Come to Jesus - Part I

I have experienced three Bible Schools in my life. The first time I went was in Chicago, Illinois. I was so young.

I had surrendered my life to Christ (for about the 30^thtime) and this time I was going to go to school and be a missionary! Heck, wouldn’t that prove I meant business or perhaps make me that much closer to God?

Well I got there and discovered a little more about myself and my REAL problems. It sure wasn’t because I was not well meaning and wanted to serve the Lord. But I was carrying around a TON of FLESH in my life – striving and struggling hard to please God and seemingly not getting where I wanted or thought I should be. Outwardly I was “trying” to DO the things I should, but inwardly I was confused and in my own strength, “trying” to PULL OFF godliness and service!

It was at this Bible School that I came to realize I was NOT ready to go on some mission field and tell people about JESUS. What was I going to tell them? Just things about HIM? I realized I needed somehow, a strength that couldn’t come from me, but as I see now I sure didn’t know to appropriate HIM.

What did I do? I, um, dropped out.

And this is where comparison comes in – just because someone might have a STRONGER flesh than another, doesn’t mean they are experiencing the RISEN CHRIST in them either! They are the ones who get the “applause” but again, is it the LIFE of the SON of GOD having GREAT MEANING to our hearts?

I certainly did not get applause for dropping out of Bible School that time!

The second school was about 4 years later. I carried some of the same TWO TON FLESH there as I did the first one. The prior four years before going to this school had been seeking and searching and yes, a little more of the reality of Christ. The Word of God and the TRUTH began to be my quest.

In the classroom, just like at the first school in years prior, I was learning Scriptures and about the Lord and a lot of other things. I am for sure not saying this is not good, nor am I against Bible School at all. But something happened to me in that city where the school was, that took place OUTSIDE of the classroom.

And what happened that day, could have happened and can happen, anywhere in the world, any place, at ANY time. I recognized a little more deeply how inept my fleshly ability was for ANYTHING. I so remember - just like it were yesterday - lying across the carpet of the living room parlor of the home of an elderly, abandoned-by-her-husband, lady that I was renting a room from.

In that moment, I knew in my heart I was coming to JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF! No Bible School classroom, no church, no prior training – I was not conscious of ANYTHING but just bringing little ol’ me to HIM – and especially the “me part” I couldn’t stand and surely couldn’t subdue! Somehow I knew intuitively I DID NOT want the outward appearance of ANYTHING, but to simply KNOW if there was ANYTHING REAL of THIS CHRIST – to me, for me, and in me!

I laid before Him as the Living One that He is – concerning a particular problem in my life.  It wouldn’t have mattered what the problem was or is – the point – and I mean the SMASHING POINT is COMING TO JESUS AT ALL and with it ALL! Basically I could say this: "Desperation for HIM is a great gift!"

He gave me what I needed that day and every day since!

After all these years, this reality holds BIG in my heart –to come to the Lord HIMSELF until I KNOW– until I UNDERSTAND, until I PERCEIVE, until I SEE, until I HEAR All that HE has to say and show me. HIM, HIM, HIM! We certainly rob people of the precious reality of GOING TO JESUS and GETTING FROM JESUS CHRIST ALL we ever shall need in this life!  We are to help each other do this constantly - not be substitutes for HIM or certainly get in His way!

I finally had a third Bible School experience as a graduate. However, trust me – I don’t look and stare at my Bible degree on the wall at all – I don’t even remember that I have it. What good would it do anyway if I did NOT KNOW the REALITY of Jesus Christ in my spirit and soul?

What does it matter if outwardly I’m appearing as Mr. or Mrs. Success, but DO NOT KNOW or HAVE THE REALITY OF JESUS CHRIST IN ME and THROUGH ME!

Here is God’s Will – Bible school graduate or not: That we all KNOW the POWER of the RISEN CHRIST in us and our GLORIOUS UNION with HIM! All I know for sure is…Jesus Christ is indeed the Living ONE whom we All rely upon, are knowing, and understanding how and WHO He LIVES in and through our lives. He indeed, is the bearer of ALL fruit and ALL works.

And lastly I discovered too that “flesh” doesn’t “go away,” but neither does Jesus!  The freeing reality is that we do NOT have to look at us – only Jesus!  Boy, is that good news!

In His Great Love,

Sue Gaither