A LITTLE FURTHER

A little further is always the place God desires to take us. This was a great desire of Jesus to be able to take all of the disciples a little further, but He could not He could only take three a little further. You know it is not up to God whether He can take us a little further it is His intention and desire, but if we go a little further it is because we have allowed Him to work in our lives to the point we can go further in Him and with Him. So too with the disciples Jesus could only take Peter and the Sons of Zebedee (James and John) a little further. In Matthew we read, “And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,” (Matthew 17:1) Again in Matthew we read, “Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. 37And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. 38Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 39And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” (Matthew 26:36-39) and then in Mark, “And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. 38And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.” (Mark 5:37-38) Now it was Jesus’ intention (as it is God’s intention in our lives) to take all of the disciples a little further, but this does not happen automatically, oh no there are requirements we must fulfill to be able to go further with God; faithfulness, commitment, and obedience must be satisfied first in our lives before God can take us a little further in the Spirit. Of all of the disciples Peter, James, and John seemed to have a greater heart for the words of Jesus and they seemed to want to be near Jesus (John laid his head on the breast of Jesus at the last supper and Peter was the only disciple to have a correct revelation of Jesus, “why you are the Christ the Son of God”) more than the other disciples and out from this desire (so too in our lives) to be with Jesus there was a greater impartation of the Spirit of God given to Peter, James, and John and they were given as a reward to be with Jesus at some of the greatest moments (on the Mount of Transfiguration, in the Garden of Gethsemane, and John was at the cross when Jesus died) of Jesus’ ministry on earth. In all we do for God there is always something else we need to do. Our effort is always limited and not enough there is always a place we need to move a little further into to come to know the LORD. Nowhere is this seen any more than when studying the Scriptures. Now the Scriptures instruct us to study the Scriptures not to casually read a verse or a chapter each day as a part of our daily devotional or get the latest daily devotional guide from the latest popular Christian author, but study the Scriptures to show thy self without error. Study means study! Paul instructed Timothy, “Study to shew thyself approved (without error) unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15) Study means study! At that time there was only the Old Testament to study the Bible as we know it with 66 books had not yet been complied. What are we to study: names, historical events, parables, numerology, miracles, all of Jesus’ words in red? No the words. The truth and power of God’s word (the Scriptures) is found in the words as the Holy Spirit gives us revelation and enlightenment to what the Holy Spirit wants to truly communicate to man through; the words, thoughts, and phrases, thus the more we study the words and allow the Holy Spirit to open up our understanding to the original thoughts of truth (or precepts where we get our word concept from) the more we will know what the original intent of the author and what the Holy Spirit is saying to us through the writer. My friend words like your teachers really matter. This is why I also stick with the KJV and study backward with the Hebrew (Old Testament) and the Greek (New Testament) to be able to look at the root words. Words on the surface in the Scriptures are quite different and not so deep in thought, but once you get into the root words your find more of what the Spirit wants to communicate to us. There is more of a heartfelt approach and a simplistic, clarity that gives rise, by the Holy Spirit, to our understanding and knowledge. Many people ask me do I have to go out and buy a Bible concordance or Bible computer program and I tell them no, it is your choice, but if you really want to know what the Bible is really saying and want to move correctly in understanding with the Holy Spirit then my answer is yes. When we as evangelists, preachers, and teachers do not go further into what God has for us by studying the Scriptures we settle for something less than what God would want to give His children. How easy is it to get a sermon off the internet or from another’s revelation from God in a book? I do not want to teach another’s revelation oh no, I want to share a fresh word from God and to do this I must spend time with Him, endure