Tags
adultery, being born again, darkness, discerning the spirits, encouragement, exhortation, experience, eyes of the heart, following Jesus, George Michael, God's love, homosexuality, Jesus Christ, light, prayer, salvation, Satan, sin
It is not for me easy to define intimacy, even more difficult regarding my relationship with God. Maybe, an example might help here. Yesterday morning as I was thinking about someone who died four days ago, I closed my eyes and looked at Jesus in my spirit. I recall that I did not say anything, neither loudly nor silently in my mind, but my question was heard by Him, nonetheless. This person who died was famous and some might know that I write about British pop star George Michael who died at the age of 53. I did not know that much about him, I only remember some of his songs that touched me in a certain way, especially ‘Last Christmas’ where he sang,
“Last Christmas, I gave you my heart
But the very next day you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I’ll give it to someone special…”
It seems to me that this song was somehow prophetic for him since George Michael died on December 25, 2016, (t)his ‘last’ Christmas. What happened in my prayer time yesterday morning was that a simple glance from Jesus confirmed to me that He was the one to whom George Michael had given his heart four days ago.
Someone who does not know God that closely might wonder how and why God shares such secrets with His children, however, I can tell you that I never fear for their eternal destiny whenever I hear about someone’s death, neither in my family nor regarding my friends nor as for several famous people. In cases where I am not that sure immediately, I turn to Jesus and without any exception I have always felt His overwhelming peace in which all questions vanish into thin air. I know that with what I am writing here I might make some people pretty angry because they know the Bible better than I do. But I believe it is not enough to know Scripture. We need to also know God and His heart for this world, too, so that the real depth of Scripture shines out. In fact, the Bible is full of mysteries that can only be detected by an illuminated heart and mind.
After some research on the internet I saw that George Michael who would be a homosexual had become a target by some radically conservative and legalistic Christians about five years ago. There was a group of American ‘Christians’ who seemed to have even prayed for his death because of his ‘sinful lifestyle’. Reading such horror makes me shudder! I think it is not necessary to say that such a behavior (I hope and pray they repented meanwhile) cannot have sprung from Christ’s Spirit, ever, “for God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (Jn 3:16-17 ESV)
As much as I am convinced that George Michael has been saved by our loving Savior, I want to speak up and issue a warning also, a warning to not throw the baby out with the bath water by preaching a licentious gospel instead of a legalistic one since neither of these directions is the true gospel. It is clear to me that Christians who suffered from legalism tend to emphasize the grace of God much more than the wrath of God, which is a biblical reality, too. Being balanced in our view of biblical truth cannot be achieved by what we have come to believe is true according to our own liking. Instead, we urgently need a close relationship with our Savior and God who alone knows man’s heart and “who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Tim 2:4 ESV) If we really share God’s heart, we will eventually have a heart that weeps and prays for others instead of judging them wrongly or even condemning them. If we claim to know what God’s thoughts regarding a certain person, a group, an event or an issue are, we should only publish these if we have already become partakers of His divine nature as well.
It saddens me every time when I meet Christians who write self-righteously about groups that are struggling with their sexuality as much as I feel repelled when I detect a Christian who tells others that there is no cross in their life needed and that they can stay just as they are. Of course, we cannot change ourselves, much less can a repeated adulterer who fell prey to sexual addiction or a homosexual be ‘reversed’ by their own efforts. But I think if God allows, we need to share the truth in love with those who are concerned. Nevertheless, we must be IN LOVE before. At first in love with God and then in love with our neighbors, even enemies, as well.
Just for clarification, I am referring to agape love here, not to normal human emotions that have sprung from the soul, still. If our heart has been touched, that does not necessarily mean that the Holy Spirit was the author of our feelings. All human beings have a soul and can be touched in their hearts. But being in love with God and our neighbors is a spiritual thing which requires that the eyes of our heart have been enlightened to see God who is The Light without any darkness. If that has not yet happened to us, we should not even dare to touch on a such a sensitive topic as sexuality is because without love, we can even destroy someone if we bluntly and blatantly tell them ‘the truth’ in our own view. We might even become their stumbling block that keeps them from seeking God. Imagine this! Words have so much power! From my own experiences with God I can tell you that it is the power of love alone that finally heals our wounded hearts and helps us grow as joint members of The Body of Christ as apostle Paul confirmed,
“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” (Eph 4:15-16 ESV)
Let’s keep seeking God and His heart, dear brothers and sisters. ❤
Much love,
Susanne
Michael said:
Dear Susanne,
This was a very wonderful and heart felt writing you shared today. Thank you.
