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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 5/30/2006 6:57:07 PM
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BelovedofGod
Posts: 100
Joined: 3/6/2006
From: Northern California
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When They Ministered to the LORD
Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
Here is a beautiful description of God’s desire for us. After the above mentioned, came to know and love Jesus, they found Him so irresistible that they first and foremost ministered to Him. It was Jesus they desired.
God adores and cherishes us. We are His beloved. His great Heart longs to have fellowship with and have intimate time together with us. Before our service, ministry, or anything else He wants us!
A few months back, feeling a cooling off of my heart towards Him, I realized that I had put my ministry and other things before Him. The fire that burned in my heart for Him had dimmed. The pure love of wanting to learn more about Him and His wonderful ways with us had slipped away.
I will share a little poem I wrote shortly after I realized the cooling off of my relationship with Him:
Most Treasured Love
My heart has wandered from Thee,
O, Spirit of God, come, set me free.
Restore unto me a pure love,
O, come, sweet, gentle Dove!
It is Thee I desire to seek,
For all of my days.
O, Dearest Jesus,
To know more of Thy ways.
Bring me back to gaze on Thy Face,
Help me behold Thy mercy and grace.
Sweet Jesus it is You alone I desire,
Send forth Thy love as consuming fire.
For you are beautiful, most treasured Love,
Father, Son and Holy Dove.
Let my life be simply for Thee
For me You died on Calvary’s Tree
How He desires to be first in our hearts. How He desires that we don’t lose our first love. It was when the first Christians ministered first and foremost to Jesus that the Holy Spirit said Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
The early church turned the world upside down. God can do the same through us as we minister to and love first the LORD.
Oh, Abba Father. You have given us Your very best in the Person of Your Son, Jesus Christ. We desire to say “Thank You, our great God”! More than our service, our gifts, more than anything else You long for us to Love Your dearest Beloved. You long for us to be a bride that is so in love with Jesus that we first and foremost minister unto Him because of His great love for us. Please help us Father and bring us back to our first love, our Jesus. For it is in His name we pray, Amen. © Virginia Ganskie
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~But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth ~ Psalm 86:15
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 5/31/2006 3:09:58 AM
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kisstheson
Posts: 1022
Joined: 5/1/2006
From: AOL
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Absolutely Virginia!
If I forget Thee Oh Jesus!
If I do not prefer Thee as my chief joy...
Have mercy!
Have mercy!
_____________________________
This is my Beloved. This is my friend. (Song of Solomon)
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 5/31/2006 2:05:29 PM
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BelovedofGod
Posts: 100
Joined: 3/6/2006
From: Northern California
Status: offline
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Jesus Stood Still for Him
And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.
And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me.
And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.
And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole.
Can we who feel hopeless and in guilt and shame cause God to stand still? Oh, yes, my beloved reader!
We know him from the gospels as blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus. In Biblical times, names often revealed character or something unique about the individual. His name, of Chaldee origin, comes from two words. One means an Israelite and the other means son of the unclean.
We also know that blindness was sometimes, although not always, associated with sin.
Hiding under his garment with eyes cast down how much shame he must have endured to be called by this name. His life was reduced to being blind, begging in shame and guilt.
Do we not hide, with our eyes cast down in shame and guilt from the burden of sin, sometimes, dear one? I know that I have. What might you be hiding from, precious soul? Do you hide from fear, guilt, shame or disgrace? I am certain that all of us have at some time in our lives even if it is false guilt or shame that someone else has put upon us.
But somehow, Bartimaeus knew the prophecies concerning the coming Messiah. He knew that when Messiah came that he would be known by setting the captives free, preaching forgiveness to sinners, by healing those that have been hurt and by restoring sight to the blind. This is why he called Jesus, "Son of David" because he was convinced that Jesus was God come in the flesh. Hope that had so long eluded him was born in his heart as he heard about Jesus.
Do you need hope in your heart today, dear reader?
And what was it about this man that caused Jesus, the Son of God, to stop and call Bartimaeus to be brought to His side? Bartimaeus, believed that Jesus, being God, could heal him. He had heard of others being healed of their blindness. And He cried out to Jesus to have mercy on him. For these reasons Jesus stopped what He was doing to restore Bartimaeus' eyesight, to forgive Him of His sins and to declare that he was whole.
