God's Goodness

Friday, May 29, 2015

JESUS AND THE PATH OF SUFFERING

Luke 9:23-24--And He said to all, if any person wills to come after Me, let him deny himself--that is, disown himself, forget, lose sight of himself and his own interests,  refuse and give up himself--and take up his cross DAILY, and follow Me [that is, cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example, in living and if need be in dying also].  For whoever would preserve his life and save it, will lose and destroy it; but whoever loses his life for My sake, he will preserve and save it [from the penalty of eternal death]. (AMP.)

This vision experience with our Lord took place in the latter part of the 1970's so I was fairly new in the Lord and there was much I did not yet understand.  Please bear in mind as you read this account that it is symbolic of partaking in the life of our Lord and sharing in His sufferings.  The work of the cross is empowered by God's grace and leads one to becoming His disciple.

I was in the spirit and I was bowing low before the Lord's feet in adoration.  As I knelt before our Savior I encountered something that seemed strange to me at this time.  As I looked upon His feet, I saw His nail prints ~ with open, visible, bleeding wounds.  Then suddenly I saw something take place unexpectedly ~ something which I had never seen or thought of before.  There was blood oozing and flowing from each open wound of the Lord's feet and it flowed outward into a stream of bright red blood widening as it flowed.  Immediately the sight of the Lord's wounds and the continuing flow shocked and pained me so deeply that I didn't think I could bear to be a witness to this suffering of His.  I felt as though I didn't want Him to experience 'that part' of His suffering and that I couldn't bear to see it.  Then I fell quickly before the Lord's wounded and bleeding feet, weeping and sobbing so very hard.  I ached for His suffering and bleeding to stop ~ but it wouldn't. 

So many questions filled my mind and heart at once and I asked the Lord with my eyes as I looked into His Face, "Why is this happening, Lord?  Does it hurt you?  Are you really suffering?'  I found it very difficult to even ask Him these questions as I was before Him.  But in His gentle and tender way He graced me with the ability to express the hidden questions of my heart and He made me to know that His sufferings were surely in accordance with His will.  Immediately I knew that what He spoke was truth and I ached to be a part of His suffering and affliction. 

Quickly I gathered the flowing blood from His feet and began to spread it, first on one arm and then I spread it on the other arm.  It seemed as though there was no time to lose.  I knew just what to do as I continued this covering with His precious blood on one leg and then on the other leg and lastly, I covered my entire face.  Surely, I had to be a part of the Lord's sufferings.  Then I felt an intense urgency to go and sit beside the Lord's feet and legs.  I moved as closely to Him as I could.  I held onto Him so very tightly as though I would never leave ~ as though I would always stay right beside Him in this way.  He was my only passionate desire...to know, love and serve Him. 

But then surprisingly, He left my side.  He began to walk away from me down a straight and narrow path.  Oh, I couldn't bear for Him to leave me so I swiftly crawled after Him on my hands and knees as He walked ahead of me.  Along the path He spilled huge drops of His blood ~ leaving a trail behind Him.  As I crawled after Him I knew I could do nothing else but take up each drop of His precious blood and consume it.  Nothing else mattered.  I was also the onlooker in this vision and as I watched myself consuming these drops of blood, I thought to myself, how strange that act appears'.  Yet it was NOT strange to me at all in the spirit!  It was the only action I was drawn to take.  It was my one passionate desire ~ there was no other way.   I was so deeply impressed that not one of these precious drops of the Lord's blood was to be missed and that all must be consumed.  In fact, I was desperately and speedily making sure that non of the drops were missed.  And thus the vision ended on the path of suffering with the Lord continuing His walk down His straight and narrow path with me, His redeemed child, following close behind. 

Dear Abba Father, thank You for giving us the gift of our Beloved Savior so that we may be His gift to You. 

O Beloved Bridegroom, have mercy on us!  I thank You for Your remembrance that we are but dust and fail many times in brokenness, but that You with Your infinite love are mindful of us always.  Your invitation to follow you on the path of suffering is Your heart's cry and I ask that You would continue to draw us closer, deeper, and higher in the true knowledge of You and that we may be a comfort to You and the reward for your sufferings.  In Your wonderful Name we pray.  Amen

Heb. 13:12-14--Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate.  So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.  For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.

1 Peter 4:1-2--Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.

1 Peter 4:19--Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator. 

Leviticus 17:11--For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul.

