Stephen Tindle

Midfield High School

Class of 1992

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Stephen Tindle - Class of 1992 - Midfield High School

First Name	Stephen
Last Name	Tindle
Graduation Year	Class of 1992
Gender	Male
Hometown	Birmingham, Alabama
Relationship Status	In a Relationship
About Me	My name is Stephen Tindle; I am a believer and follower of my Lord and savior Jesus Christ. I am 38 years old and was saved and baptized when I was 13. I current live at the Brother Bryan Mission in downtown Birmingham AL. On April 19 of 2011, realizing I had no where else to turn I returned to the Lord, and having in general, a thirst for knowledge I dove into the deep and living water that is the word of God. Living in a such tight quarters with 70 people, I did and do most of my studying late into the night when it is quiet and I can be alone with my God and his word. I have learned that, “… without faith it impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” And to claim the promise in James 1:5-6 which says this, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him, But when he ask, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” Jesus said this in John 14:26, “But the counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of what I have said to you.” When I sit down to study I always ask for God’s Spirit to fill me, to teach me the word, and give me the wisdom of that word. I standing before you right now am proof that God does answer prayers. One night while in conversation with Mike Brown, I said, “That no matter how bad off I got, no matter how slimy or muddy I got, I kept up with this Bible…This Bible. Now Mike, or as I have come to see the truth of it; God speaking though Mike, my iron (Proverbs 27:17) asked me, “Why do you think that is?” I, having always told myself this answer said, “Because my mother gave it to me when I was baptized 25 years ago, you know the sentimental value it held.” God through my iron seeing me study late into night and by then have gotten to know me and see something in me said, “Really, that is why you think you kept up with it so long.” He knew deep down that was not why, and was fishing for the truth. That night God using my iron taught me three things. The first was this, “That it is not about me, it never was and never will be, but instead in is about him (pointing up) and that (pointing to the cross). The second thing was the scripture in II Timothy 2:15 which is this, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” And finally the third is the real reason why I kept up with this Bible for so long; I was anchored in it and knew it was truth and that God was going to use me in a big way. A week or two later God through Mike (my iron) and Brian (my star of Bethlehem, which guides me) helped me to indentify my Spiritual Gifts and have since, been encouraging me to develop and use them. This is my first real attempt at using them God spoke to me through the scriptures of Jeremiah 29:11-14 which is this, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all you heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” I knew 25 years ago that God had plans for me and my life, but because of fear of those plans and the resentment of the way my life had played out, up to that point, I like Jonah began running. I had no direction in life and was not watching where I was going, so I was tripped by drugs and strong drink and fell into the pit. These things become my idols and false gods. They were heavy and they drug me down, deeper and deeper into that pit. On April the 19th of last year I did, not knowing at the time, exactly what David did when he wrote this, “I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.” On Face book Saturday, an old friend asked me if I had ever thought about how my life might be different, and did I regret what I had done and the path I had taken; this was my response to them. “I do not regret my past, because like it says it Ephesians 5:20, "always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." and in Romans 8:28, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." and because of this I know God let me trip, in order to teach me to rely on him and him alone. I knew God way back then, but he gave me over to my sinful desires (Romans 1:24 actually verses 18-32 speaks all about this) [look it up, because faith comes by hearing the word (Romans 10:17)] so that I might grow strong in my faith and become a willing instrument for him and his kingdom. The scriptures tell me in Colossians 3:16 to “...let the message of Christ dwell in me richly...” Therefore I am not to look into the past because I "have had my heart sprinkled, cleansing it of a guilty past" (Hebrews 10:22) instead I am to "fix my eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of my faith" (Hebrews 12:2) and “set my mind on things above, not on earthly things"(Colossians 3:2). I thank and praise God for my addictions “because in my weakness the power of Christ is made perfect.” (II Corinthians 12:9) I look back at all the tough times I went through and the trials I faced and I “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, because I know that the testing of my faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that I may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4) I Samuel 15:3 says this, "Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them: put to death men and women, Children and infants, Cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys." God's word also says this in Deuteronomy 7:5, "This is what you are to do to them: Break down their alters, smash their sacred stones, cut down the Ashtrah poles, and burn their idols in the fire." God is telling us to destroy the connection with “...every high thing that would exalt itself against the knowledge of God” (II Corinthians 10:5) that is anything that takes our eyes, focus or our devotion off of Christ (Hebrews 12:2). We are told to break, smash, cut, and burn these idols out of ourselves. Paul says it best in two places. The first is in I Corinthians 9:24-27 which says, “Do you not know that in a race all runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No. I beat my body and make in my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” The second is in Colossians 3:5 with this, “put to death, therefore what ever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.” In light of all this we, as Christians, are told to voraciously attack all the “high things” and “high places”. We are called to be Idol Slayers for Christ for he is the one that gives us the strength to do this (Philippians 4:13). By God’s grace, I have totally destroyed some of my own “high things and places”, and most of the idols I had bowed down to for years. I question myself all the time but today I am asking all us right now to do this, in the words of Jeremiah in Lamentations 3:40, “Let us examine our ways an...(read more)