The How and the Who

I think one of our greatest faults as humans, is to “read too much into things,” and to go “overboard” or “extreme” on anything or many things, even the Scriptures.

I also think it takes time to cultivate and “hear” rightly, the things of God – that it is most important of “how” we “hear” the Word of God and “how” God’s Truth is cultivated in us.

Don’t know about you, but as for me, I find now, more than ever, I have to live daily – just simple moment by moment reliance upon God’s Spirit to “interpret” all things….”as I go – as I live and walk here on planet earth.

Another thing, which I truly think is the greatest need, is to “hear” God’s Word, without condemnation.  When I read something like “there is therefore now no condemnation” to those who are in Christ Jesus,” I can look back on my life and see that the huge “CM” trailed me for years.  Who is “CM?”  “Condemnation Monster.”

You know, the one who breathes down your neck whether through circumstances,  others or your own voice saying, “you didn’t do this, you didn’t do that right, stop that, do this, that’s not enough, that’s not good enough, do more, scumbag!…”

Boy, it takes the Holy Spirit to shift our minds to a new way of thinking.  It really does.  I used to think too, that we need to “look at the problem” or “figure that thing out,” which we all know results in futility. Yet as the Spirit of God shifts our thinking to His way, I find more and more His delight and way is to focus on the cure, not the problem.

The cure is always Jesus Christ, who is God’s grace, mercy, peace, spiritual wisdom and understanding.  It is the power of the Spirit, His Person, in the daily life, as much as it is doctrinally, to know we have eternal life.

Again, don’t know about you, but if I don’t live and walk by God’s Spirit daily, I find that evil is there, waiting for an opportunity.  All evil thoughts come from the devil and he’s going to try and plant all he can in the human mind.  Start with a thought from him and before the day’s over, one can be in a pit!  This is what we Christians call “the flesh.”  And all this can become so habitual and we think this is who we really are - OR we think it's who others really are.

God has declared that greater is he (Christ Jesus) who dwells in us, than he that is in the world.  He wants me to believe Him and rely on Him daily.  Christ is “lifting power.”  For this is what it means to me in Romans 8:1 – “the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus and freed me from sin and death (the Condemnation Monster).  Christ is always upward in thought – lifting the heart.  I love to view Him as “the wings" of the Christian walking!

So to me, my focus on a daily basis has to be Him.  He daily wants to impart wisdom, His thoughts, direction, grace, peace, the MIND OF CHRIST.  This is WHO He is and again, He lives in us.  Romans 8 says, “the mind of the Spirit IS life and peace.”

How can I know this?  By simple prayer, “Lord teach me.”  “Lord, show me YOUR ways…Lord, work your desire and will in me of HOW YOU do this, HOW to “hear” YOUR Word so that when I read Your Word, I simply just let you interpret.  And...interpret all things that are happening to me on a daily basis.”

Everything I said is found in the Scriptures.  Christ is our Life – He came to dwell in us – He gives His life abundantly – those who receive ABUNDANCE OF GRACE will reign in life through the One, Christ Jesus!

Whew…are we missing the unfathomable treasures of knowing Christ dwelling in and through us as the ALL, the ability, the life and the HOW to live the Christian life?

The HOW is the WHO.  The WHO is the HOW. 

WHO then?  Jesus Christ Himself – the Living One.  He alone, our life, our all.

 “Lord, show me, teach me more deeply, this precious reality, for you have said, ' the flesh profits nothing.'  It is through Your Spirit we live, move and have our being.  And...You work in us, both to will and to do of Your good pleasure!”

Sue Gaither

Poem

Wings 

God has given us living wings

Through Christ, Who is our Life

We often do not use them

But only struggle and strive

Until the day we're broken

And ask the question "How,

Is this life lived, O Lord?"

Listen, He's speaking now:

"The Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus

Are the wings you'll forever need

And through faith you use them

The wings are simply ME"

Sue Gaither  4/10

                   
   

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

Most people know the historical, “Leaning Tower of Pisa.”  At construction, no one knew it was founded on “sinking” subsoil until the third floor.  I guess by then, they decided it was too late to tear it all down and so they just “let ‘er fly!” 

