| From my blog (that has gone the way of the dinosaur). July 11th to November 5th, 2006 |
Can We Talk About Jesus?
Hi everyone! : ) How's your week going so far? Hectic? Enjoyable? Here's hoping you're able to
find some time today to rest in the hope we have in our Lord Jesus Christ. Take a moment or two to
bask in Truth. To savor Eternity.
You know, Eternity begins the moment we open our hearts to the Truth and allow the Holy Spirit to
take over. It's an amazing moment that lasts forever. He'll never leave us, and His only job is to
make Jesus more and more real to us. What a job, huh? What more important job could there be?
And what more could we ask for, than to have God's very own Spirit—the very essence of His Son,
Jesus—firmly planted in our hearts and minds and lives?
Oops, yeah . . . if you're reading this and thinking, "Here she goes again, preaching at us," I can't say
that I blame you. But there is one thing I love to do more than anything else, and that's talk about
Jesus. But not to preach. I hate to preach. So please don't think I'm trying to . . . preach. ; )
But hey, this is my blog; and with everyone else talking about everything they're talking about, you've
got lots of options. There's a ton of news about the ChiLibris retreat, ICRS (aka CBA), and the
Christy Awards; plenty of other exciting things happening all over the place; plenty of people
teaching about how to write and market novels with a "Christian Worldview"; plenty of people
telling you about the latest news in the industry; and plenty of other people giving you their opinions
about the last book they read. Sounds like fun, huh? So, by all means, pass this blog up if it's boring
or if you're not interested in what I've got going here. That's perfectly okey dokey.
But I'll still be here. And for the next several posts—well, for however long it takes, I'll be talking
about my Lord. I can only hope that He's your Lord too, and that maybe, just maybe, you'll stick
around because you enjoy talking about Him as much as I do.
This morning I started another run through the book called The Jesus Style written by Gayle D.
Erwin. Mr. Erwin is the kindest, funniest, coolest suspender-wearing grandpa preacher there is.
He'd rather not go by the handle of "Reverend" or even "Pastor." He's simply a teacher. He has
learned how to strip away all the traditions, misconceptions, and combobulations we have put in
front of Jesus—all the ways we have misinterpreted the Word and mainly just gotten it wrong about
Him. Gayle has devoted his life to these two simple things: learning about who Jesus Christ really
was (and still is), and sharing that knowledge. He is my teacher of Biblical things, my preacher, and
my friend. We've met only once, but that one meeting changed my life.
I'd love to share with you over the course of the next few posts what I cherish about what this man
has learned about Jesus Christ. So, in the middle of your busy day and week, if you're up for a little
conversation about Jesus, please join me. And you know me . . . I'll keep it simple and try not to
preach. I hate making things difficult, and I especially hate being preached at. Which is why I love
listening to Gayle. Which is also why I love Jesus. He never preached at anybody. He lived what
He taught. He lead by perfect example.
As He leads, may we follow and, in the process, leave hints of the unspeakable joy in the journey for
all to see as we pass by.
Vaya-ing con Dios,
donna
Hi everyone! : ) How's your week going so far? Hectic? Enjoyable? Here's hoping you're able to
find some time today to rest in the hope we have in our Lord Jesus Christ. Take a moment or two to
bask in Truth. To savor Eternity.
You know, Eternity begins the moment we open our hearts to the Truth and allow the Holy Spirit to
take over. It's an amazing moment that lasts forever. He'll never leave us, and His only job is to
make Jesus more and more real to us. What a job, huh? What more important job could there be?
And what more could we ask for, than to have God's very own Spirit—the very essence of His Son,
Jesus—firmly planted in our hearts and minds and lives?
Oops, yeah . . . if you're reading this and thinking, "Here she goes again, preaching at us," I can't say
that I blame you. But there is one thing I love to do more than anything else, and that's talk about
Jesus. But not to preach. I hate to preach. So please don't think I'm trying to . . . preach. ; )
But hey, this is my blog; and with everyone else talking about everything they're talking about, you've
got lots of options. There's a ton of news about the ChiLibris retreat, ICRS (aka CBA), and the
Christy Awards; plenty of other exciting things happening all over the place; plenty of people
teaching about how to write and market novels with a "Christian Worldview"; plenty of people
telling you about the latest news in the industry; and plenty of other people giving you their opinions
about the last book they read. Sounds like fun, huh? So, by all means, pass this blog up if it's boring
or if you're not interested in what I've got going here. That's perfectly okey dokey.
But I'll still be here. And for the next several posts—well, for however long it takes, I'll be talking
about my Lord. I can only hope that He's your Lord too, and that maybe, just maybe, you'll stick
around because you enjoy talking about Him as much as I do.
This morning I started another run through the book called The Jesus Style written by Gayle D.
Erwin. Mr. Erwin is the kindest, funniest, coolest suspender-wearing grandpa preacher there is.
He'd rather not go by the handle of "Reverend" or even "Pastor." He's simply a teacher. He has
learned how to strip away all the traditions, misconceptions, and combobulations we have put in
front of Jesus—all the ways we have misinterpreted the Word and mainly just gotten it wrong about
Him. Gayle has devoted his life to these two simple things: learning about who Jesus Christ really
was (and still is), and sharing that knowledge. He is my teacher of Biblical things, my preacher, and
my friend. We've met only once, but that one meeting changed my life.
I'd love to share with you over the course of the next few posts what I cherish about what this man
has learned about Jesus Christ. So, in the middle of your busy day and week, if you're up for a little
conversation about Jesus, please join me. And you know me . . . I'll keep it simple and try not to
preach. I hate making things difficult, and I especially hate being preached at. Which is why I love
listening to Gayle. Which is also why I love Jesus. He never preached at anybody. He lived what
He taught. He lead by perfect example.
As He leads, may we follow and, in the process, leave hints of the unspeakable joy in the journey for
all to see as we pass by.
Vaya-ing con Dios,
donna
Why talk about Jesus?
I could throw out a few curt answers to that question. By now, you've probably already had a few
filter through your brain. So I won't. Throw any out.
But here's the real reason why. At least for me.
I've run aground. I'm done, spent, tired, and a wee bit sick of everything.
