Alive Only in Christ

“Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.”  John 5:24

There is so much to learn from God about “deadness.”  How many people throughout history experienced “deadness” only to discover God?

Here are some examples:  Sarah experienced the deadness of her womb (and Abraham – deadness in his body) only to discover God’s ability alone to give her a son, according to God’s promise – Isaac.

Hannah experienced deadness of her womb, only to discover God’s ability alone in giving her a son – Samuel – a man of God.

Elizabeth experienced the deadness of her womb, only to discover God’s ability alone giving her a son in her old age – John – a man of God – witness of the Light sent from God:  Jesus Christ.

And then through Paul, God taught about deadness of man in trespasses and sins.  But there is indeed another spiritual understanding of deadness that God also taught through Paul and continues to teach us today by His Word and Spirit:

The deadness of human ability to achieve the glory of God in these mortal jars of clay.

How then does it come?

Through faith in the Living Son of God within the heart.  “Christ in you, the hope of Glory.”  “And the LIFE I now live, I live by faith in/of the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.”  (Colossians 1:27, Galatians 2:20)

This is the glory and mystery of the Gospel of God in Jesus Christ.

All people are dead. 

As believers we are to reckon ourselves dead.  Dead to what?

Dead to sin and its power.  And we are to reckon (count) ourselves ALIVE TO GOD in Jesus Christ and through Jesus Christ:  but only through Jesus Christ. (Rom. 6)

Faith is looking solely at Jesus Christ, through Him comes ALL things.  We live by Him; we walk by Him; we think by and through Him; we do by and through Him.

These women could NOT boast in themselves about these babies.  They could say that line out of the fictional, classic movie, “Gone With the Wind,” with their whole hearts:  “I don’t know nuthin about birthin no babies.”

But they did say along with the real Mary, chosen vessel of God to bear the Christ child:  “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, My Savior!” They gave glory solely to God, because He alone did it!

It’s the same with our lives and walk, experiencing life through the Resurrection Life and Power of the Son of God within our hearts.

“Oh, Lord – we look to you, our Life, our All.  We know it is YOUR WILL to be magnified in us by the power and Life of Your indwelling Son within our hearts.  AMEN!”

Trusting in Jesus Christ, our Life and Hope of Glory,

Sue Gaither

The Power of God

The Power of God

Oh my friends, how many of us truly know and understand the true power of God?

Paul wrote, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel of God – for it is the power of God to everyone who BELIEVES…”

In Ephesians 3, there is a precious prayer Paul prays – it’s an everlasting prayer for all generations to pray who come to faith in Christ.

The prayer is to be strengthened with might by the Holy Spirit in our inner man, according to the riches of HIS GLORY…

But for what?

To KNOW…to know and understand, apprehend, comprehend the LENGTH, the BREADTH, the HEIGHTH, the WIDTH, of the love of Christ – surpassing ALL knowledge – now listen to this:  TO BE FILLED UP WITH ALL THE FULNESS OF GOD!

“That I may KNOW HIM and the power of His resurrection…”

How many are praying for the power of God to know?  To know Jesus Christ – really, really, really, really, really KNOW HIM?  The ONE WHO IS ALIVE AND SITS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD AND DWELLS WITHIN US BY HIS SPIRIT?

Some might be saying, “But I have this going on in my life, work is distracting me, that person is taking up all my time…” 

Friend, I believe God is definitely NOT stupid.  We all have responsibilities in the earth, things to do.  BUT THE REAL POINT is this:  The power of God is ABLE to give us the MIND OF CHRIST in the MIDST of ALL these things!

The power of our RISEN LORD within our hearts is ABLE to be our life, our all, the wisdom in ALL THESE THINGS.  He is the STRENGTH for all right decisions, HE IS the CHOICE we make on a daily BASIS, and HE IS THE POWER to even cause our minds to FOCUS SOLELY ON HIM and Listening to Him!

“We have this TREASURE in these earthen vessels, so that the excellency of the power may be of GOD – NOT OF US!!!!”

Therefore the real question is:  what part of NOT OF US – do we NOT understand?

Flood the throne today – let us all go to God to be taught by Him concerning all things and we shall surely indeed know the TRUE POWER OF GOD in JESUS CHRIST!