I think about the Tower of Babel in the Old Testament where men began to “build something,” and God then confounded it – scattered the people.  Have you ever wondered why?  I’m switching lanes right here, but I’ll bring it all together at the end:

Romans 6 is such an important chapter to understand, for it explains the cross of Christ and our co-crucifixion with Him.  What or who was God having crucified?  We all say “Jesus” was being crucified.  But wait a minute, Jesus was not a sinner!  And now we all know the response to that is “yes, He bore our sins.”

Yet Romans 6 says something else was happening.  We were being crucified with Him!  Wow!  How can this be?

If we follow the Holy Spirit’s mind in all of Romans, we do find that Adam’s race was dead.  And we were born in that deadness.  Dead because of sin brought into the world through Adam. (Romans 5).  God brought judgment on the whole race of Adam (he is referred to as “the old man!”)  Any human being born physically into the world is spiritually dead.  Then  God did this work through Christ:  He created ONE NEW MAN, Christ Jesus!  God did not create a hybrid – of half Adam and half Christ. 

God’s salvation is so complete that we fail to miss the glory of it found in Christ.  So what does this have to do with the Leaning Tower of Pisa?   
Hang on!

Since the fall, man has been “trying” to come up with his own way - of not only coming to God for approval, acceptance, etc., but also “trying” to live a pretty decent life.  

The Scriptures emphatically tell us that ALL righteousness of men are as filthy rags – ALL.    Isn’t it interesting that God is not using the word “unrighteousness” as filthy rags but RIGHTEOUSNESS!  We say we know this as Christians, but after we are saved, we still think “our” goodness; “our” plans are good.  We need to understand, I think, of WHERE this goodness is coming from!

There is only ONE who is good and whose plans are good – and all goodness belongs to Christ, His Life now in us, and His Kingdom.  If we were placed into Him, the good coming from us now is all HIM!  Spiritual fruit comes from His life within – His Spirit.

If we’re of the mind that we are producing goodness as humans, we’re not appropriating Romans 6 very well.  For we are told to “reckon” ourselves dead to sin and alive to God through Jesus Christ.  The sin of unregenerate man is comprehensive with the lies that man thinks he can produce good.   

From Adam comes both “good” and evil – and God condemned all of it at the Cross.

These thoughts are worthy to ponder.  For if we all know that our good is coming from the life of God’s Son and because we are in HIM, we will quickly eliminate ALL comparison and competition.  We will realize that Christ in each one of us is living His life and bearing His fruit.

This to me brings great freedom – we will not put yokes on people – we will simply encourage one another to learn how to let His life and Spirit lead each one, according to His plan and will.  This smacks joy to me!

Striving is human effort.  Resting is spiritual.  Living by my plans is human ingenuity – trusting in God’s Spirit to lead me daily is spiritual, and again, REST!

When we do not allow God’s Spirit to truly teach the reality of Christ and His finished work, we build a “leaning tower” of error.  It can lean for all of our lives and never fall.  The Leaning Tower of Pisa is still standing.

The joy comes when we want God to tear down in our minds, ANY error we have erected.  We do this by one simple prayer:  Lord, teach me.

Then we start leaning for sure, but on the Everlasting Arms of Christ living within our hearts!

 “I am crucified WITH Christ.  It is no longer I (the one who was in Adam) who lives, but Christ lives in me (I am now in Him who is the NEW MAN !) And the life (walk) I now live, I live by faith in (of) the Son of God (daily, daily, daily) who LOVED ME (AND LOVES ME STILL) and gave Himself for me (for us!) 

God’s prescription:  APPROPRIATE BY FAITH TODAY!

Sue Gaither

Christ Living in Breakable Vessels

For He Himself knows our frame;
         He is mindful that we are but dust.  Psalm 103:14

We are renting a “casa” (little house) right now in Cuenca.  The “cocina” kitchen is ceramic tile, on the floor and counter tops, making the surface a hard texture.  Therefore, if you drop something breakable, it’s very “unforgiving,” and the item will go into many pieces – “shattered.”

I believe we all are fragile containers – breakable.  Paul became a fragile vessel when he wrote:  “in my weakness, His power is made strong….therefore, I will boast in my weaknesses and infirmities….”

Paul spent his whole life, until he met Christ, becoming humanly strong (Phil. 3); then, spent many days becoming weak so that he could become strong, but only in Christ.  Interesting statement, huh?

