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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 4/24/2007 1:07:56 AM
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kisstheson
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Susan,
I pray (Jesus!) that He will come through BIG for you. I believe He will!!! I can't wait to hear the good news!
_____________________________
This is my Beloved. This is my friend. (Song of Solomon)
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 4/26/2007 7:42:08 PM
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CherishedbyGod
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A Portrait of God
~The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want~
Sometimes it is hard for us to grasp the radiance of God. Often we are scarred by earthly fathers who were absent, weak, or abusive, leaving us with a cloudy image of what our Heavenly Father is like. Sometimes we are bitter from religions, pastors, priests, etc., who put the fear of God on us therefore we vision our God as cold, forceful and impersonal.
Often we question “who is God?” Is He really a loving God? After all, He has allowed these bad things to happen to me. Does He really care about me?
King David, of the Bible gives us one comforting answer in Psalm 23:1. ~The Lord is my Shepherd!~ Yahweh is my Shepherd!
The term “Yahweh”, sometimes shortened to “Yah” in the Old Testament and comes from a form of the Hebrew verb “to be”, suggesting that God is a self-sufficient God. Shepherd is a term for the One in control. Does that sound a little frightening? It is only as we get to know God’s beautiful character that we can rest and be joyful that He is the One in control.
The Shepherd is the Watcher and Caretaker of His sheep. The Shepherd frequently has to rescue His sheep from harm, even though the sheep may not even realize that they are in harm’s way.
A good Shepherd never leaves His sheep alone. His sheep would be lost without the shepherd. The Shepherd accepts the sheep the way they are unconditionally; the confused, selfish, sickly, even the black sheep, are all loved by the Shepherd.
The Shepherd knows His sheep intimately and pursues them in love. The Shepherd is one who is tender, yet forceful to fight for His sheep to protect them. The Shepherd provides security, and is ever present and watchful.
In the Bible, in John 10: 11-15 Jesus tells us that He is the good Shepherd who came to lay down His life for His sheep.
We can rest assured that we are never abandoned! Jesus will never leave us for any reason.
Do you have a grief of pain today in your heart? Come to the Shepherd who made the heart. He says to you today ~Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest~.
We can find rest and renewal with the Shepherd today. Spend time alone today with your Shepherd. God is only as far away as our hearts, but He will never intrude. Go to the Shepherd in prayer for solitude is a healing place to repair that damage done to your heart. You can hear the Shepherd’s voice in God’s Word, the Bible. He is there waiting to comfort you.
Oh what a beautiful portrait of Jesus, the Shepherd God!
_____________________________
~I would love for you to come and learn about Jesus of Nazareth with me in the Writer's Roundtable Folder~
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 4/28/2007 10:46:03 AM
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CherishedbyGod
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The Pearl of Great Price
~Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word; That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish~
~Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant man, seeking fine pearls, Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it~
Jesus was fond of using parables or illustrations in teaching the truths of God to His disciples.
In our two scriptures in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus compares the “one pearl of great price” to the kingdom of heaven. And in Ephesians, it is the church that Jesus likens to being the one pearl of great price.
During the days that Jesus was here on earth, pearls were held among the most precious of stones. The pearl of great price is a fine specimen yielded by the pearl oyster, which is found in the Persian Gulf.
A natural pearl forms when an irritant, such as a piece of sand, works its way into a particular species of oyster, mussel, or clam. As a defense mechanism, the mollusk secretes a fluid to coat the irritant. Layer upon layer of this coating is deposited on the irritant until a lustrous pearl is formed. With a natural pearl all of this would be accomplished far from seeing eyes; in secret is the beautiful creation formed.
Beloved, are you going through a season of pain or irritation? Perhaps you and Jesus are the only ones who know about your pain. He wants to encourage you today that He is forming you into that beautiful pearl that He will be presenting to Himself; part of the church that He is preparing for Himself.
I believe that He used the example of a pearl which was so very precious in those days to help communicate to His followers how precious we are to Him. Many of us are being irritated or hurt by certain situations; perhaps we are having great fear about certain things.
Just as the pearl was formed hidden from all eyes through painful irritants so our Jesus is forming us into a beautiful pearl that no one right now can see.
But someday, the whole world will see the “pearl of great price”; the church of Jesus Christ in all of our beauty and all of our painful, weary days will be over. We, in our precious, pearl-like beauty, will be presented to Him who made it all possible for us by His sacrifice and labor of love.