George Michael sang,
“Last Christmas, I gave you my heart
But the very next day you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I’ll give it to someone special…”
Yes, there is nobody more special than Jesus with whom we can trust our hearts. He cherishes every heart that is His. I am glad that He showed you what George did before He died. Who knows what inward pain drove him all his life. You wrote,
“Of course, we cannot change ourselves, much less can a repeated adulterer who fell prey to sexual addiction or a homosexual be ‘reversed’ by their own efforts. But I think if God allows, we need to share the truth in love with those who are concerned. Nevertheless, we must be IN LOVE before. At first in love with God and then in love with our neighbors, even enemies, as well.”
I know that Jesus goes the “extra mile” with those who suffer and long to be loved as only He can love. It is sad that so much of the so-called “Christian Community” is like the Church of Ephesus. They know all that is good and evil about this world, but they have lost their First Love. We must be IN Love (IN Christ) before we can speak the Truth into needy hearts IN that Love and God is Love.
You wrote, “…being in love with God and our neighbors is a spiritual thing which requires that the eyes of our heart have been enlightened to see God who is The Light without any darkness.”
Yes, dear heart, if our “light” is darkness, how GREAT is that darkness within us! Love that loves God, our friends and even our enemies and gross sinners… the very love of God… is a VERY Spiritual thing! I pray often that the eyes of my heart might be fully enlightened to see all men clearly with His love the way HE sees them and I can say that He has been making headway. Three years ago I could not have given this article of yours a “like” much less a positive comment. His Love is LIFE changing, thanks be to our Father, forever.
YOU are a blessing in His hands! ❤
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
That was a very wonderful comment by you, dear Michael! You have blessed me sooo much with your kind and honest words! I am happy to hear that God revealed more of His great LOVE to you during the last three years. Thank YOU, Daddy! 🙂
You are a treasure with who I love fellowshipping, my brother! Thanks for being who you are, Michael! ❤
Susanne 🐱
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Michael said:
Susanne, God has used you to shine down into my heart with His Truth and cleansing love. ❤ Thanks for being who you are, too! ⭐ 🐻
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Michael, I do not know what to answer you here…
All glory to God for what He has been doing in both our (spiritual) lives during the last three years as we were allowed to fellowship with one another over the distance of more than 5,000 miles between us. 🙂
You are a great blessing, my dear brother! ⭐ 🐱
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Michael said:
Susanne, we have both been blessed by the riches that are ours in Christ as we have walked in His light together. He has been teaching us what real spiritual fellowship is. It has been a process of being broken down and burdened with aching hearts (the fellowship of His sufferings), but He has not left us there for as we have humbled ourselves in His sight, He has also raised us up (the power of His resurrection) and made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
I have never had such deep fellowship with any saint walking in the light of Christ as this. It seems that distance and time are not a factor when it comes to the love of Christ and the power of the Spirit working in us to bring about the changes Daddy knows that we need.
Yes, truly that is where it starts and that is what He always brings us back to.
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
That was very sweet what you said here, dear Michael. 🤗 Before meeting you I only had such deep fellowship with God and Jesus. Although I knew such fellowship with a human being must exist, I never found it until I dropped by your website, would begin to read an article by you and sense God speaking to my heart after having read only two or three sentences, “Michael Clark is the one.” God knows our hearts, indeed! 😇♡😇
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Michael said:
Susanne, now I am speechless! Yes, our Father knows our heart and has known us from the foundation of the world that we should walk together IN Christ, His Son. All we can do is yield to His gentle nudges and our lives in Christ take on a heavenly scope as we obey His leading, even greater than anything we had ever hoped possible before. Exploring the depths of these spiritual riches with you has been a wonderful blessing for me and hopefully what we share on our blogs is a blessing for others as well.
