Bible) we read, “And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:10-11) Now it does not say Angel, it says “two men stood by them in white apparel.” When Jesus was born heaven’s angels heralded His humble birth and when He went away, “two men stood by them in white apparel” gave the world the blessed news of some day He would return. During Jesus’ time on earth He told the disciples and the crowd that followed Him He was going away, but they never really understood. But, we would have to be almost blind not to be able to understand how close the return of Christ is. I would think there is nothing to be added to the wicked, evil heart condition of this world for these words of Jesus to come to pass in our life time, “Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. 35Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. 36But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 37But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” (Matthew 24:34) The wickedness and perversion of man ever increases, yet I do not believe (today) man needs to do any more to equal the debauchery of the people of Noah’s (Noe) day. Jesus could make His return at any second of the day. The last few years I believe (in my spirit) the second hand on God’s clock has moved closer to His return. I cannot explain it or define it, but I feel in my spirit Jesus’ return could happen (come Lord Jesus) at any time. In verse 39, the Lord confirmed a thought to me that I have been saying for years. I do not believe the people in the world today will really know when Jesus comes back for the third time, as the men in white apparel said in Acts. It will be His third coming not His second. I do not know why we call it His second coming. Jesus came as a child (first), was put to death, went to hell and preached, came back to life, was seen of the disciples and others, ascended to heaven (Acts 1:10-11) (second), and will come back a third time to receive His bride unto Himself, a time no man knows the day or hour. In verse 39, in Noe’s day it says the people “knew not until the flood came” so too in our day. I believe a very very small number of people will be caught away to be with the Lord when He returns and the world will not even miss us. The world will go on living life as it did in the days of Noe, “so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” today. May we be ready when the Lord comes calling. I have thought what will be the qualifications for those who will be taken when Jesus returns? I feel sure it will be more than just being a Christian because the Christians in the Book of Hebrews endured, “Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: 36And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 37They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 38(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 39And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:” (Hebrews 11:34-39) Did you get that they “received not the promise.” These dedicated and faithful, highly exalted by God Christians thought they were going to see Christ return as the two men in white promised. All they went through in suffering, in tribulation, in sorrow, in death, and in spite of “obtaining a good report” yet they did not receive the promise. And we think we will sing and dance our way into heaven, oh no my friend we are woefully mistaken God will require more of us to be able to be raised with Him when He returns.

So far in this article all that I have shared has been background, but what I feel the Lord wants me to talk about is how we must not use the Bible (God’s written word to man) as a way to validate what we believe the future holds for the world and even the church, but we must have His word settled in our heart and mind. The Bible is a Spiritual book and can only be understood and interpreted by the Spirit of God any attempt without the Holy Spirit is presumption, thinking they are right, but in reality they are wrong. Today we find “end-time Bible teachers” (you know their names I am not going to mention any just watch TBN) who take events happening in the world today and pick Scripture after Scripture to lay over the events happening in the world to see if they kind of fit, to be able to say this day prophesy has been fulfilled, then throw it all against the wall to see if it sticks in the hearts and minds of Christians who do not know really know better. These bad actors (hypocrites) are the false teachers (as Jesus promised us) unskilled in the word of God, who have pedaled and sold the word of God for favor, influence, and financial gain. Let us be honest no man knows the future if they did they would be God at the very best these liars are guessing as they change their words as events change in the world. Brethren be not deceived by the “end-time Bible teachers” they are thieves and charlatans. The Bible is the standard and means to be used to define what the future holds. How foolish we are to think we can guess the future with events of the world. If God is not telling us something then we do not need to know about it. Man always wants to know; well wanting to know got Eve and us in a lot of trouble. If God is not telling us then we need to go along for the ride in faith (and not guess) and let God be God to handle the future. Our guessing and false teaching is wrapped up in greed and arrogance this will never do. The written word of God is always the predictor of the future and it is our responsibility to study it and discover what the Spirit is telling us not the 6 o’clock news, CNN, or FOX. It is no wonder the folks in the world want little to do with the nominal church. We must get serious souls are at stake. All throughout the Old Testament the birth and coming of Christ was foretold and the spoken and written words were manifested in the New Testament. The Bible foretold (in detail) what was going to happen and it did. This is still the method God intends for us to use today. The Bible means what it says and not what we want it to say, even if we think it makes God more powerful and mighty in the eyes of the world. We often think by embellishing the word of God we can make God look bigger and better, but not so. The Bible is written to complement line upon line, verse upon verse, precept upon precept, and concept upon concept. If we change the order or add to the thought God has intentioned (in any line, verse, precept or concept) then we have changed God’s word to man, a crime punishable by death. This is a critical point we must understand when studying the Bible, yet daily many make a fortune in misrepresenting the Bible and worse use the Bible to convey an idea or understanding that are not laid out in the Bible, but are used to support lies to win hearts, minds, and money.

