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How Much Are You Willing to Lose for The Amazing Love of God?

October 16, 2022 Effie Barba Leave a comment

Throughout the scripture, God sent prophets and His word to the people, pleading with them to turn to Him. The amazing love of God reaches out to us, in our darkest hours in spite of our sins. He sent His son to pay the price of our sin so that we might be saved. The same amazing love of God has loved me even when I ran after other idols, just as the children on Israel had. But how much am I willing to lose to cling tight to the amazing love of God. What if He requires, I lay aside everything, that I might be His voice in the world? That was the case of the prophets. Each sacrificed everything. Some more than others.

God’s prophets each presented their message in various ways to try to reach the people. Jeremiah was asked to walk away from his life and the woman he loved to preach God’s message to a people who would not listen. Ezekiel’s wife died and he was not even given a chance to mourn, because his message was too great. Daniel was taken captive by the Babylonians where he was castrated. Each one sacrificing so much to gain everything. And why? Because they understood and desired the Amazing Love of God. They saw God in all His Glory as the greatest treasure to be desired and thereby they were willing to lose everything for the sake of speaking His truth to the people.

Each prophet spoke by different means. Jonah through his own failures pointed to the people’s sin. Amos, a shepherd spoke clearly against the sins of the people. Meanwhile, Hosea spoke of God’s judgement to come, was also asked to live out an example before the people of God’s Amazing Love.

Hosea 1: (NKJV)- The Amazing Love of God Displayed

1 The word of the Lord that came to Hosea the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. ²When the Lord began to speak by Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea:

“Go, take yourself a wife of harlotry
And children of harlotry,
For the land has committed great ^[^a^]harlotry
By departing from the Lord.”

Nowhere are we told if Hosea knew she was a harlot when he married her. Most likely not, rather it by the time he wrote this he knew. Yet, God had sent him to marry Gomer and put in his heart to love her unconditionally. God knew her heart and saw that her heart was like that of the people of Israel toward Him. They chased after other loves, believing in them they would find the desires of their hearts fulfilled. But the truth they failed to see.

He Did as God Commanded

³So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. ⁴Then the Lord said to him:“Call his name Jezreel,
For in a little while
I will avenge the bloodshed of Jezreel on the house of Jehu,
And bring an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel.
⁵It shall come to pass in that day
That I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel” (Hosea NKJV).

God clearly spoke of the judgement to come.

Even In Judgement the Amazing Love of God was shown

⁶And she conceived again and bore a daughter. Then God said to him:

“Call her name ^[^b^]Lo-Ruhamah,
For I will no longer have mercy on the house of Israel,
^[^c^]But I will utterly take them away.
⁷Yet I will have mercy on the house of Judah,
Will save them by the Lord their God,
And will not save them by bow,
Nor by sword or battle,
By horses or horsemen.”

It was too late for Israel; but mercy was still extended to the house of Judah. The 10 tribes of Israel have only recently begun to return to the land after all these years. Yet, Judah did return after the Babylonian exile. Jesus was born from the tribe of Judah, a descendant of King David as foretold. Yet, Hosea preached on the truth, even as his heart was about to be broken. The amazing love of God sometimes breaks our hearts that we might understand the depth of His love for us.

The Amazing Love of God Proclaims Mercy After Judgement

⁸Now when she had weaned Lo-Ruhamah, she conceived and bore a son. ⁹Then God said:

“Call his name ^[^d^]Lo-Ammi,
For you are not My people,
And I will not be your God.

¹⁰“Yet the number of the children of Israel
Shall be as the sand of the sea,
Which cannot be measured or numbered.
And it shall come to pass
In the place where it was said to them,
‘You are ^[^e^]not My people,’
There it shall be said to them,
‘You are sons of the living God.’
¹¹Then the children of Judah and the children of Israel
Shall be gathered together,
And appoint for themselves one head;
And they shall come up out of the land,
For great will be the day of Jezreel!

