Forever Peace with God

 “Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God.

For while we were reconciled to God though the death of His Son, much more surely, will we be saved by His life.”  Romans 5:1, 2, 10

The world is chaotic.  Everyday we hear noises:  traffic, blaring televisions, clanging dishes in a restaurant and chattering among patrons – mostly the clamoring demands of social media.

Oh, but the peace with God.  This peace God has given through His Son is an eternal state, not fluctuating up and down with circumstances. 

We have peace through the blood of Jesus’ cross.  (Romans 5:9) “…and through Him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by MAKING PEACE through the BLOOD OF HIS CROSS.” Colossians 1:20

I cannot think of anything more powerful than the reality we have forever peace with God because of Jesus’ blood and cross.  Man cannot destroy this or tamper with this.  It’s not like the stock market that goes up and down every day according to what’s happening.

It’s forever.  Because of Christ and His eternal work.

Is the peace OF God though, different than the peace with God?

“Now may the Lord of Peace Himself give you peace at ALL times in ALL ways.  The Lord be with you all.”  II Thessalonians 3:16

Our walking in His peace can be challenged at times through circumstances, sights, feelings, trials.

The Scripture tell us we are to have the mind of the Spirit.  “For the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.”  Romans 8:6

How then, may we achieve walking in the peace of God despite our trials, circumstances, the noises of the earth?

It sounds so simple but for all of us, it is.  By having constant fellowship, communion, and dependence on the Lord Jesus who dwells within our hearts through His Spirit.

God is able to strengthen us so that we live and walk by constant abiding, seeking Christ above where He is seated and we are seated with Him.  Through this reality we find ourselves praying without ceasing because we are constantly speaking with Him.

His Spirit within then brings Scripture to our minds, thoughts of His leading, wisdom – all that is needed every day in all things.

We simply need to avail ourselves to Him – the Prince of Peace.

“Those of steadfast mind You keep in peace – in peace, because they trust in You.” Isaiah 26:3 (ESV)

Sue Gaither

Knowing Jesus Christ

II Corinthians 5:16 “Therefore from now on, we recognize no man according to the flesh, even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.”

To put this Scripture simply, all the disciples walked with Jesus Christ by sight – they saw him in his physical body, spent three years with Him and literally saw and heard Him.

Yet the Lord said to them the Holy Spirit would come – that He was going back to his Father yet coming back as well by the Spirit to dwell in hearts.

Amazing about Paul – he was chosen by Jesus Christ by the will of God to reveal the RISEN CHRIST, not just the one who walked on the earth.  His other apostles were witness of His being here on earth.

But ALL of them had now become witnesses of Christ in them of His Resurrection Life.  This is clearly demonstrated through the Spirit’s coming!

Paul had his 3 years on the desert of Arabia as the other apostles had their 3 years with Jesus in His earthly ministry.  Yet ALL of them continued on with Christ after His ascension and continued to know Him in what Hebrews says about Him: “…He has obtained a more excellent ministry.”

What does this have to do with us?  Everything!  If there was anything that Paul, the Apostle stressed in his letters is that Christ now lives in us all.  “Christ is all, and in you all!” (Colossians 3:11).

The implications of this reality are wonderful, if we grasp it fully.  The Lord Jesus IS everywhere.  We do not have to moan because He’s not at our house like Zaccheus, Mary, Martha and Lazarus, the disciples, etc.

If He dwells in our hearts, He’s certainly at our homes.

More importantly, is what the Lord told us about His Holy Spirit’s coming for those who receive Him as Savior and Lord:

He will guide you into ALL TRUTH. He will teach you ALL things.

He will pray through you, groan through you, moan through you God’s will.

He will reveal the things given and done by the Lord Jesus Himself.

He will strengthen you in your inner person (spirit/heart) where Christ dwells.

He will guide the mind in life and peace, bring clarity, enlightenment.

He will convict, convince, persuade, work in and work out God’s good pleasure.

He will assure the heart of all the riches of grace in and of Christ, who is here in Spirit.

Now no slam on Martha, but if you remember that scenario, Jesus was at their home – physically the guest of their home.  And Martha as told by the Lord, was distracted by many things.

What is amazing, is that this incredible, living, risen Savior and Lord lives in our hearts and we’re off fixing dinner FOR Him, instead of sitting as His feet listening to Him. (As Mary)

I’m pretty sure, we’d fix an even better meal (and quicker) if we’d listen first, eat later!