© Virginia
_____________________________
~I would love for you to come and learn about Jesus of Nazareth with me in the Writer's Roundtable Folder~
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 4/30/2007 1:24:32 AM
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kisstheson
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Beautiful meditation Virginia? How much Jesus must have wanted this pearl (ourselves) that He sold everything, striped off His rights as God, laid aside His blazing Kingly glory to take on the guise of a poor beggar and then to lay down His life so He could purchase the field to get that pearl.
WOW! Thank YOU Jesus!
_____________________________
This is my Beloved. This is my friend. (Song of Solomon)
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 5/5/2007 2:30:33 PM
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hopeinGod
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Oh, Virginia and Amy.......such awesome inspiring meditations on our Lord! Thank you so much for sharing.......
Sorry for not writing for awhile......I'm gradually getting my strength back, but I'm working and learning a brand new full time job. I come home and basically collapse and sleep in the living room chair when I get home at night.......I know the Lord is strengthening me more and more everyday, it will just take time....
An update.....I went to the Labor Board about my sick leave for those 6 weeks. They said I had documented everything really well. They believed me and fought for me.......they tried everything they could, but I lost my case. The bottom line is that Idaho law states that employers do not have to pay sick leave to employees. Even though it was in their employee manual that they would pay sick leave, there was a disclaimer on the front page of the manual that said the contents could be changed at any time and may or may not apply in all circumstances. Basically, my former employer said it was only a "courtesy" and only for "approved" illnesses. I didn't have anything written from my former employer to prove that my current illness was "approved". The Labor Board said they knew they were lying and would have loved to award me the money, but couldn't because of Idaho wage laws. They apologized and said they would be placing the company on a "watch list" and sending them a warning letter requesting all their employee and tax records for the last 3 years. So, I won't get any retribution, but the company will be basically audited by the state.
I was feeling so disheartened about this blow and walked around outside praying to the Lord afterwards......we still don't know how to catch up our mortgage payments.......when the Lord reminded me......which is the greater blessing from me if you had to choose.....receiving your back sick leave or a brand new job with full benefits etc? Of course, I would choose the new job! Then, when I came home and told my husband Jim and started crying, he said sit down, the Lord has just given me a revelation about this. Then Jim said Lord used me being sick and having my sick leave denied as the way to get me out of "Egypt" in my old job. Just before I went back to work at my old job, I saw an old friend at a church ladies retreat who asked me about work, I told her what had happened and that I had been denied sick leave. She told me that from that point forward, she was in a lot of turmoil about my situation. She said she even woke up in the middle of the night more than once praying for me. She was so upset about it that she told a girl at work at the hospital about it. This was the girl that I barely even knew enough to say Hi to in the hallway, who pulled me aside and told me about my new job my very first day back to work at my old job. She is the one who called and arranged my interview that day, etc. etc......She would never have told me about this job since I barely knew her, if my friend from the retreat hadn't confided in her because she was so upset and praying for me - because I had been denied 6 weeks sick leave........So, this was how the Lord literally got me out of "Egypt" and opened the Red Sea for me. I love my new job and it is working out well. Now, I just have to trust in the Lord to continue to provide for us a way to catch up our bills and house payments.......... as He did for the Israelites with the daily manna from Heaven and water from the Rock.
Thank you both for your prayers and loving encouragement.......my words can't express to you how much your writings minister to my heart and bless my spirit.
Love in Christ, Susan
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 5/6/2007 12:58:08 AM
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kisstheson
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I'm sorry to hear that Susan.
About a year and a half ago I was hit by a van while I was walking across the parking lot to my car. The driver backed right into me. I fell and fractured my shoulder. I went to court just to make sure I had the money to pay for my medical expensis. The guy who hit me was a lawyer. He insisted he did not hit me but I slipped and fell on my own. I kept saying, "Don't you think I know the difference between slipping and being hit by a van?" So, needless to say I lost the case.
I know how you feel. God will make the way for you Susan, one way or the other.
BTW it's good to see you!
_____________________________
This is my Beloved. This is my friend. (Song of Solomon)
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 5/15/2007 9:40:07 AM
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CherishedbyGod
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My God Has Become
~O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction~
Are we able to proclaim these words? Has the truth of them become our truth? Sometimes it takes times of sorrow, pain or fear before we are able to own that Jesus is our strength, fortress, refuge and, indeed, our very life. However, before we look into what He desires to become for us, let us inquire into Who is this LORD the prophet speaks of?