Loving the Lord’s way,

Sue Gaither

Changed Forever

Changed Forever

How wonderfully powerful the Truth is:

The Truth stops the merry-go-round (confusion).  The Truth is peace.  The Truth is life, joy.  Truth is freedom and fruitfulness (the real kind) – the Truth is Jesus Christ.

When Christ came into our spirits (hearts), we were changed.

We were made sons and daughters through the life of God’s Spirit.  “Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son…”  Galatians 4:7

We were sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1) just exactly like you would seal a jar in canning season.

You first take a jar, sterilize it, put “somethin” in the jar like jam, then seal it.

It is no longer just a jar, but a jar of jam.

The focus then is NOT on the jar, but the jam.

Our jars were dead (Ephesians 2:1).  Now that’s the most unsterilized you could be.

We then were purified (sterilized) by Christ through believing in His blood shed on Calvary and all the work He accomplished (the Gospel).

Now He could come in those purified jars – and He did.  This is when we were sealed with the Holy Spirit.  (Ephesians 1:13 – listen, we were sealed when we believed).

The focus then is NOT on these jars, but the contents: Christ.

Now what?

Taste the Lord and see that He is good. (Psalm 34:8).  “…if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”  I Peter 2:3.

Know the Lord, He is most definitely, the contents.

“In Whom are hidden ALL the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”  Colossians 2:3

Anything and everything else is nothing but religion.  We are not called to religion – we were called to Christ.

“Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit according to the traditions of men…for in HIM ALL the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily and you are complete in Him…” (This is because He is complete) Colossians 2: 8, 9

The Christ within is the living Spirit WHO brings forth Himself. Want transformation in our walk?  Look to the contents, Jesus Christ.  

Our faith is looking at Jesus, trusting Him to bring forth Himself in ALL of our lives, in every way, and the way He desires.

“O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you that you should not obey (believe) the Truth…are you so foolish, having begun in the Spirit, are you now made perfect (sterilized, made a child, matured) by the flesh (religious activities)?…”  Galatians 3:3

“Father, God let the TRUTH sink in our minds and hearts in fullness.  It truly is by and through Your Son, His Spirit in our hearts we manifest the realities of Your GREAT SALVATION which You alone have wrought in us through Christ and Him alone.”

“By GRACE through faith we are SAVED (to the uttermost) and that not of ourselves, lest anyone should boast…”

The Truth is found in the Word of God taught by His Holy Spirit.

Looking at Christ Jesus with you,

Sue Gaither

Human Effort Versus God's Law of Life

Human Effort Versus God’s Law of Life

If the human body wonderfully made was made by God alone, without human help, what is the human spirit like after regeneration, in union with God’s Spirit?  Did I or do I help God?

Twila Paris wrote a song in which several lines say:

There is never space between us for a separation.
We are put together in the tightest way.
And a holy fusion causes this amalgamation.
We are held together in the brightest way.

Paul was shown just how glorious is the Gospel of God.  It is an astounding fact that Christ now lives in each human spirit born of God.   This bright Son of God is ALL light and glory.  God is conforming His children to Christ the Living Person, WHO is light and glory.  

“Who being the brightness of [his] glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high”.   Hebrews 1:3

A work of faith is what God truly is perfecting in us.  For all of our development in and through Christ comes through Him working in us – all brought to us by GRACE!

Remember some of the TV programs growing up where the announcer said that the program was brought to you by so and so?

Of course Jesus Christ is not a program but praise God, a Person – yet still brought to us by the GRACE OF GOD. 

Yes, yes.  If I really want to see the glory of God in my life, I start with GRACE through faith in Jesus Christ and follow ALL the way through with GRACE through faith in HIM! 

Put me in any other way – whether it be man’s system, programs, or whatever, I’m quenching God’s Spirit of Life and walking away from the GLORIOUS GOSPEL in JESUS CHRIST!

But…keep me on the road of “LOOKING AT JESUS CHRIST ALONE” and my heart soars with expectation, hope, and a knowing because He alone is faithful and true and will complete His own work!

