Hello! Thank you for visiting my site and sharing your precious time with me. My desire is to share with you treasures I discover in God's vibrant Word, and from moments raptured in His embrace. People who have known me well and for years can attest to the change God has formed in my life. From my perspective, the changes are profound. I know better who I am and my worth in His eyes ~ the eyes of the One Who fashioned me ~ That is truly a treasure worth searching for, a treasure worth living for. My prayer is to express what I have discovered about our wonderful God, so that you, too, might rush into His embrace and find this love that transforms. In expectant anticipation,

Dianna

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And See .. An Introductory Note From Genelle - at Bottom Of Page

KNOWING JESUS

by Dianna Delgado

Jesus died on the cross to save us from our sins. Is this what usually comes to your mind when you think about Jesus? I know it is primarily what we hear about Him, and rightfully so. He paid an incredible price for our freedom. We should hear, appreciate, and understand the result His sacrifice provided for our lives. What a gift! What a love! But if we don't progress beyond this in our revelation of Jesus, it could result in knowing Him simply by His accomplishments. Today that would be like admiring the work of an actor, writer, athlete or professional; knowing about their lives, their degree, title, position, or work, yet not truly knowing them.

Or them knowing you!

That cannot be considered relationship, but simply a biographical knowledge about a person.

I want more! I want to KNOW Jesus, personally, intimately, and satisfyingly. I want to know His personality, His likes and dislikes, His qualities and attributes. I want to know who He is. I'm not satisfied simply knowing about Him - where He lived, when He lived, what He did - I want to know Him.

I desire this for many reasons, but primarily because it is difficult to truly love a person for their accomplishments alone. You may be impressed with a person, or respect them for their accomplishments. Jesus certainly deserves our respect and His life is impressive without a doubt, but love that motivates to total commitment comes from knowing the person. And this matures over time.

What do you think of when you hear His name? Do you see images of the cross? Or see His body bloody and broken? Perhaps you see Him sitting in splendor at His Father's right hand watching over earth. Often, in times of fellowship, I have seen Him standing in the midst of a wheat field, radiant sunlight cascading all around. He is joyfully smiling, beckoning to me. Sometimes He runs His hand across the wheat tops causing them to dance in the golden light. Other times, He motions with his arm for me to follow. Always He is beautifully inviting, and I know it is for relationship that He beckons. He wants to share His exuberance for life, for people, for fellowship.

How precious! Our God, who does not need us, so passionately wants us by His side.

When I contemplate the character of Jesus, I am overwhelmed by the sheer wholeness of His personality. Certainly, a review of Jesus' qualities cannot create that relationship we all desire. That can only come from spending time alone with Him, in prayer, in study of His Word, in actively choosing His way over our own, and walking with Him day by day. But perhaps considering the qualities that make Him so worthy of our devotion will open our hearts to trust the Beloved, and pursue Him more passionately then we ever have before.

He is a Man of Love: uncompromising love for His Father, for men, for women, and for children. The love of Jesus is unfathomable. We could write, study, and talk about it for eternity and not reach the full depth of understanding His love. But in John 17:5 Jesus said, "And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was."

"Before the world was" ... Picture heaven! A place so beautiful John had difficulty describing it in humanly terms we could understand. He tells us that in the New Jerusalem the lofty walls surrounding the city are made of sparkling jasper. The foundation of the wall glitters with precious stones like sapphire, emerald, amethyst, and topaz. At designated points within the wall are twelve gates that remain ever open and inviting, each formed from one perfect, iridescent pearl. The city and her streets are made of pure gold, polished and clear as glass. Within the city runs a river, translucent as crystal, rippling with the water of life. Does the life in the river sing praise? Does it bubble and gurgle with heavenly music as it flows through the Kingdom of Love? On either side of the river flourishes the tree of life, laden with sumptuous fruit. Each month a different luscious fruit ripens to perfection while the deep green leaves provide healing for the nations. Do fruit blossoms flood the city with fragrant perfume? Do the inhabitant's mouths water in anticipation of their ripening?

Beautiful, adoring angels fill the pristine city celebrating God in worship and praise. And the glory of God Himself illuminates the radiant city, causing it to flash and sparkle in the Light, which is Jesus Christ. Yet in His utter devotion to Father, Jesus chose to leave such splendor knowing that if He failed He might never return home. He Who was infinitely uncontainable, Who created everything, and still holds it together by the power of His might, stepped out of the purity of heaven, into a foul, dank stable and confined Himself into the tiny body of an infant. He Who created the glory of Jupiter humbled Himself to wear a dirty diaper, be burped and swaddled, taught and corrected, tortured and murdered by His own feeble creation.

That is Jesus' love; love for His Father, and love for you and me.

He is a Man of Compassion: concern that moves Him to action. Action that heals the sick, encourages the weary, and frees those in bondage. Jesus showed His compassion for mankind repeatedly. In Mark 1:40 Jesus encountered a leper. Leprosy is a dreadful disease. The skin rots causing toes, fingers, or even the nose or lips to fall off. There is an odor about a leprous person. And the disease is obviously disfiguring. It was so hideous and dangerous that any Jew who contracted leprosy must live outside the city thus rendering them isolated from loved ones, their only companions other lepers. No one was supposed to touch them, and any time the healthy came near, the leper was required by Law to cry "unclean, unclean." It is to this situation that one leprous man sought Jesus. Perhaps once he was a man of prestige and riches, now reduced to handouts from the merciful. Did he hobble on disfigured feet down narrow streets clutching tattered clothes around his gaunt and filthy body? Did he obey the Law and cry out "unclean" as he encountered the acceptable, or, did he creep silently by careful to remain unnoticed? Was he ashamed to be seen, embarrassed by his helplessness, or had he abandoned all pride eager to find the only one who could help?