His dealings and judgments in my life, and go a little further in the Scriptures studying the words. I can always tell the depth of understanding and truth an evangelist, preacher, and teacher has by the way they approach the word of God; just like I can tell where you are in God by what comes out your mouth, how you pray, and how you give. The novice always goes after something that will make us feel good, something to encourage us and usually points our attention to a miracle Jesus did. Sadly these are nothing more than humanistic and inspirational sermons (not messages from God, messages from God are by the Spirit of God) appealing to our flesh and emotions. God is not trying to inspire our flesh He is trying to kill it. To be able to bring the life of God to people who are dying (in so many ways) we must go deeper into the Scriptures and seek to have the understanding, by the Holy Spirit, of what Jesus is teaching the people and stay away from all of the emotional things that blind our understanding, if not we will get the people and us off track from what is really being said and done. Stories in the Gospel are NOT stories to just make us happy (blessed) or give someone something to use to manipulate people with, either we get it by the Spirit or we do not get it at all. Stories in the Gospels are critical lessons for the disciples and us today. The miracles and emotional events in the Gospel are not the heart of the lesson, but we often make it so. The heart of the lesson is the interaction and relationship between Jesus and the people for a reason and purpose. All that Jesus did was for a reason and purpose have it be to enlarge someone’s faith or show the compassion, love, and grace of God. I do not know how many sermons I have heard on raising Lazarus from the dead, well the story in John 11:1-57 was NOT about raising Lazarus from the dead. The 11th Chapter of John has 57 verses and only 2 verses (John 11:43-44) dealt with raising Lazarus from the dead all of the rest dealt with Jesus’ interaction with Mary and Martha (and the other people mentioned) enlarging their faith to believe if God said it then it will happen. I do not know how many sermons I have heard on Peter walking on the water; like “you have to get out of the boat to walk on water,” but this story is not about Peter walking on the water it about Jesus teaching the disciples (and us) not to leave a place of provision He has provided. In the end Peter had to be saved by Jesus how foolish of Peter to leave a place of safety and security provided by God. I do not know how many sermons I have heard on Jesus feeding the 5,000 in the desert. This lesson is not about feeding 5,000 with five loaves and two fishes, but is about teaching the disciples how to be real servants (they ate last from one of the 12 “servant baskets” collected) and if they wanted to be first in the Kingdom of God they had to be last. Jesus was teaching the disciples if they want to be to be humble they must be humbled, but most evangelists, preachers, and teachers go after the miracle making up all kinds of humanistic and inspirational sermons while missing out on the real work of God in these stories. God’s work in these stories is always to bring us down in our selves. God’s word goes right after our heart and His pure intention is to waylay (even offend us) our pride and selfishness if we can stay away from all of the fancy emotional antidotes. In Philippians Paul shares these words with us, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 12Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.13Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:10-14) What was the “prize” Paul was talking about? The answer is in the beginning of verse 10, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings.” What a wonderful prize from God, but not too many Christians would consider this to be a prize most Christians today consider this to be something to shun while they sing and dance their way to their perceived destiny reigning with God. Well my friend the only destiny we have in God is coming to “know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.” Without God’s death working in us there is no hope of any resurrection or reigning with God now and in our next life. We must come to a place in God were He can take us a little further into death, where we can identify with the “fellowship of His suffering.” We pray for faith well how much faith do we need? Can we store up our faith for when we need it? No of course not that is silly; all the faith we need is enough faith (which is given to us by God, Romans 10:17) to believe if God raised up Jesus from the dead (and He did) then He will be able to raise us from the dead too. Now I like this word “fellowship.” The word “fellowship” appears 17 times in the KJV from 16 verses; Strong’s #2844, a