THE KINGDOM OF GOD

I was strongly disappointed on 28 June 2012 when the Supreme Court of the United States ruled on two long awaited decisions. The first one was when the U.S. Supreme Court upheld President Obama’s healthcare bill and the second decision (which was more troubling to me and not really discussed on the news) was the Courts found the Stolen Valor Act (where you can lie about your military service) unconstitutional. Now to be totally honest (honesty really is the best policy) the thing that was the most troubling to me was my disappointment and my attitude about these rulings. I spent 24 years in the military (in combat and in peace time) and of those 24 years, over 22 of those years were spent in either direct health care delivery as a Field Corpsman and working in the operating room in hospital administration and as a medical planner serving as a Medical Service Corps Officer. I know the grave damage President Obama’s healthcare bill has done and will continue to do to America (unless President Obama is voted out in November) in the future far beyond 2014, but of more importance to America is how can God bless the nation whose leaders say it is okay to lie? Who say free speech is more important than the truth. Well here is the truth from God’s perspective, “Woe unto you America your candle stick has been lifted and soon will pass away if there is no repentance back to Me in your land,” thus says the LORD. Who gets to speak for God in the earth? As His beloved son I too get to speak for my Father. The Bible says, “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” (Proverbs 14:34) Make no mistake (as I have said) I gave 24 years of faithful, dedicated service to America she still means a lot to me, but as much as I love America and know (I have been in 83 countries of the world) she is the greatest country in the world I as a Christians MUST never get so rooted and entrenched into the American dream. We MUST never forget this earth, this world, this country is NOT our home. When it is all said and done 10,000 years from now only the things we have done for God will matter. Even all of the ministry and all of the good works we do, that we think are so important, will be done away with, but what will remain will be our relationship with the Father based not on what we have done and said, but based on HOW we have done and said things for Him. When it is all said and done the only thing that really matters is how much we have allowed the Father to conform us into the image (icon) of His dear Son Jesus Christ. But when I heard the Supreme Court’s decision (I will be honest) I got angry and almost cussed. I could not believe how the Supreme Court got it wrong again for America in both decisions. America has two high courts of the land or kingdom: the U.S. Supreme Court governed by its laws (which is the highest earthly court in America) and in my humble opinion a higher court God’s court governed by His divine Spiritual principles not laws. In almost every case in the last 50 years the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in direct contradiction to God’s divine Spiritual principles. This is no accident my friend. To discredit or even deny there is a God there must be a higher power that can govern the affairs of man in a country, in the world, and on earth. God’s word says do not kill yet we abort millions of babies for convenience each year. In 1973 Roe v Wade the U.S. Supreme Court said killing babies was okay. God’s word says homosexuality and lesbianism is a sin and even an abomination to God yet the U.S. Supreme Court again and again has tried justifying by legally sanctioning this ungodly immoral life-style. And the list of ruling goes on and on. These laws are not meant to govern civility in the American society, but are meant to be an open challenge to the very existence of God. Now please hear me loud and clear we must be obedient to the law of the land. Jesus said, “render unto Caesar’s that which is Caesar’s” and He meant it. In all respects we must be obedient to the laws of the land unless they come into direct contradiction of God’s word. This topic often came up with the Disciples. In the Book of Acts we read, “And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. 20For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:18-20) So where do we stand when these two courts collide in option? Here is the divine Spiritual principle we as Christians MUST follow: Obedience is related to conduct, it is relative. Submission is related to our heart attitude and is absolute. God alone receives unqualified obedience without measure, any person lower than God can only receive qualified obedience. And should another court issue an order clearly contradicting God’s command, we give submission but not obedience. We submit to the court (thus submitting to God in reality because God originates all powers), but we MUST never disobey the word (orders) of God. When delegated authority (men who represent God’s authority i.e. judges police, your boss, etc.) and direct authority (God Himself) are in conflict, one can render submission, but not obedience to the delegated authority. When Jesus stood before Pilate there was great resistance in Him. But the Bible said, “He opened not His mouth.” In silence He gave great resistance. He submitted, but did not obey Pilate. This type of understanding and reality goes far beyond the religious and denominational doctrinal circles that most Christians find themselves in today. Now the more the media outlets digested the decisions the angrier I got. After about 20-30 minutes of this I had to get up and walk away, but like driving by a car or train wreck I slowed down and had to look. After some time I mustered up enough common sense and the Spirit of God within me, apologized to God, and turned the TV off. I do not want this article to be about the two decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court, but about something far greater of importance my reaction and attitude to the Supreme Court’s decisions. But wow what a bad and ungodly attitude I had over these decisions. I guess this anger was in me all along maybe caused by daily watching America slip further and further from God in spite of 90% of Americans saying they are Christians. I guess it was always there and the love that I hold for my country and God squeezing it out of my heart it came out my mouth. Now I have found out we will never agree with everyone, especially our Christians brothers and sisters, but that does not mean we have to be disagreeable. Make no mistake whatsoever is in our heart will come out our mouth. In Proverbs we read, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23) My friend, walk with God long enough and you will really find out what is in your heart. Miriam sung and danced through the Red Sea being led by her younger brother Moses singing a song of victory, but held ungodly feelings and attitudes towards Moses in her heart. “And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea,” (Exodus 15:21), but Miriam’s true heart toward her brother was exposed, “And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. 2And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it. 3(Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)” (Numbers 12:1-3) and God had to deal with her in a harsh way, “And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.” (Numbers 12:10), but in the end God’s mercy was extended, “And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee. 14And the LORD said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in again.” (Numbers 12:13-14) Make no mistake my friend God will see what is in our hearts and whatsoever is there will come our mouth. You know I find the ones that dance the longest and sing the loudest in church are the shallowest and easily stumble and fall out of the way. Now most Christians are trying to bring the Kingdom of God to the earth through good works and even Christian ways, but as a man cannot give what he does not have one cannot bring something to earth that is already here. When Jesus came to earth as a child He brought with Him from Heaven and established His kingdom forever, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7) yet some Christians keep trying to build Jesus a kingdom on earth, but in reality they are building their own kingdom. All you have to do is turn on Christian TV (what an oxymoron) and see all of the kingdoms in the earth being built by man, for man, but in the name of Jesus. The kingdom of God is not a building or a denomination the Kingdom of God is within us. The Pharisees wanted to know when the kingdom of God was to come they were great (like religious folks today) at building their own kingdom, “And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20-21) Did you get that, “behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” God is more concerned about my heart condition to the Supreme Court’s decision than the decisions, His kingdom is already established. Paul tells is in Romans, “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 14:17) Did you get that the kingdom of God is “righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” We are not of this world, but when we allow things like the ungodly Supreme Court’s decisions to steal the “righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” that we have allowed God to build in us we leave the kingdom of God and enter the kingdom of the world. And the mode of travel from one kingdom to the next is our heart response to whatever is happening to us at the time. 10,000 years from now what will it matter what the U.S. Supreme Court decides? What will matter is how we reacted and responded to the decision made. The kingdom of God is the difference in our lives that enables us to walk in the life of God. Let His kingdom come in our hearts as it is in heaven. Written by David Stahl

