Tags
angels, ears of the heart, eternal life, experience, eyes of the heart, following Jesus, God's voice, God's wrath, Joseph Benson, Satan, the body of Christ, the cross, the flesh, The World
Like me you might know a few gracious people with whom it is always easy to have dealings with. At other times, we might be confronted with some rude persons who unexpectedly utter words of truth. 🙄 Nonetheless, neither the gracious nor the veracious person must necessarily be a Christian. There are pleasant-natured people who are able to enjoy life and to be thankful for that, too. However, if you start to wonder whom they might owe their blessings in life, they remain silent or they evade the issue. Maybe, they tell you they were thankful toward life itself, toward Mother Nature, toward the universe or they believe in angels, instead.
Sometimes I ask myself why there are hardly any people who really believe in God, still (here in Germany at least). Although there are Christians who go to church, whether it is the Catholic, the Pentecostal or the Bible-believing evangelical, yet…… If you are confronted with regular churchgoers, you might wonder how little they are often able to discern the voice of God from other voices, i.e. from the voice of the flesh, of the world, and of Satan. The main reason for this critical condition seems to me that they tend to have preconceptions about how God must necessarily speak to them, dependent on the color of their religious-tinted glasses. If you find a mandatory human hierarchy in the church, God must use this hierarchy in a top-down-way to get through to the common believer at the further end, they believe. So, if God really speaks to them, they check first, “Was it the pastor/pope/priest/preacher/elder who spoke to me? No? It was just a simple human being that does not even go to church?? Hmm… God would never speak through such people, or would He…?” 🙄
Well, through whom does God speak today, then? Does He not use those ‘channels’ who were called by Him to be Jesus’ disciples, those who follow Him by enduring the cross on a daily basis and who discern His voice from others as they are His sheep (Jn 10:27)? How does Jesus think of those who follow His leading – wherever He leads? As He is their Head Who tells them what to do, they are His Body which is inseparably connected to its Head, but only if they are obedient to His voice! These are no true Christians who claim to belong to Jesus if they are not obedient to Him in the long run. The apostle John put it that way,
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” (Jn 3:36 ESV)
His Body does NOT consist of believers who act for God as they see fit, as much as they wear themselves out by doing so. In fact, Jesus Christ identifies completely with us as we obey Him. If we are blessed by others, He is blessed, too, and even God is blessed. If we are cursed, Jesus is cursed, and God is cursed as well. Really? Yes, as we listen to what Jesus once said to His disciples,
“He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.” (Lk 10:16 KJV)
For further explanation of this verse we could read Joseph Benson’s who wrote the following.
Luke 10:16. He that heareth you — Here our Lord declares the general rule which he would observe, with regard to those to whom he sent, or should send his ministers; that he would reckon himself treated as they treated his servants. Indeed, what is done to the ambassador is generally considered as done to the prince that sends him. 1st, He that heareth you, and regards what you say, heareth me, and therein doth me honour: but, 2d, He that despiseth you, doth, in effect, despise me, and shall be reckoned with as having put an affront upon me: nay, he despiseth him that sent me. Observe, reader, those that contemn the Christian religion, do, in effect, put a slight upon natural religion, of which it is perfective. And they who despise the faithful ministers of Christ, they who, though they do not hate and persecute them, yet think meanly of them, look on them with scorn, and neglect to attend their ministry, will be reckoned with as despisers of God and of Christ.
https://biblehub.com/commentaries/luke/10-16.htm
How perfectly Jesus identified with those first Christians who were persecuted by the Jews, including later apostle Paul, we understand it if we read this passage of the New Testament below.
And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting ME? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said,
‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.’ (Acts 26:14-15 ESV – emphasis added)
Dear brothers and sisters, we must be cautious to not overlook and to not miss hearing God’s subtle voice through people we might personally not like. Whether they are charming, charismatic personalities who are seemingly successful or if they appear to be inconspicuous persons, God shows no partiality. And we should not do it, either, as God once told His own people,
“You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality, and you shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of the righteous. Justice, and only justice, you shall follow, that you may live and inherit the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” (Deut 16:19-20 ESV)
May God give us this spiritual life abundantly. Amen.
All images by Susanne Schuberth 2018
Entering the Promised Land 
Dearest Susanne – Wow – Wow – Wow! & Amen! XO Judi
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🙂 Like *****
( I can’t help but also add that “Donkeys” may yet get a voice in the matter 😉
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Thanks again, Judi. 🙂
Yes, yes, I recall you liked the pic of the donkey in this other post (cannot remember which article, though)… 😉
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Very encouraging, thanks, Judi! 🙂
Susanne XO ❤
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I have not read the whole thing yet but have a comment on the first part. I have met people that say that GOD only speaks through his word (The bible). I do not hold to this and tried to explain to them the truth or what I consider the truth. He showed me this video that talks about how GOD speaks to us only through his word. The video was wrong and I know that video used a lot of scripture out of context to support that doctrine. I know from the bible that we are told that we can talk to GOD directly through Jesus. We do not have to go through another person like they did in the old testament. In the old testament they had to go through a priest or prophet. According to a verse in the book of Hebrews this is not the case any more we go directly to GOD. Yes he can talk through other people, anyone in fact. Now I know I do not have the greatest discernment and I need a lot of help in that department. I don’t always know if GOD is talking to me.