With his eyesight restored, the first person's face that he saw was the face of Jesus. As he saw those compassionate, loving, pitying and tender eyes, Bartimaeus was restored to honor and dignity. His shame and guilt were now gone and he was no more the son of the unclean. Jesus restored to him all that sin had stripped him of.
With one cry of mercy to Jesus, the Son of God, He can do the same for us.
© Virginia Ganskie
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~But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth ~ Psalm 86:15
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 6/1/2006 9:47:51 AM
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BelovedofGod
Posts: 100
Joined: 3/6/2006
From: Northern California
Status: offline
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Jesus of Nazareth!
~Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth~
As we sang our songs of love and adoration to our King, the church was filling up. Towards the end of our worship in song, the high school students began streaming in as one and the last song we sang was one they wrote. Looking around, I saw our church fuller than in months.
A few months earlier our pastor dedicated a sermon to an elder who recently passed away. The elder apparently had quite an impact on our pastor. “Greg”, he often said, “it’s all about the Lord”.
I sat in wonder and joy yesterday as our pastor, over and over drove home the point that we must stay focused on Jesus. I wanted to stand up and clap in the middle of the message. YES, go for it Pastor, Greg! I could hardly believe what I was hearing.
How long I waited to hear those words thundering from a pulpit! How many years of longing to hear a message like that! The grace of God put that longing in my heart for the glory of God. Pastor preached similar messages in the past. Many times I heard him say that the first words that came forth during Peter’s message, on the day of Pentecost were “Jesus of Nazareth”. But never with such fire and power as this Sunday!
“It is alright to answer questions that people have, but always bring them back to Jesus. What are you going to do with Jesus?” This is the ultimate question. Do not let yourself get off tract. Answer the question, but bring the precious soul back to Jesus.
Oh, how pleased the Holy Spirit was yesterday! What joy it was for me to see the hungry, eager faces fixed on pastor as he brought us back to our first love, Jesus Christ. To see these life-changing, life-giving words being poured into the young people’s hearts! Oh, this is the message of revival! It is what the church in our day desperately needs to hear.
It truly is all about Jesus!
And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
_____________________________
~But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth ~ Psalm 86:15
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 6/2/2006 9:40:53 AM
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BelovedofGod
Posts: 100
Joined: 3/6/2006
From: Northern California
Status: offline
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Some of us have read of people who have experienced extra ordinary manifestations of God's Love. I know a woman who did experience just that. She rarely shares with anyone about it so I will keep her name anonymous.
Around 1990, she was lying in bed waiting to fall asleep.
Suddenly she was aware of the presence of God filling the room. It was Jesus Christ, Himself in her room. She could not "see" Him but she knew He was there.
From this incredible manifestation of His being flowed the most all-consuming Love a mortal being could handle. This Love flowing from the very presence of God was so full of pure, holy passion!!! It was so strong and engulfing that she almost asked Jesus to not pour forth anymore - she would not have been able to handle it.
She fell out of bed onto her knees. She knew that if any of us were to experience the Love that one cannot describe but only experience - the Love of Jesus that was in her room that night, there is no doubt they would be more than willing to die for that love.
Oh, someday soon my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ we will experience that Love forever and ever!
_____________________________
~But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth ~ Psalm 86:15
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 6/3/2006 11:19:21 AM
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BelovedofGod
Posts: 100
Joined: 3/6/2006
From: Northern California
Status: offline
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Communion with God
“Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another; and the LORD hearkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels…” Malachi 3: 16-17a, b
My sweet Jesus, You are so precious to me.
LORD, You tell me that You hearken and write in Your book of remembrance when my husband and I speak to each other about You. You hearken and put in your book of remembrance when I write about You in my devotions. I have your attention when I study about Jesus and His ways with us as depicted in the gospels.
When the Holy Spirit and I muse on Jesus together Father, it is the delight of Your heart. It thrills You when I think upon Your Son’s name. It thrills You when the Holy Spirit gently whispers into my ear of the beautiful treasures of Jesus.