OUR SELF SEEKING

You know Satan gets blamed for many things in our lives that are not his fault. Did you know our biggest enemy is not Satan he is defeated in our lives if we really believe the word of God and understand how much God loves us. In Colossians we read where Jesus defeated or “spoiled” all “principalities and powers” and that included Satan, “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” (Colossians 2:15) Please know it is not Satan or even the world that is our biggest enemy, but it is our “flesh” our self that wars against the Spirit and just like with Satan we get to choose who wins. Paul in Romans said it well, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” (Romans 7:18) My friend our flesh (our self) will do and say anything to glorify itself and keep it alive, but that is not what God desires for us. God desires to kill our self. Our self is subtle and can easily deceive us from the truth while projecting a religious and holy picture. My friend our flesh, our self must die if we are ever going to walk after the things of God if not then we will always be of the earth and walk after the earthly things. We can easily see how much our self is alive by the things we seek. Do we seek after the things of God or do we seek after the things that our self screams for. It is easy to see who follows the LORD or who follows their self. I can always tell where someone is in God by applying three metrics: Do they pray for themselves telling God what He is to do for them or do they pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is done in heaven. Number two, how they give of themselves to others especially those who cannot give back to them, and three how often they use the pronoun “I” when speaking. The LORD really convicted me on this: I did this, I know this, I will do this wow, I sounded like a Mexican hat dance song. It is not I it is we did this, we know this, we will do this, I is always selfish and always self seeking. And the result of selfishness and self seeking in our lives and in society is always seen void of God and His word. Today most teens and young adults in America are so narcissist they are self centered self seeking having to have the latest gadget; I phone, I pad, I whatever and the results are alarming. Ages 18-22 suicide rates in America are skyrocketing. In the US military (of all places) between 1 January and 8 June 2012 in the same age group there was more than one suicide per day each day. (DoD) Now the experts blame the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but not so these disturbing suicides rates (also for non-military teens and young adults) are the result of their self seeking and not being able to find the answers in their shallow selfish egocentric lives. The same with controlled substances like drugs. Use of drugs (marijuana, cocaine, LSD, etc) in American in the 18-22 age group is up 40% as well as deaths. (CDC) Every hour in America over 4,000 kids run away from home. (CDC) Our self is a powerful force in our lives and our self seeking drives us on and on unless we have allowed the LORD to kill it in us if not we will have no inward peace and strength. We will be frustrated, unfulfilled, and lonely. Sadly this self seeking has infiltrated the church for years. Instead of the church being salt and light, “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.” (Matthew 5:13-14) influencing the world unto Godliness and righteousness the world has influenced the church. This self seeking has even become a part of the way we preach and hold services. We have special services for ladies and men. Where in the Bible did Jesus do this? Jesus never divided out the sexes. On Father’s Day and/or Mother’s day we have special sermons to extol the values and virtues of our Father and/or Mother now we love our parents, but this is nothing more than our self seeking to please our parents and our religious nature and attitudes. We sing songs telling God how much we love Him and how holy and righteous He is. Do we not know God knows how much we love Him and how holy and righteous He is? Are we so far removed from the truth and over into our religious self seeking that we do not know God knows all things and that God knows our heart? So much I could say here. Recently in the paper there was an article I quote; “The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) just elected the first black president in one of its biggest steps yet to reconcile the 167 year old denomination’s troubled racial past and appeal to more a diverse group of believers” (The Associated Press), but whatever happened to selecting a spiritual leader based on God’s desires and His requirements? Is not racism an ungodly heart condition of man? As the article continued it seemed the only real credentials the candidate had to be President of the SBC was he was black and had a big church in New Orleans that was started after Hurricane Katrina. With 100s of complicated issues facing the church today should racism be the deciding factor to elect someone to such a spiritual place of leadership? I think not. Do we really believe God knows all things? Or do we disregard these verses in Isaiah? “That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. 