partner, associate, comrade, companion. It has nothing to do with eating as with a fellowship dinner or sharing time with someone talking, but has to do with becoming a partner, associate, comrade, companion with someone who is doing something, joining in and participating with, enduring the same hardship or enjoying the same victory. Now with that thought in mind let us go to the Book of Isaiah. In verse 53:5 we read, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5) Now I know I am going after some sacred religious cows and some folks may call me a heretic, but that is okay it will not be the first time and God has given me big shoulders, we (God and I) both know the truth is more important than idle pettiness. Many denominations and religions use this verse to claim healing (while lacking relationship or fellowship with God) for their people “with his stripes we are healed” and when it does not happen they blame the person for not having enough faith to get the old black magic in this verse moving, well this is just foolishness due to not going a little deeper in the word of God to find out what is really being said here in this verse. It is “by, through, with (all translated the same in the Hebrew) his stripes we are healed,” but if we look at the word “stripes” which causes the healing we find God’s intent, fellowship. Strong’s #2266 (root word to #2250) “stripes” means: to unite, join, bind together, be joined, be coupled, be in league, heap up, have fellowship with. Our healing (no matter how long and hard we believe or pray) as many denominations teach amiss has little to do with claiming a verse, but with our fellowship with God. It is when we come into union, partnership, unite, fellowship with what God is doing in our lives and/or any given situation we are healed: physically, mentally or spiritually. We have taken this verse and made it the where with all to stand on the Scriptures which is NOT a divine spiritual principle of God. Paul told the Church at Corinth because they were taking the Lord’s Supper “unworthily” without really knowing what was really going on, “For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.” (1 Corinthians 11:29-30) Many Christians today are standing on Isaiah 53:5 instead of coming into a union and fellowship with God in their situation and “are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.” When we come to embrace the “fellowship of his sufferings” we come to embrace healing. Do we not know when we have fellowship with God He hears our heart’s cry? Do we not know when we have fellowship with God who knows our frame and has pity on us will move on our behalf? Do we not know when we have fellowship with our Father He who knows how to give His children good gifts? Sadly we have made this verse in Isaiah some mechanical formula (and really twist God’s arm by praying in Jesus’ name) to get God to do something for us He may not want to do. Not everyone is to be healed when and where they think. Not everyone will be healed in this life. Who do we think we are? God is God we are not! God gets to decide what He wants for our lives and we need to shut our mouth and go along for the ride and be willing to go a little further with God. Written by David Stahl

NO SHOCK HERE MR. PRESIDENT

      President Obama said, “He and Michelle were shocked and saddened” when they heard the news of the senseless murders in Aurora, CO, but I was not shocked I was wondering why unthinkable acts like these have not happened more often. Oh I know, but for the grace of God. What do we expect? In 1962 the Supreme Court kicked God and the Bible out of school and replaced them with situational ethics where there is no right or wrong and now just look at our public school system they are out of control. Teen pregnancy rates are off the chart, oh I know the experts are saying teen pregnancy rates are getting better, but when was it is ever acceptable for a teenage girl to get pregnant? Our society has went over to the dark side with violent video games and slasher movies whereby desensitizing the heart and mind of impressible kids. Sadly main street (the people) and yes Wall Street (business) screams for this filth, but is trading America’s mind and soul for profit worth it? Drugs (both legal and illegal) are rampant in society. We do not think twice about saving a whale or turtle, but have a moral dilemma when saving a baby. What caused this horrible act? Our many years of walking away from God and sadly our society now reflect the evilness of man’s heart without being influenced by God and His ways. For the truth to be known the church in America for the most part has been MIA for the last 50 years. We have been looking for our destiny divided fighting over land, people, and power. Sorry Michelle, sorry Mr. President I was not shocked, very sadden, broken hearted, and yes even tearful, but not shocked. 