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Yes, Fred, God can talk through anyone, whenever He wishes.
It is always important to check Scripture if we are insecure about what others tell us from Scripture (teaching and doctrine, for example).
However, if God only spoke through the Bible, how did the first Christians hear Him? How did Jesus’ disciples hear Him speak with them? How did they know it was Him coming down from Heaven, again, through the Holy Spirit on Pentecost? If Jesus told us to wait on the Holy Spirit Who would lead us into ALL the truth, could we go on listening to God without His Spirit? But alas, that is what a big part of Christianity does. They take the Bible and make it their god and manual.
Yet don’t we need His wisdom, advice and help in our everyday life? If my computer or phone do not work, I won’t start reading the Bible. Instead, I will ask God to help me. And as Jesus is the only mediator between God and man, it works only this way, but always through the Holy Spirit.
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Now what you said I agree with.
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Glad to hear this, Fred.
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Now that I have read the rest I have heard some of this before. Some of it from one of John Bunyan’s books at least this part is in John Bunyan’s book.
“but only if they are obedient to His voice! These are no true Christians who claim to belong to Jesus if they are not obedient to Him in the long run. ”
I heave also heard something like what “Joseph Benson’” said. Although I may have misunderstood and taken it as manipulation. I have heard people say that if you are mad at what I say you are actually mad at GOD. However after reading what you have said I think I am wrong and I repent from such harsh words toward another brother.
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Fred,
I dare say that people who long to have spiritual authority and leadership try to fill God’s shoes on their own when they utter such nonsense like, “if you are mad at what I say you are actually mad at GOD.” The difference between what I wrote about and what such people say is that the latter claim to know they were in God’s place – always. Not that humble, right? It is their own little ME, not Christ’s ‘offended’ ME that I meant in my article, but simply human nature’s old and fallen me that is offended here. It is often a cult thing to muzzle/gag believers with dissenting opinions that way. Been there, heard that, too.
Not sure whether you need to repent here… maybe from the harsh words only. God knows…
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As always, excellent advice, Susanne! ❤
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That was very edifying for me, dear Anna. ❤
Thank you! 🙂
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Susanne, you have once again given us much to ponder. I had a conversation with a brother in Christ who is married to our daughter and he was talking about this very thing, speaking the truth in Christ and being rejected by religious people who should know better. Why? because what he shared did not come from someone in the hierarchic structure of the “church” where they attend. Sectarianism makes for very deaf ears and very blind eyes and it was this very thing that Jesus’ early disciples and apostles were confronted with. As His followers itt is our part to speak the truth in love from His Spirit. Then if they reject us, they reject Him as well. Jesus said, “What you have done to the least of these, my brethren, you have done unto me.” Notice He said the LEAST! He did not say, “What you have done unto the greatest ones in the church, you have done unto me.”
We who do not attend the sectarian churches are most often rejected by those who are members of them. The voice of the Holy Spirit is totally strange to them. Jesus said that His sheep HEAR His voice and follow Him. They do not follow the voice of strangers. Because they do not practice listening for the voice of the Good Shepherd for themselves, but covet to have their ears tickled by false shepherds in high places, they classify His voice when they hear it as that of a stranger, all the time thinking of themselves as His sheep. What a great delusion this whole satanic church system is! When God had this same problem with the people of Israel He told His prophet,
“Go, and say to this people: “‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” (Isa 6:9-10, ESV2011)
Israel was deaf and blind because they were sure they were God’s chosen people and they were swelling with pride. Membership and loyalty to a religious system does not guarantee we will have spiritual eyes that can see and spiritual hears that can hear God’s voice, but a heart that is humble and seeks His face and hears those least brethren He sends will hear Him and be healed..
Thanks you, dear sister, for listening to His voice once again as you wrote this blog. ⭐ ⭐
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What a coincidence, Michael! I am amazed!! Glad to hear what I wrote on here was timely for you regarding this (as to your son-in-law, that is). 🙂
You are welcome as to listening to His voice in this blog… although I had a very hard time to write it all down 😛 since I did not really like what I wrote myself.
Also, I was wondering if anyone could really LIKE that harsh stuff I published on here.