One day they would return, that day is yet to come when God returns to reign in Jerusalem. All this plays out in the life of Hosea.

Hosea’s Wife Leaves

Gomer left to a life of prostitution, seeking gold and riches. Hosea with broken heart raised his children. All the people whispered and mocked him, as he continued to preach God’s words. Knowing the law demanded her death, Hosea continued to love Gomer with a broken heart.

This was a picture of the people of Israel and how they were harlots toward God. His Amazing love for them pursued them; yet they rejected Him to seek after worldly goods.

And after the judgement, there will be yet to come the mercy of God to Israel.

Hosea 2:

¹⁴“Therefore, behold, I will allure her,
Will bring her into the wilderness,
And speak ^[^g^]comfort to her.
¹⁵I will give her her vineyards from there,
And the Valley of Achor as a door of hope;
She shall sing there,
As in the days of her youth,
As in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt.

¹⁶“And it shall be, in that day,”
Says the Lord,
“That you will call Me ^[^h^]‘My Husband,’
And no longer call Me ^[i]‘My Master,’

¹⁹“I will betroth you to Me forever;
Yes, I will betroth you to Me
In righteousness and justice,
In lovingkindness and mercy;
²⁰I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness,
And you shall know the Lord.

²¹“It shall come to pass in that day
That I will answer,” says the Lord;
“I will answer the heavens,
And they shall answer the earth.
²²The earth shall answer
With grain,
With new wine,
And with oil;
They shall answer ^[^j^]Jezreel.
²³Then I will sow her for Myself in the earth,
And I will have mercy on her who had ^[^k^]not obtained mercy;
Then I will say to those who were ^[^l^]not My people,
‘You are ^[^m^]My people!’
And they shall say, ‘You are my God!’ ”

This will yet be the case. Despite all the years, one day Christ will reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords over the entire world including the Israeli nation. And as an example of the Amazing Love of God, Hosea also went to rescue Gomer once she had lost everything and was being sold as a slave. Gomer was broken, enslaved, and deserving of death. Hosea was sent to save his beloved.

Hosea 3

3 Then the Lord said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by a lover^[^a^] and is committing adultery, just like the love of the Lord for the children of Israel, who look to other gods and love the raisin cakes of the pagans.”

²So I bought her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver, and one and one-half homers of barley. ³And I said to her, “You shall stay with me many days; you shall not play the harlot, nor shall you have a man—so, too, will I be toward you.”

⁴For the children of Israel shall abide many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, without ephod or teraphim. ⁵Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God and David their king. They shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days.

So, the question is: What are you willing to lose to proclaim the Amazing Love of God to a world that is broken. What if He asked you to live a life of suffering or sacrifice that one person might be saved? Is there any suffering too great for the salvation of one soul?

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.

Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.

For Prayer or Comments

If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here

Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here

Knowing Jesus Could Return Today. Why Does My Life Look the Same

DISCLOSURES

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2021
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. 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.

Credits

New King James Version (NKJV)

Photo licensed through Goodsalt.com

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Knowing Jesus Could Return Today. Why Does My Life Look the Same

October 12, 2022 Effie Barba Leave a comment

Life with all its uncertainties marches on before us, until it is no more. Perhaps we do not think much about it. Yet, all around us there are wars. Spiritual wars and those created by humans. Wars within our borders and outside. You might say, not here in the USA. But are there not? When the FBI shows up with guns drawn on a father and his 11 children because he sang Christian songs at an abortion center or blocks of cities burn in the name of protest. Am I to respond with anger or fear? Jesus Christ as my Savior. Therefore, knowing Jesus could return today, why does my life look the same as everyone else at times? Why should I get angry when a car cuts me off? Should I not be a little more patient with the grandkids?

More importantly, who do I know or pass each day that does not know Jesus? Did I reach out to them with love today? Regardless of their response, what should mine be.

