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