False Christ-Centeredness

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Christian books, Christianity, church, consistency, deeds, discerning the spirits, exhortation, experience, false spirits, Karl Barth, sacraments, Satan, sin, the old self, theology, Thomas F. Torrance, thought life

Some of you might wonder why I keep publishing about the dangers of clinging to the wrong spirits. However, I believe it is important to get rid of all negative influences that might be able to pull us away from a personal and intimate relationship with Christ risen. If we want to feed on Christ by seeking His presence daily, we should stay away from reading books, blogs, or the like that pollute our minds with an abundance of theological theories. Even though we might always find some truth in theological writings, a true Christian writer can solely be someone who knows God and is known by Him also. Actually, don’t we want to be introduced to all the truth instead of to some starters only? Dear reader, what this world thinks is recommendable is usually detestable in God’s eyes. The same applies to the religious world of Christianity where the average Christian has been raised to look up to charismatic high-profile figures. The book market is flooded with a diversity of Christian books that are not always helpful to lead us into the truth as it is revealed in Christ alone. Let me give you an example here the Lord has just made me aware of.

Confusion vs. Clarity or… The Difference Between God’s and Satan’s Voice

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discerning the spirits, exhortation, experience, following Jesus, God, God's voice, heart, joy, light, Nicolas Chamfort, peace, Satan, Satan's voice, the new self, the old self, thought life

And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. “I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” (Rev 3:7-8 ESV)
(Picture taken from http://www.alive.com/health/from-confusion-to-clarity/)

Let’s say some people request you to do various things for them, but you immediately see that it would be an impossible task to do everything during the free time you have been given by God. If you are like me, you might have tried to do ALL things as quick as possible, though. In fact, I always thought that would be loving, kind, and polite to act that way. However, lately the Lord showed me how unloving it was. Not that I had been unloving toward others, but it began to dawn on me that I neglected my own needs extremely, or in other words, I hated myself. On Saturday I discovered an interesting quote on my daily calendar in the kitchen. It reads,

“The ability to give voice to the word ‘No’ is the first step toward freedom.”
(Nicolas Chamfort)

Sanctification – our spiritual workout

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experience, faith, feeling, God's love, mountain top experiences, mystery, Oswald Chambers, rest, sanctification, seeing God, thought life

Just a Look from Above…
(Photo by Paul Schuberth)

Just imagine you were an experienced mountain climber and there was a particular mountain you know like the back of your hand. You have been at the summit several times, you even found different ways to climb up and down, your muscles are athletically trained, and your body knows how to deal with sudden pains and injuries too. Looking at the sky before you begin to climb, you know from your own experience without consulting the weather forecast which weather lies ahead of you and you know which clothing and how much food you will need.

Attaining Maturity of Faith

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faith, God's love, head knowledge, heart knowledge, intimacy, John Gill, knowing, knowing God, Oswald Chambers, spiritual power, true faith

Christian Love Quote

Indeed, I have just read the best and shortest definition of what faith really is. A few words that explain why so many who only know the Bible are still struggling with getting more faith when they read and reread written promises of God. However, their faith does not really grow and they cannot attain spiritual maturity. Even praying over those aforementioned Scriptures, i.e. promises, alone does rarely help anyone. Why? Here comes the definition.

Continuous Joy and Peace?

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abiding in Christ, circumstances, faith, freedom, Jesus Christ, joy, peace, rest, the promised land, true faith

Cruiser in the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal, Fürth – March 31, 2015
(Photo by Susanne Schuberth)

If I had not believed in the possibility of enjoying God’s joy and peace on a permanent basis, I would not have dared to write one word about it. Despite struggling with falling in and out of such a desirable spiritual condition, I could not help searching and knocking on Heaven’s door to, please, let me in and to give me what I wanted. If God had been a man, He would have certainly been stressed out by a woman who had asked Him almost daily – for two decades – to give her a certain blessing as we find it described in the Parable of Persistent Widow (cf. Lk 18:1-8). But thank God, He is not a man and loves to be asked until He gives us graciously what only He can give.

Paul in his letter to the Philippians writes several times about the capability to rejoice in the Lord in ALL circumstances. We might think here, for example, about Paul’s and Silas’ experiences of how the Philippian jailer had been converted as it is written in Acts.