Now it is true Jesus ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father (because the Bible tells us so), but it is not true Jesus left us. Please let me say that again, Jesus has never left us. In John we read about Jesus departing and the coming of the precious Holy Spirit, but even in this Jesus never left us, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. 12I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” (John 16:7-13) WOW what sure help in present troubles. WOW what a truth, “he will shew you things to come” not the guessing we call end-time prophesy. What will the Holy Spirit use to shew us all things? That’s right the word of God. But, even though Jesus departed earth that does not mean Jesus has left us. Later on we will look at verses where Jesus says He will never leave or forsake us. While on the cross Jesus cried out to His Father, “why have thou forsaken Me?” Did the Father forsake Jesus? I think not the Father raised Jesus from the dead.

Karen and I have four wonderful kids who we love very much and are proud of; they were born in two groups: Dave 1980 + Dan 1981 and Connie 1986 + Joshua 1987. When Dave and Dan were babies I would take them to the park to play on the swings. They were about three or four year old babies. I would put Dave in one swing and Dan in another. I would push Dave and then Dan faster and higher they would go you should have seen the look on their face what joy and pleasure, total happiness. They would look over at each other with shouts of glee and say, dad really loves us we are so lucky to have such a loving father. Is this not the way we felt when we first gave our hearts to the Lord? But after a while I would not push every stroke, maybe every other stroke, then every three strokes and when they realized I was not pushing them their faces really changed. As the swing got slower and almost stopped I would jump behind a tree and hide so I could listen to them cry. Dan where is dad? Dad? Dad where are you? Dave dad does not love us. Is this not the way we act when things do not go our way? You should have heard them cry and seen their faces as tears streaming were down, it was a sight to see. Suddenly I would jump out from behind the tree and say Dave! Dan! They would go Dad! And I would push them again and all would be well again in their little world. A question, did I leave my boys? No of course not I was right there with them all the time. It was not I left them, but they could not see me. Did Jesus leave us? No of course not He has been here with us all the time it is just at times we cannot see Him. Jesus said, “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway (Strong’s #3956 individually), even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:18-19) Now Jesus was not saying He would be with everyone at the same time, His words were not directed to many people His words were directed to the heart of one person, individually, who believed His words. In a congregation of people the preached word will only take root in the hearts of the people who believe. Jesus was not speaking to the masses here, but to the one who needs Him to speak words of strength and comfort. Jesus was giving to the one who believes a personal promise “lo, I am with you.”

In the First Chapter of Genesis 10 times in the 29 verses it is recorded, “And God said.” These my friend are more than words they are a life-long revelation we must possess deep within our heart and mind of God speaking a word to us and we know it will happen not because we believe or have faith, but because God spoke and in obedience we believe. Do you see the difference? Without this critical revelation the best we will be able to do is guess what God wants us to do and this my friend will never bring us to the end and purpose God has planned for us. The question today is do we really believe what God’s word says or will we believe a liar of the world who would deceive you and rob you of your very soul. Jesus warns us time and time again to take heed to ourselves in this area, yet again these liars increase daily. We do not need to have someone try to convince us of their spiritual ability to understand the Scriptures oh no, what we need to do is study the Scriptures for ourselves and allow the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us into all truths. We need to believe Jesus when He says “lo, I am with you” my friend He means it. If it is written in the Bible then it will happen no matter what people say or what the news reports. If God’s word says it then it must be settled in our heart and mind. Written by David Stahl