7I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.” (Isaiah 45:6-7) Is not racism evil? Do we really believe all things work together for good according to His purpose? “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) or do we just give lip service to these truths in the Bible? Does “all things” and “evil” include racism? Whatever happened to God and His divine principles? Now if there is racism in our hearts we must allow God to remove it because God cannot do much with people who are racist, yet the truth of the matter is many churches today (both the black and white churches) are full of such people. Are we foolish to believe by merely electing a black man to a place of leadership will remove the racism in the heart of the people he leads or forgive the past of 167 years? This is all self seeking to glorify the SBC and cover its self seeking with a religious veneer of doing the politically correct thing. The leadership and delegates of the SBC should be ashamed of themselves for selling out to the way the world does things. There is no democracy in God (it is His way or no way) leaders in the church are not voted on, but men of like mind, full of the Holy Spirit (not 1,000s of people in a convention party) come together to seek God’s will and purpose and I guarantee you my friend being against racism is not in the top 100 qualifying credentials to be selected into God’s leadership. One does not have to go too far to understand why a black man was elected president all you have to do is go to a Southern Baptist Church and count the number of black faces in the congregation. We attended a Southern Baptist Church (some of the people were great) for about 5 years and in the congregation of about 350 to 400 we had two black members. But sadly now folks in the biggest evangelical denomination in America (the SBC) are leaving in droves no wonder they voted in a black leader now they can reach out to the black community where there is a greater desire for morality and truth. I have said this before and I will say it again, if a mighty revival breaks out in America it will come from the black church. Now it is not just the SBC many other denominations in America are floundering due to the fact that they offer nothing of the Spirit of God to the people. My friend programs, parties, meetings, and functions does not meet the longing in our heart to know the true and living God, but programs, parties, meetings, and functions do satisfy the self seeking in our heart and soul so many denominations, like the SBC, feed our self with things of the world because they lack the ability to give their people the things of the Spirit of God. As Spiritual leaders we must give the people the Spirit of God in a real, meaningful, and powerful way good sermons and stories are not enough, singing in the choir and working for God is not enough, if not they will be just going through the motions and when their self seeking is not satisfied they will fade and fall away. Did you know there is even a self seeking in seeking God? God loves not the believer who does the most, who feels the most, who thinks the most cleverly and best, not even the one who shows the greatest love, but God loves him who suffers and sacrifices the most. Suffering and sacrifice are the building blocks of the church it is the glue that binds us all together. I am aware that in discussing our self seeking even our deepest prayer is a prayer that does not depend on our outward senses or on those things which are pleasing to our self, but requires the martyrdom of parts of our self and our inward man. Our deepest prayers are reached when we have no self involved. When there is no emotional experience or intellectual assent to God. We reach this place in God when we discover God is not impressed with a multitude of well spoken words. He is impressed with the purity of the intent of our heart. He wishes to see our inward parts humbled, quiet, and totally surrendered to Him and to His will. We may not find emotions to produce such a relationship, but we will find a door by which we will enter into our nothingness and His all. Now that is a place of rest and a place of us ceasing from our labors. There are people who do not allow God to kill their self and turn away from Him almost immediately because they did not find any pleasure in it. Pleasure and our self walks hand in hand and when our self is being put to death we find no pleasure in whatever is killing our self, even if that is God. There was no sense of God, there was no power, there was no sense of being pleased with their own thoughts, or even being impressed with the way they formed their words and do things. In reality all of these approaches to God are nothing more than a hunt for sensible pleasures in God which to God is nothing more than self love and self seeking after our self. It is really not seeking after God at all. It is necessary that we suffer a little pain and a little dryness to kill our self. Death to our self will always kill us. The more our outward man delights in some sort of pleasure the less delight there is in the LORD. But the less we care for the outward man (our self) and the thrills even for spiritual pleasures, ah now here is something which delights the LORD. Written by David Stahl

WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE

I wonder why we think we can do and say things in God and not be held accountable for our words and actions? Well, the truth is God does hold us accountable for what we do and say especially when we speak for Him. It is an awesome thing to be able to speak for God, but take heed and make no mistake my friend measure your words when you get a chance to speak for God much is at stake especially things pertaining to our well-being and future in God, but of more importance is the well-being of others. Our words and actions have greater bearing and impact on the lives of others more than it does on ours. I have seen it time and time again our quick tongue often can leave us short of what God really wants to do in a given situation or complicate things for us and God. James gives us guidance here in the way we are to keep our tongue even in a trial, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:” (James 1:19) We often get over in being swift to speak and slow to hear when we think we have some skin in the game, when we think we are responsible for something in God. That is the same concept and thinking Satan told God when God offered up Job to be tested, “And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.” (Job 2:4) It was not Job’s earthly goods Satan was talking about, but about a concept of being responsible for the many things in Job’s life. Man will do and say whatsoever it takes to save his hide and to save his very life. My friend we are not responsible for anything in our life. We owe everything in our lives to God why our very breath is not ours, but is the property of God and He graciously gives us breath so the purposes of His will can come to an end in our lives. We came into this world with nothing and we shall leave with nothing so why do we thing we are responsible for things in between our nothingness? I think the closest we can come to be responsible for something, while on earth, is our attitude out from our reaction to life’s many problems, situations, and circumstances, but even in the situations, circumstances, and problems we have little to nothing to do with them. Now I have many Christian friends who quickly tell me God does not cause or originate problems, situations, and circumstances in our lives it is the devil who makes all of these dark and evil things happen in the earth and in our lives, well that is not what the Bible says. In the Book of Isaiah we find the real origination of problems, situations, and circumstances in our lives, “That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. 7I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.’ (Isaiah 45:6-7) Who would believe God creates darkness and God creates evil? Not too many Christians, maybe that is why not too many Christians really understand God and why they are confused between God’s grace and His longsuffering, why they are confused between God’s holiness and His judgment, and why they are confused between God’s responsibility and His accountability. To understand we are not responsible, but accountable we must understand that God can create evil and darkness, it is a side of God’s character that man seldom sees, but is the majority of His character. The only way we will be able to come to this understanding is when we allow God to walk us though darkness. Did you know there are two types of darkness? The first darkness is that which arises from sin. It is a darkness that is filled with unhappiness and leads the Christian to eternal death. Now the second darkness is a darkness which the LORD allows within our inward part in order to establish and settle virtue in us. This is a happy darkness because it illuminates our inward spirit (it strengthens it) and gives it greater light. There is nothing more enjoyable in God than to have God take us though a dark and unknown time in our lives where we can see or feel nothing, seemingly all we can do is grope our way along in the dead of night, but deep within us God is building a trust in us that is far beyond faith. This is the progression in God: faith, trust, and rest. It is in the darkness in the blackest of times we truly come to trust in God. And God creates this for us. Who would believe God creates evil? Well, all you have to do is look at the Bible and see all of the things God did out from His sovereignty that a religious man would say, “God would not do that.” In Exodus 4:21, it says that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart how evil of God to do this right? Well, God is God and we are not. God does what He desires to do to make His plans come to an end in our lives. The only way we will be able to come to this understanding is when we allow God to walk us though evil. When all around us is evil and we can turn not to the right or left for help, evil on all sides, yet God is with us in the mist of the evil and we pass through the evil without being touched. Even in the Valley of the Shadow of Death God is with us, what a wonderful place to take a break and rest in. Please take heed my friend the things we call darkness and evil may be the hand of God in our life. I wonder what the hand of God looks like? Maybe at times it is darkness and evil. It was for Joseph when he was thrown in a pit by his brothers, sold into slavery, and sent to prison. As in Job’s case who would have thought God allowing Stan to test him so was God’s perfect will for Job’s life and the way God wanted to repay him back twice what he lost. In our many years we have known many churches who are looking for a pastor by a pastor search committee and some actually think they are responsible for finding a pastor for the church. And when things do not happen as they plan their quick words are spoken and offence takes root. As a matter of fact a wonderful Church in Holly Ridge NC has asked me to consider pastoring them at first my heart was to help fill their pulpit, but after speaking a few times and getting to know their heart God may have me (it would be a grand privilege and honor) pastor them, but at any rate it is not the pastor search committee’s responsibility to find a pastor it is God’s responsibility, it is God’s church not ours. I wonder why we think the church we attend is ours? Now we may pay the bills, cut the grass, and paint the parking lot, but the church is not ours. Jesus paid a great price for His church and He is not going to give it up. Here we have confused the difference between responsibility and accountability. We have the accountability (being held to a certain standard) not the responsibility when it comes to leadership over churches, ministries, denominations, and religious organizations. We often think we are responsible to make things happen, see people come to the LORD, but not so in God. In God we have the accountability not the responsibility. God and God solely alone is responsible for His church and His good name in the earth. Jesus told Peter, “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:13) Just a thought: what is the church doing at the gates of hell? Jesus told us He will build His church (it is His church not ours), building His church and kingdom on earth is not our responsibility, but in the building process God holds us accountable in those areas He has given us stewardship and care. Do you see the difference? But there is an even deeper thought moving here. Most Christians get over into areas that are not theirs to handle. In God we must handle the things God has given us (to the best of the ability we have allowed Him to work in us) and leave the other things to God and those who have qualified for them. But the deeper thought here is we are the church. The church (Jesus said He is going to build) is not a building or organization, but a living temple of humanity? And did you know God has a building program? Solomon in Psalms said, “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” (Psalms 127:1) We are the house of the LORD and unless we allow God to build us we will labor (even though the building of brick and mortar may be beautiful and well groomed) in vain in all we do. For us to allow God to build us we must enter into God’s building program and my friend God begins building by tearing down everything in us that is not of Him. Every foundation and every structure we depend on for strength and support God must tear down and bring to naught in our lives. The more God builds in us the more we will be able to handle God’s truths and see Him as He really is. The more God tears down strongholds (we are built on) in our lives the more we will be able to understand the difference between God’s responsibility and our accountability, because it is the work of God in our lives that opens up our understanding and illuminating our mind giving us revelation to the knowledge of God. Not too many Christians have or really want to possess this knowledge the cost is too high of a price to pay, so many Christians continue in their religious pious ways content with the form of God and never getting to the heart of God. The Body of Christ (made of human flesh, humanity) is built one block at a time on sacrifice and my friend it is the individual’s sacrifice from each member is the individual building blocks that Jesus uses to build His Church. We can see this accountability and not responsibility by the way we comply with what God wants for our lives. The Bible is full of areas we are to comply with God in. Now we think God really looks at His commandants to see if we comply with them and He does. But God also looks at the optional things in our lives that are up to us to obey. We think when we comply with God’s commandments (obeying the letter of the law) God is happy with us, well this is true to some degree, but I think God is happier with us when we obey those optional areas where our compliance with God’s options shows a greater willingness to do the right thing than complying with God’s commandments. This is why God gave us a free will instead of making us serve Him. The responsibility thinking makes following God a commandment, but understanding we are accountable to God for our actions, words, and the things God has given us to do for service shows our willingness to be obedient without being forced by God to do something. Anytime we do things for God out from our heart’s desire we have recognized we are accountable because we have come to know our actions is well pleasing to God. You know when our children grow up and understand they are accountable to their parents it is not a responsibility they feel oh no, but it is a desire to do the right thing being accountable for one’s actions and words because of the love and respect they have for themselves and their parents so too with God. We are accountable to God. Written by David Stahl