That does not make sense to the human mind – really!  I don’t think any of us like to “feel” weakness or our infirmities of any kind.  We may be prone to different things in our emotions OR prone to operating from human strength and “feel” very confident about it.  Paul was confident in that way.

To learn Christ is really a process of HOW He lives His life in us and through us.  And sometimes I think He uses our “feelings of infirmities and weaknesses” as a good thing, to simply look to Him for His strength alone and His life alone, to flow- to be poured out through these breakable vessels.

I personally need Jesus Christ’s power, life, wisdom, and encouragement on a daily basis.  I know that I am fragile in my vessel.  I am breakable!

It is also written:  “we have this treasure in earthen vessels!”  So we are all breakable – huh?  Our hope now and always is the contents! 

The contents:  Jesus Christ, the living Savior in our hearts, dwelling there by faith, through His Holy Spirit.  And I live by faith and trust in Him daily, and forevermore.

Again, this does give us hope, but also on a daily basis – that I don’t have to be dependent on me, the container, but on Christ, the contents.

Thank you, Lord for dwelling in us,

Sue Gaither

    

    

Seated With Christ in the Heavenly Places

Last night, I was sharing with some brothers and sisters in Christ that when we sold our home in Asheville, I was packing, going through old files, etc.    I stumbled across some letters my father had written me while I was single, going through some difficult times.

So I just happened to open one of them and my Dad had written, “you are spoken well of in the heavenly places.”  Of course anyone who reads that would tear up – especially when you didn’t think (which I did at that time) well of yourself!

It’s amazing – the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  His sacrificial work has secured forever that when we are in Him, we are not only spoken well of in the highest heavens, but are actually seated with Him in lavished royalty, acceptance, honor, grace, mercy, love, and kindness.

We, as a group, are studying together, the book of Ephesians.  Here in Cuenca, they have the Andes mountains called the “Cajas.”  Talk about heights!  Ephesians is the “Cajas” of the New Testament.  The heights of what Christ has accomplished for mankind and bestowed on us as a gift of God, is beyond our human comprehension.  It takes the Holy Spirit of God to unfold the incredible magnitude and riches of His grace.

“That in the ages to come, He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness towards us in Christ Jesus.”  Ephesians 2

I need every bit of spiritual wisdom and understanding God is willing to dish out.  And according to the Scriptures, He gives it freely and joyfully.  Oh may we like Paul, the Apostle understand the knowledge of the mystery of Christ – the length, the breadth, the height, and the length of what God has done in Christ Jesus for us.  Ephesians 3

“Mercy there was great and grace was free – pardon there was multiplied to me – there my burdened heart found liberty…at Calvary!”

The cross of Jesus Christ is LOVE beyond degree.  Our understanding of His work will do more than we have ever dreamed, if we indeed open our hearts to Him to fill it with TRUTH so sweet.

In Him,

Sue Gaither

The Way That He Loves

One of the most astounding Scriptures to me is found in John 17.  Jesus prayed these words to the Heavenly Father, before He became the Sacrificial Lamb on the cross - bearing the sins of the whole world in His body.  Here they are:

"...and the love with which You have loved Me may be in them and I in them."

After our Lord's resurrection and ascension, the Holy Spirit of God penned these words through the Apostle Paul, "and to KNOW the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge..."  Ephesians 3

Before that phrase though came these words:  "to know the breadth, length, heighth and depth..."

How many of us know the depths of Him?  How many of us have discovered HIS way of living the Life He Himself has placed within us.

How many of us KNOW the love with which the Father loved the Son?

We know some.  But God says there is the depth, the height, the length, and the breadth.
For me personally, the best way I know that I am discovering God's Truth , is when I have tears of joy and incredible awe over the reality of God and His Son.  I also know I am receiving this understanding by no works of my own, but the simple receiving in faith, what God has already said He had done through Christ. God wants to reveal Him to any willing heart.

We are not to demand others to love us or condemn ourselves for not being so loving.  God's way is, for us to look to HIM within our hearts, and let Him flow out of us as vessels, because we contain HIM who is LOVE.

Anything else is imitation.  So let our failure to love be an open door of faith to discover that it is HIM within our hearts "doing" the loving - in this way we will simply come back for MORE just like a child with an empty plate, expectant for more of that marvelous food!