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

THE LORD AND HIS FORGIVING LOVE

By the Lord’s wonderful mercy and grace I was taken up in the spirit as I walked in the fields at our first home. This experience has been used as a great weapon against the enemies through the years and also to show the constant love of Jesus, since He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow! I had been feeling very low for quite a few days but couldn’t find any reason in my heart or mind why I should feel this way. In fact, that was what bothered me more than anything else, that I did not know even though I had been asking the Lord, “what is wrong with me?” A vagueness of emotions seemed to fill me and be upon me, yet nothing seemed to release me.

 Then one day as I was walking through the open fields that surrounded our little home, seeking Jesus for the answer to my problem, He lifted me up in the Spirit and healed and released me in this precious way. 

 
I was in the spirit and saw myself as a little child before Jesus. He was lifted up, just smiling so warmly at me in His approval of me…so ready and willing to help me with my problem. In the spirit I knew that He asked me to reach into my heart to see just exactly what it was that was there and so I obeyed the Lord. Already I felt so completely renewed and restored and healed as if there never was a burden at all. But as I pulled out my hand to look, I was surprised to see the words, “self-pity”. Quickly, I knew I was to hand them over to the Lord, with no fear or doubts. Oh, He is always so ready to forgive us. 
 
Ps.86:1, 5, 15, Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me: for I am poor and needy. For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. Ps. 103:8–The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. 
  
So in willingness, joy and the spirit of obedience through His grace I was able to do this with no shame. Jesus was so pleased to take this burden I had been carrying around as my weight and sin. He placed “self-pity” into HIS HEART WITH PLEASURE AND PULLED OUT A RED HEART OF LOVE WHICH HE HANDED ME TO REPLACE THE EMPTY SPACE I NOW HAD TO BE FILLED IN. It was a scene of me reaching into my heart to find one sin after another and being directed by Jesus and His angels to give them over to Jesus. As I did this, ONLY LOVE was returned to me, which was foreign to me, because I expected criticism, anger, punishment, etc. since this was the only thing I knew as a child and even as an adult! Even the angels rejoiced and sang and danced and clapped their hands with such joy!!! I was SO AWED and overjoyed by His tender love for me—there was NO criticism or reproach or condemnation as I had expected. These negative reactions were the ones I had always been used to receiving my whole life! His love & acceptance OVERWHELMED ME. All of a sudden, this precious love of His encouraged me to be aware of other sins in my heart and so I reached into my heart once again. Out came laziness on a placard, then discouragement on a placard and lastly, gluttony. I quickly and happily gave each sin to Him who can hold all the sins and burdens of the whole world while we cannot even bear our own sins and burdens or the care of one other child of God without running to our Master for His help. 1 Pet. 5:7–Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you.

I watched Him welcome each sin and I saw Him place them into His heart only to return more of His overwhelming love in the form of red (life-giving Blood) Hearts. It was His great joy to prove to me, His redeemed child, that He only had love and grace in return…that His precious Blood always avails by reason of His everlasting love. As the hearts of love flowed from His Heart they quickly made their way into my heart. Also, many red hearts appeared only to come upon me and flow on my body and cover me with His precious sacrificial Blood. I marveled as I watched the angels, who were present during this experience, lifting their arms in the air and rejoicing and singing so excitedly and joyfully for my releases! They had been present and watching everything that had happened and they became more joyful by the second. Overjoyed by the Lord’s pure and sweet love for me and by my release and healing, they began to give praises unto Jesus and worship Him and love Him. Altogether they clapped their hands with joy and began to jump up and down with glee. Then I felt within and without an indescribable bliss and peace…freedom because of the Lord’s tender love and His precious way of sharing that truth with me that gave us both rest.”

Yes, beloved child of the Lord, He truly always loves us with an everlasting love even in the midst of our sin and we can trust Him to always be waiting and understanding all that we have to cast upon Him as we repent. There is no fear to run to Him quickly that we may not be burdened down and weighted with our cares, to experience His forgiveness…out of His Heart of Perfect Love. 
 
Ephes. 1;6, 7–To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he has made us accepted in the beloved, In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace. 3:12–In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Col. 3:13–Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

1 John 1:5-10–Walking in the Light This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.


 
1 John 2:1-2–My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 
 
The following is a little note that I wrote to my daughter on the back of the original booklet describing this vision:
To Marisa,
Never forget the tender love of our dear sweet Jesus and seek to know Him and love Him the way He really is. He is the only one who can love so tenderly at all times.
Love in Jesus, Mommy 3/21/77

Saturday, May 16, 2015

JOSEPHINE AND THE HOLY SPIRIT'S INNER WITNESS---JOSEPHINE AND THE LORD'S FAITHFULNESS

JOSEPHINE AND THE HOLY SPIRIT'S INNER WITNESS~~~
This experience of the Holy Spirit's discernment and guidance took place many years ago when everyone seemed intent on praying for people's healing so as to be a testimony to the Lord's healing.  However, the situation is quite the same in these days, if not worse, with people just praying for others' healings without any guidance as to what the Lord may desire for that person.