MAKING RIGHT DECISIONS

Karen and I just returned from Ashville, NC where we stayed at a great Bed and Breakfast (North Lodge) and visited the Biltmore House, America’s biggest home, paid for by our wonderful kids as a birthday present for Karen. As we travel we always travel with what we call a bum bag. A bum bag is a paper bag filled with three dollars, a bottle of water, an apple, a granola bar, a piece of Dove chocolate, and a chick track to help someone who just needs a bag of love to make it. While in Ashville we saw many bums, but sadly we met not a bum who deserved of one of our bags. To be honest we were shocked to see how the homosexual community has conquered the City of Ashville. I think Billy and Franklin Graham and their folks need not travel around the world to evangelize the lost, but just travel less than 30 miles from the Cove and have a heart for the City of Ashville. Karen and I were surprised by the lack of spiritual churches and just a general lack of a spiritual attitude and presence in the city. It was evident everywhere we went from restaurants to stores, local parks, the Biltmore House, and gas stations. The streets were filled with bums panhandling or playing instruments for money I thought I was in San Francisco. Now we had the bum bag we could have given it out, but the bums were young, healthy even the dogs they had were well fed, but they were just dirty, lazy, and lacked a desire to work worst though was their lack of a desire for the things of God in their lives. We never passed out our bum bag (there was no one we saw that deserved them), but as I reflected on these folks I wondered how they could end up like this and of course the answer is because of the ungodly decisions they made they were brought to this ungodly condition. Now some would say Pastor Dave you are too judgmental you should have given them all a bag, well this is not in keeping with the Bible. The Bible says if a man does not work then he should not eat, “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. 11For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.” (2 Thessalonians 3:10-11) God expects us to work and be accountable for our actions there are consequences for our actions and decisions. We are where we are today in life based on two things; God’s grace and longsuffering and our conscious decisions. Our place in life is not based on our parent’s wealth, color of our skin, our intelligence, or our skills and abilities we all can get a job if we really want one, but the driving force in our lives is the choices and decisions we make. Each bad decision we made will require us to make two right decisions to get us out of harm’s way. These homosexuals and bums in Ashville have turned their back on God and only when they turn towards a loving God will they be able to get their life back on track again. I wondered why our four kids did not end up like these homosexuals and bums in Ashville. And the answer quite clear is Karen and I loved our kids enough to take them to church and put as much of God in their lives as we could. This was a decision we made when they were small and today it has paid off for them, us, their spouses, and their families. Most often our decisions impact more on the lives of others than on us alone. Little do we know the true impact of each insignificant decision we make. If we knew we would be more careful in what we decide. Not the big decisions we make, but the little ones. We think God is more concerned about the big things we do and about the big decisions we make, well not so. God is more concerned about the little decisions we make and the little things we do; the smaller the decision the more God is securitizing us in it. God is always watching us move and operate in small things because He knows if we can function correctly (He can trust us then) in small things then when we make big decisions we will also move correctly in them. So too in our spiritual life, we are where we are in God today based on the decision we have made over time. The collections of correct Godly decisions will end us in a place of great prosperity (to push forward in God) in God. Our spiritual life (the level of spiritual maturity to which we have attained) is far more than the sum of the spiritual information that we have gathered or any compilation of our spiritual experiences. Rather, the core and substance of our being “spiritual” relates to the level of inner peace and harmony that results from our making right choices and decisions along the pathway of our spiritual journey. Because the Lord is seeking those who are willing to go beyond that which they have freely received through redemption, our making these right choices and decisions will never be easy. Paul tells us in Philippians, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14) No matter who or where we are, we must make decisions as to what we will see, hear, do, or where we will go or not go. The ever present temptation is to compromise and go along with the questionable or difficult situations that we often find in our path or circumstances, but we must never forget it is not the church or a denomination that is God’s work, but us. Again Paul tells us, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10) Notice that our response to and cooperation with these “good works” is conditional “we should walk in them.” These good works are preordained testing points that will determine how far we will follow the LORD. We make few major decisions, but each day we make many “minor” (seemingly to us) decisions that feed either the carnal or the spiritual aspect of our being. The accumulation of these choices will result in our becoming predominantly carnal or spiritual. As our spiritual decisions begin to outweigh the negative pulls and responses we become an “overcomer.” To the extent that we rise above carnal soulish desires we are lifted into a place of communion with our LORD and we grow spiritually. John tells us, “To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with Me in My Throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His Throne.” (Revelation 3:21) Our position with Jesus in this “throne” relationship is the result of our overcoming (rising above) all that is earthly and carnal. The more decisions that we make which are toward the Lord and His purpose the easier it will become to continue making these decisions. The further down the road that we go in our walk with the LORD we will progressively become more detached from all that is either carnal or a temptation to us. In the beginning it may be difficult, but as we progress it will become easier. The pathway of our spiritual life can be considered as being an upward spiral. If we take a large wood screw and place a finger nail in the groove near the point and run it along the surface we will gradually progress toward the head. Though it may seem to us that we are going in circles, as we continue to make right decisions, we are progressively moving upward. If we do this in reverse and feed the carnal aspect of our being, it will lead us ever downward. There are those who have within them a quality of spiritual life (divine substance that permeates their being) and it may not be apparent as to why this is so, but if inquired into these would testify that through the struggles of life they have been making quality decisions which brings them into an ever increasing levels of fellowship with the LORD, in His Throne. Too often we think the Kingdom of God is a place we can get a job or exercise power and authority over someone, but this is so far from the truth. Paul in Romans tells us what the kingdom of God is, “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serves Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.” (Romans 14:17-18) The Kingdom of God begins with “righteousness.” As we make the right choices, we place ourselves on a platform called righteousness. Due to an accumulation of these righteous choices, we discover that there resides within us an abiding “peace.” This will also result in the approbation or the favor of God resting upon us and “joy” is then manifested. Our submission to divine government will lead to our becoming a partaker with the LORD, in His Throne. In this realm our decisions do not relate only to right or wrong, but with the motives that underlie right or wrong. It is here that the final test of our union with the LORD will find its outworking. We are tested concerning the choices and decisions that we make. As we progress up the spiral we will be tested concerning the motives of our heart which provoke the things that manifest as right or wrong. It is not enough to deny our self, but we must overcome the very principle that allows it to abide within us and assert itself. Those who are satisfied with being blessed and eventually going to heaven have their reward the streets of gold and mansions, but for those who intensely hunger for this higher level of spiritual reality, there is much more. These in the place of pressure will deal with the issues of their heart, they will be found in the Throne, seated with Jesus. As Karen and I were touring the Biltmore House the LORD impressed these words on me, “and yet he died.” I shared these words around the breakfast table at the Bed and Breakfast table where we stayed and things really got quiet. Mr George Vanderbilt had it all, yet he died. He had over 120,000 areas of land, a house of over 250 rooms with four acres of floor space, and over 1,800 employees, yet he died at age 51 in Washington, DC from complications from appendicitis and the surgery that followed. The building of the Biltmore House was a marvel in 1895 when it was opened and happened out from decisions Mr. Vanderbilt made, yet he died. Nothing is discussed about his spiritual condition this too was made out from the decisions he made. My hope is that He is with the LORD, but I do not know. What I do know is if he is with the LORD he made the right decisions and if we too desire to be with the LORD now on earth and when we die we too must make the right decision. Witten by David Stahl