Father, you tell me how very pleased you are when I treasure your Son so. Holy Spirit, You remind me that it is Your greatest delight to reveal Jesus to me.
And, my sweet Jesus you tell me that I have Your attention when we share time together during my quiet time.
These are things that angels long to look into because they know also of Your matchless beauty.
Yes, dear LORD, Your attention is upon me. You hearken and hear when my greatest treasure is to share You. These things are a sweet aroma to You. You put these things in a book of remembrance. They are so precious to You. Perhaps it is Your private diary that some day you will share with others.
And in that perfect day, in that Celestial City, I will worship You with millions of others, before your glorious throne. I will be that precious jewel to You. I will be a jewel in Your crown for all to see. And I will cast my crown before You, and adore You as You adore me.
© Virginia
_____________________________
~But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth ~ Psalm 86:15
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 6/4/2006 6:06:44 PM
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BelovedofGod
Posts: 100
Joined: 3/6/2006
From: Northern California
Status: offline
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JESUS
You're all that I've ever wanted,
Your're all that I ever need.
And when I was not looking,
You were after me.
For Your love for me is eternal,
And this I know is true.
I could never repay the debt
Of love I owe to You.
For who is like the LORD our God?
Compassionate and full of mercy.
Who compares to Your great Love?
There's none in all the earth.
I will sing of Your love and grace
That covers all my guilt and shame
In all the earth,who is like You
In all the earth, who is like You?
In all the earth who is like the LORD?
Amen and amen!
< Message edited by BelovedofGod -- 6/4/2006 6:13:41 PM >
_____________________________
~But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth ~ Psalm 86:15
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 6/5/2006 5:05:23 PM
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BelovedofGod
Posts: 100
Joined: 3/6/2006
From: Northern California
Status: offline
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The Shepherd’s Song
“He shall feed His flock like a shepherd; he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young” ― Isaiah 40:11 KJV.
Such tender words have never been spoken to mortal man before. Imagine being carried in the arms of God close to His great heart of love. Oh, imagine hearing His whispers of love to you as He carries you.
In a world that can be harsh and cruel, these words bring me wonderful relief that God is full of compassion, tenderness and gentleness. He is so strong but His mercies are new every morning.
How gracious my kind Shepherd is to me. Over and over again in my Christian life when I have wandered from the Shepherd and gotten into trouble, my Jesus has come looking for me to bring me back within His care. It truly is so wonderful to belong to Jesus, the Great Shepherd. The more that I get to know Him the more that I want to press in close to His side and get to know Him better.
There is safety when we become Jesus’ disciple. He tells me that no one can pluck me out of my Shepherd's nail-pierced hands. And when our days on this earth are over, Jesus will take us home to be with Him for eternity.
© Virginia Ganskie
_____________________________
~But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth ~ Psalm 86:15
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 6/6/2006 12:51:27 PM
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BelovedofGod
Posts: 100
Joined: 3/6/2006
From: Northern California
Status: offline
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The "Name of the Lord" is Jesus
Jesus Christ came and opened the way to heaven and glory and to God Himself. The Lord Jesus did more than simply talk a good talk. He lived out His life demonstrating the very heart and mind of God. And then He gave Himself in our stead, dying for human sins on the cross, so that all people everywhere might be saved. He was then buried. But He rose up from the dead on the third day, proving that He was more than just a good man. He was the God of all creation in human flesh. He was the Savior of the world.
Whatever your need today, call on Jesus. Whatever your situation in life, call on God. Don't just recite a prayer that you learned somewhere. Call on the Lord from a pure heart, and talk to Him about your life, your fears and failures, your needs and hopes. Admit your total need of Him and ask Him to intervene in your life -- right here and now. Believe God and trust Him to help you. He will undertake to change your life, and He will save your eternal soul.
Jesus said, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die." (John 11:25,26)
Don't just believe some things about Jesus. Trust in Him. Trust Him. Believe in Him to help you and save you right now. He will give you live, both now and for all eternity.