But I'm still okay. Never better, actually. Things are trucking along quite nicely in my little world.
I've been hearing from readers, friends, and potential editing clients. I just had a super visit with my
parents, got to watch one of my favorite nine-year-olds play Little League baseball, got to spend time
with one of my favorite three-and-a-half-year-olds (above-mentioned nine-year-old's little sister—
what a couple of cuties), and shared some quality time with two of the Godliest people I know. What
an amazing couple of weeks.
But, yes. Done, spent, tired, and just a wee bit . . . sick.
One thing I know for sure: what I have to say matters not one wit in this world. Oh, I could try to fit
in a bit more. I could join all the blog rings and tours and offer my insights and opinions about . . .
things. But I don't wanna. I don't have the time, energy, or gumption.
The last ten years of my life have been about one thing. And that would be this: simplifying.
Stripping away all the muck and mire all the years of Churchdom left piled on my foundation stone.
Throughout the stripping-away process, I've progressed from a sandblaster, to an industrial-strength
broom, to a smaller hand broom, to a Swiffer Duster. The Swiffer works great. Right now, I don't
want anything, not even a wisp of dust, to settle on my stone.
The industry I'm a part of is not my foundation stone. Yes, I am a Christian novelist who writes
Christian novels that are published by one of the biggest and best Evangelical Christian Publishing
houses in the world. I'm grateful for that. You better believe it. I absolutely adore writing Christian
novels and being a part of this amazing industry. But this industry is what has left me done, spent,
tired, and just a wee bit . . . sick.
Flick that wisp of dust off.
Please please please, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying all the blog rings, tours, and touts are
wrong. All the news, information, and updates are fine. Absitively. The reviews, lists, and awards
are great. Really. I'm serious.
I love this industry. And I love every single one of my brothers and sisters who are actively engaged
in it. Carry on, y'all! Keep up the awesome work.
Me? I'm just gonna back away into the folds of the abyss. I've had my industry moment. And
enjoyed it. No matter what lies ahead, I wouldn't change a heartbeat of what has passed. But I can
only move ahead if my foundation stone is clean.
One can only stand strong if there's a strong stone to stand upon.
That's why I wanna talk about Jesus.
The stronger my stone, the stronger I stand.
Sounds like a plan to me.
Thanks for reading this. Yeah, it sounds as if I'm in the middle of a crisis or something, doesn't it.
But really, I'm not. At the moment, I'm right in the middle of exactly where I'm supposed to be. And I
love it.
Join me tomorrow?
VcD, with love,
donna
I could throw out a few curt answers to that question. By now, you've probably already had a few
filter through your brain. So I won't. Throw any out.
But here's the real reason why. At least for me.
I've run aground. I'm done, spent, tired, and a wee bit sick of everything.
But I'm still okay. Never better, actually. Things are trucking along quite nicely in my little world.
I've been hearing from readers, friends, and potential editing clients. I just had a super visit with my
parents, got to watch one of my favorite nine-year-olds play Little League baseball, got to spend time
with one of my favorite three-and-a-half-year-olds (above-mentioned nine-year-old's little sister—
what a couple of cuties), and shared some quality time with two of the Godliest people I know. What
an amazing couple of weeks.
But, yes. Done, spent, tired, and just a wee bit . . . sick.
One thing I know for sure: what I have to say matters not one wit in this world. Oh, I could try to fit
in a bit more. I could join all the blog rings and tours and offer my insights and opinions about . . .
things. But I don't wanna. I don't have the time, energy, or gumption.
The last ten years of my life have been about one thing. And that would be this: simplifying.
Stripping away all the muck and mire all the years of Churchdom left piled on my foundation stone.
Throughout the stripping-away process, I've progressed from a sandblaster, to an industrial-strength
broom, to a smaller hand broom, to a Swiffer Duster. The Swiffer works great. Right now, I don't
want anything, not even a wisp of dust, to settle on my stone.
The industry I'm a part of is not my foundation stone. Yes, I am a Christian novelist who writes
Christian novels that are published by one of the biggest and best Evangelical Christian Publishing
houses in the world. I'm grateful for that. You better believe it. I absolutely adore writing Christian
novels and being a part of this amazing industry. But this industry is what has left me done, spent,
tired, and just a wee bit . . . sick.
Flick that wisp of dust off.
Please please please, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying all the blog rings, tours, and touts are
wrong. All the news, information, and updates are fine. Absitively. The reviews, lists, and awards
are great. Really. I'm serious.
I love this industry. And I love every single one of my brothers and sisters who are actively engaged
in it. Carry on, y'all! Keep up the awesome work.
Me? I'm just gonna back away into the folds of the abyss. I've had my industry moment. And
enjoyed it. No matter what lies ahead, I wouldn't change a heartbeat of what has passed. But I can
only move ahead if my foundation stone is clean.
One can only stand strong if there's a strong stone to stand upon.
That's why I wanna talk about Jesus.
The stronger my stone, the stronger I stand.
Sounds like a plan to me.
Thanks for reading this. Yeah, it sounds as if I'm in the middle of a crisis or something, doesn't it.
But really, I'm not. At the moment, I'm right in the middle of exactly where I'm supposed to be. And I
love it.
Join me tomorrow?
VcD, with love,
donna
Just His Name . . .
. . . soothes my soul.
Ever hear that Margaret Becker song "Say the Name"? Beautiful, huh. The song . . . and that Name.
Jesus.
But . . . that really wasn't His name. When the angel Gabriel said to Mary, "Do not be afraid, Mary,
you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give
Him the name . . . ," he didn't actually say, ". . . Jesus." He said, ". . . Yahshua." The name Yahshua
means "Yahweh saves." But the Jews didn't pronounce Yah, which stood for God's name (YHWH or
Yahweh). So they changed Yahshua to Y'shua, or Yeshua. Basically, Joshua. (Their J sounds like a
Y.) Which, in the Greek, becomes . . . Jesus. (Much the same way the name James, in Spanish,
becomes Iago or Jaime.)
Whew, huh.
Ahh, but Yahshua was to be known by two other names as well: Immanuel, which means "God with
us"; and Christ, or Messiah, which means "This Man who bears this Name is the Son of God sent into
the world to save His people from their sins."