He is Almighty God, JEHOVAH! ~Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory~ He is the sovereign Ruler over all the affairs of man. He is the ~Lord of Hosts~ meaning He leads the battle against all the forces of evil and darkness. The final outcome is never in question…He is and will be forever triumphant!
He is our strength. This mighty One comes to His children in gentleness to strengthen. Whispering words of kindness He reminds us He is with us. Sometimes our grief of heart is so intense, all we can hear is, ~I am with thee~. He speaks to us through Scripture, other Christians, a bird, a flower, the soft breeze of early springtime. His words to us are….love.
A fortress around us He is. Strong, impregnable, absolute protection. Nothing can penetrate our fortress without His loving permission and ever watchful eye. Nothing can destroy our soul. The Rock of strength is our Rock. When conflict assails us it will not destroy us because it comes against our strong God.
Sweetest of all, He is our refuge. He invites us to hide under His wings of tenderness. Here we find warmth and nourishment as we rest in security and peace against His side. When we cry out to Him, He is swiftly at our side as He envelops us in wings of love. ~How often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings ~ He calls out to those who are outside His warmth.
Finally, He is ours. He is our strength, our fortress, our refuge. Nothing can ever take us away from Him. ~ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord~.
~The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God~
Virginia,
5-05-07
_____________________________
~I would love for you to come and learn about Jesus of Nazareth with me in the Writer's Roundtable Folder~
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 5/15/2007 2:00:40 PM
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kisstheson
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Yes! Praise Him that He is all of these things to us when we find ourselves in trouble. "In this world you shall have tribulation. Fear not! I ave overcome the world." John 16:33 Your post Virginia is so uplifting and it is a blessing to focus on Jesus!
_____________________________
This is my Beloved. This is my friend. (Song of Solomon)
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 5/15/2007 2:07:03 PM
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kisstheson
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I was pleased to see my latest mediation fits so well with yours so I thought I would share it with you.
The Bride speaks to Jesus:
My heart in Your caress trembles in its flight.
Your wounded side ~ Your breast the purest white.
Sweet beyond telling, my breasted Mother,
Your pitying arms wooed me, my gentle Lover.
Your wound profusely bleeds.
On this honeyed nutriant my soul longs to feed.
Tonight I am happy to share about one of the most beautiful aspects of Jesus and this is His bosom and wounded side. Such freedom our Bridegroom has brought us! We are no longer bound by the Law that says "Do not taste. Do not touch!" There are no walls, no veil to divide us from the Holy of holies. Our Bridegroom is the Holy place! (Hebrews 10:21) Jesus wants us to come close to Him! What blessedness to be "mothered" by Jesus!
He will carry the lambs in His bosom and gently lead those who are with young. How often has He longed to gather us as a mother hen woukd gather her chicks under her wings.
Such glory is in the bosom of Jesus! Remember the lyric form the Battle Hymn of the Rebublic?
"In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in His bosom the transfigures you and me."
The Bride exclaims His breast in the purest white because He is pure and holy beyond telling. His bosom is a fountain of lilies in full bloom. There is no one who can compare, no one who matches His glory and purity. As we come close to Jesus we are transformed. Our old selfish ways begin to die. Our appetites change. Our taste is for Jesus, His desires, His goodness.
Oh even more does our Lord long to give us! He wants to nurture us. He wants to feed us.
Come to Me and drink!
His wounded side is there for us now! Water poured out of the rock to feed the thirsty Hebrews in the desert. Jesus is our rock cleft for us. Happy the soul who presses her mouth to wouded side of Jesus. No longer see Him only seated at the Father's right hand but see Him present with you. "The one who loves Me...and I will show myself to him." John 14:21 How refreshing to drink of Jesus! What substaining life flows from Him! "I am the Life!" John 14:6
The legend is told that the mother pelican pierces her own own breast and feeds her little ones her blood. Even so has Jesus done this for us. He gives us Himself, His body and blood. (Catholics believe literally.) Not only do we partake of Him in the communion but in our daily life with Him, in us, around us, beside us...Jesus our food. Blessed Bride let us daily partake of Jesus!