_____________________________
~But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth ~ Psalm 86:15
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 6/7/2006 11:04:32 AM
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BelovedofGod
Posts: 100
Joined: 3/6/2006
From: Northern California
Status: offline
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You Alone, Jesus
Part Three
~Consider Jesus
You alone, Jesus are the brightness of God's glory. You are more beautiful than a perfect diamond which shines it’s radiance in the light whichever way it is turned. How brilliant is your brightness! Your glory is Your goodness. When Moses asked You to show Your glory to him, You said ~I will make all my goodness pass before thee~. As you passed before Moses You expounded on what Your goodness consists of. You said ~The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin~. Oh, how great is thy goodness, which thou hast wrought for them that trust in Thee!
You are our great Redeemer. You have rescued us from darkness and death and translated us into the Kingdom of Your light and love. You bought us back with your precious Blood from the cruel enemy and the imprisonment of sin to a life of freedom. We are embraced by Your kindness. You speak to me words of grace, love and kindness.
You are our Peace, dear God. You bring us into a relationship of peace with our Heavenly Father. You also give us your own peace, even in the midst of the storms of life. Just as you rescued your disciples on that dark, stormy night, we see you walking on the water towards us to rescue us from whatever causes us to fear.
You alone, Jesus are our good Shepherd. Our good Shepherd is strong, yet tender. You know us by name. You know all about us, even the worst and yet you are patient and kind with us. When we wander away from You, you seek us out and when You find us You carry us back to the fold on your shoulders, the place of strength. You gather the lambs with your arms and carry them in your bosom as You whisper words of love into their ears. The person, animal, or object that is held in one's bosom is cherished greatly. It indicates the upper part of a person's body where objects and persons of love are embraced. When we go through grief or fear You lead us back to the still quiet waters. You quiet us there and give us rest and peace as we lay down in the grass satisfied by You and Your great love for us.
© Virginia Ganskie, 2006
_____________________________
~But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth ~ Psalm 86:15
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 6/8/2006 9:54:38 AM
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BelovedofGod
Posts: 100
Joined: 3/6/2006
From: Northern California
Status: offline
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I have difficulty pouring out my heart to God and letting myself cry. Perhaps it is because I have been abused for the greater part of my life. But it is starting to change. I asked Jesus fairly recently to heal my relationship with my Heavenly Father so I might feel safe going to Him with my fears, pain and grief
I love my pets. I find unconditional love from them which I never received growing up. For years my cats have brought great comfort to me as I withdrew from others. They seem to always be there loving me when I need to grieve. Innocent and loving animals they are.
This morning, I read something from a person on an internet forum who loved their cat and expressed their grief over losing their pet. I started crying and the still small Voice of God came to me asking me to come and share my grief with Him.
I let myself cry out to my Heavenly Father and after I cried for awhile He gave me this message to meditate on and then share with my treasured readers.
Abba, Father, did You Cry?
Abba, Father, did You cry when Your Son left His home in Heaven to come to us in this dark world?
Did You cry over the slaughter of innocent children slain because a wicked ruler wanted to kill Jesus, who You gave to us because of Your great love for us?
Did You cry when He was constantly rejected by the religious leaders of the day? So envious of Him they were that His life was often threatened. How it must have hurt You knowing the feelings of rejection and hurt He felt. Even though He is God, He is also Man and felt the pain we feel.
Did You cry when He wept over Jerusalem and at the tomb of the dead Lazareth? And what of the time of His betrayal? To have a friend betray oneself is awful! It is some of the worst pain one can feel.
Did You cry when He suffered all alone? His disciples were not able, at the time, to enter into the fellowship of His sufferings. How alone He must have felt! So alone in that garden that you sent Him an angel to strengthen Him.
Did You cry over Your innocent and harmless Son as they began beating Him beyond recognition and shoved that cruel crown of thorns upon His regal Head? Oh, the pain which You felt is beyond comparison! No one has suffered as much as You seeing such cruelty done to Your Son.
Did You cry when they nailed Him to the cross? The physical and emotional pain He endured for us and Your sake, no mortal man can know.
Did You cry when He shrieked out “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me” as the guilt and shame of every human being was placed on Him?