Beautiful names. Say them all out loud. It's okay.
Jesus Christ. Yahshua ha Mashiyach. Through Yahshua the Son, Yahweh the Father saves.
During that first Palm Sunday, when the people of Jerusalem laid down palm branches and spread
their coats over the road for Yahshua, riding on a donkey, to pass by, they shouted, "Hosanna!" which
is literally interpreted, "YHWH save!" (YHWH again being the Name of God—I AM WHO I AM—
spoken as closely as we can articulate it: Yahweh.) So, they shouted, "Hosanna!" or, "Yahweh
save!" And there was their response. A humble man, the Son of God, riding on a donkey. "Yahweh
saves." Yahshua.
Hosanna! Our plea.
Yahshua. God's response.
Pretty amazing stuff. Amazing, wonderful, and . . . cool.
Vaya-ing con Yahshua, : )
donna
. . . soothes my soul.
Ever hear that Margaret Becker song "Say the Name"? Beautiful, huh. The song . . . and that Name.
Jesus.
But . . . that really wasn't His name. When the angel Gabriel said to Mary, "Do not be afraid, Mary,
you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give
Him the name . . . ," he didn't actually say, ". . . Jesus." He said, ". . . Yahshua." The name Yahshua
means "Yahweh saves." But the Jews didn't pronounce Yah, which stood for God's name (YHWH or
Yahweh). So they changed Yahshua to Y'shua, or Yeshua. Basically, Joshua. (Their J sounds like a
Y.) Which, in the Greek, becomes . . . Jesus. (Much the same way the name James, in Spanish,
becomes Iago or Jaime.)
Whew, huh.
Ahh, but Yahshua was to be known by two other names as well: Immanuel, which means "God with
us"; and Christ, or Messiah, which means "This Man who bears this Name is the Son of God sent into
the world to save His people from their sins."
Beautiful names. Say them all out loud. It's okay.
Jesus Christ. Yahshua ha Mashiyach. Through Yahshua the Son, Yahweh the Father saves.
During that first Palm Sunday, when the people of Jerusalem laid down palm branches and spread
their coats over the road for Yahshua, riding on a donkey, to pass by, they shouted, "Hosanna!" which
is literally interpreted, "YHWH save!" (YHWH again being the Name of God—I AM WHO I AM—
spoken as closely as we can articulate it: Yahweh.) So, they shouted, "Hosanna!" or, "Yahweh
save!" And there was their response. A humble man, the Son of God, riding on a donkey. "Yahweh
saves." Yahshua.
Hosanna! Our plea.
Yahshua. God's response.
Pretty amazing stuff. Amazing, wonderful, and . . . cool.
Vaya-ing con Yahshua, : )
donna
about Jesus . . .
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| Mark 7:20-23 And Jesus said, "What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man." |
| Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. |
| Acts 4:12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. |
| Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. |
| 1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all. |
| Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. |
| Romans 10:9-10 That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. |
| Hebrews 9:12, 15 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all. And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death. |
God With Us
Jesus hated mosquitoes. How do I know? EVERY human being who lives (or have ever lived) on
this planet hates (and hated) mosquitoes. (Okay, except for those totally weird scientist-types.)
Jesus was a human being. So, therefore, He hated mosquitoes.
Hungry human beings love to eat. Jesus got hungry. Jesus loved to eat. He not only loved to eat, but
He encouraged His friends to eat with Him. Jesus loved food fellowship.
I'm willing to bet there were times when the juice from the freshly roasted piece of fish in His mouth
dripped down His beard. And you know He didn't reach out and grab a Bounty paper towel. I'm
willing to bet Jesus used the sleeve of His robe to wipe that fish juice away. Laughing, I bet, as He
did.
We usually have no difficulty accepting the diety of Jesus. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Look at
His miracles, His teaching, His conquering of sin and death. Those of us who believe the Bible don't
have to add anything to what's there. We simply choose to believe what's there. We believe, we
trust, and we know. This life we choose to live is totally worth it for us because we know what we
believe. The hope we have is real. And oh, how we long to share that hope. But so many times, we
fail. Why?
May I offer this one reason? We often fail to share the hope we have in Jesus because we know so
much about Him, but we don't know Him. We are so willing to teach others what we know about
Jesus, but very rarely do we simply stand back and let Him live through us. Why? Because we
know, accept, believe, and try to teach things about Him, without fully accepting, believing and
teaching . . . Him. We don't really know who He was when He walked this earth. And because of
that, we don't know who He is right now.
He's the same man. He never changes.
So, how fully do we know Him?
As He walked this earth, Jesus Christ was totally irresistible. He still is. Most of the time, however,
what we try to teach others about Him is totally . . . not. Irresistible. In the least. Why?
Simply? We don't know Him.
Jesus Christ was a man. A real man who lived, breathed, ate fish (and anything else He could find to
eat), swatted mosquitoes, rolled His eyes at the ignorance of His disciples, and loved them. He
knew their thoughts, answered their questions, healed them, enjoyed their friendships, and truly cared
about them. Did He ever get frustrated at them? Sure. Did He ever get angry at them and call them
idiots? No. That wasn't in His nature. Jesus lived love. He loved them enough to serve them.
Jesus, the most powerful human being who ever lived, lived to serve others.
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Mighty, powerful, King of kings, and Lord of lords. He is everything
the Bible reveals about Him. But He also has a heartbeat. Blood courses though His veins.
Here. Give me your hand. Let me press it . . . here, against His chest. Feel that? Through the fabric
of His robe? Through the chest hairs? Feel that warmth? The thump thump of His heartbeat? He's
trying not to laugh as you realize He actually has chest hair. Yep, now He's laughing. Feel it
rumbling through His chest?
Look up . . . into His eyes. See His laughter playing out as the light dances in them? Know that look,
that love you see in His eyes . . . is for you.
Oops, His stomach just growled. Hope you like fish.
: )
VcY,
donna
Jesus hated mosquitoes. How do I know? EVERY human being who lives (or have ever lived) on
this planet hates (and hated) mosquitoes. (Okay, except for those totally weird scientist-types.)
Jesus was a human being. So, therefore, He hated mosquitoes.