😇♡😇
Oh, the glory!
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
This new heart and spirit is all I have been longing for because my continued complaints about my old nature’s inability to do this and to drop that are pretty exhausting! 😛
Even if it seems at times that we/I have experienced a lot regarding the depths of His spiritual riches, again and again, I return to the point of recognizing that I am still at the beginning with God. As soon as I think I got Him (partly) figured out, He surprises me with a deeper revelation of Himself, esp. when I am not doing well.
Oh, the glory, Michael! 🙂
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Michael said:
“But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— (1Cor 2:9, ESV2011)
Watching you follow God has never been boring, Susanne, because you love Him. 🙂
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Well, Michael, I can only say that God loves me. As for my own wavering emotions as to loving Him, He knows I cannot give Him anything He has not given me before. When I feel bad, I feel bad. When I feel sick, I feel sick. And then you won’t find ANY love for God in my heart! 😉 Thank God, HE is God and gives us completely NEW hearts and minds!! 🙂
Yes, that Scripture you quoted is DEEP! ⭐
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Michael said:
Susanne, I think that T.A.S. has put your dilemma in his own words here:
Dear heart, I think that being like Him and seeing Him as He is, is seeing with the eyes of our hearts that we are already IN Christ by the grace of God and getting past this constant reflecting on our own inefficiencies.
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Yes, you’re right, Michael. I read that today as well. TAS nailed it! ⭐ Thanks for sharing. my dear brother. 🙂
Much Love,
Susanne 🐱
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Michael said:
BTW, that quote from TAS came from here:
http://www.austin-sparks.net/english/books/001033.html
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Thanks for adding the link, Michael.
🙂
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Michael said:
Susanne, you are welcome. I prayed a lot over this reply to you, dear heart. I am glad that you received it. ❤
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Thanks again, my dear brother. ❤
I thought more about my physical pains that make me lose sight of God than my own insufficiencies of character which belong to the old nature which will NEVER change. To complain about these is useless since I know I cannot change anything. Looking to Him for help is always the best choice, I believe.
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Michael said:
Yes, Susanne, we look unto Jesus who is the Author and the Finisher of our faith. He is faithful even when we are not. HE will see us through all we have to endure unto the very end. God finishes what He starts. THANK GOD!
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Amen, Michael.
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Anna Waldherr said:
I have often felt that God speaks through music, though not necessarily w/ the message the lyricist might have had in mind. When my grandmother died, the rock song “Crystal Blue Persuasion” brought me surprising comfort. Love songs will sometimes speak to me of God’s love, rather than human love.
I agree completely that Christians are far too prone to self-righteousness. That arises from pride, not any motivation by the Spirit. As you say, great tenderness is required on the issue of sexuality. Many homosexuals have been reviled and rejected in the supposed name of God.
Have a wonderful New Year, Susanne! Guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr!
Much love,
A. ❤ ❤ ❤
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Ha! What a sweet surprise, dear Anna!! ❤ ❤ ❤ Your German is music to my ears. 🤗😚😊 Have a wonderful, happy and richly blessed New Year! 🏞🌋🗻🌎🎼🎶🎹🎺🎻🎷🎸📻🎧 I am sooo glad to hear that can also hear God speaking to you through love songs. Same for me! He has also used songs to comfort me, esp. regarding the death of loved ones. Thanks for your confirming words, my dear sister. 😍
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Michael said:
Anna and Susanne, I also have seen where some love songs speak of His love for us. One that comes to mind and has deeply touched my heart every time I hear it, bringing tears, is “You Needed Me” by Anne Murray.
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Sigh…. now you got me in tears, Michael. But that is a good thing, indeed. Anne Murray sang, “You put me high upon a pedestal, so high that I could almost see eternity.”
Although I do not believe God needs us, I sense He WANTS us to be with Him all the time. Being IN Christ, we can drop ALMOST here since as soon as we allow Him to reign and rule from the last pedestal in our hearts (when all idols have been killed), we can see eternity. Just my two cents… (sniff sniff, still). 😉
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Michael said:
Susanne, I think that the way Anne sang that song, she sensed the need in the heart of one who loves her. Jesus loves us as His bride. It is a wonderful and very intimate love for us, wouldn’t you say? We also are members one of another and we need each other as Christ has placed us in His body and His body would not be the same without you. You ARE needed, dear sister. ❤ And yes, His eternity becomes evident when our temporal worlds cease to fill our minds and vision. Seeing how much HE loves us will fill our hearts and give us new eyes.