OUR ESTABLISHED HEART

I wonder why we tell God things He already knows?  In church we often sing songs telling God just how worthy He is as God or how holy He is.  Do we not think God already knows this?  My friend telling God  things He already knows does not impress Him one bit, but now moving in obedience, greater commitment, and dedication to Him and His word now that impresses God greatly.  We sing these songs telling God how wonderful He is (and He is wonderful) trying to establish a belief in us that we think will allow us to see God in a greater way when all He wants is for us to come to a place of knowing Him by spending time with Him and submitting to His dealings and judgments.  But spending time with God takes too much of our daily time and submitting who wants to submit and endure God’s dealing and judgments in their lives?  Oh no it is easier singing about God’s holiness and worthiness than coming to knowing about God’s worthiness or holiness. We lack this understanding (so we sing and do other things instead) because of the lack of our heart being established in God.  Bill Pepper (a wonderful friend who often ministers China) tells the story of a Chinese pastor and his family who was captured by Chinese authorities and at the trial the Chinese pastor was told unless he confessed to some lies about him and God the authorities would kill him and his entire family starting with his children.  With tears in his eyes and in a calm and collected voice he replied to family and the Chinese authorities, “my family I will see you in the morning.”  And with that the Chinese authorities did as they said they killed him and his family beginning with his children. One by one they were executed his children, next his wife, and lastly himself.  Now the Chinese pastor could only do this if his heart was established in God and he really knew he would see his family again in their next life.  Today very few people come to this knowing because they have been deceived by “divers and strange doctrines” like the prosperity teachings of today and word of faith folks that teach another Christ and another Gospel that is not the message of the cross.  They have come to know God only in song or through a mental approach blindly going to conference after conference or worse yet hoping what they are doing is correct, but never coming to an experiential knowledge of knowing God out from an established heart.  I wonder why we sing songs about things we do not know about? The Writer to the Hebrews shares with us, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. ⁹Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.” (Hebrews 13:8-9)  In the Psalms David takes it much further, “Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. ⁷He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD. ⁸His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies.” (Psalms 12:6-8)  My friend this is to be the depth of our relationship with God not in song singing about God’s greatness, his holiness or his worthiness, but it is in experienced knowledge where we come to know Him and the power of His resurrection.  Paul told the Church at Philippi, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;” (Philippians 3:10) Not just to “know Him,” but also to come to know “the power of his resurrection” and “the fellowship of his suffering.”Not too many people want to know God if they have to suffer and die, but to know God’s resurrection power we must be dead.  The purpose of resurrection is to bring us back from the dead. We must die to be resurrected and along that way of death is suffering, persecution, and tribulations as Jesus promised. In John we read Jesus’ words, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”  (John 16:33) Now why and how can we be of good cheer while going though tribulation?  Because our heart has been established in God and we have come to place of knowing God.  The Scriptures have much to say about this established heart.  Peter tells us, “Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. ¹³Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; ¹⁴Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me. ¹⁵Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.” (2 Peter 1:12-15)  Can you hear Peter’s heart here? Peter knew his physical death was at hand his desire for the people was that they not mourn his death, but that the people would be established in the truth.  When we are established in the truth of the word of God and our heart is established in God to endure whatsoever God brings our way we will truly have life eternal.  It is nice to know we do not have to wait to die to have eternal life.  Jesus, in the real LORD’s prayer, tells us,  “Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son (Jesus was to be crucified in days), that thy Son also may glorify thee: ²As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. ³And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”  (John 17:1-3)  Eternal life is not just living forever in which we will if our heart is established in God, but Jesus told us eternal life is, “that they might know thee the only true God.” Who cares about tomorrow when we really come to know the only true God?  Who cares what we have or do not have what food we eat or do not eat when we come to know the only true God? All of this life’s many trials and tribulations all pale in compassion to knowing the only true God.  This is the reason we have been created not to glorify God, but to come to know Him. Many Christians try to glorify God in song, talent, and deeds, but God is not after that He is after our established heart.  Paul tells the Church at Ephesus “In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: ²²In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”  (Ephesians 2:21-2)  We are to have an established heart so that we can be that eternal “habitation of God through the Spirit.”  God desires we be His eternal abode, His eternal place of habitation not Heaven or the heavens, but our established heart.  Now I do not understand why God would chose our hearts I cannot explain it no one can.

It is easy to see and hear who has an established heart and who does not. Did you know there is a huge difference between professing something we know about God and really coming to knowing God?  The difference is always seen in our words (what we profess) or our character and conduct what we have come to know.  It is one thing to profess we know Jesus, but it is something all together different when our character and conduct reflects the character and conduct of Christ.  Remember our testimony is not what we say about ourselves, but what people see and yes even hear about us.  I can profess to you how much I love God, how much He has done for me, how much He is using me, but if my character does not reflect my words I am a liar and the truth is not in me.  We must be careful here in this area. We often take people in our circle of trust and friendship based not on a time of observation, but usually based on their profession.  In God time will bear things out to be true or not.  Time always marks commitment and dedication in lives.  We sadly see this in the increasing number of Christian divorces and Christians living together outside of marriage. Most main-stream denominations will allow you to move your Church Membership (I cannot find this concept in the Bible) from church to church based on a letter of introduction or on their profession of their faith.  No wonder there are so many church splits and such great division in most churches today there was no observation of their character or life-style the desire to add to the rolls of the church, get their tithes and offerings, and get more helping hands to fulfill the mission vision and statement of the church seems to override the caution and attention to detail to the spiritual things of God. There is wonderful story in the Bible that reflects an established heart in God and ones character and conduct truly being what God is looking for.  In 2 Samuel we find God lining up David (and the people) for punishment for his disobedience.  I wonder why we think God is only a loving God and would not punish or disciple us?  Here we read of David’s sin, “And David’s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.”  (2 Samuel 24:10) David numbered the people of which God told him not to, so the Holy Spirit convicted David of this sin.  What a wonderful blessing to have a soft heart (an established heart) where the Holy Spirit can convict us of our sin a most precious promise from God.  So God answered David’s (not a prayer) beseeching by Gad the Prophet, “Go and say to David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I will give you three choices. Choose one of these punishments, and I will do it.” ¹³ So Gad came to David and asked him, “Will you choose three years of famine throughout the land, three months of fleeing from your enemies, or three days of severe plague throughout your land? Think this over and let me know what answer to give the Lord.” ¹⁴ “This is a desperate situation!” David replied to Gad. “But let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great. Do not let me fall into human hands.” (2 Samuel 24:12-14)  David knew it is far better to fall into the hands of an angry merciful God than to be at the angry, merciless hands of man.  Please notice David’s words here, “But let us . . .”  David was the one who sinned, but all of the people will pay, it matters who your leaders are.  But because of David’s established heart he had the ability in God to choose righteous judgment.  In the end, “And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.  ¹⁷And David spake unto the LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father’s house.” (2 Samuel 24:16-17) Yes God sent the pestilence as promised and yes 70,000 men died (God means what He says), but in the end God’s anger was satisfied and why?  Because of David’s established heart, he knew of God’s wrath he has experienced it first hand and David knew of God’s mercy he too has experienced this first hand.  An established heart knows God. Written by David Stahl  

