We just finished the study through Joshua and before that Proverbs. I wanted to pause today and reflect on where this site began.   I started this website February 10, 2010 with the following blog.  Little did I know then where this journey would take us.  I chose the name for the website to be myglorytoglory.com because I wanted to point you to realize that little by little, one glory by glory God is transforming you and me into the sanctified, glorified joint-heir with Christ that we have been called and justified to become.  Every detail of our life as a Christian is leading us to being changed into that image.  If you do not Know Him as your Savior, I urge you to seek Him.  How to be Saved is a page I developed to help you find Him.  Feel free to email me or comment to ask me if you need guidance or if you wish to pray together. 

Artwork used by written permission of the Artist Ronald Barba

2 Corinthians 3: 17Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.¹⁸But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

AT which point did this truth come forth with all its magnitude? It seems that this truth was so newly found although it has been a part of my Christian journey these last 50 years. I wish to start this website to Glorify My Precious Savior and feel so inadequate to tell you of His great and wondrous love. Perhaps in the words of David Ring, I should just tell my story. It has been a story filled with great pain and great triumph in Christ. It includes my great failures and His great faithfulness. It has led me through great valleys where the night seemed too dark to ever find light; yet, in the midst of it all—He has provided His Hope. It reaches to the greatest depth of a broken heart restored to life by His Love. It is the gradual transformation of this undeserving –wicked heart into His likeness. This endeavor will take us through months so I hope you join with me as I try to tell this story and in the telling I hope that I may point you to an All SUFFICIENT SAVIOR who is so worthy of my praise that even if He never gave me anything; even if salvation were not His Gift; I would still fall at His feet in praise. Still this is the miracle of all times; He took my sin and offered me His righteousness instead. He saw me before ever the universe was formed and knew everything about me; every evil word that would be spoken, each rebellious moment; every tear that would fall, every moment of faithlessness, and chose to die for me that I might share in His glory one day. He reaches out to allow me to share in His inheritance and gives me the right to be a child of God . This He has done in spite of me. This gift of salvation has come from Him—there is nothing I could do if I worked each day that would be good enough to deserve even one second in His presence; yet, He has established me to spend an eternity with Him. I fall in humility before Him, so overwhelming in love with My Savior and Friend that I ask Him to please use me. Let me die to all these selfish desires and hopes that He might live through me. Bring whatever pain or suffering necessary to remove the chafe that I might come to know Him and savor Him more. If by my telling this, my story of transformation gradually into His likeness (though far from complete) can help one soul or change the eternity of one; then this endeavor will be worth it all.

Through these years since 2010, I have tried to be fully honest (brutally at times) telling you of my life—good and bad.  I have tried to point to victory in Christ to guide you along this journey.  Feel free to use the search button to help you find the message you need today.  May God guide your heart today to seek Him with all your heart, your mind and your soul.  With love, Effie Darlene Barba

 

© 2014 Effie Darlene Barba

Artwork is used with written permission of Ronald Barba who owns the copyright. His work can be found at: http://fineartamerica.com/art/all/ronald+barba/all

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to any brands, products or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides regarding the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Victory in Christ is Mine

By Effie Darlene Barba

 

Victory in Christ is mine

Found in Christ my joy sublime

In Christ my hope eternity

Forgiven, redeemed in Christ I be

Beauty and Grace in Christ I found

Glory and Love in Christ abound

 

In this world, I’ve faced such pain and grief

How deep I plunged with no relief

From battles fought and battles lost

Man’s search for joys whate’er the cost

I could not bear my weight of shame

My own heart’s voice “I am to blame”

 

Then in the deepest darkest hour

A glorious light of greatest power

It was the truth of God’s dear word

The whispering sound of grace I heard

Glory great did then abound

Love’s rays enwrapped me all around

 

I gazed upon a cross of pain

While tears fell down like pouring rain

His hand reached out to set me free

As sorrow turned to joy filled glee

I realized in God’s dear Son

The greatest treasure I had won

 

And herein lies the mystery

The one the world doth shun to see

That in the midst of sorrows here

I learn to see His Glory clear

I lay all else as loss behind

The one true source of joy I find

 