Knowing Jesus Transforms Me

Jesus after his resurrection spoke to Peter. He told Peter that he too would be crucified. Jesus told the apostles He would return. At that Peter first asked about the others. Would they be present when Christ returns? But Jesus responded with, “If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. (John 21:22 KJV) Previously Jesus spoke, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you ^[a]will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. What things had He spoken? He had just completed telling them that He was the Vine and they the branches. His joy and love would perfect them in Him. Without Him, I can do nothing. But with Him I see the world through eyes of love, not hate and fear.

Peter then with the power of the Spirit, no longer ran in fear and dismay. Instead, he wrote instructions on how we are to live Knowing Jesus could return today. Despite being beaten, jailed and persecuted, Peter marched on proclaiming the name of Jesus in word and humble servanthood. Bold to speak the word. Meek in our response to persecution.

1 Peter 2:

1 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, ²as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, ³if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious

Point #1: Desire the milk of the word—It is the nourishment our hearts need. Also it is our only offensive weapon. We are to stand firm on its truth. Preaching and proclaiming it as God’s unerring word of Truth.

Why Knowing Jesus brings life and Hope?

⁴Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, ⁵you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ⁶Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,

“Behold, I lay in Zion
A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”

⁷Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who ^[^b^]are disobedient,

“The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone,”

⁸and

“A stone of stumbling
And a rock of offense.”

They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.

⁹But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; ¹⁰who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

Point #2 Knowing Jesus—is He precious to you? More precious than any treasure?

How are we to Act Then when trials come?

¹¹Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, ¹²having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.

¹³Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, ¹⁴or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. ¹⁵For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— ¹⁶as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. ¹⁷Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

¹⁸Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. ¹⁹For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. ²⁰For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.

Knowing Jesus, we follow His example

²¹For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

²²“Who committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;

²³who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; ²⁴who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. ²⁵For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

So, are we to remain silent?

No, Knowing Jesus, we speak boldly of His being the only hope of Salvation. Without Him, we are nothing. But in Him, we have everything. Knowing Jesus, the most unloving thing we can do is to keep silent and allow others to die in their sin and ignorance. But we are to do so without malice and without anger. We must speak boldly shining light into darkness and trust God to complete His work in us and through us to the world.

¹²For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4 NKJV)

Therefore, Knowing Jesus Could Return today, I must begin each day in His word and then go forth boldly to speak truth into the darkness, never worrying about the consequences to myself. God will provide me with the strength, the hope and the joy needed to praise Him through whatever may come my way.

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.

For Prayer or Comments

If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here

Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here

Where Do We Find Hope Peace and Joy in A World of Chaos?

DISCLOSURES

New King James Version (NKJV)

Photo licensed through Goodsalt.com

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Where Do We Find Hope Peace and Joy in A World of Chaos?

October 2, 2022 Effie Barba Leave a comment

If we listen to the news, we are certain to feel the weight of all that is going on in the world. Whether it is the media seeking ratings by hyperbolic speech or whether the world is plunging forward toward World War III, we cannot help but notice the chaos. Fear enters our hearts as we realize that we must at this point be hearing the warning signs that God is pleading with us to turn around and seek Him. Because only in Him can we find hope peace and joy in a nation of chaos. Yet, hope peace and joy are not what we see in the world around us today. In the world there is chaos, fear, famine, and winter is coming.

Many countries and people facing a cold winter with no fuel to heat their homes. Some in Europe are asked to reduce their bathing and baking. Companies are forced to reduce their employees and their hours of work. Meanwhile, I noted today that the shelves in Walmart were many of them stripped bare. Meat not available on many shelves. And we wonder. Is it too late? Or has God forsaken us all! Absolutely Not! God throughout the ages has pursued each of us with His relentless love. But He will not force anyone. Is there time for one last revival before He declares the end of this the church age?

A Review of History—Hope Peace and Joy amid Worldwide Chaos

If we look through history, God sent His prophets warning Israel from 931 BC until 722 BC before their captivity. This was in spite of so many refused to listen. Instead, they followed after sin. And for Judah, He persisted in pursuing them with miracles, admonitions, warnings, famines, and every attempt to get their attention from 931 BC until 586 BC. Nineveh one of the most evil gentile cities, he proclaimed their destruction would come. Yet, they repented and followed Him. Therefore, they lived another 150 years until the latter generations rejected Him before He sent their destruction.

