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beholding God, discerning the spirits, dying to self, encouragement, entering his rest, experience, faith, following Jesus, freedom, Jesus Christ, mind, new life, purity, revelation, simplicity, spiritual power, T.A. Sparks, the cross, The Holy Spirit, the mind of Christ, walking by the spirit
The simplicity that is ours in Christ is not the exact wording Scripture offers since the apostle Paul voiced his misgivings when he said the following,
“But I am afraid that, even as the serpent beguiled Eve by his cunning, your minds may be corrupted and led away from the simplicity of [your sincere and] pure devotion to Christ.” (2 Cor 11:3 AMP)
If our Christian life does not always appear to be that easy or simple, maybe, there is a reason why we sometimes struggle so much. This Bible verse above suggests that our focus might turn out to be the root cause of our conflicts. As an illustration, let us think for a moment about a small baby that has just started to explore the life in which it was born. During their first year on earth, babies seem to be intrigued by everything and everyone that comes into view. With big round eyes they gaze at whomever and whatever could be looked at. And how very long they can stare at the object observed! If they watch a human being keeping eye contact with them, they will often start to smile in an irresistible way at that. 😊
To keep this post as simple and as short as possible, 😉 I only want to mention that our walk with God in Christ should be as simple as a baby’s outlook on life. So often we are tempted to think problems (real or imaginary) over and over again, from any human perspective that comes to mind. But sometimes God’s solution for our very concern lies in a completely different realm, a realm of which we might not have thought at all. The reason for our “blindness” toward the proper solution often times springs from not knowing God’s plan for our lives. He knows the future and what will happen next. We don’t. Therefore, faith and confidence in God’s perfect provision is what we might need the most.
Recently, I found a both simple and, to me, intriguing quote from T. Austin-Sparks. In particular, it was the first paragraph below that jumped right out on me as to its simplicity AND inherent truth. TAS said,
“The Holy Spirit can reveal Jesus Christ in our hearts as to every detail in our lives. And only in the measure in which the Holy Spirit reveals Jesus Christ to us does He solve also, at the same time, all our problems; because the answer to all our problems is Jesus Christ.
“For Paul Christ was the unveiling of a heavenly world. From the time he saw the Lord the earthly order of things had gone for him. It was gone with the crucified One, and for ever set aside. The Risen One meant “all things new.” In Him everything was raised to a new life, and that life was the perfect expression of the Son of God Himself. He was the measure, the fulness of all things. Everything has to be according to Him; everything has to be a reflection of Himself. Paul has accepted in all its consequences the separating line which God had drawn on the Cross between himself and the old world. “The world is crucified to me…” (1)
Returning to the baby that is just exploring its new life on earth, I believe what we all need to do is the same on a spiritual level. We ought to more and more look in every given situation at the One Who created us all.
“But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Cor 3:16-18 ESV)
May God give us eyes to see Who He really is and what is ours in Christ.
(1) https://www.austin-sparks.net/english/books/004324.html
“In keeping with T. Austin-Sparks’ wishes that what was freely received should be freely given and not sold for profit, and that his messages be reproduced word for word, we ask if you choose to share these messages with others, to please respect his wishes and offer them freely – free of any changes, free of any charge (except necessary distribution costs) and with this statement included.”
All images by Susanne Schuberth 2021
Entering the Promised Land 
My dear Spirit led sister in Christ,
You quoted Paul who wrote to the Corinthians,
“But I am afraid that, even as the serpent beguiled Eve by his cunning, your minds may be corrupted and led away from the simplicity of [your sincere and] pure devotion to Christ.” (2 Cor 11:3 AMP)
Then you went on to say, “If our Christian life does not always appear to be that easy or simple, maybe, there is a reason why we sometimes struggle so much. This Bible verse above suggests that our focus might turn out to be the root cause of our conflicts.” Oh, how true! When we are seduced away from the simplicity of our walk in Christ it is Satan trying to draw us back to the life we were saved from which Paul described so well…
“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind…” (Eph 2:1-3, ESV2011)
What an appropriate and timely blog you posted again with this one. 🙂 Simplicity! That is what it means to walk by the Spirit and not by the flesh. When we have lost the simplicity of following the Spirit moment by moment there is no peace, but rather a whole lot of confusion and distractions drawing us away from our simple and spiritually rich walk IN Christ. Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” God’s will and ways are not complicated, but the way of the devil gets more and more complicated day by day until we have lost all our peace. God calls us to live in heavenly places in Christ, but the enemy seeks to pull us down into his pit of confusion and sorrow on this earth.