Let us have GRACE, let us have Christ, let us look into the Face of Christ for ALL of God’s purpose, plan, fruitfulness, glory, hope, and eternity.  For it’s already been poured out upon us in God’s Son.  And the Spirit of God in us is the MASTER!

I am discovering more and more that obedience of faith comes through WINGS of LIFE (His Spirit within), not flesh trying to obey through a system or man-made methods.  There is a difference and it is God’s Spirit who teaches us “the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus.”

A Vessel Set Apart

A Vessel Set Apart

I think most of us have heard the word “sanctification” many times as a Christian.  I certainly have heard different definitions.  As I personally study the Scriptures with the Holy Spirit as my Interpreter, I find a precious meaning to the word.

Being justified by grace is something we all can get a hold of pretty quickly.  When we received Jesus Christ as our Righteousness (not ours, for we have none), we were absolutely and forever “justified” in His sight.  “Just as if we never sinned.”  You have to be that way to have entrance into eternity.  So this is why we “cling” to Christ in faith, because He is the Perfect Righteousness.

But again, what about sanctification?  Does it take years and years and years and years to be “qualified” in God’s sight as sanctified?  The definition I understand is “set apart.”  We are now “set apart” from unbelievers of the world as believers, saints, children of God through and by Christ Jesus alone.

So as a “set apart” person – truly born of God’s Spirit, what else?

I love the picture of a vessel we use in daily life – a glass is a good one to think about.  The glasses in our house are “set apart” for liquids – drinking water, tea, and lemonade – anything consumable.  We do not use our glasses in the kitchen for other things (although you could).  They are set apart.

Same thing with other vessels in the house – they have a distinct purpose.

Romans 6 declares to us HOW we maintain ourselves as NOW children of God – HOW fruit is going to come forth in our lives.  We have the entrance provided already into grace (Romans 5:1) – now we are daily leaning upon the One – looking to the One – living to the One WHO provides His Spirit of Life and grace for ALL of our living.

This denotes NO independence.  The glasses in the kitchen need ME to fill it with water.  They cannot fill themselves – this has never happened in our kitchen.  I am in charge of the vessel as to how much it is filled with liquid – I hold the glass – I direct the glass – I am the master over the glasses.

God is our Father.  Christ is our Lord.  We are being filled constantly with His Spirit of Life.  God’s Spirit is our Guide of all things.  Now we can, through our own will, not yield to the Lord’s Spirit – Romans 6 says we are to yield our members to righteousness, not unrighteousness.  Yielding to one or the other is the reality.  As Christians we say “flesh and spirit.”

God is teaching us to know Christ, the Living One residing in our hearts.  Renewing of the mind is God’s will for every son and daughter.  God has provided security for us in His love.  And He made a declaration that the mind of the Spirit is life and peace.  So yielding is something we do not have to be afraid of.  John 17:17 Jesus told us that we are SANCTIFIED BY THE TRUTH!  Therefore, truth alone renews the mind – and a renewed mind is full of life and peace.  It’s all connected!

The question is then, is my mind being renewed according to God’s Word of Life or men’s ideas and traditions.  This is the paradigm shift to me – to know the difference.  This leads to the other kind of “sanctification” given to us in Scriptures:

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts…”  I Peter 3:15a.

If Christ then, is the LIVING ONE in my heart – a true Person and I set Him apart in my heart as this One Reality, it makes sense to me that I am going to refer to Him in all things and certainly never live independently of His mind and will.  We can all grow in His strength and Spirit of Grace and in the knowledge of Him.  This is the great invitation.

“Thank you, God for making Your Son REAL in our hearts like never before.  Let our responses to you be with great clarity every day.  To walk with You is the highest honor ever bestowed upon us.  Thank you for the TRUTH being real to our hearts and minds – and the Spirit’s guidance in all things.  Amen!”

In His Love,

Sue Gaither

Let Us Be Reminded

Spirit Ears still exists - and we continue to write devotions.  However, since December (which is our last post), we have been working on two e-books.  One is completed - the other is a devotional e-book containing a number of devotions written over the span of 4 years.  It's coming soon.