God never forgot His people, keeping promise to them. From the time Adam sinned, God promised a Savior. When all had turned their back on God, one family was preserved to carry forward God’s plan of redemption. That was Noah. Not because He was perfect; but He believed God. That faith was counted to him for righteousness. God chose Abraham to carry forward the promise of a Savior. Then throughout the ages, God remained faithful, protecting the remnant of believers, while also reaching out to the whole world. And now, can we see the warnings all around us?

A World of Chaos of Our Own Making

Romans 1:^16 (NKJV)For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. ¹⁷For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

God’s Wrath on Unrighteousness

¹⁸For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, ¹⁹because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. ²⁰For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, ²¹because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²²Professing to be wise, they became fools, ²³and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like ^[h]corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

We watched throughout the ages; humanity chose to worship all forms of idols instead of God. With great patience and enduring love, He has presented Himself to the world relentlessly. But alas often to little avail. Yet, in His wisdom, He knew that one cannot love were by choice. Each of us are given that choice to believe Him, bow down to Him as Lord, or not. When we do, we are given love, hope, peace, and joy abounding for eternity. So, why do so many say no?

How Do We Know A Society Is Falling Under Judgement?

Well, as we noted above, they seek after many other gods. Money, pleasure, selfish desires, the earth, the sun, the moon, idols made by hand, and the list goes on. As the word says, “God gave them up to” means He stepped back and allowed them to pursue the desires they requested to without interfering. So let us continue in Romans 1 to follow this plan.

²⁴Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, ²⁵who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

²⁶For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. ²⁷Likewise also the ^[j]men, leaving the natural use of the ^[k]woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

²⁸And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; ²⁹being filled with all unrighteousness, ^[sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, ³⁰backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, ³¹^]undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, ^]unforgiving, unmerciful; ³²who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

Resulting in What? Hope Peace and Joy? No!

Thus, the thrust toward humanistic philosophies believing humanity can rise to a better society on their own has now step by step led us to division, confusion, and despair. As Ben Harnwell refers to them, our psychopathic overlords still push for a globalization agenda that is pushing us farther and farther into ultimate destruction. Famine, wars, pandemics, and the complete destruction of enterprise. “you will own nothing and be happy” is their motto. For their plan to work there needs to be a smaller population—hence famines, pandemics, chemical castration of the children, abortions, fentanyl deaths, and creation of a violent criminal society all work together to eliminate whom they deem “unworthy”. Meanwhile they are protected, fly about in their jets, and scam money from every side. Ah, well I digress. So, what now?

For all who know Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we see everything playing out just as God foretold both in Old Testament Prophecy, New Testament Prophecy, and Revelations. God is still on His throne in Heaven. We may feel like Exiles in Foreign Habitancies; however, we have hope peace and Joy in Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 10 (NKJV)

⁹Therefore, brethren, having boldness^[f] to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, ²¹and having a High Priest over the house of God, ²²let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. ²³Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. ²⁴And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, ²⁵not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10 (NKJV)

Jesus speaking of the end Times: Matthew 24 (NKJV)

³Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

⁴And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. ⁵For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. ⁶And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for ^[^a^]all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. ⁷For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, ^[^b^]pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. ⁸All these are the beginning of sorrows.

⁹“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. ¹⁰And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. ¹¹Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. ¹²And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. ¹³But he who endures to the end shall be saved. ¹⁴And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS: We Have Hope peace and joy in Christ Jesus our Lord

As I watch the world around me, I mourn for all those who are lost. I long for His return; but, if He tarry it is His awaiting one more soul to accept Him. Things may get a lot worse. Yet, I have seen a rising up around the world of those who are standing up for God, Family, and Virtue. Will it be enough for one more revival? We shall see. Meanwhile, I live with hope, peace, and joy in Him. Jesus Christ, my Lord, and Savior holds me in the palm of His hand. Whatever may come, I rest all my hope in Him. He has loved me with an unrelenting love. And I know I can trust Him whatever comes my way.