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Amen, Michael! ❤
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Ken Dawson said:
I give you a quote from Thomas Torrance–Human intellect does not draw its principles from objects but on the contrary imposes its principles upon the objects.He states that this is the teachings of Kantism = the prophet of the modern mindset.So if God has showed you and now us that George got birthed into Gods kingdom before he passed–who are to argue the revelation–lets all rejoice and be glad! We are not being Kantists.
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Great quote, Ken. Thank you so much for your encouraging words, my brother. 😊 Have a restful and blessed New Year! 🎼🎶🎹🎶⛱😇 I hope all is well with your mom in Florida…?
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Michael said:
Kantism = Can’t-ism… religious man trying to force God inside the box of his own intellect, i.e. “God can’t do this and God wouldn’t do that.”
Yes, Ken, rejoicing when God shows us such things that go beyond our intellectual grasp of His love and greatness is truly a blessing for us and for Him. I hope that you are doing well and have a blessed new year in Christ, my brother.
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Very helpful explanation, Michael. Thanks! 🙂
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Fred said:
I can not disagree with anything you have said. I have also seen people fall in love with GOD and some legalistic preacher comes along and gives them a whole list of things they have to do or can not do if they are a Christian. This will at times cause that Christian to try to do those things or not do those things on their own because they do love GOD and they want to prove they do. How ever they get so discuraged they start to have bitterness toward GOD because they can’t do it on thier own. Although some may cry out to GOD for help. I have had this happen to me and I am one who crys out to GOD for help a lot. I also get chastened for being legalistic a lot. I have trouble getting away from that. It is something I personally struggle with and part of it is because I am a perfectionist. I really do not want to be legalistic. At times it scares me that I can not repent of it. I really do need help and I need Christ Jesus now more then ever. I need GOD’s help a lot, I need his help constantly. I know that John Bonyan had the same type of experence in his life and GOD lead me to his book to help me and it did help.
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Fred, I think it is good to cry out to God for help as often as possible. But I do know that it can be tiring if you cry and cry and…. it seems nothing changes. Patience is something I do not have, to be honest. 😉 I think the Scripture Michael quoted nails it:
“And I will give them one heart [a new heart] and I will put a new spirit within them; and I will take the stony [unnaturally hardened] heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh [sensitive and responsive to the touch of their God],” (Ezek 11:19, AMP)
We can only wait on God to change our hearts, Fred. You are not alone in this.
Glad to hear that John Bunyan’s book helped you!
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Fred said:
That scripture and another like it from the same book was mentioned in a Christian chat room yesterday.
Ezekiel 36:26-27
Ezekiel 11:19-20
Also at times I get upset at my self just for thoughts I have that I feel may upset GOD. I am however glad GOD has changed me a lot so that is helpful to know.
He also showed me his love the other day and his love is not like ours. I am super sensative to sin in my life. I have been told that is a good thing and supposted to happen.
My main goal in life is to be as pleasing to GOD as I can not to get saved or to stay saved but because I am saved. We can not save our selves.
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Excellent, Fred. ⭐
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Michael said:
Fred, add to those two scriptures Jer. 31:31-34 and you have the NEW Covenant. There is not a single “Thou shalt” or “Thou shalt not!” It is all HIS doing in us. Faith in Him gives us rest and assurance that He will do as He has pledged.
“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calls you, who also will do it.” (1Thess 5:23-24, KJ2000)
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KENNETH DAWSON said:
Thanks to both of you–Sue & Mike
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
You’re very welcome, Ken. 🙂
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Michael said:
Love you, Ken!
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Pat Orr said:
Thank you, Susanne, for the blog. Thanks for all the replies also.
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
You are very welcome, dear Pat. I hope you and yours are doing well. Take care and have a Blessed New Year, my sister. 🤗😚🎼🎶🎹⛱☺
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