Hungry human beings love to eat. Jesus got hungry. Jesus loved to eat. He not only loved to eat, but
He encouraged His friends to eat with Him. Jesus loved food fellowship.
I'm willing to bet there were times when the juice from the freshly roasted piece of fish in His mouth
dripped down His beard. And you know He didn't reach out and grab a Bounty paper towel. I'm
willing to bet Jesus used the sleeve of His robe to wipe that fish juice away. Laughing, I bet, as He
did.
We usually have no difficulty accepting the diety of Jesus. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Look at
His miracles, His teaching, His conquering of sin and death. Those of us who believe the Bible don't
have to add anything to what's there. We simply choose to believe what's there. We believe, we
trust, and we know. This life we choose to live is totally worth it for us because we know what we
believe. The hope we have is real. And oh, how we long to share that hope. But so many times, we
fail. Why?
May I offer this one reason? We often fail to share the hope we have in Jesus because we know so
much about Him, but we don't know Him. We are so willing to teach others what we know about
Jesus, but very rarely do we simply stand back and let Him live through us. Why? Because we
know, accept, believe, and try to teach things about Him, without fully accepting, believing and
teaching . . . Him. We don't really know who He was when He walked this earth. And because of
that, we don't know who He is right now.
He's the same man. He never changes.
So, how fully do we know Him?
As He walked this earth, Jesus Christ was totally irresistible. He still is. Most of the time, however,
what we try to teach others about Him is totally . . . not. Irresistible. In the least. Why?
Simply? We don't know Him.
Jesus Christ was a man. A real man who lived, breathed, ate fish (and anything else He could find to
eat), swatted mosquitoes, rolled His eyes at the ignorance of His disciples, and loved them. He
knew their thoughts, answered their questions, healed them, enjoyed their friendships, and truly cared
about them. Did He ever get frustrated at them? Sure. Did He ever get angry at them and call them
idiots? No. That wasn't in His nature. Jesus lived love. He loved them enough to serve them.
Jesus, the most powerful human being who ever lived, lived to serve others.
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Mighty, powerful, King of kings, and Lord of lords. He is everything
the Bible reveals about Him. But He also has a heartbeat. Blood courses though His veins.
Here. Give me your hand. Let me press it . . . here, against His chest. Feel that? Through the fabric
of His robe? Through the chest hairs? Feel that warmth? The thump thump of His heartbeat? He's
trying not to laugh as you realize He actually has chest hair. Yep, now He's laughing. Feel it
rumbling through His chest?
Look up . . . into His eyes. See His laughter playing out as the light dances in them? Know that look,
that love you see in His eyes . . . is for you.
Oops, His stomach just growled. Hope you like fish.
: )
VcY,
donna
Was He The One?
Remember when John the Baptist boldly proclaimed, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" Then, not even
two years later, he sent his disciples to Jesus to ask, "Are You the one who was to come, or should
we expect someone else?" What happened to John's faith?
Nothing, really. Deep down, I bet he still believed. It was just that . . . well, Jesus didn't exactly act
like they all thought the Messiah would act. He didn't do the things they imagined the Messiah would
do. Rome still severely oppressed them. John had even been thrown into prison. It wouldn't be long
until the Roman governor chopped poor John's head clean off his shoulders.
So why didn't Jesus, if He was the Messiah, save the Jews from Roman rule and establish His
kingdom like they all knew the Messiah would do?
Oops.
Jesus was who He was. And He was the Messiah.
So what was the problem?
It wasn't Jesus. He came into the world to do the exact things the Messiah was supposed to do. All
the prophets down through the ages who spoke of the soon-coming King got it right. Things went
wrong when the people who heard those prophesies started rethinking them, reworking them, and
re-inventing them into more of what they wanted to hear.
All this rethinking, reworking, and re-inventing created something that loomed massive in the day
when Jesus walked the earth. What was it? In a word? Tradition. Jesus, the Messiah, wasn't
exactly the Messiah that Tradition said He was supposed to be. Once Jesus started carrying out His
ministry of servanthood, healing, forgiving, touching, and ultimately dying for sinners, none of His
actions lined up with Tradition.
So what needed to go? The Messiah? Yes, for most of the Jews, that was what needed to go. So
they got rid of Him. (Well, they tried, anyway.) ; )
But what for those who tossed out their Tradition and dared to believe? Ahh, yes. They discovered
that Jesus Christ was, indeed, the long-awaited soon-coming King. The Messiah.
Yes, He was (and still is) the One.
So, here we are. It's the 21st century, and we're an intelligent, independent, free-thinking lot. We're
free to make our own decisions. So here's the question. Are we going to allow ourselves to be held
captive by our traditions about Jesus Christ, or are we going to toss them away and align our thinking
and understanding with the Truth?
How sad it must have been for Jesus to stand there and watch John's dejected disciples turn around
and head back to the prison to tell John the answer to his question. "Jesus told us to report to you
what we have heard and seen: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are
cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is being preached to the poor."
Jesus stood there, watching them go, then said to those standing near, "Blessed is the man who does
not fall away on account of Me."
So, what'll it be? Traditions . . . or Truth?
VcY,
donna
Remember when John the Baptist boldly proclaimed, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" Then, not even
two years later, he sent his disciples to Jesus to ask, "Are You the one who was to come, or should
we expect someone else?" What happened to John's faith?
Nothing, really. Deep down, I bet he still believed. It was just that . . . well, Jesus didn't exactly act
like they all thought the Messiah would act. He didn't do the things they imagined the Messiah would
do. Rome still severely oppressed them. John had even been thrown into prison. It wouldn't be long
until the Roman governor chopped poor John's head clean off his shoulders.
So why didn't Jesus, if He was the Messiah, save the Jews from Roman rule and establish His
kingdom like they all knew the Messiah would do?
Oops.
Jesus was who He was. And He was the Messiah.
So what was the problem?
It wasn't Jesus. He came into the world to do the exact things the Messiah was supposed to do. All
the prophets down through the ages who spoke of the soon-coming King got it right. Things went
wrong when the people who heard those prophesies started rethinking them, reworking them, and
re-inventing them into more of what they wanted to hear.