_____________________________
This is my Beloved. This is my friend. (Song of Solomon)
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 5/15/2007 4:51:26 PM
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CherishedbyGod
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kisstheson,
That is sooo beautiful, your meditation!!! So very rich!!! How pleased our Beloved must be with it; given to you by the Holy Spirit who loves to focus on Jesus!
_____________________________
~I would love for you to come and learn about Jesus of Nazareth with me in the Writer's Roundtable Folder~
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 5/18/2007 4:27:19 PM
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CherishedbyGod
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In The Storms of Life
Part One
Jesus Sees Us
~It is I; be not afraid~. Have we heard Him speak to us? Have we heard Him whispering those gentle, kind words to our hearts in the midst of our fear? Best known as the miracle where Jesus walks on water, let us not overlook many other treasures in this wonderful story.
The Sea of Galilee is surrounded by mountains and deep canyons. Storms can come up suddenly with winds whipping down through the canyons upon the lake. But the disciples were seasoned fisherman and Jesus had directed them to go by ship to the other side of the lake.
Then the storm came! How frightening it must have been as the raging storm tossed the ship! How could this be? They were under the Lord's directive when this life-threatening storm hit them. How can this be when we are following the Lord and suddenly our storm of life hits us? Certainly our faith can be near shipwrecked during these times.
We may be encouraged as we look closer at the ways of Jesus when we are in the midst of a tempest. First of all, Jesus went up the mountain after He sent the disciples. The mountain represents the place of authority. Our Lord has authority over all the affairs of our life, the calm and the frightening. Even though dark times may come, at one command He will put an end to our storm when He sees the perfect timing. In this story, He waited until the fourth watch of the night. It must have seemed like an eternity of tempest and darkness to these men. Has your storm seemed like and eternity, dear reader? Do you feel as if your faith is about to fail?
But our text says ~and He saw them toiling in rowing~. Oh, His loving eye is ever upon us while we are in the storms of life. There is great comfort remembering our loving Lord never takes His eyes off His bewildered and frightened children in the midst of our storm! We are not alone in our difficulty. Jesus sees us and is with us!
To be continued....
Virginia,
May 9, 2007
In our part two, we will look into how Jesus is always praying for us and the subsequent implications.
_____________________________
~I would love for you to come and learn about Jesus of Nazareth with me in the Writer's Roundtable Folder~
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 5/18/2007 5:47:09 PM
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Fwanger
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I wrote this this afternoon. It's called a Little Bit of Son
A Little Bit of Son
I was just outside on my break and a man I work with came up to me and said “It’s amazing what a little bit of sun can do.” It really got me thinking. A little bit of sun. Obviously, the man was talking about the weather. It was I guess the laymen term can be yucky outside. Cloudy, looking like the rain would pour forth at a moments notice. But the sun broke through and the dark clouds fled.
It got me thinking about the true Son. We wallow within ourselves. Our worries focused soley on ourselves, our sinful natures, our problems, concerns, and even those few issues in life that effect us. But when we come to that place, where we see the Son glorified, all those issues, natures, concerns and problems seem to take a back seat to what really matters. Is it us that matters? Is it the issues that we are concerned with? No. The Son is what matters.
“In this life you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.” These words Jesus spoke just hours before His arrest and His death. These problems will always exists. We will see them take people that we love and ourselves and drag us down. We will see our sinful natures, and our own dramas rise up daily and try to break us. But Jesus told us, not to worry about such things. He has overcome them.
How often do we come to that place where He overcame all? How often do we stand at the foot of His cross and look upon Him whom was pierced for us? We don’t. Just a glance at His blood stained cross pierces our souls and causes us to backpedal away from such a sight. We don’t like to feel that way. We don’t want to see the glazed eyes, the limp hands and feet, the blood. We don’t want to smell the sweat, the blood or experience the pain that He went through. We don’t want to look upon Him who was pierced, because we all know that it should be us stapled to that cold wood. It’s hard for us to fathom that this Man, this God-Man, came down and lovingly and willingly allowed Himself to be butchered, so that we in this world would have the chance to be reconciled to Him. It’s too much to bear. We make up excuses for not believing. We say to others and ourselves, why should this be right? There are many religions in this world, how is it that THIS MAN is the way, the truth and the life?