God's Word is eternal though - He surely does not need man to interpret it for Him - He does all the interpretation/meaning.  We are the receivers and listeners.  God has granted His body to help one another in apprehension of the Truth until we ALL come into unity of the Faith and the knowledge of the Son of God.

It is a privilege to grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ AND to know Him.  So, we continue to write/speak as He enlightens.  It is His will to encourage one another DAILY until we see His appearing.  We surely walk by faith, not by sight.  The faith of God is more real than the seen world.  The world we see is the old creation - passed away (not yet fallen) and we are part of Christ, the New Man, the New Creation.

God says continue in our faith - it is NOT without disappointment, for those who believe in Him will not be disappointed as He says.

Below is the latest devotional from last week. 

Let Us Be Reminded

The Word of God refreshes, corrects, keeps, strengthens – the Word of God abides forever.

So what of God’s Word today can refresh, correct, keep and strengthen?  How about this from Romans 5:

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. ¹⁴ Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.

¹⁵ But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. ¹⁶ The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. ¹⁷ For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ

Simply put, Adam’s transgression brought death to ALL of humanity – no one has a choice whether or not death and sin would be part of them.  Everyone born in the world physically is/was born of Adam – sin and death.

BUT what did Christ bring?  What did Christ do?  Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ – His crucifixion, burial, and resurrection brought us ETERNAL LIFE in HIM!  Once in Adam, now in Christ!  Everyone born of Christ is now TRANSFERRED from death to Life – from Adam into Christ.

The Scriptures are clear that death once reigned over us – but now Christ reigns over us triumphantly in LIFE, in GRACE, in MERCY, in HOPE, for ALL eternity.

We do not have to rearrange this reality.  The reality (God’s Truth) stands forever – we only need to BELIEVE with our hearts the TRUTH!

The TRUTH of God sets us free.   The TRUTH of God gives joy and peace.

The only battle to fight then is the fight of faith – Satan contends to distort, rob and cheat us of God’s powerful Word of Life.  No one has to leave their place to fight this kind of fight.  Ephesians 6 says to STAND with your loins girded about with TRUTH – having put on the breastplate of RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Faith in God’s Truth DOES AND WILL AND ALWAYS bring forth real fruit of righteousness.  This is how God made it to be.  The seed of Christ dwells in us – He grows in us – He is formed in us – He reigns in us. 

When the physical body dies – the spirit is only shedding the last of Adam’s creation in exchange praise God, for the promised possession of His glorious body.

Our inheritance in Christ is SO great.  We have not yet seen BUT we have obtained – the Spirit of God is our guarantee!  Our names are in the book of Life and Christ is in our hearts!

Let us feast on God’s TRUTH today until we glow like a 3 way bulb – not 60, not 75, but 150 watt!  J

Hallelujah what a Savior and Lord!

Sue Gaither

Cuenca Bible Study - Galatians - 7 Dec 2011

  Cuenca, Ecuador - 7 Dec 2011.  Bible study - overview of Galatians.

After a short overview of the Apostle Paul’s servant life and travels, we considered his revelation from Jesus Christ. The mystery of the gospel, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.  Oh, the power of the keynote 2:20 verse:
                “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Not only is a sinner saved by grace through faith, but the saved live by grace. Grace is a way to life and a way of life!

We pondered many of Paul’s words of revelation. “To me to live is Christ.”  “Christ is my life.”  “He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.”
Then how do we get free from this sin nature? I feel sin in me. I struggle; frequently fail, repent, fail ….repeat cycle.     Wait a minute.    Are we one spirit with Him?       Do we live in vital union with Him? We are no longer in Adam; we are in Christ.  I Corinthians 15:22   “In Adam ALL die; in CHRIST – ALL are made alive!”

 Sin may be in our members, but we are redeemed and have Christ, WHO IS our righteousness. So while it may appear that we still have a “sin nature,” our new nature is Christ’s. We are all partakers of the DIVINE NATURE! The sin is no longer who we are, but lives outside of our spirit pretending to be the real us. The devil’s lie!         “Behold, all things are new in Christ!

“…if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”  Romans 8:13

“My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you.”

    We have such a wonderful Gospel!     Let us rejoice and be glad!
                     Living in Him,
                                     Gary