Did You cry when Your Son, who is God died so that we might live?
Abba, Father do you still cry over all the hurt and pain in this wicked world and over the way people still hate and despise Your beloved Son, Jesus?
_____________________________
~But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth ~ Psalm 86:15
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 6/9/2006 4:05:18 PM
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BelovedofGod
Posts: 100
Joined: 3/6/2006
From: Northern California
Status: offline
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His Perfect Love Revealed
~And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God~
It is hard to fathom the grace of God towards the centurion who watched Jesus die. A centurion was the leader over one hundred soldiers in ancient Rome. Apparently this unnamed centurion was appointed to lead the band of soldiers who were the ones responsible for nailing Jesus to the cross.
What was it about the way Jesus died that caused this man to conclude that Jesus Christ of Nazareth is the Son of God? He must have witnessed many crucifixions.
The centurion saw the darkness that hovered over the earth during those terrible three hours. He probably was knocked down by the large earthquake. He heard the most terrible cry ever shrieked from human lips. ~My God, My God why hath You forsaken me~ Jesus cried in utter desolation.
We may be certain that he saw many more terrible things during that darkest day of human history.
However, I believe it was the perfect love flowing from the dying Saviour that the Holy Spirit used to open the murderer’s eyes that Jesus truly is the Son of God.
Never has there been more perfect love displayed than when Jesus pleaded for forgiveness for His murderers as they drove the nails through His hands and feet. ~And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do~
What love was displayed from the G0d-man during His crucifixion! The assurance to the thief crucified next to Him when he cried out to Jesus and Jesus assured him that he would be in paradise. The entrusting of His mother into John’s care. The refusal to come off the cross as He was cruelly mocked.
The centurion was the leader of the band that crucified the Saviour of the world. This man was destined for this before the foundation of the world. But he was also destined to have his eyes and heart opened by God to recognize that Jesus is the Son of God. His life would never be the same again. Because He realized Who Jesus is, I believe he will be in Heaven.
Oh, what a display of the mercy, grace and love of God!
© Virginia Ganskie, 2006
_____________________________
~But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth ~ Psalm 86:15
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 6/10/2006 12:28:13 PM
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BelovedofGod
Posts: 100
Joined: 3/6/2006
From: Northern California
Status: offline
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Beholding God
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life”
(1 John 1:1).
The great Apostle, John begins both this Epistle and the Gospel of John speaking of God. It is as if his heart is full and overflowing with thoughts of the One that he was so close to. He tries his best to communicate to us of Jesus Who he dearly loved. He had touched the face of God and he wants to share with us the reality of Immanuel, or God with us.
He first reminds us that Jesus is from eternity past. He is the great “I AM” of the prophets of old. He is the self-existent One and there has never been a time that He did not exist. At the perfect time the Heavenly Father sent Him to us. During the thirty-three years that He lived upon this earth, Jesus was God veiled in human flesh.
John heard Him speak the words of eternal life. If we need to know what God the Father is like, we need only study the life of Christ to hear the words of God. He speaks in many ways but, in the gospels the kind, gentle heart of God is opened up to us through the words of Jesus.
John then tells us that he gazed upon the Face of God with his own eyes. Such a Face was veiled for centuries from mankind but John saw His lovely Face. Such tenderness, compassion and loving-kindness radiated from those Divine Eyes. Such peace and tranquility was etched in that Face. John could not get close enough to God so he laid his head on the breast of God gazing into the Face of his Beloved.
And then as if it was not enough to say that he saw the Face of God he said that he looked upon the Word of life, Jesus. When he said that he looked upon Jesus, it means that he observed closely or perceived. John studied his beloved Jesus; he could not help but study this loving Being.
Finally, at the close of this beautiful verse, John said that he handled God. He touched the heart of God with his love and his hands handled the being of God. It was if he wanted to be sure that this was truly God in the flesh. So enraptured with love for his Jesus, he must touch Him to fully believe that this very One was real. The word “handled” means to “verify by contact”.