All we know for sure is that once he spotted Jesus, he fell on his knees before the Master and begged, "If You are willing, You can make me clean. Lord, If You are willing ... You can make me clean."

Jesus had been traveling from town to town for the purpose of preaching to the people. And he knew that healing the man would hinder His freedom to enter the city because afterward crowds would pursue Him. Yet, at this critical moment, Jesus did not consider His own plans, or physical safety. He was not hindered by Levitical Law which forbade touching a leprous person; instead, He exercised His authority over the Law to answer the cry of His needy child.

Moved to compassion, Jesus stretched out His strong, healthy hand and firmly grasped rotting, corrupted flesh in a lifeline of tender mercy. In a voice husky with emotion, Jesus declared, "I am willing; be cleansed."

In the explicit Greek language Jesus used, He proclaimed that not only was he willing, He delights in helping His children. This is Jesus' compassion that looks beyond itself to the need of others, because He knows what it is like to be one of us.

Man of Joy, Laughter, and Playfulness: I think this quality of Jesus most people over look. After all, He is called the Man of Sorrows. How can He be identified with sorrow but also filled with joy, laughter and playfulness? He can because He is balanced in His wholeness. This is exhibited in examples given throughout scripture, not so much specifically stated. Look closely for these qualities as you read His Word.

Children are drawn to Jesus. How many sourpuss, sorrowful people do you see attracting children? You don't! Children are usually attracted to joyful people who truly care about them.

In Matthew 19:13-15 little children were brought to Jesus that he might put His hands on them and pray. His disciples tried to prevent this bother, but Jesus said, "Leave the children alone! Allow the little ones to come to Me ... " Then Jesus 'took them up in his arms,' held them on his lap, looked them in the eye and blessed them. On another occasion Jesus called a little child, set him at His side, and linked Himself to children forever with a promise. "Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depth of the sea."

Children then and now know they have an advocate in Jesus.

I believe Jesus rejoiced each time He healed a person. Their tears of joy were also His; their laughter echoed His own laughter; they never danced in celebration by themselves, Jesus danced beside them. He declared His willingness to heal, that it was His delight to do so; there is no reason to believe He did not rejoice open heartedly while He fulfilled His specific mission. To preach good tidings to the poor ... to heal the brokenhearted ... proclaim liberty to the captives ... open prison to those who are bound ... give beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness ... Isaiah 61:1-3. There is no way to do this in sorrow, not for the One who created joy, laugher, and celebration. Jesus instituted the Jewish festivals. Most are celebrations, many include dance as part of the festivities. Can't you just picture the vivacious figure of Jesus dancing robustly till sweat poured off his brow and he collapsed in laughter while celebrating with His beloved children the very festivals that pointed to Him?

His sense of humor is evident in the parables. I can see Him acting this out before His listeners, young and old alike. Did He hold a staff awkwardly to His right eye as He leaned down to squint into Peter's eye while he spoke, "Why do you stare at the small particle that is in your brother's eye, but aren't aware of the timber that is in your own eye?" Did He playfully attempt to get the speck out of Peter's eye as he continued, "How can you say to your brother, Let me get the tiny particle out of your eye, when there is a beam of timer in your own eye." (Matthew 7:3-4)

One of my favorite examples of Jesus' sense of humor is not in scripture at all, but in His creation. I can never consider the platypus without laughing at the audacious humor of Jesus. Who but a God of Playfulness would create such a creature? If He were working from parts it would seem that the platypus was the last creature made, and He used all the leftover parts. I honestly believe He designed the platypus specifically to confound those who deny His existence and espouse evolution. Where does the platypus fit it to evolution? It has a bill and webbed feet like a duck, short, thick fur and flat tail like a beaver, cheek pouches to store food like a hamster, it swims with the grace of a seal, on land it folds back the webbing of its feet to expose thick doglike nails, it digs a burrow where it lays and hatches eggs, the young suckle from their mother, and the males are venomous like a viper. What an outlandish creation! What an amazing Creator!

These are just a few of the qualities I love about Jesus. As you delve into His precious Word, search out those characteristics you admire about our Lord. There are so many. He is deeper than we can ever delve, and more precious then we can ever appreciate. He is a Man, beyond compare. There is no one like Him. He is One of a Kind - He is Jesus, Son of God.

May you walk closer with Him each day ... He is deserving of your trust and love.

Dianna
©3/28/03

The Lord your God is in the midst of you, a Mighty One, a Savior! He will rejoice over you with joy; He will rest in silent satisfaction, and in His love He will be silent and make no mention of past sins, or even recall them. He will exult over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17 Amplified Bible

Security is not the absence of danger, but the presence of God, no matter what the danger.

~ Anonymous ~

I have known Dianna for many years and I am privileged to call her my friend. She has a deep and abiding love for the Lord and an honesty and sincerity along with an almost childlike faith in God that is an inspiration to all who know her. She is an avid student and has a great love for the Word of God, always striving to draw closer to Him. She refers to Him as "Abba" because in her heart, He is her very close and loving Father. Though she has a spirit of tenderness and warmth, she is not afraid to speak out for her Beloved Father and her faith in Him. Dianna has a real burden to help lead lost and hungry souls to Christ. As you return to read her articles, which will be posted frequently, with all issues archived, you will see that she is a gifted writer, and will address issues that are so very needful for the world today. So, I welcome Dianna as an online minister. This is her personal ministry and I invite you to visit often and pray for her as she contributes what the Lord would have her to say, and as He leads the hearers He calls here to her page. Let all who enter be drawn to the One Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the author of all life.
Sincerely,
Genelle