If you don't know this song and can't hum it today, at least enjoy the lyrics - it's one of the most simple of songs ever written years ago but indeed precious:

the way that He loves
is as fair as the day
that blesses my way with light
the way that He loves
is as soft as the breeze
caressing the trees at night

so tender and precious is He
contented with Jesus i'll be
the way that He loves
is so thrilling because
His love reaches even me

the way that He loves
is as deep as the sea
His spirit shall be my stay
the way that He loves
is as pure as a rose
much sweeter He grows each day

His peace hovers near like a dove
i know there's a heaven above
to Jesus i cling
life's a wonderful thing
because of the way
He loves

"Thank you God for revealing the GREAT LOVE of Yours in the face of Jesus Christ - for the Holy Spirit teaching us all things pertaining to Him.  Thank you for the way you love us:  With the same love you have loved Your Son, Jesus Christ who dwells in us.  We look to YOU in faith to flow out of us, but also open our hearts to receive the MAGNITUDE of WHO YOU ARE:  LOVE.
In Jesus' precious name.  Amen."

In Jesus,
Sue Gaither

Crashes and Crises of 2010

There's a tradition here in Cuenca.  Before the New Year arrives, there are numerous stands all around the city, whereby you can purchase a doll with no face on it, of all sizes and shapes.  Along with the "dummy dolls” masks are sold too, of all sorts.  That is, if you to put a face on it!  The dolls basically, represent the past year and all the unpleasant memories of it.  So on the Eve of the New Year, people burn the dolls - saying goodbye to the old and in with the new.

Most of us want to forget our crashes and crises, whether through the year of 2010 or throughout our lifetime.  But God uses all those "crashes and crises" for His purpose - to propel us into flaming desire to know Him and know TRUTH more than ever.  Our initial response though is "get me outta here!"  Yet God's work in us is to know that these times (we have a friend who has coined the phrase for these trials as "God's negative agents") are His fuel to faith in Him and according to His purpose. 

If we would but remember that in this present world of sin, death and the devil, we do encounter various trials.

We desperately need to "see" all things through the eyes of Christ by His Spirit.  His wisdom is NOT of this world - it's not academic according to how intelligent we think or don't think we are - God's wisdom is REVEALED to babes and seeking hearts. 

Christ Himself said "unless we become as little children, we cannot "see" the kingdom of God."  It's a lifetime of becoming like children, meaning not dependent on ourselves to "figure" things out, but to RECEIVE from the Lord all interpretations whether it be trials or TRUTH.  This is exciting - it really is - to receive from the Lord His mind!

We all belong to the Lord - we've been bought with a price by Him.  He alone is Lord over our lives.  Therefore what He is saying and has said is what matters - all the time!  And this is a good thing! Let us truly know this.

One of the things He is teaching us more deeply is the mind of the flesh versus the mind of the Spirit and knowing the difference.  The Scriptures tell us that we have an anointing that ABIDES in us - the Spirit of TRUTH and all that is from Him is true and has no part of any lie. 
I John 2:27.

Also, His Word declares to us that the mind of the Spirit is life and peace and the mind of fleshly thinking is death, enmity with God, producing anguish of every kind.  Romans 7 & 8

One of Satan's strategies is to get us to think there is an "in-between" to fleshly thinking and the mind of Christ.  But that would be the same thing as saying there is an in-between to either "being in Adam" or "being in Christ."  Or..."dead in sins" or "alive in Christ."  There is no in-between.

We are either in one or the other.  The new birth has secured us in being ALIVE in Christ forever.  Yet Paul admonished us NOT to walk after the Gentiles in the futility of their mind and alienated from the LIFE of God (found in Christ).

We are NOT alienated from God, if we are born of His Son, but we can walk alienated by the fact we do not know and understand God's living Truth.

So we can ask the Lord to show us more accurately and clearly, the difference of thoughts that are NOT coming from Him versus thoughts of flesh, the world, the devil.  And He has given us a definite clue:

The mind of Christ/His Spirit is LIFE and PEACE (bearing fruit) and the mind of the flesh is war, struggle, confusion, death - unfruitful!  There is so much He wants to show us, if we would let Him.

Thank you, Lord - we all our SO dependent on Christ dwelling in us - it is YOUR thoughts we feast upon - you alone are wisdom, hope, love, peace and joy.  Thank you for filling our minds today with TRUTH and with YOURSELF!  AMEN!"

Trusting in Christ,
Sue Gaither