      Ungodly people are always shocked at the outcome of God taking His hands off. Believe it or not these tragic murders in Aurora, CO are in part God answering America’s request. Godly principles no longer influence America’s decision making, thus God (as we have told Him) is taking His hands off our great nation and in its stead God is turning America over to a reprobate mind – a mind that knows not good from evil, a mind that knows no truth. In the Book of Romans, Paul gives us some examples of what a country with a reprobate mind looks like, “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, covenantbreakers, 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 1:21-30) I do not know about you my friend, but these verses sound like the ever increasing Godless American society of today. America I beg you please before it is too late turn back to a holy and living God. Please repent of your wicked ways. Pastors, church leaders get right with God, and be the example of God before man in servant hood. Many Christians say it is too late for America well I am not so sure about all that. But I do know God will continue to bless and use America for His purposes and intentions as long as America has a heart for God. It is not God bless America as I hear people sing, but it is America bless God. “Oh America return back to days of your youth, if not I will quickly come and remove your candlestick from the world,” thus says the LORD. Sorry Mr. President no shock here. Written by David Stahl

MY MINISTRY

Lately I have received a bunch of emails from some pastor friend asking me to keep them and “their ministry” in my prayers. No problem with this request it is an honor to keep my friends before the LORD in prayer. I find if I pray for others I will have less time to pray for myself asking God for all of those self-seeking, selfish things we often ask Him for. About seven or eight years ago I discovered this secret; when I pray for others more than myself God answers my prayers more often. While teaching in a church recently I made the comment this “is not your church you cannot do and say what you want to do and say” and Karen (my lovely wife) being in the congregation over heard someone behind her say, “yes this is my church,” well they are totally wrong and know not the Spiritual authority of God. My friend the church and our ministry is not ours it is God’s. Now we often think it is, but it is not. If we think such things it just highlights our lack of knowledge of the word of God and exposes our selfishness for the darkness it is. In Matthew Jesus said to Peter, “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona (wild golden dove): 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 16:17-18) What part of “I will build my church” do we not understand? How arrogant and selfish to think we are in charge of building Jesus’ church. Jesus laid down His life for the church and what we call “our ministry” for us to think we are responsible for what is going on is nothing more than foolishness and shameful. How can we attach our name to the word “ministry” (something Jesus laid His life down for) like: Benny Hinn Ministries, Joyce Meyers Ministries, T.D. Jakes Ministries, Paula White Ministries, and the list goes on and on how vain and presumptive to think we have something to do with this spiritual body of Believers. And even sadder we begin to personally identify with what God is doing through us (thinking we have something to do with it) and it begins to change our personality and character. Look at the number of ministries today with special little (usually something to do with a dove) logos, pins to wear on your lapel, different colored shirts with special white collars, and worse Bibles with their names on them. Who do we think we are to put our name on the Bible? The Gospel is not for sale, yet every day of the year ministries around the world merchandise the Gospel message for profit, power, authority, all so that they can manipulate their fellow man. Nothing has changed from biblical times, but now we are high-tech and use a more subtle, religious form to manipulate and control. Many pastors, preachers, and teachers really get this wrong and get in trouble with God; oh religious man has no problem with it and even encourages this deception the more, but to God this behavior and ungodly character stinks to high heaven no matter how hard you spin it on TV and in the media. Oh I know I am going to get criticized for this article by those Christians who are still in love with the world and themselves this is the way it always is, those that know God and truth are always criticized by those who do not know God or truth this too has not changed since biblical days. Jesus told the truth and they killed him, is the servant greater than the Master? It is not our ministry it is God’s we are only the vessel in which God has chosen to flow through and of that selection God can change His mind at a nanosecond of time in using us. Our service unto God is not based on our speaking ability, musical or dancing talent, good looks, money, family name, but on God’s intention and purpose and as we walk in His way He will continue to use us. The ministry God has called us to should never define who we are in God it must be our character. God is concerned about our character more than what we can do for Him, because our character speaks of the work we have allowed God to do in our heart. Our heart condition is a reflection of God’s real ability and power in our lives not our abilities and talents. Ministry is not to be our life ministry must revolve around our walk with God and family. Our daily living with our family and friends must take precedence in our relationships with God and man. When people think of me I hope they referred to as a man who loves his wife, family, friends, and man who is obedient to God in doing what He has called him to do and not he is