All this rethinking, reworking, and re-inventing created something that loomed massive in the day
when Jesus walked the earth. What was it? In a word? Tradition. Jesus, the Messiah, wasn't
exactly the Messiah that Tradition said He was supposed to be. Once Jesus started carrying out His
ministry of servanthood, healing, forgiving, touching, and ultimately dying for sinners, none of His
actions lined up with Tradition.
So what needed to go? The Messiah? Yes, for most of the Jews, that was what needed to go. So
they got rid of Him. (Well, they tried, anyway.) ; )
But what for those who tossed out their Tradition and dared to believe? Ahh, yes. They discovered
that Jesus Christ was, indeed, the long-awaited soon-coming King. The Messiah.
Yes, He was (and still is) the One.
So, here we are. It's the 21st century, and we're an intelligent, independent, free-thinking lot. We're
free to make our own decisions. So here's the question. Are we going to allow ourselves to be held
captive by our traditions about Jesus Christ, or are we going to toss them away and align our thinking
and understanding with the Truth?
How sad it must have been for Jesus to stand there and watch John's dejected disciples turn around
and head back to the prison to tell John the answer to his question. "Jesus told us to report to you
what we have heard and seen: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are
cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is being preached to the poor."
Jesus stood there, watching them go, then said to those standing near, "Blessed is the man who does
not fall away on account of Me."
So, what'll it be? Traditions . . . or Truth?
VcY,
donna
God's Choices
When the time came for the Son of God to be born, for Immanuel to begin living His life on this earth
quite literally with us, I'm sure all the angels of Heaven shivered with glorious anticipation. I'm
pretty sure none of them fully understood the details of the plan the Father God would use to bring
His Son into the world. If they had, I think the bravest one of them would have at least tried to talk
Him out of it.
Though Joseph and Mary did the best they could under the circumstances, the Son of God was born
in a barn, swaddled and laid in a dirty feeding trough.
Though today we believe and understand the virgin birth, back in that day no one understood it. They
could only draw one logical conclusion—Joseph's son, Yahshua, say it as Y'shua, was . . . oh, the
shame of it! . . . illegitimate. The Son of God endured a childhood filled with dirty looks and snide
remarks from those who called him Joseph's Bastard Son.
Though Joseph descended from Abraham through the line of King David, that line, be it ever so
royal, was still tainted by scandal, murder, rape, and impurities.
Though the arrival of the Son of God to earth was the one most important event in the history of this
universe, from infinite time past to infinity yet to arrive, on that glorious night the angels announced
Yahshua's birth to a bunch of shepherds on a hill outside Bethlehem.
Yahshua, or Jesus if you prefer, wasn't exactly handsome. Isaiah the prophet stated about Him: "He
had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him."
(Isaiah 53:2) Wouldn't you think God would at least want His Son to be . . . handsome?
Joseph moved his family to Nazareth to live. Not exactly on the list of the best places to raise a
family. Remember what Nathaniel said when he heard where Jesus was from? "Can anything good
come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:47)
Jesus was poor. Didn't even own a house to live in. Or a donkey to ride around on. He owned a
pair of sturdy sandals. And the clothes He wore on His back.
The man called upon to announce and baptize the newly arrived Messiah lived in the wilderness,
wore camel skin, and ate locusts. What was up with that?
And the disciples. I mean . . . I'm sure Jesus prayed for the men that would soon surround Him and
learn from Him—men that would take the Good News to the farthest reaches of the world. So, did
He mess up the prayer? Or did He get exactly whom He prayed for?
Oh. And the way He died. Did the Son of God, the Messiah, deserve to die so cruelly, so
shamefully . . . in such agony?
Why did God the Father choose all these ugly details? Why did He lay out this plan for His Beloved
Son, the One in whom He was well pleased?
There is a wonderful answer to these questions. Join me tomorrow?
VcY,
donna
When the time came for the Son of God to be born, for Immanuel to begin living His life on this earth
quite literally with us, I'm sure all the angels of Heaven shivered with glorious anticipation. I'm
pretty sure none of them fully understood the details of the plan the Father God would use to bring
His Son into the world. If they had, I think the bravest one of them would have at least tried to talk
Him out of it.
Though Joseph and Mary did the best they could under the circumstances, the Son of God was born
in a barn, swaddled and laid in a dirty feeding trough.
Though today we believe and understand the virgin birth, back in that day no one understood it. They
could only draw one logical conclusion—Joseph's son, Yahshua, say it as Y'shua, was . . . oh, the
shame of it! . . . illegitimate. The Son of God endured a childhood filled with dirty looks and snide
remarks from those who called him Joseph's Bastard Son.
Though Joseph descended from Abraham through the line of King David, that line, be it ever so
royal, was still tainted by scandal, murder, rape, and impurities.
Though the arrival of the Son of God to earth was the one most important event in the history of this
universe, from infinite time past to infinity yet to arrive, on that glorious night the angels announced
Yahshua's birth to a bunch of shepherds on a hill outside Bethlehem.
Yahshua, or Jesus if you prefer, wasn't exactly handsome. Isaiah the prophet stated about Him: "He
had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him."
(Isaiah 53:2) Wouldn't you think God would at least want His Son to be . . . handsome?
Joseph moved his family to Nazareth to live. Not exactly on the list of the best places to raise a
family. Remember what Nathaniel said when he heard where Jesus was from? "Can anything good
come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:47)
Jesus was poor. Didn't even own a house to live in. Or a donkey to ride around on. He owned a
pair of sturdy sandals. And the clothes He wore on His back.
The man called upon to announce and baptize the newly arrived Messiah lived in the wilderness,
wore camel skin, and ate locusts. What was up with that?
And the disciples. I mean . . . I'm sure Jesus prayed for the men that would soon surround Him and
learn from Him—men that would take the Good News to the farthest reaches of the world. So, did
He mess up the prayer? Or did He get exactly whom He prayed for?
Oh. And the way He died. Did the Son of God, the Messiah, deserve to die so cruelly, so
shamefully . . . in such agony?
Why did God the Father choose all these ugly details? Why did He lay out this plan for His Beloved
Son, the One in whom He was well pleased?
There is a wonderful answer to these questions. Join me tomorrow?
VcY,
donna
Our Choices
So, why? Why this ugly, drawn-out, shameful course for the Son of God to follow?