His Glory shining brighter still

As I conforming to His will

Rejoice amidst my darkness hour

Weakness now revealing power

While drenched beneath torrential rain

Continue singing this refrain:

 

Victory in Christ is mine

Found in Christ my joy sublime

In Christ my hope eternity

Forgiven, redeemed in Christ I be

Beauty and Grace in Christ I found

Glory and Love in Christ abound

©2014 Effie Darlene Barba

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post.  I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

 

Victory’s Battle Cry-A Study in Joshua part 24 (Conclusion)- The Victorious Christian Life

“This hill, though high, I covet to ascend;
The difficulty will not me offend.
For I perceive the way to life lies here.
Come, pluck up, heart; let’s neither faint nor fear.
Better, though difficult, the right way to go,
Than wrong, though easy, where the end is woe.”
― John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress

As we have come to the conclusion of our study in Joshua, it would be negligent to our study not to summate and “remember” all that we have learned along this journey. After all, Joshua commanded the people to build memorials and to always “remember all that God has done, lest we forget and turn away.

Artwork used by permission of Artist Ronald Barba who owns the copyright.  For information please click on photo.

Truly our Victory along this pilgrimage journey is found only in Christ. He is our victory over sin’s snares in this life. Since all we who know Christ as our Savior are in Him His beloved, redeemed, victorious saints; then, why do we ever wander around with these long, sore faces. How could we ever worry and fret about such trivialities and selfish desires when He has provided us with His Glorious Promises of an eternity in His loving, joyous presence?

So, again; knowing that He is the Victory; how do I live a life that reflects that?

Continue reading The Victorious Christian Life →

Victory’s Battle Cry—A Study in Joshua part 23—Whom will you Choose?

As we come to the final chapter of the book of Joshua and the final chapter of Joshua’s life, we once more note that Joshua takes the people back through memories lane. This time he reminds them that even before the flood man’s road to destruction was always mankind’s chasing after “other gods”. He showcases this against the backdrop of God’s great faithfulness to draw out a people to himself. Despite their frailties and bumbling faith at times, as a nation God did protect them, guide them, and through great and mighty miracles had given them the land He had promised. Let us look at Joshua’s next statement from God.

Joshua 24:(NIV) “¹³ So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.’I must say that the same is true of my life and for the life of each Christian.

photo courtesy of @istockphoto.com

Despite all the philosophies that surround us and all the centuries of mankind’s seeking after self-exalting “gods”; there has been preserved a remnant of true believers. Because of all those who have been willing to lay down their lives to continue to spread the gospel and those who at whatever cost swore to serve the one true and living God, I was blessed with the chance to hear the gospel. All that is true and good in my life has been a glorious blessing from God.

Knowing this, why would I ever desire other “gods” in my life.

Continue reading Whom will you Choose? →

Victory’s Battle Cry—A Study in Joshua Part 22—Valiant Courage to Obey

As we are drawing near to the end of the book of Joshua and nearing the end of Joshua’s life on earth, we read in chapter 23 that Joshua had grown very old. The children of Israel had possessed the land and had enjoyed a “long season” of peace, prosperity and rest. Joshua reminds the people of all that God had done for them. Then he admonished them to “⁶ Be ye therefore of a valiant courage to observe and do all that is written in the book of the Law of Moses, that ye turn not there from to the right hand nor to the left” (Joshua 23-GNV) and “cleave unto the Lord your God.” (Joshua 23:8-KJV)

I remember the day my son pledged to uphold the law with honor, truth and integrity. He very solemnly takes that oath seriously as he daily puts his own life in peril to carry out that pledge. Shouldn’t we as Christians be willing to pledge our allegiance to the truth of the Gospel in Christ at whatever cost?  As Joshua, we might say, “Be of valiant courage to obey and follow after all that God has commanded.”

Yet, some might want to say; God does all the work of salvation, all I do is accept His gift, and then go on about my life. So, why would it take valiant courage to do God’s will and to obey Him? Why do we need to cling to the Lord with all our might? He is our portion and our great tower. He is our victory. So why do we need valiant courage to follow Him?

Continue reading Valiant Courage to Obey →