In the end, John must share with us the reality of God manifest in the flesh. He was actually there with Jesus for three blissful years but he never forgot Who he saw, Who he gazed upon and Who he handled. He so adored the Son of God that he must share with us the One who was so real to him so that we might look, gaze upon and handle Him with a heart full of faith. 
© Virginia Lynn Ganskie
_____________________________
~But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth ~ Psalm 86:15
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 6/12/2006 5:04:58 PM
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BelovedofGod
Posts: 100
Joined: 3/6/2006
From: Northern California
Status: offline
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Our Glorious Hope
~We might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us. Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast~
During turbulent times is there something we can hold on to help us not sink in despair? Whether it is in our personal lives or the dangerous world we live in, how do we withstand and not succumb to the temptation of fainting in fear or seeking refuge in something that will destroy us?
Treasured reader, do we have something or Someone that we can have hope in which can serve to keep us anchored while the winds of uncertainty, fear or grief threaten to overwhelm us?
From a Biblical standpoint, what is a definition of hope? It is a much more powerful word than what we usually think. For it is “2a) in the Christian sense joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation and the author of hope or he who is its foundation.” God is the author of hope and His trustworthiness is its foundation.
~ We might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us. Which hope owe have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast~ What comfort this can bring a tormented soul! We can have a strong consolation or comfort when we flee for refuge during days when we are hurting or fearful!
But where or who do we flee to for our refuge, shelter, protection? It is to Jesus we must flee to receive the desired rest we long for. It is to Him, His promises, His word we must bathe ourselves in. Once we begin to know and believe His loving-kindness, mercy, compassion, and faithfulness we know we can flee to Him for refuge and comfort. We can open our whole being and pour out our hearts to Him. He longs for us to be truthful with Him and share even the worse of ourselves.
And what will we receive from Him when we flee to Him for refuge from life’s storms? A deep, abiding peace, joy and certainty that we are so very precious to Him. He will never condemn or judge the one who makes “The Most High God” their refuge. He welcomes and longs for us to come under the shelter of His wings and….rest.
Hope. A strong confidence and joyful expectation that something wonderful is going to be given to us. The Hope of Heaven. The hope of abiding forever with a kind, loving, merciful and gracious God.
Faith sees the haven, hope desires and anticipates the rest; faith works, and hope holds fast; and, shortly, the soul enters into the haven of eternal repose.
~Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ~
© Virginia Ganskie
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~But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth ~ Psalm 86:15
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 6/13/2006 1:26:07 PM
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BelovedofGod
Posts: 100
Joined: 3/6/2006
From: Northern California
Status: offline
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I THIRST"
His arms nailed to the Cross;
His heart bleeding for you…
His soul grieving for you…
He whispered "I thirst".
"I thirst – for you, My child;
Wandering in the wilderness,
Lost in the realm of this world-
Return to My fold…
"I thirst - for your salvation;
And, forgiveness of your sins.
It's burden heavy on Me-
I long to set you free…
"I thirst – for your love;
Love none other, but Me.
Just 'cos I loved you first-
And yearn to hold you to My breast...
"I thirst – for your trust;
And, your complete surrender.
Casting your cares on Me –
For My yoke is easy – and My burden light".
_____________________________
~But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth ~ Psalm 86:15
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 6/14/2006 4:55:08 PM
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BelovedofGod
Posts: 100
Joined: 3/6/2006
From: Northern California
Status: offline
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Beautiful, A Shepherd's Heart
~He is despised and rejected of men~
He was turning their world upside down with His strange new teaching. At the same time they were drawn, irresistibly, to Him. Such kindness radiated from Him. Hope, which had eluded them for so long during this dark time of history, was quietly stirred within their hurting hearts.
“I am the good Shepherd” He said tenderly. “The good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.”
With these words, this Jewish Rabbi captured the attention of the religious leaders and the common people of the day. Did He not know that shepherds were looked upon with contempt? They were despised in Biblical culture, only one step above a leper.
But it was for the despised, the outcasts, the sinners Jesus came. He came for the untouchables that others cast off. And His beautiful heart loved them so very much. And His pure, holy and harmless heart loves us so much.
Dear reader! Do you feel alone in this world? Do you feel like no one understands you? Do you feel like no one cares about you?
