And He Said To Me

And He Said to Me…

SEE how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are.  For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.  Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.  And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.  I John 3:1

When I was in grammar school up north (yes, I’m a Yankee!), and learning to read, I remember so well, the “Phoenics” method for learning.  Pages contained pictures and simple words like “See Spot,” then, “See Spot run…”

Actually, I really believe this is how we grow in the faith and in the Spirit of the living God and His Word.  He needs to take us slowly through Truth and reality.  We need the process of chewing on REALITY.  We already have enough of packing in academically (our heads!), much information.   Oh I’m not saying it doesn’t start there, but eventually, the living WORD by the Spirit of God needs to produce effect, thus bringing true transformation in our walks.   Slow is good.

Take the Scriptures I started out with…the very first word is “SEE.”  How long has it taken or is taking for us to actually SEE HOW GREAT a LOVE the Father really has bestowed upon us?

Well there you go. 

It’s okay to go back to the “drawing board.”  If we need God to “bring home” the reality more deeply, yes…it’s just plain okay!  It is written that there are unfathomable riches to be known in Christ!

Yesterday my eyes caught another phrase in the Scriptures found in II Corinthians 12.  This passage is where Paul is explaining the power of Christ demonstrated and made most real through his infirmities and weaknesses. 

We all would love for this life to be perfect, huh?  But is it?  The world itself is under the sway of the wicked one.   Yet we are all in the Kingdom of God’s dear Son – an invisible kingdom until He comes.

Back to the passage and the one phrase that “caught my eye.”

Paul said he sought the Lord three times regarding a thorn in his flesh.  I really believe the passage indicates that the Lord had not said anything to Paul, until the third time he asked.  And when the Lord did speak, the Scriptures say this: 

“And He said to me…” then it goes on with the rest of what He said to him.

I can’t begin to imagine just how intimate the Lord was to Paul when He spoke to Him.  I really believe the Lord is so personal and close as He speaks.  We so need to avail ourselves to our Lord and the Father through His Spirit.

And this also sounds like a plan to me – that is, to seek the Lord about whatever we need to understand or just plain whatever – until we truly can testify:  “And He said to me…”

God has made the way for all of us to have access by one Spirit to the Father – to the throne through our Lord Jesus Christ.  He Himself is the Power, the Wisdom, the Righteousness and Sanctification.  We live through Him, by Him and He lives through us. 

What a wonder – what a glorious reality.  May we SLOW down like the grammar school days, listen for Him to speak intimately.  I truly believe He’ll speak slowly too so we can fully understand.  He speaks to our hearts to nourish, encourage, minister and give us too, what we need for others as well.

What do I need to ask the Lord today?

“Thank you, Lord for speaking to our hearts today.”

Listening with you,

Sue Gaither

This Man, Christ Jesus

This Man, Christ Jesus

I have written about this before – a couple of months ago – but I honestly believe the Holy Spirit is directing my heart to say it again that we might deeply grasp WHO it is we belong to and WHAT He has done for us.

And, in the last few days I’ve been pondering this reality – oh how it “fancies” my heart. 

In the Gospels, many times the Pharisees referred to Jesus as “this man.”  But they were not being nice.  They implied he was only a man and not the Son of God sent as the Messiah.

Not true – we all agree with God that He is the Savior of the world.

I Timothy 2:5 says:  “For there is only one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.

In John 9, the man born blind and healed by Jesus said this of Him:  “The Man called Jesus made mud, smeared it on my eyes and said to go wash in the pool of Siloam…”

In Acts 1:11 it says that two men dressed in white robes stood by the men gazing up in heaven as Jesus was ascending.  They said “Why do you stand gazing into heaven?  This same Jesus, Who is caught away into heaven, will return in the same way you saw Him go.”

So here’s the reality I have been pondering:  Jesus Christ is still a man – the Man! 

God raised Him from the dead, glorifying Him, putting His body and being into a resurrected state of an endless life – the same life He imparts to us when we received Him. 

Remember He said, “I AM the Resurrection and the Life!”

Jesus Christ is now seated at God’s throne, and as the Scriptures declare, He is at the Right Hand of the Majesty on High.

Hebrews says He is now the High Priest of the Heavenly Sanctuary – there are no more priests down here on earth offering up sacrifices on our behalf because of sin.  He Himself became the Once and For All Sacrifice for ALL mankind – but every person must receive Him.  To receive Christ is to receive Life everlasting.

Hebrews also declares that He is the One who Himself was tempted just like we are yet without sin – that He became Sin for us so that we might through Him, become the righteousness of God!

Hebrews also declares this Man, our Lord and Savior, is touched with ALL the FEELINGS of OUR infirmities – whether it is weakness or temptation or failure (though He Himself never failed!)

This Man, Christ Jesus – the One who is HEAD over ALL things pertaining to the CHURCH, His Body (that’s us!) – The One Whom the Scriptures says we are seated with Him in the heavenly places.

Here’s the deal then:  We can sit down and talk with our Lord – across the table because we are talking to a REAL SOMEONE – the Someone Who is Lord over all and yet our Friend, our Brother, our Shepherd, our Savior, our Lord, our Mediator, our Advocate, our ALL.

We can discuss anything and everything with HIM – in the full presence of God and with total ACCESS to Christ, our Wisdom, our Righteousness and Sanctification!

Enjoy Our Savior and Lord Today!  Let us Listen to Him – He imparts (downloads!) all wisdom and life – for all of His life is our godliness, works and deeds.

We have His Spirit dwelling not only within our hearts, but we are in union with Him by and through His Spirit.  And all because of what THIS MAN has done!

Sue Gaither

Suffering for Life

Suffering for Life

Oops!  Say it ain’t so.  Why are so many of our Lord’s people suffering for so long?

We just returned from an early morning prayer meeting. We prayed for the “unchurch” ministry, for God’s direction for the next season. Both Saturday night and Sunday morning services are full. Pastor Bill joyfully reports more folks coming to the Lord this year than in any of his 22 years in Ecuador.

Yet, so many are suffering in so many ways. The hundred prayer cards on the table described family struggles, health problems, financial troubles and the need for faith, wisdom, guidance. Nearly every card was full of requests. And in our prayer group, most of us are experiencing difficulties. So we worshipped and prayed, sharing scriptures together.

Afterwards, Bill asked me what God was saying to me. I reflected again on what is becoming the theme of our three days of prayer –II Cor chapter 4. “…always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.”  Why? “For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body.”

So, the Lord may use us best when we are suffering or even “dead” to our own life. That may be when we are most available or yielded to the indwelling Christ!

So, my friends, do not be discouraged or weak-hearted. Endure, knowing your suffering is not in vain, but may be a pleasant aroma to Christ. His aroma of life flows when we least expect it, often unknown to us.

What a Gospel! What wonderful, faithful Lord!  Be encouraged saints.

                        Rejoicing,

                            Gary Gaither