In answer to my prayers concerning my friend, Josephine, who had cancer, the Lord let me see this truth in the spirit.  I saw Jesus sitting down holding Josephine on His lap.  She had on her hospital gown and her head had no hair because of the chemo (poison) treatments.  Jesus so warmly held her close to His bosom as He looked down at her and sweetly smiled.  He lovingly had His arms around her and kept holding her close to His Heart.  This He revealed to me to show me that He was going to take Josephine home to Heaven without healing her.  I wanted Jesus to heal her and so did many others and yet at the same time I did not experience an inner witness from the Holy Spirit to her healing.  I thanked Jesus for this discernment for it was in agreement with the Holy Spirit's witness within me and His witness is always right.  Once again, it proved that the majority of Christians were just doing what they thought was right but without any revelation or guidance from the Holy Spirit.  I had to stand alone in this battle because I was the only one who had a different perspective and that only because of the Lord's gracious revelation to me.  He had given me a love of the truth and I was seeking Him for the truth and He was faithful to reveal it to me.  Bless His wonderful Name!

JOSEPHINE AND THE LORD'S FAITHFULNESS~~~
This is how the Lord let me experience His love for my friend, Josephine, who was suffering with cancer many years ago.  After He prompted me to go and visit her in the hospital, He guided me to her room late one night. Her room was closed to all visitors, but God gave me the directions as to how to reach her room and gave me the courage to follow His instructions.  We had space by ourselves and the Lord's favor was upon me and also gave me the nurse's favor who let me stay in Josephine's room as long as I would have liked to.

I was talking to Josephine and then the Lord showed me two large angels dressed in white at the head of her bed, one on each side, looking at her with bright smiles.  When I told her this, even though she was so weak that she could hardly talk, she immediately sat upright in bed as though she was full of strength and power and joy filled her face as she looked upward!  She exclaimed aloud, a few times, 'Praise the Lord' with a big smile on her face and then she lay back down on her bed.  I was so amazed as I witnessed her in such joy and strength!  Surely, that was the grace and strength and power of the Holy Spirit! 

She died a few hours later and entered the Kingdom of God in Heaven.  How merciful of the Lord to let her and I experience this with Him and His angels before He called her home.

Revelation 21:4--He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.
 
2 Corinthians 5:8--Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
 
Philippians 3:20-21--But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
 
Hebrews 13:14--For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.
 
1 Peter 1:4--To an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you...



Friday, May 8, 2015

MY PRAYER

Bless the Lord oh my soul, and all that is within me, bless His Holy Name!  Lord, as the Father has love You, so You love me~~I will continue in your love.  Oh Lord, I cry unto You!  Ever deliver me from the power and course of the world with all it’s subtle distractions and from the powers of Satan with his seducing and deceiving spirits and from the hidden deceptions of my own flesh~~my own self life.  Blow the very dust of my flesh off of me and continue to peel everything off of me that has touched me and influenced me in the past.  Pull back the blankets of darkness and remove the hindrances and blocks, the very ruts and grooves that have found their way into my life.

Cause you fresh anointing to be kindled aflame upon my very spirit and soul and body~~for You.  Smear me with your divine oil for I cast myself upon your mercy; come and rescue me!  I so desire to gaze on You, my Beloved, and serve You in your gift of righteousness.  Your love can never be exhausted, Oh God.

Reach deep into the deeps of my heart and find there and bring forth that which I cannot express, for I so ache and long for that which is hidden and lying dormant, to be awakened within me.  Call me evermore to identify with You and your sufferings in deeper ways, Oh God!  Burst within me to bring me into a new expansion of your spirit and with a fresh abandonment to your love.

Take me by the hand and by the heart and lead me into those unknown places in the spirit with You, to serve You.  I lay before your nail-scarred feet, my love of all loves, and I pour out my soul unto Thee.  Bring me to your original blueprint for my life, I pray!

 

Together, let us rebuke the enemies of my soul~~You know each one by name!  Bring your vengeance upon them!   And draw me into a deeper intimacy beyond all intimacies~~for your delight.  Bring me, your own, into a sweet communion with You.