A little bit of Son. That’s all it takes to pierce the darkness of our souls and to make us see ourselves for what we really are. When we put ourselves up agains the spotless lamb of God what do we see? Are we happy with ourselves? If you answer yes to that, then truly you are not being honest with yourselves. Jesus came to take the punishment for us. To push the clouds back from the borders of our souls and to allow the light to shine through. And that light is piercing indeed. It’s pierces all thought, all morals, all the dark that we have hidden ourselves in and brings us face to face with what we are. Who can stand under such light? Who can truly look upon themselves and not tremble in the awesome light of God’s saving grace? I for one cannot.
See, I know myself. I know my dark sides. I know my hatreds, my jealousies, and my angst. And when I put myself up against that saving light, and think to myself of the times that I sought to find my own salvation. The roads that I have taken trying to find another way, I fall to my knees in agony. There is but one way that was purchased for us to find the path back to God, and that is through the atoning work of Christ. If we think to ourselves that we can find our own way back to God, then we are insulting the work of Christ on the cross, and His brutal death at the hands of the Romans was for naught.
So does this mean that we worship a dead God? Certainly not! For God proved that the sacrifice was good. He showed the world that He accepted this atoning work by raising His Son from the dead three days later. The first words from heaven to the disciples after this painful three days were not, “we weep with you.” But were “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” Those lips and hands and eyes that were silenced and bound in death were loosed. Those hands that broke bread that fed five thousand, those feet that walked upon water, and those lips that spoke the words needed to raise forth the dead could not be held, could not be silenced in a grave. Some people think we worship “a dead carpenter.” If that is your take on Christianity, then sadly you missed the boat and shouldn’t be talking about things of which you have no understanding. Our Lord lives, He proves this with each life that He touches, with each soul that yearns for Him.
So my question is what do you do with this? Do you continue in your selfish ways? Do you continue to let the clouds cover your soul, to live a dead life, bereft of the one whom loved you enough to give all of Himself, even unto death to make certain that one day He could look you in the eye and say “Well done my good and faithful servant.”
We should be saying “Well done my good and faithful Lord.” And let that little bit of Son shine.
_____________________________
Often have I said, I will never doubt the salvation of any one, so long as I can but know that Christ has accepted me. C.H. Spurgeon "The Way of Salvation"
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 5/19/2007 12:05:23 AM
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kisstheson
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Virginia,
Wonderful post about believing Jesus is faithful in the midst of our trials and storms in life.
Fwanger,
You write well. Strong images of Christ on the cross. I also like the comparison to the SON and the sun. Excellent "food for thought." I appreciate your sharing!
_____________________________
This is my Beloved. This is my friend. (Song of Solomon)
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 5/19/2007 3:47:52 PM
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CherishedbyGod
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Amy, many thanks!
Fwanger,
Great, great post! Keep writing! You shared so much and it is powerful! Have you ever submitted to http://www.faithwriters.com?
There is a song that I love and it says so much...It is a song by Todd Agnew. The part where Todd share's "Did you shudder each time the hammer hit the nails" is a heartbreaker if someone takes the time to really think that the harmless/spotless Son of God suffered so for us...
I'm still at internet cafe - hope to get my healed computer back tomorrow and post the second and third part of my last devotion next week 
_____________________________
~I would love for you to come and learn about Jesus of Nazareth with me in the Writer's Roundtable Folder~
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 5/20/2007 4:16:09 PM
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CherishedbyGod
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In the Storms of Life
Part Two
~I have prayed for thee~
~ And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people. And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land. And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out: For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them,
Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid~
Mark 6:45-50
In our first lesson together we looked at some dynamics of the Sea of Galilee. We learned we can be in the midst of faithfully following Jesus when our storm can come suddenly upon us bringing great fear and perplexity. We learned that often Jesus waits until we are stretched almost beyond our limits before He commands the storm to depart our life.
We also learned that Jesus went up the mountain and from that high vantage point He could see the disciples in the midst of their storm. Oh, there is great comfort when we know that Jesus has not left us alone and that He sees us and is with us in the midst of the tempest!
However, let us glean further comfort from the ways of Jesus during the raging sea of our lives. From the place of authority and seeing the disciples, Matthew’s Gospel says that He went up the mountain to pray.