the founder of Beholding His Glory Ministry a great ministry and work for the LORD. Ministry should be last in our lives, ministry is God’s responsibility our responsibility is to follow God and His ways. You know I really like the Books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, but probably not for the reason you would think. These two wonderful Books of the Bible are full of great advice and encouragement, but during the course of Solomon’s life he never heeded his own advice. The Books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes stands as a warning to us not to live our lives as Solomon; saying one thing, but doing another. But in the end before his eyes shut in death (thanks to God’s goodness, mercy, and longsuffering) I believe he did get it right. At the end of Ecclesiastes we read all what I believe God expects of us and please notice ministry and working for God is nowhere to be found. “The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth. 11The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. 12And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.13Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:10-14) It is not about our ministry it is about our character. Husband and pastor it is not about your ministry it is about your character and family. Why are we so deceived into thinking God is more concerned about our ministry then He is about our character? The order is God (first), family (second), ministry (last) and if you get that wrong you will be out of balance with what God wants for your life. The order in relationship is “JOY;” Jesus (first), Others (second), and Yourself (last). “Fear God and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” Many preachers and teachers say as we walk with the LORD and do the things He wants us to do ungodly character traits and to be honest frank sin (we know we are committing) in our lives will just fall away, but this teaching is not consistent with the Bible. There are things and even people in our lives we must forsake if we are going to serve the LORD and walk in His ways. And please do not make the mistake of thinking because God is using us He is over looking some character flaws and frank sin in our lives. We see this in the life of Brother Samson. In spite of Samson: sleeping with harlots in Gaza, partying with the world, marrying a woman (from the Philistines -- the enemy) not of the Jewish faith, and having an affair with Delilah while married God still used him. In Judges we read, “And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands. 15And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.” (Judges 15:14-15) Just because God uses us in ministry does not mean we are some super anointed special Christian, God will use the vessel that is available not the best vessel. Now here is the great danger in all of this as Samson found out, the more God would use him in spite of his waywardness the more he thought he was okay until it was too late and Samson lost the use of his eyes. In verses 20-21 we read, “And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him. 21But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.’ (Judges 16:20-21) Samson did not know the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Him he was thinking everything is okay I can play around and the LORD will still be with me well take heed my pastor friends there comes a time when God says enough is enough and He will lift His Holy Spirit from you and you will toil for years as Samson did. But much like Solomon the years in the prison house humbled Samson, his hair grew back, and he ended his life in the LORD, “And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes. 29And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left. 30And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.” (Judges 16:28-30) Sadly though in the end because of Samson’s arrogant and presumption (thinking God was with Him and He was not) he lost his life. Now it is strange how God allows things to continue in our lives that are not spiritually beneficial for us. God is long suffering, patient, and will even allow things (we all have them) that we know are wrong things (even frank sin) He wants us to stop, but He does not force our hand in these areas. It is not He cannot stop them in our lives all He has to do is stop our heart, but that is not how God wants to operate in our lives. If God has to stop our heart (I have known people God had to do this to) it is because He knows the intention and work He has planned in the people and in this setup is in jeopardy of being lost. When we started Christliche Gemeinde Stuttgart our church in Germany there was group of a handful of Africans that did not want to get involved with what God was doing and instead of leaving in peace they had a pastor friend come from Africa to take over. We were the outsiders, but God brought us into the picture to build this powerful work of God in Stuttgart and establish Beholding His Glory for the future. Well when this African pastor arrived we opened our arms to him in all sincerity, but behind the scenes he was gathering people to himself and plotting to take over the church well God wanted nothing to do with this. One Wednesday night when the pastor and his followers were meetings and while he was speaking he dropped over dead. Now Africans are a very suspicious lot of people and when the African population in Stuttgart heard what happened attendance almost tripled and we never looked back from there. It was like when Peter dealt with Ananias and Sapphira for their disobedience, “Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. 