I AM the Resurrection

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death, eternal life, experience, good works, grace, life after death, Life and Death, Martin Luther, Nicky Gumbel, Pippa Gumbel, salvation, true faith, truth

When time as we know it comes to an end, eternity in Christ begins.
(Picture taken from http://riverbankoftruth.com/)

Just lately I felt concerned about those who are grieved because they do not know whether their loved ones will be saved or not. Even looking closely at other people, we sometimes perceive no outward sign of faith in Jesus Christ. BUT that does not mean that they won’t be saved!

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Sin does not equal sin or… God only judges the heart

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discerning the spirits, exhortation, experience, forgiveness, grace, heart, judging others, light, rest, sin, truth

Fall Has Come…
(Photo by Susanne Schuberth)

While typing the headline, I myself just wondered about the wording of this title. You and I know what sin is when we read or talk about it, however, is it possible that there are differences of motives when we fall in sin? I was just thinking about the Pharisees who by condemning a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery basically did no wrong thing according to their own law as they wanted to stone her. The Jews indeed had the right to judge those who belonged to them, just as they had no right to do so with others who were no Jews like the Gentiles. But here stood Jesus who represented the end of the Old Covenant, the end of the law for all those who believe in Him (cf. Rom 10:4). He alone was the One who could show grace to this poor woman “for the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (Jn 1:17 ESV)

Was Jesus a nice guy?

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discerning the spirits, exhortation, experience, flattery, following Jesus, Jesus Christ, knowing God, Michael Clark, people pleaser, Satan, the new self, the old self, truth

Jesus cleanses the temple…
(Source http://thinktheology.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Jesus_temple.jpg)

Wikipedia offers the following description of a nice guy. It reads,

“A nice guy is an informal term for a teenage or adult male who is gentle, compassionate, sensitive and/or vulnerable.[1] The term is used both positively and negatively.[2] When used positively, and particularly when used as a self-descriptor, it is intended to imply a male who puts the needs of others before his own, avoids confrontations, does favors, gives emotional support, tries to stay out of trouble, and generally acts nicely towards others.[3] In the context of a relationship, it may also refer to traits of honesty, loyalty, romanticism, courtesy and respect. When used negatively, a nice guy implies a male who is unassertive, does not express his true feelings…”

Some Thoughts on Reading… and Writing

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books, Christian books, head knowledge, heart knowledge, Jesus Christ, reading, the Bible, truth, writing

Snowflakes or Snowsticks? 😉
(Photo by Susanne Schuberth)

Today I have been wondering how to publish a new blog post despite a permanent headache, no inspiration, and ongoing dying pains of self in heart and mind. On the one hand, I thought I should write another article, but on the other hand I was truly too worn out. Finally, I laid it all back into God’s hands and after cooking dinner and tidying up the kitchen, He reminded me of a comment I wrote for another blog exactly 3 weeks ago, a comment which had not been approved because of that blog site’s incompatibility with my Google account. The topic on which I wrote was the pros and cons of reading, particularly Christian books, of course. Here’s my comment.

Growing up into Him with Heart and Mind

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charity, following Jesus, God's love, head knowledge, heart, heart knowledge, love, mind, repentance, spiritual power, truth

Source Pinterest

“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)

Here are two excerpted commentaries on Ephesians chapter 4 which describe more detailed how Christian growth should look like.

The Nature of Unconditional Love

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Adam and Eve, darkness, God, God's love, Jesus Christ, Leighton Ford, light, love, paradise, Stephen Kendrick, truth

GOD LOVES YOU
(Photo taken from http://knowjoy.com/gods-love/)

I am rather sure that most of you have already heard the following quote at some point in your life.

“God loves us the way we are, but too much to leave us that way.”
(Leighton Ford)

Some years ago I listened to an interesting sermon on TV. It was a joy to listen to that man who was a very gifted preacher. However, at the end of his lecture you could see him addressing himself to the invisible viewing public in a sort of altar call, telling them,

Been There, Done That

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compassion, darkness, experience, God, God's love, heart, Leonid Afremov, light, listening, love, peace, righteousness of God, Satan, talk, thought life, truth

Walking in the Light Despite Darkness (Painting ‘Romantical Love’ by Leonid Afremov)

Just recently it began to dawn on me that many of the misunderstandings we experience every day could be easily avoided if we tried to listen to one another more carefully. We hear someone say something or we read what someone wrote and immediately think, “Oh well – been there, done that,” without thinking further and deeper about what that particular person might have really meant.

The Temptation of Spiritual Gurudom

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darkness, experience, healing power, Holy Spirit, John Wesley, light, love, manifestations, Satan, self, spiritual power, truth

What We Really Need
(Photo http://www.richinchristnow.com/2013-resolution-or-revelation)

The first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 12, verses 7-11 ESV reads as follows,

(7) To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
(8) For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,
(9) to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,
(10) to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
(11) All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

When the Morning Star rises…

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behavior, discerning the spirits, dreams, feelings, goals, God, God's love, health, Joel Osteen, lies, light, love, mindset, Morning Star, Satan, thought life, thoughts, truth

On the Way between Darkness and Light
(Photo by Susanne Schuberth)

“And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Pt 1:19-21 ESV)

Q: Do we need the Bible?

According to the verses quoted above, the prophetic word of the whole Bible is suitable for giving some light on our path so that we can make the next step toward Him who eventually gives us full-spectrum light. Or in other words,

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Ps 119:105 ESV)

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”” (Jn 8:12 ESV)

So, it appears to be a way…

From Inspiration to Plagiarism

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copyright, inspiration, love, plagiarism, truth

Fading Flower in a Golden Cup (Photo by Susanne Schuberth)

I want to be emphatic about the fact that there is a big difference between being inspired by writings or songs from others, so that some pictures or words unfold a certain abstract influence on our own works. That is normal and nothing which should be mentioned at all. We all get usually some inspiration from one another (unless we have been directly inspired by God), don’t we? Actually, we are no lonely clouds in the sky…

Yet it is not safe to copy in extract, whether unaltered or modified – even small pieces of others’, let’s say writings here, by working them up with one’s own works without revealing the source from which they were taken. To give it a name: that is plagiarism!