Precious One! Jesus purposely took on the role of a Shepherd. And why did He do that, you might wonder?
He did it for you. He did it for me. When He came from Heaven to earth, He purposely left the adoration of the angelic hosts. He purposely set aside His splendor, His majesty. He came down to us from the glory and honor of Heaven and took upon Himself the lowly occupation of a shepherd, the hated occupation. Jesus wanted to be able to identify with the despised. That is why He took such a lowly position. He desired to hear our cries with empathy and compassion and understand what it felt like to be hated, ignored, beaten and bruised.
Do we have grief of heart today? Have others been cruel to us? Let us come to the good Shepherd who made our heart. He promises that He will never leave or forsake us. “Come unto Me,” He says to us. “Learn of Me and ye shall find rest for your soul.”
~He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; he shall gather the lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young~
© Virginia Ganskie, 2005
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~But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth ~ Psalm 86:15
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 6/15/2006 1:30:07 PM
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BelovedofGod
Posts: 100
Joined: 3/6/2006
From: Northern California
Status: offline
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Arise, Mighty Conqueror!
~And He went forth conquering, and to conquer~
Arise, oh mighty Conqueror! For the time has come. Darkness covers the earth and darkness covers many hearts.
Oh, dear Jesus! How we need You to arise, conquer and prevail, for a climate of fear spreads throughout the land. Evil has been prevailing in many lands and people.
The battle has already been won by You, our conquering King! Arise, and take Your rightful place for, it is written, “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly”! Thank you, our kind, King! How we look for that day!
You conquered through the cross, for it says, You quickened us together with You, having forgiven us all, and You blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to Your cross. You “spoiled principalities and powers,” making “a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” (Your cross). You conquered by shedding your precious life-blood on that cruel cross for us. God died for you, dear reader, God died for me.
It looked, on that darkest of days, as if You had been conquered.
But then, three days later You broke the power of death, and arose from the grave! Gross darkness had covered the land but then You shattered the darkness with the greatest Light by rising from the dead! You are that great Light, dear Jesus. And You will never be extinguished again!
Oh! Look up, dear child of God! For when “He (Jesus) ascended up on high, he led captivity captive”!
The chains that have us bound were shattered when You, oh our beloved Conqueror, rose from the dead. Whether chains of sin, shame, guilt or fear, You shattered those chains, dear Jesus! You took the enemies of our soul, whatever has us bound, and you captured them in your triumphal procession when You rose from the dead. For, we know, that when a general won a victory, he would go through the land with those who he had defeated captured and in chains behind his chariot to make a public display and to show the world that he had won the victory. You have already won the victory, our dear Jesus! Help us to appropriate Your victory for us by trusting You for it.
Arise, oh most mighty Conqueror! It is time for you to take Your rightful place of victory in Your Church. Quicken us, dear LORD! Quicken us to pray, not resting until we see Your beauty and glory in the Church, again!
Amen
© Virginia L. Ganskie
Scripture References
1. Revelation 6:2
2. Romans 16:20
3. Colossians 2: 13-15
4. Ephesians 4: 8
_____________________________
~But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth ~ Psalm 86:15
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 6/16/2006 10:08:52 PM
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BelovedofGod
Posts: 100
Joined: 3/6/2006
From: Northern California
Status: offline
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The Lily of the Valleys
~And He opened His mouth and taught them
Often, we think of the great “I AM” statements of our Lord in relation to strength, power, the Almighty God. And it is well we think this way for this is how God describes Himself in the Holy Scriptures.
But we deprive ourselves greatly if this is the singular way we see Him. For His lovely character is more beautiful than the clearest diamond whose radiance brings delight to our eyes whichever way it is turned.
Palestine, during the time of Jesus, was the land of flowers. But none was more precious than the lily. It was associated with springtime, Passover and purity. It spoke of new beginnings and hope born anew.
Lilies were one of the first objects of love that Jesus spoke of on the Sermon on the Mount. This was not a lesson to be learned in the Synagogue. No, the Master led the people out to the beautiful hillside, full of flowers, gently saying “Consider the lilies.” There they could gaze upon their beauty as He spoke of The Heavenly Father’s tender care of them.