Do we remember that Jesus ~ever lives to make intercession for us~? All authority has been given to Him by the Heavenly Father. He sits at the right side of the Father, the place of authority. His prayers are always answered by the Father! Always! And ~if God be for us, who (or what) can be against us~? Our heavenly Father, through His Son’s intercession, will not let us escape out of His omniscient right hand! No tempest will destroy us! He will bring us through! His faith will never fail and He is praying for us!
Sometimes, when I feel stretched beyond my limit, and feel no one else is praying for me, out of pure desperation I cry “Jesus pray for me”! Following this prayer I receive God’s peace. For I know He already is praying for me, He has my best interest in mind and His prayers are always answered. Somehow, though, I sense that He stands up from His lofty throne when I pray that and His attention is absolutely fixed on…me.
~I have prayed for thee, and when thou are converted, strengthen your brethren~.
Let us note that in this verse, Jesus says ~when thou are converted~ not if thou are converted. There is no question in the heart of Jesus whether we will ultimately be victorious through our trial….Let us take heart.
To be continued…
Virginia
May 09, 2007
_____________________________
~I would love for you to come and learn about Jesus of Nazareth with me in the Writer's Roundtable Folder~
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 5/20/2007 11:45:22 PM
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kisstheson
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All I can say is praise the Lord that He is praying for us! Thanks Virginia!
_____________________________
This is my Beloved. This is my friend. (Song of Solomon)
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 5/21/2007 4:18:27 PM
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Fwanger
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From: Phillipsburg, NJ
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Thanks for the support. I did post one other message on that link Beloved gave me called Dealing With Grief. It's something I wrote up last year. Here it is:
Dealing with grief
Why is grief so hard? All types? From death, to just grief over a difficult life, it can begin to wear on you if you give it a foot in the door. It makes you wonder, how can emotions do this to us? How can they result in physical bodily pain, when it is just a feeling? These are hard questions and are even harder to answer. For millenia, people have tried to cope with grief, in many different ways. Some shut down, others try to do too much, others take it out on everyone around them, while others take it out on themselves. Is there a right way to deal with it?
Scripture tells to not mourn like those who have no hope. It doesn't say that we aren't to mourn, after all Jesus Himself mourned over Jerusalem prior to His crucifixion, when He prounounced this benediction on the city "O Jerusalem, you who stone the prophets sent to you, how I longed to gather you into my arms as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing." Jesus mourned over a nation that refused to recognize Him as the Messiah sent to save them. You have to wonder how much He anguishes knowing that they would still not come to Him, even after He rose and showed Himself.
Everyday, grief is evident in this world. I see it for approximately eight hours a day as I type obituaries. I deal with families, some that have hope, others that are so bereft of said hope, that they end up taking their own lives. But there is hope.
A famous preacher said that one of the most read passages in Scripture at funerals comes from 1 Thessalonians Chapter 4. People were asking Paul what happend to those who died prior to the coming of Christ. Paul's answer to them turned out to be prophetic. While some argue over whether He meant the Rapture of the church, or the final resurrection at the time of Christ, all will tell you that this is a message of hope and love:
But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel's call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first; then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.
There is the blessed hope of the Church. That one day, all will be with their Lord. He tells us in John that "Let not your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house there are many rooms. If it were not so, would I tell you that I go to prepare a place for you? And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also."
While we will have trouble and grief in this world, we can rest assured that the day will come when the Lord will "wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away."
That is a hope that lives within me everyday. So don't let grief get a grip on you. God gives each of us His strength everyday. He gives us just enough to get us through each day. While it can and will be hard, no one ever promised us an easy road, we can know that one day it will be worth it.
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Often have I said, I will never doubt the salvation of any one, so long as I can but know that Christ has accepted me. C.H. Spurgeon "The Way of Salvation"
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 5/21/2007 4:38:29 PM
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CherishedbyGod
Posts: 2339
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Great article! You have sooo much to share and I really appreciate the depth of your topics. I believe I am able to read in your words a depth that is born of experience?
Are you the same pen name at Faithwriter's as you are here?
Think I will PM you and give you my pen name there....And then, when I have a chance, I will look you up there 
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~I would love for you to come and learn about Jesus of Nazareth with me in the Writer's Roundtable Folder~
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 5/22/2007 12:08:19 AM
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kisstheson
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From: AOL
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I was blessed by you post Frawger! I really needed this tonight.
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This is my Beloved. This is my friend. (Song of Solomon)
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 5/23/2007 12:18:41 AM
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CherishedbyGod
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