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experience, experiencing eternal life, freedom, Gerhard Tersteegen, God’s presence, Holiness, knowing, peace, prayer, spiritual blessings, the Kingdom of God, the presence of God, the promised land, thought life
Bumblebee Feeding on a Purple Tansy
(Photo by Susanne Schuberth)
I found three quotes from Gerhard Tersteegen (*) today of which I think that they are quite enlightening with regards to our true Christian “duties”. From my own experience I can confirm that God freed me from so many things of which I had thought I should do them, either because others expected me to do so or I demanded it of myself. It has been a very long struggle and I am not yet through it all, but sometimes I feel a kind of very quiet peace I have not known before. Immersed into a silence where spoken words and even thoughts come to an end, I discover the subtle power of the omnipresent God that is reflected by all creation. And out of the blue, your whole being knows what LIFE is all about…
Q: “How do we get there?”
(1) Prayer is the entrance to God’s presence
Prayer brings to us blessings which we need, and which only God can give, and which prayer can alone convey to us … This service of prayer is not a mere rite, a ceremony through which we go, a sort of performance. Prayer is going to God for something needed and desired. Prayer is simply asking God to do for us what he has promised us he will do if we ask him … Asking is man’s part. Giving is God’s part. The praying belongs to us. The answer belongs to God.
(Gerhard Tersteegen)
(2) Let us live in our own God-given lives NOW
Let none, however difficult the circumstances, consider himself as debarred from the way of holiness. Have we but God and the cross of Christ, we have the means for becoming altogether holy in our walk and conversation. What dungeon is there that can shut us out from this? Only let us use the present location and means faithfully and truly, taking them from God’s hand, and we shall find him able to free us from all that is really a hindrance. Let us each one desire to be a saint in his own place and calling, instead of building ‘castles in the air’ of future holiness.
(Gerhard Tersteegen)
(3) If we have entered into God’s presence, we already have access to all spiritual blessings that can be had
To walk before God and in His presence is the ground and the costly jewel of true Christian living. I would have you above all things to grasp this firmly, because, when it is rightly understood and practiced, it includes all else.
(Gerhard Tersteegen)
Read more at: http://www.azquotes.com/author/30488-Gerhard_Tersteegen
(*) Text in blue are quotes, the headings are mine
Entering the Promised Land 
I would say that what was said by Tersteegen is simply the Christian life summed up–I would word it in reverse–God is present inside of you right now,so live saintly in your present location,and whatever your need for the moment is ask Him and be content in His answer.Or as Mike said in his post–He is in you or He is not–so who you going to depend on?
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That was very well said, dear Ken. As always. ⭐
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Susanne, you wrote something here that stirred a deep hunger in my heart,
“…sometimes I feel a kind of very quiet peace I have not known before. Immersed into a silence where spoken words and even thoughts come to an end, I discover the subtle power of the omnipresent God that is reflected by all creation. And out of the blue, your whole being knows what LIFE is all about…”
WOW! Yes! I want THAT! I think that what you experienced and wrote about here is that peace that surpasses all “common sense.” When the world is going nuts around us, our bodies are aching and everything is out of whack, pushing in on us to do its bidding in unrest and join in its panicking mindset, we can opt-out and withdraw into the presence of our Father that you have where we enter into the perfection of God and His rest in that peace He created things to abide in with Him.
“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all his work which he had done in creation.” (Genesis 1:31 – 2:3 RSVA)
“There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God [did] from his.” (Hebrews 4:9-10 KJV)
This is that “jewel of Christian living” that Gerhard was writing about, living with our Father in the rest of His perfect creation in our spirits as it was meant to be.
Thank you my dear Susanne for sharing this experience with us and showing us there is more.. ❤ ⭐
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You’re very welcome, Michael, and you can bet I keep praying that you’ll get THAT!!! ❤ 🙂 And thank you so much for your enlightening words on here, my dear brother.
