God created all of heaven, earth, and the ministering angels in preparation for His creating mankind.  He wanted to pour out His overflowing fountain of love, joy, and glory on a people.  One of those angels who so desired to overthrow God and to rule over this earth was angry that God was the one true God-for Satan, himself wanted to be the ruler.  Thus began pure evil which so contrasted pure righteousness.  Pure righteousness being the presence of full light (God) and evil being the absence of that pure light of righteousness (thus the absence of God).  Therefore, Satan attempted to destroy God’s workmanship by tempting man who had been given the ability to rationalize and to choose.  Satan knew that he could entice them through their desire to be greater than their creator, to tell them that God had kept the best from them and to entice them to doubt their provider.  Before this, they had enjoyed the presence of God in pure innocence of evil or its effects.  They after choosing Satan’s temptation, would now and for all the generations to come be overcome by guilt, death, pride, and misery (Satan’s tools of destruction).  Now they could see true righteousness as contrasted against their own pride filled, self exalting, and darkened, rebellious hearts.  Just as Satan thought he had won; God revealed His plan of redemption which had been designed before anything had been made.  He presented a covenant with Adam that would then stand firm from the moment of the fall and throughout eternity future.  That covenant was God’s covenant of Redemption and Faithfulness.  

Artwork courtesy of Ronald Barba and is copyright protected © 2011 Ronald Barba

He revealed His plan of redemption that He would send a Savior who would destroy Satan’s power. His faithfulness will forever reign.

Read these verses.

GENESIS 3: “15And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel…..²¹ Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.”

God made coats to cover them which was an act of pure grace.  He covers us

Continue reading GOD’S COVENANT LOVE, GRACE, AND MERCY (PART 2) ADAM →

On Saturday we looked at the book of Malachi.  We saw God pleading with Israel to turn from their rebellious hearts to see Him as He is—Glorious, Gracious, Joyous, and Perfect Righteousness.  He wanted them to discover Him, because He so wanted to pour out His treasures upon them; yet, they were so caught up in themselves that every act they did of tithing, sacrifice, and following the law was an act to bring self honor.  It was as if they were saying, “God, aren’t you so proud to have worshippers such as we?  Then give us all that our self-centered heart’s desire.”  Still God knew that were He to hand them those desires, they would only want more of counterfeit things; because, their hearts were performing these acts out of dark, self-exhalting, self-centered hearts.

Artwork courtesy of Ronald Barba  and is copyright protected  © 2012  Ronald Barba

In God’s  great wisdom, He knows the only true joy that can be found is found in Him.  He knows that the only true righteousness can be obtained through faith in Him.  He knows that Perfect Love is only in Him.

You might erroneously say that, He then thinks too highly of Himself; but what a fool that would make you.  He is the Creator of the entire Universe and each tiny miraculous cell of this earth.  His beauty, righteousness and glory so exceed anything that our finite minds can imagine and has since before time and space even existed; because He was eternal.  He had no need for mankind—the trinity of God was complete within itself.  It is His overwhelming act of unselfishness that He desired to share all that He has and is with another and thus created man.  It is His great and tremendous Grace that would continue to contend with

Continue reading God’s Covenant Love, Grace, and Mercy Part 1 →

GIVE ME COURAGE TO RUN

by Effie Darlene Barba

When shadows surround

Storm clouds abound

Though you knew you heard Him say go

You followed His voice

Relinquished your choice

The future now only He knows

 

You trust in His plan

Though your eyes of a man

Cannot see your way through

A glimmer of light

Comes into your sight

His Glory comes into your view

 

Chorus:

As you pray,

Lord, Give me courage to run

Courage to stand

Courage to go where You send

Give me courage to hope

Courage to sing

Courage to Praise through the rain

 

He is all that you need

His promise to lead

Salvation, His greatest love song

No shadow of fear

As He draws you near

To you, His treasures belong

 

Chorus:

As you pray,

Lord, Give me courage to run

Courage to stand

Courage to go where You send

Give me courage to hope

Courage to sing

Courage to Praise through the rain

© 2014 Effie Darlene Barba

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 with the exception of my own book. 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.”

If we take the time to look at the book of Malachi, I think too often we can find ourselves there.  It was the last of the books of the Old Testament and is so filled with sadness as a Loving God pleads for His people to turn around and to really love and honor Him as their heavenly Father.  It begins with "1:1 The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi. 2. I have loved you, saith the Lord; Yet ye say, Wherein has thou loved us?"

Have you ever done that? Looked at God and said, “If you loved me then why I am in this situation that I am in?  Why can’t I have what I asked for?  Why, Lord, if you love me?’  Have you ever pouted or withdrawn from God in depression because He didn’t give you what you wanted?  Have you ever yelled at God in anger because He didn’t give you the thing you thought you desired?  Be honest here.  I know I have, too often.

Drawing Courtesy of Ronald Barba   © 2012 Ronald Barba

“How can you expect to dwell with God forever, if you so neglect and forsake him here?” Jonathan Edwards from Selected Sermons of Jonathan Edwards

 

God went on to plead, “6 A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? And if I be a master, where is my fear? Saith the Lord of hosts unto you ….that despise my name.  And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?  7. Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee?”

What about this?  Do we honor Him as a Father?

Continue reading A Matter of the Heart- I Want to Love You More, Lord →

We so often look at our lives and struggle with what we may think are difficulties. We become discouraged, down heartened, or even self loathing.  We can’t see how to go one step further or face today’s burdens; yet, for those of us who know Christ–there is hope and there is joy.   Many times I have wished that I could be just a little more like Paul the Apostle as I see him–“a little superhuman in his faith and his strength”  We tend to think that all the Christians of his day would look up to him and follow his teachings; but, the truth is he was often rejected by “legalistic teachers” of his day. He had been rejected by many within the early church, criticized and condemned by the vary ones he desired to reach with the gospel of Christ.  He had been imprisoned, beaten, gone hungry, and physically grown weak, wearied with pain.  What was it that gave him the strength and the courage to keep going?  What was it that caused Paul to still declare that his “joy” was inextinguishable?

 

photo courtesy of @istock

In the midst of trials, what could make us live a life that says Christ is our every song of Joy?

Look at his description of all that he endured for the ministry.  Many in Corinth had bitterly criticized his ministry; yet, tired and wearied from life this was His response.

2 Corinthians 6: 3-10 (Phillips)As far as we are concerned we do not wish to stand in anyone’s way, nor do we wish to bring discredit on the ministry God has given us. Indeed we want to prove ourselves genuine ministers of God whatever we have to go through—patient endurance of troubles or even disasters, being flogged or imprisoned; being mobbed, having to work like slaves, having to go without food or sleep. All this we want to meet with sincerity, with insight and patience; by sheer kindness and the Holy Spirit; with genuine love, speaking the plain truth, and living by the power of God. Our sole defence, our only weapon, is a life of integrity, whether we meet honour or dishonour, praise or blame. Called “impostors” we must be true, called “nobodies” we must be in the public eye. Never far from death, yet here we are alive, always “going through it” yet never “going under”. We know sorrow, yet our joy is inextinguishable. We have “nothing to bless ourselves with” yet we bless many others with true riches. We are penniless, and yet in reality we have everything worth having.

If we look a little deeper into the words of Paul, we might gain strength to face whatever comes in our own lives.  What was in the center of his heart that caused him to continue on despite such criticism, rejection, and suffering?

Continue reading Live a Life that says Christ is my Every Song of Joy →