Somehow I ‘knew’ you would add this Scripture from Isaiah, my brother. Thus I dropped it in my article. 😀 Thank you for always adding the complement to what I wrote! What a great fellowship in the Spirit we share, Michael!! Thank God! 🙂
Yes, this whole church system IS satanic, my brother. Alas. 😦
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Susanne, even though we rarely write joint articles, the Spirit so often is saying the same things and giving us both common experiences as He teaches us His Truth. Being ONE in the Spirit with you has been a real blessing for me. It is sad that this is not more common among Christians where the only unity they know is to be members of the same church or adhere to the same pastor’s teaching or book of doctrine. Being one in His Spirit is so much greater than being in agreement in these other things, wouldn’t you say? For instance, being one in these other things falls way short of what Paul was saying about real body life IN Christ…
“that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” (1Cor 12:25-26, ESV2011)
How often have you and I known such unity, dear sister, having the same thoughts at the same time and knowing what to pray for the other as the need arises. We have even shared the same pains in our bodies at the same time! How literal are these words, “If one member suffers, all suffer together”! It really gives a deeper meaning to what “unity in the faith” can be. Imagine if we draw so close together in the Spirit that Jesus’ prayer becomes true,
“And the glory which you gave me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and you in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that you have sent me, and have loved them, as you have loved me.” (John 17:22-23, KJ2000)
I am so glad that the realm of the Spirit defies all the limitations of time and space and brings us to the place where our own personal agendas fade away as we become one in HIS kingdom.
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What a wonderful comment, Michael! 🏆🎉💛 Thanks a lot!! 🤗
It has truly been a great blessing from God to make us one the way He did, including body pains, same thoughts at the same time, getting burdened in the heart as we sense the other one is going to be attacked by false spirits soon.
All these things happened without our logic and reasoning involved. Walking in His Spirit by faith is a matter of the 💗, nothing else. 👍🏻
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Susanne, you wrote, “All these things happened without our logic and reasoning involved. Walking in His Spirit by faith is a matter of the 💗, nothing else. 👍🏻” So true. Walking together in the Spirit goes beyond human reasoning for God said that His ways are not our ways and our thoughts are not HIS thoughts. Following His leading will often put us in a position that people do not understand or agree with, even those close to us as they rely on human logic. This is where the real test happens on who is more important in our lives (see Matt.10:35-39 and Luke 6:26). Paul prayed for all the saints,
“That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to KNOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST THAT SURPASSES KNOWLEDGE, and may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Eph 3:17-19, ESV2011)
I believe that you were saying the same thing above as he was in this passage. What a wonderful experience it is to be one in Christ and in His Spirit together. Thank you Jesus for all you have done and are doing in our lives and the lives of all who put you and your Father”s kingdom first. Amen.
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Michael, your reply was very timely for us here today. You wrote,
“Following His leading will often put us in a position that people do not understand or agree with, even those close to us as they rely on human logic. This is where the real test happens on who is more important in our lives.”
Just today Sarah messaged me on Skype and shared an email with me. She was invited by the Bavarian Elite Academy to apply for a scholarship because of her very good grades at university. Hmm…. She did not know how to react, Paul said he was proud of her but was not that thrilled, either, and I had an immediate check on my mind from God, not knowing what to say at all. I felt it was encouraging to get such an invitation, but I felt led to check it out on the internet. Well, this is this world. They offer you a lot of money, but they steal your free time completely. You will get a leader trained by this and that commercial size, you have to work abroad and elsewhere until the cows come home. And all that stress for riches and fame? No. I asked Sarah whether I could call her briefly and asked her without telling her what I had just found out and what my heart had told me before. She only said, “It is good to know that you are appreciated, but I think I won’t do that.” Feeeeeew! Our daughter! God’s child also!! 🙂 Paul was alse relieved to hear that Sarah would not join this modern slavery of sorts. 🙂 It seems God spoke to all our hearts at the same time here. This Scripture comes to mind,
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Mt 6:24 ESV)
Amen to that! 🙂 But will anyone who is used to worldly thinking understand our mindset here? I guess NO.
Thank you for listening to the Lord’s voice and to write THIS comment, my dear brother! ❤
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You are welcome, Susanne. It is a joy to be one with you and your family as Father leads you in His will. ❤
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Yes, it is a great joy, Michael. It seems God works miracles at times when we pray. 🕊 Maybe, we should pray more often. 🤔
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For sure, Susanne.🙏👍
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Great stuff Sue & the comments were interesting too! # 1 we read in the Bible that a jackass spoke by God and # 2 Dad showed me something one time by the actions of a little dog.# 3—-well I could go to a hundred.
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Thanks for your encouraging comment, Ken. Eventually, you drove the message from Judi about the donkey home to me. Indeed, I had my wires crossed and could only remember that I posted a pic of a donkey lately. YES! The donkey spoke to Balaam! I copy and paste the whole thing because it is both (seemingly) funny and frightening, too.
25 And when the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she pushed against the wall and pressed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So he struck her again.
26 Then the angel of the Lord went ahead and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left.
27 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam. And Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff.
28 Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”
29 And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you.”
30 And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.”
31 Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face.
32 And the angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse3 before me.
33 The donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let her live.” (Numbers 22:25-33 ESV)
I wonder what might happen if God opened our eyes to really see what is going on in the spiritual realm? Maybe, we would stand still and keep watching this new world that has been there all the time. Yet we were not aware of it in the majority of cases.
I love watching nature, animals, plants, clouds and more. It seems to me God is speaking all the time, even to everyone. But we can only perceive it when we are not distracted by our noisy everyday life, by the chatter of other people and by our own (sometimes very compelling and loud) thought life.
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