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.

For Prayer or Comments

If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here

Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here

Where is Our Hope When the World Seems So Dark?

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23 (NKJV)

When the World Seems So Dark

In the Dark of the Night
My heart filled with fright
Our one hope of light
Is Jesus


In a World filled with Lies
With Evil’s disguise
Truth is our prize
In Jesus


When you feel all alone
When Sadness has grown
Bow to the Throne
Of Jesus

For He is the light, the truth, and the way
The One who has died to save you today
Not only died, but rose from the grave
He has the power, the power to save

He is our  Hope when all hope is gone
From the darkest of night, He brings a new dawn
Look to Jesus, our Savior, the King of all Kings
	                                        All honor and Glory, for His joy He brings

So let us all rise His Praise to impart
For His Love we know will never depart
When the world seems so dark, we can’t see our way
His is the light to guide us each day

Where is our Hope and Joy? It is in Jesus Christ Our Lord.

The Lord Roars! Let Righteousness Pour Down Like a Mighty River. Then?

DISCLOSURES

New King James Version (NKJV)

Photo licensed through Goodsalt.com

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Where is Our Hope When the World Seems So Dark?

October 2, 2022 Effie Barba Leave a comment

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23 (NKJV)

When the World Seems So Dark

In the Dark of the Night
My heart filled with fright
Our one hope of light
Is Jesus


In a World filled with Lies
With Evil’s disguise
Truth is our prize
In Jesus


When you feel all alone
When Sadness has grown
Bow to the Throne
Of Jesus

For He is the light, the truth, and the way
The One who has died to save you today
Not only died, but rose from the grave
He has the power, the power to save

He is our  Hope when all hope is gone
From the darkest of night, He brings a new dawn
Look to Jesus, our Savior, the King of all Kings
	                                        All honor and Glory, for His joy He brings

So let us all rise His Praise to impart
For His Love we know will never depart
When the world seems so dark, we can’t see our way
His is the light to guide us each day

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.

For Prayer or Comments

If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here

Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here

Where is our Hope and Joy? It is in Jesus Christ Our Lord.

The Lord Roars! Let Righteousness Pour Down Like a Mighty River. Then?

DISCLOSURES

New King James Version (NKJV)

Photo licensed through Goodsalt.com

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Where is our Hope and Joy? It is in Jesus Christ Our Lord.

September 28, 2022 Effie Barba Leave a comment

In a world surrounded by pain, sorrow, confusion, chaos, and evil where is our hope and joy? It is in Jesus Christ Our Lord through the power of the Holy Spirit! We can trust and rest in “thus saith the Lord Your God’. This was the message of all the prophets as they pleaded with the people of God. Everything will be to His Glory, and He will accomplish all that He has planned. Amos was speaking to the nation of Israel, but his prophecies in the last chapter was directed to our future as well. So let us look at Amos and realize the hope and joy we are promised as well. For Amos did speak of the promises to all people. But let us first also review chapters 7 and 8. That along with a verse from Daniel will help us to understand what we are currently facing.

Why We Grieve and Pray: Amos 7

Vision of the Locusts

7 Thus the Lord God showed me: Behold, He formed locust swarms at the ^[^a^]beginning of the late crop; indeed it was the late crop after the king’s mowings. ²And so it was, when they had finished eating the grass of the land, that I said:

“O Lord God, forgive, I pray!
Oh,^[^b^] that Jacob may stand,
For he is small!”
³So the Lord relented concerning this.
“It shall not be,” said the Lord.

Vision of the Fire

⁴Thus the Lord God showed me: Behold, the Lord God called ^[^c^]for conflict by fire, and it consumed the great deep and devoured the ^[^d^]territory. ⁵Then I said:

“O Lord God, cease, I pray!
Oh, that Jacob may stand,
For he is small!”
⁶So the Lord relented concerning this.
“This also shall not be,” said the Lord God.