I looked up the Greek word that was translated “simplicity” in the above verse and it is a lot richer than this English word might imply,
haplotes (ha-plo’-tees) n.
singleness.
(subjectively) sincerity (without dissimulation or self-seeking).
(objectively) generosity (copious bestowal).
Simplicity: singleness of mind, sincerity, without self-seeking and generosity. God just rescued me from a very complicated mess in which I was losing my sincerity with the saints, I had become self-seeking and my generosity was desirous toward myself and not others. I was getting involved with bankers and realtors because I was drawn away by my soulish desire to live in a house on a lake. The more I got involved with these people of the world system the deeper the pit of confusion got. I was being “carried off by the desires of my body and mind” once again.
At first it all looked so good and innocent and I had justified it by the chance to live closer to our family in Texas. Just like that forbidden fruit looked to Eve in the garden of Eden and eating of it was all justified in her mind, Satan was running his age old scam on me. After he tempted her it is recorded, “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.” As it was with Eve I had not sought God’s will in the matter and because of that I was on the enemies ground. John wrote about how all this works in Satan’s kosmos (the world) saying,
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world— the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (1John 2:15-17, ESV2011)
Through your prayers and those of others who know me in Christ my eyes were finally opened to see the trap I was getting into. By the power of God the final outcome was all good, though. The simplicity of following the Spirit is back, the self-seeking is gone and God dealt with an old split that existed between our oldest son and myself due to my lack of generosity and forgiveness toward him. God used Satan once again to reveal a hidden sin in my heart. Part of my desire to run off to Texas was to run away from our son who lives close by us in Idaho. There was an old rift between us because of my lack of generosity toward him. By the light of the spirit I was able to see it and face it square on and we deeded the house we owned that he was living in over to them this week. The other thing that happened two nights ago was that I hugged him and told him how proud I was of him, something I had not been able to do for years. I am happy to say that my relationship with our son and his wife is being restored and the walls between us are coming down.
Thank you Susanne for your sensitivity in the Spirit and all your prayers, my dear sister and thank you for this timely word from our Daddy.
Your brother in Christ forever,
Michael
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You are so welcome as to my prayers for you and yours in this tricky situation, my dear brother, and as for the sharing of this little blog as well. I am so happy that God interfered the way He did in your life. What Satan meant for evil, God meant for good!! 🙏🏼🕊️😇
Satan tries everything to pull us down on his ground. TAS mentioned that either the devil hinders us to ever enter God’s rest where we ought to be seated with Christ on His throne. Or if we have entered the Promised Land finally, the enemy keeps attacking us so that, if we believe his lies, we ‘fall down from the heavenlies’ and all former rest and peace seem to be lost. It is truly a warfare that should not to be underestimated. Without prayer and watchfulness while becoming more and more dependent on Christ and His leading, we are toast.
Your Scriptures and explanations fit perfectly, Michael! Also, I like these different translations for “simplicity”. 🕊️🌈⭐
Your sister in Christ 4ever,
Susanne 💖
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Susanne, you describe the warfare we are in perfectly. I am so grateful for all your prayers and spiritual insight and that of other saints who pray for us as well. Surely He is working in my life to see Isaiah 33:17 fulfilled before I cross over to the other side…
“Your eyes will see the King in all his splendor, and you will see a land that stretches into the distance [a land of far away places].” (Isa 33:17, NLT)
And this promise of Jesus which He made personal to me as well fits perfectly…
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end…” (Isa 9:6-7, ESV2011)
Surely His heavenly kingdom is a place that stretches into far away places and the increase of HIS government over it will never end. And this happens within us in the hear and now! For Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is in your midst.” To see this in action in a heavenly way by the Spirit and to behold His glory is a promise I will continue to pray for the rest of my days here on earth. I am so glad He has made you part of this journey with me.
Michael
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Michael, I am happy to see that God gave you these two promises lately.