And of course, the Lord is not there to condemn.  Nor are we to start being "nervous nellies" about activities.  BUT it is a call to realize the precious, priceless gift we have of His presence in our hearts just like we would if He was here in the flesh!  (And one day soon He will be again!)

Thoughts to ponder about WHO it is, WHO lives within our hearts!

Sue Gaither

The Gift of God

“If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”  John 4:10

“No one comprehends what is truly God’s except the Spirit of God.  Now we have received the Spirit that is from God (the Gift of God), so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God.”  I Corinthians 2:12

“For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the Gift of God.”  Ephesians 2:8

How can we not go, “Wow” over those lines of Scriptures that contain the powerful Truth.

Just think.  The Gift of God is not only salvation through Jesus Christ, but God’s Spirit coming into the human heart as not only living waters, but the very one who causes us all to understand ALL the gifts bestowed on us as His children.

Yet not only this, but He has come so that we may understand ALL the grace of God found in Jesus Christ.  Listen to this Scripture: “You have heard of this hope before in the Word of the Truth, the Gospel that has come to you.  Just as it is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God.” Colossians 1:5-6

There truly is never any substitute as a Christian, for one great reality.  And that is, to know the Gift of God within ourselves who is the Spirit of the Living God.  He is the One who can make the Word of God real inside of us and cause all the grace from and through our Lord to be understood.

The only thing I’ve ever known, if I wanted to truly get the right answers, true growth, etc. or any need met and longing fulfilled, is to open my heart and let God be the One to do what He wants to do:  teach His true grace, become best friends with His Holy Spirit inside of me, let Him be the only Guide, Lord, Savior, Fulfiller, Satisfier, Hope, Blessing, Help, Master, Lover, Peace-Giver, Life (and the list is long).

In other words, let Him do what He does best:  Save us and make us what He desires through His life and Presence within.  He does it all through grace and His life within.

“Now may the God of peace, who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the Great Shepherd of the Sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, make you complete in everything good, so that you may do His will, working among us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.  Amen.”  Hebrews 13:20-21

His Love is Great, Deep, Everlasting – as is His grace for you and me,

Sue Gaither

Seated With Christ

Ephesians 2:4-6 “But God! Who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved – and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

In looking at these words closely, you can’t help but be encouraged by the magnitude and meaning of the words. 

But there is one phrase I would like to highlight:  God seated us with His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ in the heavenly places, because of His great sacrifice for us.

Have you considered lately what it truly means to be “seated with Christ in the heavenly places?”

So, I asked the Lord that very thing.  “What is the deep, true meaning of being seated with you in the heavenly places?”

First thing that came to mind is to actually think about the heavenly places.  What is happening there, what are the heavenly places?

Another thought that came to my heart and mind is that since we are seated with Him in the heavenly places, then, we should want to view our life here on earth FROM there, not our lives here in view of there.

Part of God’s grace at work in us is to renew our minds, change our minds to the mind of the Lord.  Paul wrote in I Corinthians 1 that we have the mind of Christ.  Obviously, this is not an independent thinking at all, but one reliant on God’s Spirit within to reveal the truth to us so that we think spiritually minded.

So back to heavenly places.  What are the heavenly places like?  What words can I think upon that describe the reality to which we are called to be seated?

A place of peace – no disturbance, no fear, a place of calm, free of worry, distraction, and most of all a place of clarity.

A place where the Prince of Peace is seated – Jesus Christ, at the right Hand of the Majesty on High.

A place of Honor.  Jesus has been given the name above all names.

A place of Authority in heaven and earth, over all flesh.

A place of help, petitions, fellowship, worship, prayer.

A place where the High Priest is over His house and intercedes for us.

A place where the blood of Jesus is, that washed away our sins.

God has put US in His Son.  Where His Son is, there we are also!  Marvelous, huh?

Those are just a few thoughts with Scripture references.  As we ponder the reality/truths of being seated with the Lord in the heavenly places, we can now see why Paul penned this: “Since you’ve been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right Hand of God.  Set your mind on things above, not on things that are on the earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden in Christ in God.”  Colossians 3:1-2

And don't forget, just because my or your life is not perfect, or we don't fully understand all the glorious truths of God, OR FEEL like it, does not mean it's not true right now for me and you - we simply need to by faith (because it IS God's Word of life and Truth), make it ours.  :)

In His Great Love,

Sue Gaither

Grace Reigns

“But the Scripture has imprisoned all things under the power of sin, so that what was promised through faith in Jesus Christ might be given to all who believe.” Galatians 3:22

“…for in Christ Jesus, you are children of God through faith.”  Galatians 3:26

If anyone has lived a good amount of time on the planet earth, one can see there’s a lot of sinning going on!  The Scripture stated above is such a powerful explanation of why.  All things imprisoned under the power of sin?