OUR HEART CONDITION

There are spiritual laws in our lives that God operates through. Just like how God works through His physical laws God must work through His spiritual laws. For example God can only minister to the glory of God in us that we have allowed Him to develop in us. Many Christians pray and even beg God to minister His power and touch in their lives, but He will not because He is a God of order and operation. It is our place to allow God to develop His glory in our lives as we “grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.“ (2 Peter 3:18) He then can minister to the work of God in our lives. There is another spiritual law that I would like for us to look at in this article and that is God deals with us according to our heart condition. God is to us what we are to Him. His heart condition towards us is always for the intentions that He has planned and purposed for our lives and He will do (short of directly twisting our arm into submission) whatever it takes to bring them to pass. Everything in our lives is fair game for God to use. And if God cannot get through to us with His mercy, longsuffering, and love then He will have to use wrath, punishment, strong discipline. Now it is important to know God has nothing really to do with developing our heart condition. Our heart condition is our responsibility and reasonable service before God; it is a culmination of many spiritual and non-spiritual ingredients in our lives: our personal understanding of God and His word, our experiences in God, our moral characteristics; honesty, attitudes, perceptions, faithfulness, integrity, our social life, our work ethics, even our friends and places we go. Did you know there are some people you cannot hang around and some places you cannot go and still walk with the Lord? All of these spiritual and non-spiritual ingredients are poured into our heart and our heart condition is now formed. I see this process play out every day of my life when I compare my wife Karen (my Sweetheart) and my self. Karen has such a soft heart condition where it is not so in my life. She has such an air of naiveté about her where I am educated at the Masters level. Karen almost always finds the simplicity in matters where I look for the more sophisticated. Karen is brutally honest now I am honest too, but I seem to lean towards the gray areas more often. In Karen’s case her heart condition has been developed (I believe) from her early Catholic beginnings (she still talks about Sister Theophane Marie) and her sense of always wanting to do the right thing from her parents, especially from her grandfather William Kreiss (we called him “Poppy Seeds”) who always told her: pray every day, read your Bible, and go to church. Now it is also important to know our heart condition can change according to the different ingredients we pour into our heart. In Proverbs we read, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: . . . ” (Proverbs 23:7) In the Greek this verse is translated, “as a man opens the gate of his heart, so is he.” As we open our heart to different things (good and bad) in our lives they are poured into our heart and our heart condition is changed from once it was. If we open our heart to wrath, bitterness, and the things of this world then we will pour wrath, bitterness, and the things of this world into our heart. But if we open our heart to things that are of a good report and the things of God then we will pour things that are of a good report and the things of God in our heart. The choice is ours not God’s to what we swing wide the gate of our heart. The word “heart” here in this verse is “gate.” All throughout the Bible the word gate is always a metaphor for a place of decision. So too with our heart condition, what we decide to open our heart to, we will be that.

Sadly today often we (I have used the pronoun “we” which includes me) the Body of Christ have opened our heart to the things of the world and not the things of God. Thus, our heart condition towards the Lord is hard-hearted and our relationship with God is strained at best. Before we can overcome Satan we first must be able, in God, to overcome our fleshly desires and our lusts for the world. Unless we allow God to deal with “our lust” for the things of the world we will never be able to discover the victory (overcome) God has for our lives. This is God’s intention for us to lead us into victory, but first we must allow God to deal with “our lust” through His dealings and judgments in our lives. In James we read, “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” (James 1:14-15) This death that we take behind the gate of our heart will taint our heart condition and produce death in us. It is not Satan causing this death in us, but our choices not to do what God has told us to do. Remember, at the heart of the issue it is an issue of our heart. And the choices we make develop our heart condition either towards God or away from God.

Our choices also impact on what we believe which helps to develop our heart condition. Either we will have a soft, supple heart for God to work His words and ways into or a hard, stony heart that rejects His words and ways. True belief has a manifestation – obedience and submission. But sadly as I travel the world (especially in America) I find most Christians (as high as 70 to 80%) do not really know what they believe they are confused with what God says (both written and oral) and what denominations teach. My friend attending a new Believer’s or new member class will never develop obedience and submission in our lives. These types of classes only teach what the church (denomination) believes. What is developed in us is the denominational church rules and regulations we must memorize, recite, and follow to be able to participate with a local body of Believers and this my friend will never do. The only way we will be able to come to the understanding of what God says and wants for our lives is when we crack open the word of God and allow Him to speak to us; then His words will become our words and we will take on an understanding of what God wants and how He wants things to be done. In doing so we are developing our heart condition to be more like the Son of God, Jesus Christ. You know everyone believing the same thing does not make it right. We have many denominations in the world with millions of followers all believing the same mistruths and unless they come out of this deception they will lose any work of God in their lives (God forbid) end up in spiritual places God has no intention for them. Ultimately their final destination (God forbid), unless they allow God to open the eyes of their understanding and work in their lives, will be Hell led by religious leaders with a hard, stony heart conditions.