Jesus was born in a barn. Not exactly a birth that would impress anyone, and certainly no one
would be threatened by it. Most could even say their birth was better.
No one could be intimidated by the place where He was born. Bethlehem. I mean, come on. And
those who also bore the taunts of "Bastard, look at you," would find in Jesus a sort of kindred
spirit. He knows, cuz He was there.
And no one can say Jesus was the final decendent in a line of a superior race. ; )
So why wasn't He handsome? Well, if He had been handsome, wouldn't that have caused some to
feel intimidated by Him? I mean, how do we feel by all the "Don't hate me cuz I'm beautiful"
people? Don't we . . . hate 'em? ; )
Jesus never owned more than what He could carry on His back. No one could possibly feel
intimidated or impressed by that. Everything He did, the way He looked, acted, and spoke;
everyone could feel at ease in His presence. No one was threatened or intimidated. If they were,
well, they were . . . easily intimidated. And one look into His eyes quickly cured that.
With apologies to copyright laws, I'd love for Gayle Erwin to weigh in on this. He does it so well,
so much better than I could. And you can trust him. I do.
From page 28 of his book, The Jesus Style:
When I look at the clues we have discussed that indicate the nature of Jesus—born in a barn,
questionable parents, spotty ancestry, common name, misdirected announcement, unattractive looks,
reared in a bad neighborhood, owning nothing, surrounding Himself with unattractive coworkers,
and dying a shameful death—I find His whole approach unable to fit into the methods that
automatically come to mind when I think about "winning the world."
His whole approach could easily be described as nonthreatening or nonmanipulative. He seemed to
lead with weakness in each step of life. He had nothing in the world and everything in God and the
Spirit.
With this kind of approach to us, He could be sure that our response would be an honest one. None
of the methods that would coerce us and get something less than genuine belief were used. This is
indicative of true love. Being an others-oriented person, a servant to others, made Him want to free
them to be as real and honest as possible. He wanted them to be able to make genuine decisions.
Love only wants a genuine response.
We make so few genuine decisions in life. Most of the choices we make are affected by outside
forces and demands. But when it comes to the most important decision in life—our decision about
God—Jesus seeks only a genuine one. So, we are approached in a way that lovingly frees us to
make that decision genuinely. We can accept or reject. God refuses to violate our personhood and
our power to choose. That is love.
VcY!
donna
So, why? Why this ugly, drawn-out, shameful course for the Son of God to follow?
Jesus was born in a barn. Not exactly a birth that would impress anyone, and certainly no one
would be threatened by it. Most could even say their birth was better.
No one could be intimidated by the place where He was born. Bethlehem. I mean, come on. And
those who also bore the taunts of "Bastard, look at you," would find in Jesus a sort of kindred
spirit. He knows, cuz He was there.
And no one can say Jesus was the final decendent in a line of a superior race. ; )
So why wasn't He handsome? Well, if He had been handsome, wouldn't that have caused some to
feel intimidated by Him? I mean, how do we feel by all the "Don't hate me cuz I'm beautiful"
people? Don't we . . . hate 'em? ; )
Jesus never owned more than what He could carry on His back. No one could possibly feel
intimidated or impressed by that. Everything He did, the way He looked, acted, and spoke;
everyone could feel at ease in His presence. No one was threatened or intimidated. If they were,
well, they were . . . easily intimidated. And one look into His eyes quickly cured that.
With apologies to copyright laws, I'd love for Gayle Erwin to weigh in on this. He does it so well,
so much better than I could. And you can trust him. I do.
From page 28 of his book, The Jesus Style:
When I look at the clues we have discussed that indicate the nature of Jesus—born in a barn,
questionable parents, spotty ancestry, common name, misdirected announcement, unattractive looks,
reared in a bad neighborhood, owning nothing, surrounding Himself with unattractive coworkers,
and dying a shameful death—I find His whole approach unable to fit into the methods that
automatically come to mind when I think about "winning the world."
His whole approach could easily be described as nonthreatening or nonmanipulative. He seemed to
lead with weakness in each step of life. He had nothing in the world and everything in God and the
Spirit.
With this kind of approach to us, He could be sure that our response would be an honest one. None
of the methods that would coerce us and get something less than genuine belief were used. This is
indicative of true love. Being an others-oriented person, a servant to others, made Him want to free
them to be as real and honest as possible. He wanted them to be able to make genuine decisions.
Love only wants a genuine response.
We make so few genuine decisions in life. Most of the choices we make are affected by outside
forces and demands. But when it comes to the most important decision in life—our decision about
God—Jesus seeks only a genuine one. So, we are approached in a way that lovingly frees us to
make that decision genuinely. We can accept or reject. God refuses to violate our personhood and
our power to choose. That is love.
VcY!
donna
What Is Love?
Do we even know what love is these days?
Oh, sure we do. We say it all the time. "I love you."
Do you think Jesus ever went around saying to his family and friends, "I love you, Peter. I love you,
Mom. I love you, John. I love you, too, Judas." Funny, but if He did, the Bible never recorded it.
But yet He said, "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. All men
will know that you are My disciples if you love one another." (John 13:34, 35)
When He says, "As I have loved you, so you must love one another," does that mean we must all lay
down our lives and die for one another as He died for us? Well, yes, and no. When Jesus said
these words He was obviously still alive. He said these words before He was crucified. So was
He speaking of dying for others? No. And yes.
When Jesus said this to His disciples, none of them said to Him, "What exactly do You mean by
love?" They knew. And they had no clue Jesus was about to be killed.
Something in the way Jesus acted around them day by day by day not only clearly showed them
what real love was, but it gave them a perfect example to follow. Jesus led by example. When He
says to us, "Love others as I have loved you," He's simply saying, "Do unto others as I have done to
you. Do as I do. Be like Me. Cuz I am like My Father. Well, not just like My Father, I am one
with My Father. Go and be like Us. That way We'll be in you, and you will be in Us. Just the way
We want it. We wouldn't want it any other way."
But loving as Jesus loved requires us to do one thing—it requires us to die. No, not physically and
literally. But we must die to our own wants, needs, and desires. We must die to our selves. We
must give up being self-centered and become more and more others-centered.