FINE TUNING

While Ronnie Huneycutt and I were in Silistra, Bulgaria ministering we stayed at a better than five star hotel. Sometimes God will let us stay in the finest of accommodation and sometimes God finds a place for us in stark poverty and filth, but in either place a heart of thankfulness is what God is looking for in us. At times in Africa and India I have slept with the cattle. In Bukoba, Tanzania I have showered by lifting a bucket of water over my head that was retrieved (before I got up) and heated over an open fire by the pastor’s wife from a river over two miles way. How could I not enjoy my shower knowing the effort and sacrifice involved? How could I not be thankful? How could I want anything better? I really believe at these times God is checking us out and fine tuning our heart condition to be able to show us our heart and to see just how thankful we really are for the things He provides. Well in Bulgaria God put us up in the finest place in town: a four room apartment complete with a stocked (plenty of food, coffee maker, etc.) kitchen, huge bathroom, and two comfortable beds that Pastor Niki and his wonderful father built. What else could we want? Another feature we really enjoyed was Niki’s office computer which allowed contact with our families; just down the outside back stairs and into the back of Pastor Niki’s print shop. One morning as I was coming through the door in the back of the print shop I noticed a man was setting up one of the print machines. I stopped and watched in amazement. The man (I never got his name) looked up and smiled, but continued to work. He was a man on a mission and his mission was to get this machine to run at peak ability and function. Now what was so amazing was the way the man was adjusting or fine tuning the machine. He knew every inch of that machine like the back of his hand, he knew every turn of the dials, every lift of the levers, and every adjustment and slide of the paper guides. He knew every reaction to the adjustments he was making and compensated correctly to get the machine to run at its full potential. I was in awe I was watching a master at work. I know you may think I am somewhat crazy, but it was like watching a master violinist or cellist play their instrument. Foolishly I tried taking a picture, but he would not stop long enough for me to get the shot and it kind of annoyed him so I backed off. He adjusted and fine tuned; after those he nudged the machine again, a half roll of the print drum and another nudge, a slide of the paper guide and another nudge, another half roll of the print drum and another nudge where he then measured and nudged again. This went on for about 30-40 minutes and then added paper filling the paper tray. After a final inspection and a few more gentle nudges the on switch was engaged and the machine was off and running; one sheet, two sheets, three sheets, suddenly the machine was switched off. The adjustments and fine tuning was not to the master’s liking so the man was back to nudging, measuring, sliding the paper guide, and many half turns of the drum. Another inspection then machine was off and running again. The man was not so concerned about time as much as he was about the peak performance of the machine and turning out quality copies of the original. The machine was turned off again and more nudges and fining tuning was completed. At last he was ready to go. The paper tray was filled to the top and the on switch was engaged the machine seemed to rhythmically sing as it spit out copy after copy of the original image. And as I was standing there the LORD spoke to me and said, “this is what I must do to my children I must fine tune them so I can make exact copies of my Son.” What an unexpected word, but powerful word from God. God has to fine tune us so He can make copies of His Son Jesus Christ. Now we all know that, right? Sure we all know Paul told this to the Church at Rome, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” (Romans 9:29-30) This is God’s main objective in our lives, “to conform us to the image of His Son.” God is not trying to make us happy (He can care less if we are happy), rich, popular, intelligent, or famous God started something back in the Book of Genesis, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” (Genesis 1:26) And God has not changed His mind He is still in the business of conforming man, still in the business of making “man in our image after our likeness” and He will do everything we will allow Him to do to fine tune and complete this process of becoming like Him in our lives. Did you know God is more concerned about our character than He is about how long we can speak in tongues, sing and dance in the Spirit, how much money we give to the church, even how long we have been walking with Him. All these things are okay, but they are not on the top of God’s list of important things for our lives. Our character is God’s number one focus; our character looking like or resembling the character of Jesus Christ. God is even more concerned about our character than He is about our service to Him. Do we really think God cannot get things done on earth without us? Of course not God can do anything He so desires He does not need man, but He made man, He loves man, and He wants to use man to herald the good news of the Gospel message to men. What a wonderful truth that God desires for man to help save other men. Many say (as I just did) we are to be conformed into the image of Jesus Christ and this is true, but what image are we talking about? Are we talking about Jesus’ physical image? No of course not. My teacher Charles Haun was the most gifted Bible Teacher I have ever heard; many millions of people around the world would agree with me on this, but some went to the extreme. Many of Charles’ students bought glasses and even copied his dress and mannerisms they were called Haunites, but all of this never made them like Charles Haun. We are to be conformed to the spiritual character and nature of Jesus Christ not His physical features. Now I have a beard like Jesus, but that will never allow me act and touch like Christ. We are to love like Him, but before we can do that we must have a heart like Him. We are to think like Him, but before we can think like Christ we must have a mind like Christ. There is a spiritual principle that says a man cannot give what he does not have. How can we be like Christ if we have never allowed God to work the character of Christ, through His dealing and judgments, in us? So how do we get a mind and heart like Christ? How can we be conformed into the expressed (original) image of Jesus Christ? Well my friend this is a painful process indeed. Just asking God to forgive you of your sins will not do it, oh no my friend there is a process of opening up our heart and lives to God and allowing Him free rule and reign to work in our lives. At the end of Romans 9:30 we read these word, “them he also glorified.” Now most Christians who read these words would think like the disciples, “God is going to make us rich, popular, and famous maybe give us the biggest following in the land,” but not so. John tells us during Jesus victorious entrance to Jerusalem before His crucifixion, “Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt. 16 These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.” (John 12:15-16) The disciples thought now we are going to set up the Throne of David and kick those Romans out of Jerusalem, but not so. Jesus told the disciples, “The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. 24Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 25He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.’ (John 12:23-25) Die who wants to die? Lose who wants to lose? Not me I want to live and be free in Christ, well that is not the spiritual order. The spiritual order is death before glorification. And if we have a good death we will be glorified by the Father like Jesus. Jesus was teaching the disciples a critical spiritual principle, death comes before glorification. If we desire to be glorified like Jesus then we too must die to our fleshly, carnal, lower character and nature. At the same measure we can die to our lower carnal life at that same measure we will be raised in newness of life with Christ Jesus. Also in Romans Paul tell us, “For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:” (Romans 6:5) “Planted together in the likeness of his death?” His death? What about the abundant life of God? I want nothing to do with His death, well if so then we shall never be raised “in the likeness of his resurrection:” The Spiritual order is death before glorification my friend. This death in us only happens as we become His workmanship. Paul in Ephesians tells us, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10) The good works we are created (or conformed into His image) in Christ Jesus is God’s dealings and judgments in our lives. God’s “good works” (not our works or service to Him), God’s fine tuning (by grace) in our lives will bring us to more than salvation and will do more than take us all to heaven it will conform us into the character and image of Jesus Christ. Now I have understood this truth to be conformed for some time now, but to be honest (is not honesty good for the soul) I have never really understood why God wants us to be conformed to the nature and character of His precious Son Jesus Christ. There must be more to God’s intention here (God always wants more in our lives) and one day while studying I ran across these verses, “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:20-22) Now I am sure I have read these verses before I guess I could not handle this bit of truth then, but it was the missing piece to the puzzle God desires us to be His eternal temple of habitation for all eternity not in the heavens or the earth, but in us. Man is to be God’s eternal abode. I cannot explain (I dare not) why God chose to live in man’s heart forever, but He is God and we are not and He chose to live within man for all of eternity. No wonder He must fine tune us like the print master. No wonder God must adjust us He wants His temple to be perfect, holy, and blameless before Him. Written by David Stahl