“Consider the lilies of the field”. How much we can learn from that. They are dependent on the Heavenly Father’s care. The trembling lily that the wind can bend, the frost can kill, that the animals can trample – these can bring us the sweet message of our God for they come back to new life after apparent death.
Since God cares so much for flowers, He must be very kind and patient and gentle.
When we hold the flower in our hands, let us ponder how gracious He must be who makes the flowers. How pitiful, patient, tender He is.
But the fairest lily of all is the gentle, kind, sweet Son of God. As He taught the wondering people about the loving care of the lilies from the Father, He was also teaching them about Himself. His beautiful character is the exact representation of the Heavenly Father’s – pitiful, patient, tender, kind.
He also alluded to the fact that He would be crushed and trampled under the cruelty of man. As the Son of Man He took on our frailty just as the lily He taught about.
However, it did not end there for Jesus, the beautiful Lily who was crushed on that cross for you and for me. For He came back to life during brilliant springtime in a blaze of glory, pure and innocent just as the flower He taught about.
~I am the Lily of the Valleys~
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~But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth ~ Psalm 86:15
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 6/16/2006 10:51:14 PM
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AFinChrist
Posts: 53
Status: offline
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I've only had time to read a few of your posts.
They are so beautiful.
I yearn for my Lord Jesus...as the lover of my soul. I want to sense His presence with me at all times, hear His voice speaking only to me, to give myself only to Him.
To know all about Him, to rest in His presence. To cry in His compassion, to feel His pure love.
Words are not enough to describe the passion. The spirit cannot be contained in the physical. I long to be with my Lord.
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RE: Jesus Christ - Let's Share about Him! - 6/18/2006 5:31:47 PM
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BelovedofGod
Posts: 100
Joined: 3/6/2006
From: Northern California
Status: offline
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Before His Feet Were Pierced
~How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!
~Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing!
How tiny His holy feet were when He was born. He came from Heaven where He is adored down to this dark world. Emmanuel, God with us is Jesus.
Born King of the Jews, yet He humbled Himself to take on the form of man, born in a feeding trough.
As we think of those precious feet of Jesus we see them first carrying Him coming from Egypt back to Nazareth, drawn by God the Father to fulfill His mission of love.
Embarking on His public ministry, those blessed feet brought Him to John the Baptist. In awe and adoration, the humble John cries “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”! Oh, behold Him, for there is no spot in Him! Perfectly holy and harmless is He! Guided by His Heavenly Father, those feet carried Him north to the Sea of Galilee where He would reach out the most during His three and one half years of being in public.
Those feet carried Him through dusty Palestine, up into the hills, down to the sea, out into the wilderness bringing His message of perfect love to sinners, the outcasts, the sick and the dying. Those feet carried Him to a tomb to raise the dead. Those feet carried Him to teach the message of God’s perfect love and hope for the desperate, to set the captive free and to promise everlasting life to those who would receive Him. Those feet walked on water.
It was a woman who recognized the value of the holy feet of Jesus. Adoring His beautiful Character, she must express her adoration in any way that she could. Breaking the perfume over His beautiful feet, she washed them with her tears and dried them with her hair.
Oh, the fragrance of that one act to our beautiful Saviour! How it gave Him the courage to continue on to fulfill the last part of His earthly mission.
As we travel with Him during those final hours we see those feet carry Him to the Garden of Gethsemane where His struggle was so fierce. No mortal man can understand the agony He went through in that Garden! He went through the struggle for you, dear reader; He went through the struggle for me.
As His earthly life comes to a close, His feet carried Him up the bloodstained path to Calvary. That path was covered with our precious Jesus’ blood. We follow the Lamb of God up the hill Golgotha. Finally, as He offers His perfect Soul as a ransom for our sins, we see the nail go through those beautiful feet.
Fixed in agony and bleeding, those precious feet were nailed to the cross until He died.
~They pierced My hands and My feet~
© Virginia Ganskie, 2006
_____________________________
~But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth ~ Psalm 86:15
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