Jesus Christ was (and still is) the only human being who ever lived who was totally, 100%,
completely, and utterly others-centered. Totally servant-hearted.
That's love as Jesus loved. That's love as it's supposed to be.
Anything else is something else.
And did you notice? It's not something we say.
So, how exactly did Jesus love? Well, He was patient and kind. He didn't envy others, and He
didn't boast. He was not proud, or rude, or self-seeking, or easily angered. He kept no record of
the wrongs done to Him, and He did not delight in evil. He rejoiced in the Truth, and always
protected, trusted, and hoped for those He loved. He always persevered. And He never, ever
failed.
And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians
13: 8-13)
Vaya con Yahshua,
donna
Do we even know what love is these days?
Oh, sure we do. We say it all the time. "I love you."
Do you think Jesus ever went around saying to his family and friends, "I love you, Peter. I love you,
Mom. I love you, John. I love you, too, Judas." Funny, but if He did, the Bible never recorded it.
But yet He said, "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. All men
will know that you are My disciples if you love one another." (John 13:34, 35)
When He says, "As I have loved you, so you must love one another," does that mean we must all lay
down our lives and die for one another as He died for us? Well, yes, and no. When Jesus said
these words He was obviously still alive. He said these words before He was crucified. So was
He speaking of dying for others? No. And yes.
When Jesus said this to His disciples, none of them said to Him, "What exactly do You mean by
love?" They knew. And they had no clue Jesus was about to be killed.
Something in the way Jesus acted around them day by day by day not only clearly showed them
what real love was, but it gave them a perfect example to follow. Jesus led by example. When He
says to us, "Love others as I have loved you," He's simply saying, "Do unto others as I have done to
you. Do as I do. Be like Me. Cuz I am like My Father. Well, not just like My Father, I am one
with My Father. Go and be like Us. That way We'll be in you, and you will be in Us. Just the way
We want it. We wouldn't want it any other way."
But loving as Jesus loved requires us to do one thing—it requires us to die. No, not physically and
literally. But we must die to our own wants, needs, and desires. We must die to our selves. We
must give up being self-centered and become more and more others-centered.
Jesus Christ was (and still is) the only human being who ever lived who was totally, 100%,
completely, and utterly others-centered. Totally servant-hearted.
That's love as Jesus loved. That's love as it's supposed to be.
Anything else is something else.
And did you notice? It's not something we say.
So, how exactly did Jesus love? Well, He was patient and kind. He didn't envy others, and He
didn't boast. He was not proud, or rude, or self-seeking, or easily angered. He kept no record of
the wrongs done to Him, and He did not delight in evil. He rejoiced in the Truth, and always
protected, trusted, and hoped for those He loved. He always persevered. And He never, ever
failed.
And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians
13: 8-13)
Vaya con Yahshua,
donna
Why Jesus?
So what's the big deal about Jesus? If a person really wants to know the One True and Living God,
can't that person know Him without having to believe all the stuff about Jesus?
Well, I guess it all depends on what that person wants to believe about the Bible. If she believes the
Bible is a fraud, made up of insane fabrications, then she won't believe what it has to say about the
Messiah, Jesus. And she won't care. Until that day when she stands face to face with Jesus. Then
. . . she'll care.
But this is what the Bible has to say about Jesus. Believe it (and the Bible) only if you dare. ; )
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were
created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or
authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all
things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the
firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy. For God was
pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things."
(Colossians 1:15-20)
I'll let Gayle Erwin say the rest (from his book, The Jesus Style).
Since Jesus is everything that God is but expressed in bodily form, and since all the treasures of
wisdom and knowledge are in Him, we can each say:
** If I am to know God, I will know Him through Jesus.
** If I am to gain knowledge, it is deposited in Jesus.
** If I am to have wisdom, I will find it in Jesus.
** If God dwells in me, it is because Jesus dwells in me.
** If I wish to study God, I must study Jesus.
** If the Holy Spirit is active in my life, I will hear Him speak of Jesus.
donna here again, and all I have to say to that is, "Reason enough for me."
Hope it's reason enough for you too. See you tomorrow. : )
So what's the big deal about Jesus? If a person really wants to know the One True and Living God,
can't that person know Him without having to believe all the stuff about Jesus?
Well, I guess it all depends on what that person wants to believe about the Bible. If she believes the
Bible is a fraud, made up of insane fabrications, then she won't believe what it has to say about the
Messiah, Jesus. And she won't care. Until that day when she stands face to face with Jesus. Then
. . . she'll care.
But this is what the Bible has to say about Jesus. Believe it (and the Bible) only if you dare. ; )
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were
created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or
authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all
things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the
firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy. For God was
pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things."
(Colossians 1:15-20)
I'll let Gayle Erwin say the rest (from his book, The Jesus Style).
Since Jesus is everything that God is but expressed in bodily form, and since all the treasures of
wisdom and knowledge are in Him, we can each say:
** If I am to know God, I will know Him through Jesus.
** If I am to gain knowledge, it is deposited in Jesus.
** If I am to have wisdom, I will find it in Jesus.
** If God dwells in me, it is because Jesus dwells in me.
** If I wish to study God, I must study Jesus.
** If the Holy Spirit is active in my life, I will hear Him speak of Jesus.
donna here again, and all I have to say to that is, "Reason enough for me."
Hope it's reason enough for you too. See you tomorrow. : )
A Funny Thing To Share
I just think it's funny that, ever since we started talking about Jesus here at my blog, first, Typepad
went down for a day, then my wireless card in my brand-new laptop went on the fritz, and now
Yahoo! is down. Has been all day. I have no way of checking my e-mail and, as lodging
coordinator for the upcoming Oregon Christian Writers conference, I need to be checking my
e-mail! I mean, this is Yahoo!! Millions upon millions of disgruntled users worldwide are slightly
ticked at the moment.
Me? I'm like, oh well. I've got work to do anyway.
All of this has been totally coincidental, I know. But isn't it just a wee bit . . . wild?
Hah. Bring it on. We're not gonna stop.
And, just for fun, here's another post. About Jesus. Take that, you nasty gremlins wreaking havoc
on my cyberspace adventures.