I thank You ever and always for You, my love, and for this new and living way!  I know You always hear me and that You know my very heart and every thought.  I take great delight and comfort in that!  Cause me to stand as a pillar in the Kingdom of God, overcoming every obstacle in my path, ready to let You bless those who come into my path of life, ever to touch, to heal, to deliver, to draw, to save!  Blessed Savior, there is none beside You, No, not one!  You are my very life and love and song, by your grace!

Phil. 1:9-10, Phil. 2:13

GRACE OF DISCERNMENT AND GUIDANCE

This experience took place one evening after everyone in my family had gone to bed. It was probably in the mid to late 1970's as I remember because it was early on in my walk with the Lord. I had settled in the kitchen to read my bible when I remembered that I had to put the clothes in the dryer. Our house was built on top of garages so we had to go outside, then down the stairs in order to enter the garage. I was stopped at the door by the Holy Spirit and He spoke to me with an urgency in His voice. He said to plead the Blood of Jesus and to also cover myself with the Blood of the Lord. It was an urgent word and I did as I was told immediately even though it puzzled me. Then I proceeded down the stairs and entered the door of the garage. As soon as I entered, there before me were several evil spirits with their flaming fiery eyes angrily ready to attack me. Their eyes were piercing and filled with hatred towards me. Then they all fiercely threw their flaming darts at me but every one of the darts fell to the ground because I was shielded with an invisible shield of the faith of the Son of God! This was startling, yet invigorating to see the battle won because of the Blood of the Lord!!!

Ephesians 6:11--11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness

in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Ps. 91:4--He shall cover you with his feathers, and under his wings shall you trust: his truth shall be your shield and buckler.

SUFFERINGS AND AGONY OF JESUS' BEATINGS

This is an experience that the Lord so graciously shared with me when I was a new Christian and I feel that now is the right time to share it with others. May your hearts' loving attention be on Him and may you fall in love with Him all over again for the intensity of His love for us, shown by His voluntary submission to His Father. May your hearts be touched with His agony for each one of you that He has personally called, so as to bring each one of us back to our Father in heaven. This is the price He had to pay in order to redeem us and give us eternal life which was in Him.

Eternal life does not mean life that goes on forever, rather, it means life that has no beginning and no end and ONLY Jesus Christ could have given us this gift so that we could enjoy knowing Him...progressively becoming more intimate with Him, thereby bringing Him love and joy and comfort as well as receiving love and joy and comfort and so much more in and from Him.


This experience took place at the beginning of my walk with the Lord so the time was approximately mid-1970's. I was attending a little church in NJ at the time. While I was in the service the Lord showed me this vision of Him. I saw a very large cross before me with Jesus on it, but the emphasis and range of view was on the very upper part of our Lord. He was very badly beaten and battered. It was a terrible site and one which I had not ever even thought of or had seen portrayed before. He was really unrecognizable for His face was so swollen and blue and red in color. I was so stricken in my heart because up to that point I did not picture His face ever like that, probably because of the pictures I had been exposed to which made His face look like there nary a mark on it at all. His eyes looked like they were piercing through me, as though crying, and though His obvious pain came through His face and His eyes, His love emanated through His face at the same time, in a way I cannot explain. The evident swelling all over His face with the black, blue, and red bruises on His face really showed such extreme pain from the beatings that He endured for us because of His deep love.

Luke 22:63--Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking Him and beating Him,

John 14:6--Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Thursday, May 7, 2015

UPDATE--5-2015

The Lord's wonderful blessings to those out there who may read any of these posts.  Just wanted to say that I've had to take a sort of 'leave of absence' for a while due to a season of healing, but I am now back and plan to continue to post the experiences the Lord has so graciously shared with me.  I praise the Lord for everything and all that has taken place in my life.  I know and I hope you know as well that He uses all of the life experiences we pass through with Him.  

As you read, may you experience whatever He would have especially for your heart.  I pray He touches you and brings healing in every part of your life.  I ask that He would draw hearts and speak to the hearts of His own, His bride, as He so gently & sweetly loves to do.  He is so worthy of all of the love in our hearts.  May you sense His anointing as you visit this place.  God's precious blessings to all.

As a side note, my name has been changed from Donna Marie Shuck to Donna Marie Giovanni.  My new email address is:  donnagiovanni888@yahoo.com   I changed my name in honor of my mother and also just because I love that name.  This is just another wonderful change that our Lord led me to make in 2014. 

Enjoy the worship music I included in the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYzf0wK-luo   Enjoy "Healing Love" by Julie True