Indeed, I say, “Yes and amen” to all you described in your comment on that peace that surpasses all “common sense”. I always like to call that immersion into God’s omnipresence “Schöpfungsstimmung” in German. I have no idea how to translate that word since it does not exist in German, either 😛 . It is kind of experiencing that atmosphere which is described in that Scripture from Genesis you quoted above. It is both knowing and feeling (with your body, mind, soul, and spirit) that all creation is very good, maybe even sharing God’s own feelings regarding His creation…
Please, Daddy, let us all enter Your rest. Amen.
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Thank you, Susanne. I am always enriched by your insights. ❤
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You’re most welcome, dear Anna. ❤
I highly appreciate your always wise contribution.
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Susanne, I had to look up your German word. Google translate says, “Schöpfungsstimmung” means “Creation mood.” I think that God was in a wonderful mood when He created the universe and all that is in it. Just looking at the verity in all things created is amazing. Like snowflakes there are no two things alike. Man creates something that works and he has to start mass producing them, cloning them, but God makes ALL things NEW!
Think about that. There is only ONE Susanne! We have a saying here in America, “After God made you, He threw away the mold.” I think all our blogging friends will agree, you (and all of us) are all one of a kind. Each of us is special to Him as He meant us to be. I enjoy meeting people, especially God’s children, because I see each of them as a special treasure in the eyes of our Father. I want to get to know each of them first hand and not miss one little nuance of what makes them different and precious to Him. What really gets me going is how Paul said we are ALL members one of another! We should all see just how precious each of us are not only to our Father, but to us as well because we belong to one another.
So, our Creator, was and is still in a wonderful “mood” when He looks upon each of us for He knows our end from the beginning and knows what He created each one of us to be.
“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. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:29-31 KJ2000)
“Faithful is he that calls you, who also will do it.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:24 KJ2000)
Be encouraged, dear sister. You are a blessing to us all! ❤
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What a beautiful comment, my dear brother, I do love what you wrote on here ❤ and you are one of a kind, Michael, yes you are!
Everyone of us has an individual way to experience and to see things which is expressed in our various perspectives on spiritual matters, too. Together we have all been created to form a wonderful divine picture (the Body of Christ) which would not be that lovely as soon as one of us would be missing, don’t you agree?
Am encouraged, Michael, indeed. Thank you! 🙂
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You’re so welcome, Lloyd. 🙂
That’s a great thought indeed. You wrote,
“God’s wisdom in the Bible is characterized by an elegant simplicity from Genesis to Revelation. Man’s foolishness knows no bounds as indicated by the volumes of meaningless documents pumped out by any bureaucracy.”
Pheeeew, particularly in Germany we know what you were speaking of here. I assume the source of all confusing bureaucracy must be found in Germany! 😛
Actually, Gerhard Tersteegen was a German mystic who translated other mystics into the German language (esp. Teresa of Ávila from the Spanish language and Mme de la Motte-Guyon from the French language). Together with Oswald Chambers he was the only evangelical mystic I have come to know by now. All others were either Roman Catholic or of an orthodox belief. His writings, like Martin Luther’s, show that he was able to express deep truths so gripping and striking that everyone, even the uneducated, could understand him easily. Where Oswald Chambers sometimes seemed a bit too strict in his claims (although he IMHO hits the nail right smack on the head), Tersteegen was remarkably meek and very kind-hearted toward everyone. That might have to do with the fact that G.T. had a longer process of sanctification than O.C. who died at the age of just 43. Almost all of his writings (O.C.’s) were put down on paper and published by His wife “Biddy” who had been occupied in doing so for nearly 50 years after her husband had died.
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Thank you, Susanne, and commenters for this blog. What a wonderful heavenly Father that we have. Your writings create even more hunger in me to be with Him. I recognize His love in You. There is nothing greater than His love.
Loved to love,
Pat Orr
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Oh, dear Pat, your words truly touched my heart! Thank you sooo very much!!! 🙂
May He satisfy your hunger with His great love!
In Him ❤
Your Susanne
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This is why Jesus said all the laws are fulfilled under 2 laws. Love God and love Man but love GOD first. If you love you will not steal, if you love you will not lie, if you love you will not covet, if you love you will not break any of the commands of GOD.
Thank you.
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Very well said, Fred. Thank YOU! 🙂
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