As a Christian/believer, when we received Jesus Christ, something marvelous happened to us.  We were born again of God’s Spirit, His Holy Spirit came in our hearts, and we were made new creatures.  We were let out of prison!

“If ANY man BE in Christ, he IS a new creature.”  II Corinthians 5:17.

Here’s a silly illustration: miracle whip in a jar.  No one eats the label or the jar, but the contents.  The jar CONTAINS the substance.  It’s the substance I spread on my sandwich and taste with my palate. 

Christ has become our substance.  It’s not about our human efforts to become something we already are in Him.  We simply need to let the CONTENTS be expressed, flow out, be our all.  We need to grow in Him, His life within.

We as believers CONTAIN the ONE who is Life – eternal LIFE.  We contain the One who IS the POWER.  He is the Spirit of fruitfulness, light, love, goodness. 

“We have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.”  II Corinthians 4:7 

  

Christ Himself is not sin.  He is all that is right and good.  We learn to walk in His Spirit and Grace teaches us.

Our bodies (we are getting immortal ones later!) are the house (jars) where our Lord has come into our hearts in union with Him.  “He who has been joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.”  I Corinthians 6:17

Those who do not have Christ in them are still under sin’s power.  They need to BECOME NEW CREATURES in Christ and be freed from sin’s power.  And come out of eternal death into Christ who is Eternal Life!

He not only is the hope of life eternally, but righteous living, good walking, good talking, good anything!  And He is living.  Thank God we’ve been called into relationship and fellowship with the Living Savior through His Spirit within. 

Thank God we’ve been not only forgiven of all our sins, but His Spirit of life within teaches us to walk by His Life and Presence.  Thank God, because of His cross, His blood, we are children of God!

What a Savior, what a Gospel!

Grace is Christ through our faith in Him now and forevermore.  

Grace reigns because Christ reigns,

Sue Gaither

The True Grace of God

Salvation is by grace through faith.  God made it this way through His Son!

Yet the “way in, is the way on.”   Want fruits, works?  Then it continues to be grace through faith in Him every day.  “The just shall live by (grace) (through) faith.”

Faith is not hard, yet it seems we or others at times have made it hard.  Faith does not have to be hard.  That is, if we are looking in the Right Place.

The Right Place is looking at Jesus, looking at God, looking at the Word of God concerning Him and His Son.

Looking to the Holy Spirit in us, who now lives within as well.  God has declared His Spirit to be the Spirit of Truth – He only leads in Truth.

Everything else is false.

Putting it lovingly and nicely, God does not give a “rip” about our opinions and interpretations.  Actually, we need to ask him to do some “ripping” – rip all the “stuff” that is false out of our thinking.

We can be child-like.  If God has indeed made peace through the blood of His Son’s cross and it is written: 

“Therefore having been justified by faith (God’s way), we have peace with God through out Lord Jesus Christ…” (Romans 5:1), THEN our response is through faith, “Thank you God SO MUCH – I have peace with you because of Your Son!”

Oh, but wait – there’s more!  “Through WHOM also we have obtained our introduction into this grace in which we stand, and we exult in the hope of the glory of God!”  Romans 5:2

Without standing firmly in God’s grace through faith (our response to God), we will not stand – God didn’t make another way.  This is His way!  And the glory of God is, when we walk in faith His way.

Then we will surely experience real fruit in our lives, we won’t have to worry about “put-ons,” or pretending or trying.  Real grace through faith genuinely produces the fruit of His Holy Spirit in us – and His works!

The Gift of God, salvation is astounding – it’s not flesh and blood’s doing, but God’s grace alone and when we place faith in Him, His grace, there will be true results because God is faithful.

Romans 5:17 is a powerful Scripture.  Read it today 😊

If one has a car, and can talk all about it, talk with others who have the same kind of car, start ministries to proclaim how everyone needs the same car, gather together each week to talk about this amazing car – then, some kid comes along and says, “Why don’t you all ever ride in the car you’re always talking about?”

Grace then is the vehicle (The living Christ living in and through us), and Faith (my heart believing and abiding in Him each day) is getting in and going for the Ride of Your Life!

Grace is simple, but pure!  

(We can be child-like yet wise and mature!)

Sue Gaither