One of God’s great tools to help develop our heart condition and prevent us from ending in Hell is conviction. What a precious blessing in our lives. Conviction is God telling us we are going the wrong way and we need to repent (about face) and go the other direction. James tells us, “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist (flow in the opposite direction) the devil (slander, sin, evil), and he will flee from you. 8Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” (James 4:6-8) In other words, if the devil (and all he is) is going in one direction we must go in the other direction and then we will be able to “draw nigh to God.” We do not stand and say, “I resist you, I resist you in the name of Jesus,” oh no, we take the initiative and move in the opposite direction, the direction God is going. Please remember, true conviction has few words it is a work of the Holy Spirit, where condemnation (what many Christians heap on the heads of their brothers and sisters) is a work of man with many words. At times I am amazed at the length of an alter call. Jesus never had an alter call, why do we? If someone is really under the convicting power of the Holy Spirit you will not need to hold an alter call they will run at break neck speed to get to a place (may not be an alter at a church) where they can get free of the burden that sin has saddled upon them. Conviction is a burden on the soul that enlightens our conscience and pricks our heart to the critical need to be reconciled back to God. This is the message of the Gospel and it should be the only message of the church, our eternal need to be reconciled back to God then we can have correct fellowship with Him and man. But many words and much speaking just heaps condemnation on someone, twisting their arm to do something they need to do, but do not have the weakness nor the strength of God in them to submit to God. Often it is the words from others that support our self-life to reject the draw and prick of the Holy Spirit. Let us keep quiet and let the Holy Spirit do the work He desires to do in our lives. Let us be aware of the most blessed conviction in our lives. In doing so we are developing a soft heart condition that will be open to the moving of the Spirit of God and His touch.

I often hear someone say, “let us give God glory” or “give God a hand clap praise,” how foolish. Why do we think talent and ability can glorify God? This is a selfish and self-seeking thought on our part. These examples do not glorify God one bit. My friend God does not care how well we sing, dance, or clap, how high we can jump, or how fast we can run. These are humanistic expressions of fleshly ability. It is our obedience and submission alone that glorifies God. Why are we told we need to come to church to get refreshed or cleansed from the world. Going to church will not do this my friend yet countless millions of Christians today believe this. Only God can refresh our soul, mend a broken heart, or give joy when our lives have been decimated and destroyed before our very eyes. No need to go to church to receive God’s spiritual works in our lives God has picked out a wilderness of blessings for us. But now we are to go to church to be equipped by the teaching of the word of God and to edify the local body by blessing someone. I wonder what our churches today would look like if people picked out someone in the church (before they come to church) who they wanted to bless in some way? I guess there would not be time for other things in church that do not bless or edify people. Why do we spend so much time singing and giving announcements about church activities in the service? I wonder what songs we will sing in heaven? I seriously doubt we will sing any Christian rock and roll or contemporary music, well then why do we spend so much time singing these types of songs in church? Do we seriously think we will play electric guitars and key boards in heaven? If not, then why do we play them in church today? Music is very persuasive. Please take a good look at how cultures; especially groups like the Nazi party, the communist Chinese, the Former Soviet Union, or any group that has manipulated people to do heinous things to other people used music to get people to follow them. Everyone likes a good marching song with a quick beat and the church has capitalized on the power music has on our emotions. We think all of these fore mentioned things gives God glory, no my friend they all are only distractions to God’s desire for obedience and submission to Him.