THE IN BETWEEN TIMES

Ronnie Huneycutt and I just returned from two weeks ministering in Romania and Bulgaria and as always it was a life changing experience to travel abroad to share the word of God and try in some way to do what we could do to ease the suffering and hardships of the people we come to minister to. You know it is one thing to say Jesus loves you, but it totally different to show them that Jesus loves them. In all of this giving to the poor the Gospel message must be preached. Many people focus on feeding and clothing people (now this must also happen), but if you only feed and clothe people what you will have is well dressed, well fed people in hell. The word of God, the message of the cross, must be preached one on one from one heart to another heart not sung about or danced out, but preached word by word, line by line as the Holy Spirit gives us the revelation. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians, “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. 18For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:17-18) Sadly today in most churches not much preaching is done and why because it takes time before God to hear what the Spirit is saying it is easier to sing and dance your way to heaven (probably will not make it this way) than to allow God to work, through His dealings and judgments, in our lives.

As we were drinking coffee (the Bulgarian favorite pass time) one morning near the center of Silistra Ronnie talked about the dash. He was referring to the dash (as seen on grave stones) between our date of birth and our date of death. I wonder why we celebrate these dates we have nothing to do with them our birth is out of our control and to a large extent our death is out of our hands, but what we do during the dash foretells the destination of our eternal home. Then the LORD spoke to me and said, “you are in the in between times the time in between times of ministering the word to people.” What a revelation I was surprised. We think ministry only happens when we stand and speak, but not so. In God there must be a time of preparation: time before God in quiet and stillness, time in the word spent discovering the verses God would have you share to the people, and time spent talking and fellowshipping with people. As we drank the coffee we spoke with an Austrian couple who are making plans to move to Silistra and help Pastor(s) Emil and Niki. The conversation and fellowship was as rich as the coffee we drank, but at the same time sublime moments that resonated in our spirit that filled our mind and soul. As I was sitting there unbeknownst to Pastor(s) Niki and Emil, Ronnie, and the Australian couple God took me back to an in between time in Moldova. While in Chisinau I met a great man of God and special friend Pastor Romcia Hututui. Romcia was a kind and gentle man with great wisdom and inward strength. I had the pleasure of listening to him preach in Russian. I wish I could have understood each and every word, because his spirit thrilled my soul. Nelleia my translator did an outstanding job sharing his words, but the passion and fire that God has put within him was remarkable to witness. As we, Romica, Nelleia, and I, travelled over 950 miles in seven days, sharing the Word of God in Russian speaking churches many hearts were captured for Christ, even mine the more. But, as we travelled I kind of figured out what Jesus was talking about in Matthew 5:6, what we are filled with. And what Paul was talking about in 1 Corinthians when he said, “The bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.” (I Corinthians 10:17) We are filled with “the communion of the body of Christ,” and THE bread, Christ, that satisfies us, strengthens us, and even gives us our very own life. We are partakers of this bread through communion with the Lord and through the communion with our brothers and sisters within the “Body of Christ.” Without communion with the Lord and our brothers and sisters in the Lord we have no place within the Body of Christ. What communion we had as we travelled mile after mile. What bread we shared. Romica broke off a piece of Christ and fed it to me and I did the same for him, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.” As we drove to the city of Floresti, Romica stopped and I bought some grapes. Moldova has the biggest and best tasting grapes in the world. After buying the grapes, we stopped by a well of water to clean the grapes. Romica dropped the bucket down the well and filled it with water after many turns the bucket was in sight full of cool sparkling water. Romica motioned to open the bag of grapes because he was about to pour the water into the bag and I was to agitate the bag so that the dirt would fall off. Great plan in theory, but we failed to consider the strength of the bag. As the bag filled with water the seams gave way and the water and the grapes spilled out onto the ground filling my shoes with water what communion we had we laughed so hard we cried tears of joy. This time with Romica at the well was an in between time before ministry. The in between times is always a time of preparation for our heart. Our heart condition must be dealt with by God before we can stand and share God’s word and during the in between times our heart is being worked on by God. Little do we know during these times God is searching our heart to find if there be any wicked way in us. What a powerful prayer David prayed in Psalms, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalms 139:23-24) It is during the in between times as we are alone with God in stillness or laughing with our friends God is searching our hearts. The in between time is also a time we feed Christ to each other. As Romica and I were cleaning the grapes or when Niki, Emil, Ronnie, the Australian couple, and I were drinking coffee we were doing more than cleaning grapes and drinking coffee we were sharing the goodness of the LORD with each other. With each smile and kind word spoken, with each offer to pay for the coffee, with each moment spent together in unity and harmony we were feeding the goodness of Christ to each other. Funny to know we can only feed what we have to give to someone. There is a divine spiritual principle that says a man cannot give what he does not have. How can we give love, joy, and peace if we do not have love, joy, and peace in us? If we are filled with anger, wrath, and hatred then we can only feed that to people. And even in the in between times we can feed these ungodly attitudes and character traits to people. This too is why God must search us so that He can reveal our hearts to us. Unless God can reveal our hearts to us, by His Spirit, we will never be able to feed Christ to others. The in between times is a time of our soul searching and reflection before God. In the times we are alone with God or even when surrounded by people we can take the time to step back (in our thoughts) from conversation and happenings of the moments to reflect on what our attitudes and heart condition is. Did you know you could be alone in a crowd of 1,000s? Your heart condition will detail your perspective. At these in between times our ability and responsibility in God to minister His word is measured and energized within us as we look deep into our soul not God searching us, but us searching ourselves. Our reflection and soul searching always leads to a great dependence on God. Jesus knew this secret the more dependent He was on His Father the more authority and power He possessed. We Christians today run around and say we have the power, but Jesus said He had no power. I think we Christians of today need to learn this secret of Jesus.

During the in between times in Bulgaria I learned two powerful maxims (individual bits of truth) that Niki Marksov shared with Ronnie and I. The first maxim was, “keep your doctrine close, but the Brethren closer” and the second was, “why do we share the good news of the Gospel like it is bad news?” WOW! The in between times a time of God searching our hearts, feeding Christ to each other, and time of soul searching and reflection. Now that is time well spent. Written by David Stahl