11And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.” (Acts 5:10-11) No one claimed his body so that it could be retuned back to his African country they asked me, but me still being in the U.S. military and a senior Officer I could not get involved. Take heed my friend to the company you keep and to your actions, God is watching and there are consequences for our actions. Sadly his body was cremated in Germany and never buried in African soil a true disgrace and unthinkable end. In these character issues and areas we think God is turning a blind eye to (in which He is not) and it is not God is slack to deal with us, but He wants us to love Him enough to stop doing things we know in our heart and spirit that are plainly wrong. He could make us stop, but He wants us to stop on our own because we learned, we know these things are wrong and He displeases of them. Recently one Sunday when I finished teaching a lady came up to me and said she was a visitor who just stopped by with her daughter in law. She said I really touched her heart I thanked her and then she asked me to pray for her. I agreed, asked what the need was, and she replied as she began to cry saying her husband of 51 years has left her for another woman and she wanted God’s wisdom in how to move correctly. I had no problem praying she was broken and as we prayed the presence of the LORD suddenly came and touched her heart. Later I thought of the encounter and concluded God had no problem touching her heart with the spoken Word and our prayer because there was already a huge hole in her heart that needed filled. Our real ministry in God is just being the vessel God can use to follow through to touch the hurting masses in the world, those lost and undone without His Son Jesus Christ, and those who have a huge hole in their heart that needs filled with God’s wisdom and favor, what I prayed for with this lady. My brother it is not my ministry or your ministry it is God’s ministry. Written by David Stahl

EXPECT FAILURE

I wonder why most Christians do not accept failure gracefully? I think it is because they do not expect failure to happen to them and because of all of the many wrong teaching that permeates the church (globally) today; teachings like we are free in God and we have great liberties in God to serve Him doing whatsoever we want, well for the truth to be known we have no freedom and liberty in God. Now it is true we are set free from the yoke of sin and yes there is liberty in Christ Jesus from sin, but we are not really free if we really desire to serve God and do His will for our lives. In reality when our sins are forgiven by God we have only traded one taskmaster for another and we have traded the yoke of sin and death for the yoke of grace and life. We will be yoked by either one or the other. Paul tells us of this wonderful conversion in our lives, “Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage (yoke) of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” (Romans 8:21), but what happens next? Are we like wild horses to run around and kick up our heels in the field? If so wild horses with no discipline often will destroy themselves, the herd, and most assuredly they will never be useful, never coming to the purpose and intention God created horses for, to serve man. What comes next are the loving words from Jesus, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) What part of the yoke of the LORD says freedom to do what we want to do or liberty to say what we want to say and go where we want to go? The yoke of the LORD is a restrictive and limiting tool in our lives as was the “the bondage of corruption,” but the LORD’s yoke brings us to fulfillment and purpose. There are two places in a yoke; one for God and one for us and the better partner we are for God in the yoke the more is accomplished in our relationship. Now do not think the yoke of the LORD is for working, oh no the yoke of the LORD is for learning not doing and going and the more we can learn the more productive we will be when plowing the field of life. What are we to learn? We are to learn how meek and lowly of heart Jesus is and how Jesus’ yoke is easy. Jesus is an easy and light taskmaster. When we get saved we exchange taskmasters from one who would take us into sin and death for one that will take us into grace and life. When will the church learn it is the restrictions and limitations in our lives that brings us to fulfillment and completion in God? When the liars and thieves (globally) are exposed for what they are by those who know the truth or when the writer and composers of silly contemporary songs of today have a true conversion? Maybe so, but sadly that will probably never happen. We Christians do not like failure or losing (especially when it come to making money or projecting power) we are told we are winners and if we lose or do not have an abundance of earthly things then we do not have the favor of God, rubbish. Did you know failure in God is okay as long as you do not get stuck in it. This is not the case with your boss and friends. If you fail again and again at work you will probably get sacked and if you fail your spouse or friends again and again that relationship will probably be over, but not so in God. Failure is okay in God. We fail, we learn from it, and we march on. This is the order in God, but where failure in God is not okay is when we fail and do not learn the lesson God is trying to teach us. The divine Spiritual principle is learning and ever learning not learning but never learning what we see in most churches and Christian lives (mine included sometimes) today. As matter of fact we as Christians should come to expect failure. If we come to expect failure then it will not have a significant impact in our lives, we will then be like water and move around the failure in our lives. When God began speaking with Joseph he (being Joseph) made many mistakes that caused him some troubles later on in his life, but all along God used these failures and mistakes (which in reality was God’s will for his life) to bring Joseph to being number two in authority in all of Egypt. When Joseph was thrown into the pit by his “Christian” brothers, when in Potiphar’s house, or even in the prison under Pharaoh I am sure Joseph thought he had missed it in God, but not so. I am sure at times Joseph thought he had failed, but not so. I am sure in all that was happening Joseph was learning. In all of the hard times in Joseph’s life I would wager big bucks Joseph would have never thought he would be saying these words to his brothers, “And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? 