“He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” ( 1 Thes 5:24 ESV)
Joining you in your prayers,
Your sister Sanne in Christ
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Pingback: The Simplicity of Being in One Mind with Christ « A Wilderness Voice
Thank you very much for the link to my blog, Michael. 😇👍🏼
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Susanne, someone once said, “Preaching the gospel is nothing more than one beggar telling another beggar where he found some bread.” I have found directions to the Bread of Life on your blog, dear sister, and how can I not share them? ⭐ ❤
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That was sweet by you, thank you so much, Michael. 🙂 ❤
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Thanks for this, Susanne, Amen. This is the substance of a verse the Lord has spoken into my heart: “The LORD preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me” (Ps 116:6 NKJV). How we need to heed this in our day when there is so much knowledge available to us, and the temptation is to become wise in our own eyes!
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You are very welcome, Allan. This Scripture has just spoken to me, too. Thanks!
I know whenever I read too much or when I (have to) listen for a longer time to conversations where Jesus is not in the focus of interest, I start to feel ‘blah’. That for me is the sign to return to Him as soon as possible and to seek His presence instead of anything else. Therefore, I often think of these verses below.
“[…] Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. But if any man love God, the same is known of him.” (1 Cor 8:1-3 KJV)
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THANK YOU, ALLAN!!! As I read Allan’s verse in Psalms, it was that sky opened and HIS knowledge came into me regarding the simplicity and humility that God want to work in us by the cross of Christ. I tried to explain here what I was all of a sudden able to see: https://awildernessvoice.blog/2022/01/22/the-simplicity-of-being-in-one-mind-with-christ/comment-page-1/#comment-14050
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That is wonderful, Michael! I just read your comment before you linked it on here. 🙂
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Susanne, it like His cleansing wave swept through my heart as Daddy opened up those verses in Psalms to me! God is sooooo good! And the cross is no longer seen as my enemy, but my friend.
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Seeing the cross as our friend to finally bring us into the kingdom of God and to help us stay there is a mystery, indeed. I am happy to hear this good news, my dear brother! 🙂
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I guess that I should not be surprised that the victory and the clarity of vision I have been writing about above, in a few short hours has unleashed a large attack from the enemy to pull me back down into his kosmos (the world) where he is prince and make me want to withdraw.
“Rejoice not against me, O my enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me. I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my cause, and executes justice for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.” (Mic 7:8-9, KJ2000)
Your prayers would be appreciated.
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Of course, my dear brother, you have my prayers. I was sad to hear about your latest struggles. 😦 You might know that it has been the same for me since I have been under continuous attack by the enemy lately, too. It also seems to me when one member suffers, all suffer. Belonging to the Body of Christ means that it is not possible to be happy when we see that another one suffer at the same time.
“Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved!” (Ps 80:7 ESV)
Amen.
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Amen
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This life in Christ’s body with the mutual suffering is getting so real. Yes, when one member (who we are welded together with in the Spirit… true body life) suffers, the whole body who is in like unity suffers. It reminds me of the time Peter was put in prison by Herod after he killed James and the whole body went into prayer. The result was that God acted and sent an angel to break his chains and open the prison doors and he was released! Oh, the power of our unity in the Spirit!
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Great example, Michael! The power of joint prayer, how often is it underestimated, still. Only when we had the experience to have been set free after such prayers, we KNOW that God is always at hand to help us out of every seemingly hopeless situation.
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Though sometimes painful, He truly works in wondrous ways His wonders to perform. Thanks for all your prayers, dear sister.
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Yes, His ways are so different from ours. You are welcome as to the prayers, my dear brother.
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Yes, His ways are so different than ours for we tend to reflect everything that happens to us in terms of THIS live and its immediate comforts. I think if we could see from His eternity and HIS eternal purposes to have a family who shares in His glory for eternity, we would better understand what happens in our lives and have a vision to see it come to pass regardless of the suffering that goes with the workings of that goal.
“For it befitted him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons [and daughters] unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifies [Jesus] and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, Saying, ‘I will declare your name unto my brethren, in the midst of the congregation will I sing praise unto you.’ And again, ‘I will put my trust in him.’ And again, ‘Behold I and the children whom God has given me.'” (Heb 2:10-13, KJ2000)
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So true, Michael. We do need another perspective than ours to come to see what God has had in His Mind, even regarding our life here on earth. Paul said,
“For I consider [from the standpoint of faith] that the sufferings of the present life are not worthy to be compared with THE GLORY THAT IS ABOUT TO BE REVEALED to us and IN US!” (Rom 8:18 AMP – emphasis in caps added)
All this suffering and the trials God allows should usher us into the Kingdom of God, so to speak. If we have died to our old nature’s desire to seek comfort in earthly things, we can go on and realize that all our circumstances were to weaken our trust in anything that can bee seen, heard and perceived by our natural senses.