Our heart condition will manifest our usefulness and future in God. For those who have allowed God to develop in them a soft, delightful (pliable, malleable) (Psalms 37:4) heart condition their future in God is bright, but for those who have not allowed God to develop a soft heart condition in them the way ahead will be rugged, only hope (and God’s longsuffering and grace) to make a change in the right direction stands between God’s will and His best and spiritual loss and destruction. Let us choose today who we shall serve with the right heart condition. Written by David Stahl

GOD'S VINEYARDS

Jesus was a master with the use of symbolism as he shared with the common people of His day. He knew picture messages and easy to understand illustrations where key to understanding, but so profound with spiritual significance and revelation. Jesus often talked about planting seed into the ground, tiny mustard seeds with pervasive power to grow out of rocks and crevices and not the size of our faith, and seeds that must die to be able to be fruitful in God. Jesus was a master of painting a picture and molding thoughts and impressions in our mind to convey a spiritual truth. Funny how the religious people of His day never got His messages. All of the famous preachers and teachers (you know them I do not have to call their names) of today that seem to regularly appear on Christian TV miss the mark when they try to mix their new age humanistic philosophies and Jesus’ time tested method of sharing simplistic truths. I am ever amazed and greatly saddened when I hear about well-meaning Christians that are deceived by their crafty words of deception; by these liars and charlatans, yet their popularity and fame grows day-by-day. They have learned if you want people to like you and give you money then just tell them what they want to hear and what they already know. But fear not my friends, God is not mocked their day is coming. I fear for their eternal souls, Hell has special places and levels of torment for all of those preachers and teachers who have willfully deceived the children of God by willfully leading them into “err” not error, but “err” – to willfully and for personal gain lead people out of the truth of the word of God.

I think the best example of Jesus’ use of symbolism is when He talks about vineyards. In John 15, Jesus was sharing with the disciples their incredible need for them to be plugged into and pruned, which speaks volumes of their need (us today too) for total dependency on Jesus. The symbolism is rich, each word and thought screams to us of our critical need to be grafted into the “true vine” and only vine of life, Jesus Christ. I wonder what John was thinking about when he heard Jesus share these words? I wonder if John was thinking about a vineyard of lushes grapes, green leaves, on brown thick trunks? I wonder what John thought when he heard Jesus say, “I am the true vine, and my Father (God) is the husbandman (the gardener). 2Every branch (now we, the individual Christians, are the branches) in me (Jesus) that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” (John 15:1-2) Did you get that in verse two? “Every branch (us) in me (Jesus) that beareth not fruit he taketh away: (Strong’s #142, to raise or lift up and then cut away; to be set aside for destruction) and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth (Strong’s #2508, to cleanse of filth impurity, to prune trees and vines from useless shoots) it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” Every Christian that does not bear fruit is removed for destruction (we see this happening in verse six) from the vine and every Christians that bears fruit is “purgeth” or cleaned through cutting away; not a cleaning by water, but a purifying by fire in a similitude like a vine cleansed by pruning and so fitted to bear fruit. Now unless you are a gardener or farmer and especially if you prune your vineyards or fields this way you will have no real understanding of this process, but every gardener and farmer listening to Jesus as He taught the disciples that day knew exactly what Jesus was saying and His words were quickened to their spirit. Jesus goes on, “Now ye are clean (pruned) through the word (what symbolism) which I have spoken unto you. 4Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; (Strong’s #3583, to dry up or pine away) and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, (Strong’s #4442, physical fire) and they are burned. 7If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” (John 15:3-8) In verses four through eight Jesus was really bringing His message home to the hearts of the people. In verses six and seven Jesus says, “If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." So much for the once saved always saved doctrine of the Southern Baptist Church, be not deceived. Now verse seven has some of the most amazing words written in the Bible, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” I will be honest I have never in my life time yet, met someone who can walk in this promise of God. Jesus does not qualify His words here He says, “ye shall ask what ye will and it will be done unto you.” When Jesus said, “what ye will” He means that. What a place in God to be able to say whatever we want and God will do it for us. I am not sure if I would want such a responsibility. But can you image the disciples and the crowd hearing Jesus give them this promise? At one moment Jesus was talking about pruning a vineyard and then He ends His words by saying, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” Oh only if we could walk in Jesus words today. Did you know Jesus meant it when He first spoke these words and guess what Jesus still today means these words, but to what degree do we desire for His words to abide in us? Now that is the measure of the effectiveness of Jesus’ words in our lives? At the same measure we are dedicated and committed to Jesus and His words at that measure (no more no less) His words will be able to abide in us. When Jesus speaks His words to us they are always His intention for our lives, but whether or not they come alive in us and produce fruit depends not on Jesus and His power, but on us and our willingness to be obedient to walk in what it will take to be able to make His words come true or not. Jesus told us, “nothing shall be impossible” and “all things are possible” was He just saying these words? I think not. Jesus has already done His part, but are we willing to do our part is the question.