20But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. 21Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.”(Genesis 50:19-21) In all of the restrictions, limitations, and failures in Joseph he learned the lessons God had for His life. This failure and losing is a big deal in our lives. The more of the world and of our self we can lose the more of God we can have. The more we can lose of our self the more we gain in God. When we lose of our self it creates a place in our heart and lives for God to fill it with Himself. We must come to expect failure and loss in our lives. In John Jesus told the disciples and the folks that followed Him, “And Jesus answered them, saying, 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. 26If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour. 27Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. 28Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. 29The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him. 30Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. 31Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. 32And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. 33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.” (John 12:23-33) Even with God Himself speaking again out of Heaven (like He did in Matthew 3:17) the disciples could not understand what Jesus was saying. Jesus was saying He was going to be “glorified” or crucified (the Romans called it being lifted up) and if He is crucified He shall draw all men unto Himself. Now the disciples and the folks that heard Jesus thought, yes the Father is going to glorify Jesus, now Jesus will set up His earthly throne and He will kick the Romans out of Israel, but not so in verse 33 Jesus was talking about losing His life so that others may find theirs. The order is losing first then finding. In verses 25 and 26 Jesus defines the divine Spiritual principle, “He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. 26If any man serve me, let him follow me; (that is follow Him to the cross) and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour." God the Father will only honour those that serve (as a slave) Jesus; working for Jesus, dancing and singing for Jesus, playing instruments for Jesus, even faithful attendance at church will not do it. Honor from God only comes by way of serving Jesus with our whole heart in truth and simplicity. We should know that every Christian who is called by the LORD to walk in His ways, nonetheless, is a Christian who is full of confusion, doubt, and failure. In fact we may even get the impression that the LORD no longer helps us in prayer as He once did. We may even feel we are losing a great deal of time and making no progress, but we must never stop and never allow anyone to get us off track even in our failure. In our failure the LORD is calling us to a deeper walk of faith in His divine presence. With a simple vision of our LORD and with an intense love toward Him (like a little child would have towards his mother) we cast ourselves into the gentle bosom of our LORD. This is the answer especially in times of our perceived failure. Our level of heart-felt seeking then is free from wandering imagination and from reasoning. Both of these are so distracting and can get us involved in speculation and introspection. The LORD brings failure (even dryness) because He knows so well that it is not by any means of our reasoning or by our effort that we are going to be drawn near to Him. How then shall we learn to get from under our failure; by a humble resignation to God’s will. This is where we begin. Noah was a perfect example of this. He was reckoned to be a fool and failure by the world, but later when the whole world was covered by water he was found out to be not so foolish. In all of his dark hours he walked by faith alone. Now do not think he understood the mind of God he did not as we will not. In failure and loss (as much as possible) be patient. Pay little attention to the failure (but expect it because it is coming) we must never give up regardless of the amount and severity of the failure we encounter. We must walk with a firm faith in God, dying to self, and to all of our natural efforts to know Him. Here is something to consider. Where does the divine blessing of God rest? The answer is somewhere deep within us. Therefore we must come to God silent, believing, patiently, and even maybe suffering. With confidence we press on. Rest in Him and be guided by His Holy Spirit. If our pursuit of Christ is pure then that is a sufficient reward. And yes our LORD may deprive us of our comfort in our failure even from understanding and at times we see no spiritual progress in our lives, but if we push into Him in these times there will be an enrichment that has been added to our lives far beyond our hope. We must never look down on ourselves if we cannot achieve what we have set out to do in our pursuit and consider it to be failure. In God achievement happen in His time. We must hold our peace and place ourselves before the LORD and persevere! We must trust (which is far beyond faith) in His infinite grace as though we are blindfolded and do so without a great deal of thinking or reasoning. We must place our lives in His kind, paternal hands, resolving to do nothing except His divine will and divine pleasure. Expect failure it is coming, but so is God’s everlasting, unchanging love. Written by David Stahl

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