The reason why I highlighted “THE GLORY THAT IS ABOUT TO BE REVEALED… IN US!” above was that I saw that this verb μέλλουσαν (mellousan) in Greek which points to our “future” glory can be translated differently. What I felt was more appropriate than to postpone our future glory completely to the hereafter, was to listen to what the Spirit through Jesus often said. You know this, “The hour is coming… and is NOW…. In THAT day, you will ask nothing of me… the time has come….” and so on. We often thought or were taught that God would lay us “on hold” until we have died physically so that nothing of this future glory could be seen or enjoyed right now.
From my comparably few experiences since June last year until today I can say that the kingdom of God reflects His glory, even inside us. We are being transformed into His image, day after day a little more. And indeed, it is a glory to be revealed to our spiritual senses only. How could the apostle have talked about a glory he had never seen or experienced before? 🙄 I believe Paul knew exactly what he was talking about. Therefore, having been drawn into his inner man (which alone is eternal), he got less and less aware of what was happening around him. Thus he could say,
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Phil 4:4-8 ESV)
It is IN the Lord alone, finally, that everything becomes possible which has been impossible to our old man. It is here in the kingdom of God where Christ eventually rules our whole life and where He turns everything to the glory of God which is a future glory to be revealed openly/publicly/visibly to everyone later, but a glory in which we already share spiritually, so to say. We are being transformed into His likeness, from glory to glory (2 Cor 3:18). Even now.
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Praying for you, Michael.
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Thanks, Allan.
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I came through this spiritual attack, Alan and Susanne, and what seemed to be an impossible, no-win situation was turned into His glory. As Joseph told his brothers, “What you meant for evil, God meant it for good.”
Thanks so MUCH for your prayers and the prayers of all of you who read the things that we have shared on this blog.
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I am happy to hear this, Michael. And I am glad God answered the prayers so quickly. 😇🕊️🙏🏼🕊️😇👍🏼
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Susanne, you are quite right about Romans 8:18…
“…THE GLORY THAT IS ABOUT TO BE REVEALED to us and IN US!”
“about” is from the Greek word Mello which means “about to happen, imminent, impending.”
“Revealed” is from the Greek apokolupto, from where we get the word revelation. As we walk in the Spirit He is our teacher revealing the things having to do with the kingdom of God and our part in it as we both have experienced over the years.
the world “in” “revealed IN us” is that intimate word eis, which means INTO. His glory by His sovereignty is being revealed INTO us as we behold Him. This same glory was revealed INTO Stephan in a mighty way so that his face shined like that of an angel at his trial. The glory of God shown on the face of Moses as he would come forth from the tent of meeting or on Mount Sinai for 40 days where he spent time with God. Consider this passage,
“Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory.Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory. Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end…. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2Cor 3:7-18, ESV2011)
I have seen this glory on the faces of many of His true saints. We are being transformed from glory to glory as we behold Him.
What shall we say if we neglect so great of a salvation? Father, lead us into your glory that we might be shining lights in this dark world, Amen.
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Thanks for this elucidating contribution, Michael. I hope some will read it. 👍🏼
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Elucidating? It seems that this dear German speaking sister knows the English language better than I do. ⭐ 🙂
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No, Michael, certainly not. But you know that I am language-loving woman. 🥰 And as I sensed the word LUX (which means light in Latin) in ‘elucidating’, I thought I could use it as you brought more light in here. 💡🕊️😇
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It is a blessing to be used by Him in such a way in the lives of his saints as they do the same for me. 😇👍😇
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😇🙏🏼🕊️🙏🏼😇👍🏼
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elucidate
ĭ-loo͞′sĭ-dāt″
intransitive verb
You are welcome, dear sister.
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…and “glory” also can refer to light…:-)
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You are right, Louise. Very good! ⭐
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Cor 4:6 ESV)
He [Jesus] is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. (Heb 1:3 ESV)
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“May God give us eyes to see Who He really is and what is ours in Christ.” Amen.
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Thank you, Anna. ❤
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