There is another great example of a vineyard used in the Bible. In Isaiah we read how the gardener (God) prepared the borders of the vineyard with a fence and cleared and tilled the ground, planted only the best vines, provided a tower for safety and a winepress to be able to use the grapes to make the best wine, but when the grapes came forth they were not seed of the finest of grapes they were wild grapes. My good friend Pastor Rick Moser said, “The Church of today teeters on the edge of insanity.” Oh how this is true my friend. All that God has done for us and all God has given us, yet we today in the church often are like those wild grapes. Please notice the love and the detailed work the gardener (God) put into his vineyard and his response. “Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill (canopy): 2And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. 3And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. 4What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?” (Isaiah 5:1-4) The gardener was shocked, he was hurt. All of the love and attention he put into his vineyard and he got something he has not intended. His reaction quickly was turned from nurturing and love to judgment and punishment. My friend what more does God have to do for us? He has given us all we need to follow (with a willing heart) and serve Him, yet we are still like those wild grapes. Now please notice the gardener’s reaction, look hard at his hurt and disappointment. Also please do not lose sight of the spiritual significance and the warning to us today from these verse. The vineyard today is the church internationally, the gardener is God, and if we do not get serious and love God back as He has loved us (sent His precious Son Jesus Christ to die for us) then the only thing we can look forward to from God is not His mercy, longsuffering, and grace, but His judgment, wrath, and punishment. Again, this depends not on God, but on us. “And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: 6And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. (Isaiah 5:5-6) Look at the spiritual significance of these verses for our lives. As God loved the vineyard when it had much promise (given everything to develop only the choicest grapes), but He hated the vineyard at the same measure of loving it because it did not produce as it should have. My friend, please do not presume on God’s grace and mercy too long, there is a time when God’s longsuffering runs out. We must grow up in God to be able to take responsibility for our actions and come to the place where we are accountable. How can we imagine God not holding us accountable when He held soulless grapes accountable? God gives to us His goods and we must be responsible. I know this is not taught today in most churches, but please read the Bible and see for yourself. Thus, God’s punishment was poured out on the vineyard, so too in our lives if we do not produce. God (the gardener) goes on (in verses 7-12) to describe the habitation, productivity, and heart condition of the vineyard; twice God uses the word “woe” to warn the people (like today), but His words fall on deaf ears. “Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. 14Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it. 15And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled:” (Isaiah 5:13-15) The way in God is down my friend, one way or the other. In the next chapter God makes Isaiah eat his words. Did you know God is good at making us eat our words? Take heed my friend to what we say God is listening. In the sixth Chapter of Isaiah we read, “Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. 6Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: 7And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.” (Isaiah 6:5-7) After Isaiah had a revelation of God (verses 6:1-4) Isaiah had a revelation of his heart. Please notice God did not say, “Isaiah you are wrong, you are a wonderful prophet,” oh no God send a seraphim to retrieve a lump of coal to “purge” his lips and sin, the verb form of the word for Strong’s #2508 in John 15:2 to cleanse of filth impurity, to prune trees and vines from useless shoots. I would think while all of this purging was going on Isaiah’s thoughts were turned back to his words in Chapter five about God’s vineyard. God does have ways of making us eat our words.

Who do we think we are to play fast and loose with God? Denominations and religions of today do you think God is not watching your folly and foolishness? Nations of the world do you think God will not judge you? God is not mocked, there is coming a day in all of our lives where God will be God (no matter what we believe) and will be exalted over all of what we think and say. In my life I seem to get caught up in many distractions (ministry and non-ministry) that I find myself seemingly far far from God. Strange how we think God has moved, but in reality it is not God that has moved it is us who has moved in our thinking and heart condition. I see the real spiritual battle is not against demons or principalities and all of that stuff, but is fought between our ears (in our mind) and to the victor goes the supremacy of our heart. Let us not be concerned about all of the trappings of life and all we do for God in ministry. But let us just purpose in our lives to let the gardener of the vineyard sing to His “wellbeloved” a song of a simplistic love and righteousness and we can answer back I hear Lord and will obey. This is what God is listening for and nothing else. Written by David Stahl