: )
I just think it's funny that, ever since we started talking about Jesus here at my blog, first, Typepad
went down for a day, then my wireless card in my brand-new laptop went on the fritz, and now
Yahoo! is down. Has been all day. I have no way of checking my e-mail and, as lodging
coordinator for the upcoming Oregon Christian Writers conference, I need to be checking my
e-mail! I mean, this is Yahoo!! Millions upon millions of disgruntled users worldwide are slightly
ticked at the moment.
Me? I'm like, oh well. I've got work to do anyway.
All of this has been totally coincidental, I know. But isn't it just a wee bit . . . wild?
Hah. Bring it on. We're not gonna stop.
And, just for fun, here's another post. About Jesus. Take that, you nasty gremlins wreaking havoc
on my cyberspace adventures.
: )
How Do We Know Jesus?
First step? We have to want to.
Second step? We have to ask Him to help us. It's only by His help (and through the guiding of the
Holy Spirit inside us) that we can fully grasp the Truth. It's a life-long learning, growing journey. It
all starts with that first step, and continues with every heartbeat and breath until the day He calls us
home.
Here are a few things I would like for you to consider as you continue to learn all about who Jesus
was (and still is). Sometimes, just reading the Bible and trying to decipher it on our own is hard.
We need the Holy Spirit (who moves into our hearts the moment we open them to Him) to help us
decipher it. That's His job, and He loves His job. We must ask Him to help us as we read. We
must ponder certain things, and allow Him to guide our thinking toward the Truth. We'll know the
Truth when we hear it. It'll simmer sweetly in our souls.
Two more things for you to consider, things that have really helped me on this journey.
You already know I love the teachings of Gayle Erwin. I'd really recommend for you to check out
his books. Go to his site for more information: www.servant.org. He focuses all his teachings on
the Nature of Jesus—who Jesus really was when He walked the dusty byroads of Judea. The entire
Bible should be seen through this lens. It affects the Nature of the Father and of the Holy Spirit as
well. It digs deep at the false traditions we've built over the centuries and roots them up so they can
be discarded and replaced with Truth. Finally.
I would also highly recommend taking a look at the movie called Matthew, put out by the Visual
Bible folks. This movie, in my opinion, shows Jesus's nature as about as accurately as it can be
shown—the "Joyful Jesus." The more I learn about who He was when He walked this earth, the
more I see Him in this reenactment. It's stunning, the music is awesome, and I cried like a baby
through most of it. I totally believe it helps for us to have some sort of physical image to keep in our
mind's eye when we try to imagine Jesus as a human being. Though, yes, this is just a movie, this is,
at least for me, Jesus as He walked and talked and dealt with the people He faced every day He
lived. His true nature radiates through. And I'll stop gushing about it now. : )
And, of course, I have to very very very highly recommend the music of Margaret Becker. From day
one, this lady's heart has been in her work, and her work has been totally to reveal the heart of God.
I used to listen to all kinds of Christian music. I even subscribed to CCM magazine. But it's all
gone by the wayside. Margaret's music, two decades of it, is, quite honestly, all I need. She writes
prayers, then turns them into poetry, then into lyrics, and then matches them with sweet melody.
Simply put, it's music for my soul. And I love it.
And yeah, I'll quit gushing again. ; )
So, onward and upward. No matter what happens, let's keep on talking about Jesus, 'kay? I don't
know about you, but this definitely works for me. Thanks for stopping by. Hope you leave feeling
ahhhhhhhh.
Vaya-ing con Jesus, always, even with Yahoo down and wireless card on the fritz,
donna
First step? We have to want to.
Second step? We have to ask Him to help us. It's only by His help (and through the guiding of the
Holy Spirit inside us) that we can fully grasp the Truth. It's a life-long learning, growing journey. It
all starts with that first step, and continues with every heartbeat and breath until the day He calls us
home.
Here are a few things I would like for you to consider as you continue to learn all about who Jesus
was (and still is). Sometimes, just reading the Bible and trying to decipher it on our own is hard.
We need the Holy Spirit (who moves into our hearts the moment we open them to Him) to help us
decipher it. That's His job, and He loves His job. We must ask Him to help us as we read. We
must ponder certain things, and allow Him to guide our thinking toward the Truth. We'll know the
Truth when we hear it. It'll simmer sweetly in our souls.
Two more things for you to consider, things that have really helped me on this journey.
You already know I love the teachings of Gayle Erwin. I'd really recommend for you to check out
his books. Go to his site for more information: www.servant.org. He focuses all his teachings on
the Nature of Jesus—who Jesus really was when He walked the dusty byroads of Judea. The entire
Bible should be seen through this lens. It affects the Nature of the Father and of the Holy Spirit as
well. It digs deep at the false traditions we've built over the centuries and roots them up so they can
be discarded and replaced with Truth. Finally.
I would also highly recommend taking a look at the movie called Matthew, put out by the Visual
Bible folks. This movie, in my opinion, shows Jesus's nature as about as accurately as it can be
shown—the "Joyful Jesus." The more I learn about who He was when He walked this earth, the
more I see Him in this reenactment. It's stunning, the music is awesome, and I cried like a baby
through most of it. I totally believe it helps for us to have some sort of physical image to keep in our
mind's eye when we try to imagine Jesus as a human being. Though, yes, this is just a movie, this is,
at least for me, Jesus as He walked and talked and dealt with the people He faced every day He
lived. His true nature radiates through. And I'll stop gushing about it now. : )
And, of course, I have to very very very highly recommend the music of Margaret Becker. From day
one, this lady's heart has been in her work, and her work has been totally to reveal the heart of God.
I used to listen to all kinds of Christian music. I even subscribed to CCM magazine. But it's all
gone by the wayside. Margaret's music, two decades of it, is, quite honestly, all I need. She writes
prayers, then turns them into poetry, then into lyrics, and then matches them with sweet melody.
Simply put, it's music for my soul. And I love it.
And yeah, I'll quit gushing again. ; )
So, onward and upward. No matter what happens, let's keep on talking about Jesus, 'kay? I don't
know about you, but this definitely works for me. Thanks for stopping by. Hope you leave feeling
ahhhhhhhh.
Vaya-ing con Jesus, always, even with Yahoo down and wireless card on the fritz,
donna