Note that both visions were of intense suffering that would come to all the people. When Amos prayed, we are told that the Lord relented. Does that altar His Sovereignty? No! It does demonstrate His desire for us to care about the suffering of all those around us and His desire for us to intervene with prayer. We are called to pray for our nation and grieve for their lack of worship. This is like when Abraham prayed for Sodom and Gomorrah, or Moses intervened for the people. Our prayers are powerful; but as we shall see this does not change God’s overarching plan.

God Explains Himself

Vision of the Plumb Line

⁷Thus He showed me: Behold, the Lord stood on a wall made with a plumb line, with a plumb line in His hand. ⁸And the Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?”

And I said, “A plumb line.”

Then the Lord said:

“Behold, I am setting a plumb line
In the midst of My people Israel;
I will not pass by them anymore.
⁹The ^[^e^]high places of Isaac shall be desolate,
And the ^[^f^]sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste.
I will rise with the sword against the house of Jeroboam.”

Amos 7:7-9 (NKJV)

In this vision, God explains that the people are so far from meeting the standard of righteousness. The plumb line was to measure the straightness of a wall, but they were far from being straight in their lives. They strayed so far from true worship of God, there was no way to hold tight. God was the one who gave them these moments of prosperity and yet, they did not listen. He had sent messengers and these messengers were ignored.

And then, the priests of the area tell Amos to leave and be silenced.

Before Hope and Joy Can Reign- Cleansing must come

8 Thus the Lord God showed me: Behold, a basket of summer fruit. ²And He said, “Amos, what do you see?”

So I said, “A basket of summer fruit.”

Then the Lord said to me:

“The end has come upon My people Israel;
I will not pass by them anymore.
³And the songs of the temple
Shall be wailing in that day,”
Says the Lord God—
“Many dead bodies everywhere,
They shall be thrown out in silence.”

Hear this, you who ^[^a^]swallow up the needy,
And make the poor of the land fail, Amos 8:1-4

With great patience, God had cried out to His people, but to no avail. They believed He owed them everything because of who they are. Is that not what we see surrounding us every day? Or consider this! Is that not what we think as well? We question God with every trial that comes, never considering how much He has given and how little we have thought of Him.

So, God declares it is over for the northern tribe of Israel. He will destroy them that He might save the remnant and send Jesus through them

Where Grief Turns to Hope and Joy

Daniel Prayed to intercede for His people. He knew it was time they should be returning to Jerusalem after the long exile.

²⁰While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the Lord my God for his holy hill— ²¹while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. ²²He instructed me and said to me, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. ²³As soon as you began to pray, a word went out, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the word and understand the vision: ²⁴“Seventy ‘sevens’^[^c^] are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish^[^d^] transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place.^[^e^] ²⁵“Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One,^[^f^] the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. ²⁶After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing.^[^g^] The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. ²⁷He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’^[^h^] In the middle of the ‘seven’^[i] he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple^[^j^] he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him Daniel 9 (NIV)

Where We Stand Today–Our Reason for Hope and Joy

We are the gap that lies between the 69 weeks and the 70^th week. At the exact end of 69 weeks, Jesus entered Jerusalem to die. He ushered us into the current age of the church. The final week is set up for the final cleansing of the Jewish nation. After the first horseman of the apocalypse present themselves, 144,000 Jews accept Jesus Christ as Savior. These messianic Jews are sealed to be witnesses (missionaries) to both Jew and Gentiles during the tribulation. So, at the end of this comes the events of Amos 9, as Jesus comes to cleanse the earth of all the evil. No one will be able to Hide from His righteous judgement.

AMOS 9: Judgment Comes

9 I saw the Lord standing by the altar, and He said:

“Strike the ^[^a^]doorposts, that the thresholds may shake,
And break them on the heads of them all.
I will slay the last of them with the sword.
He who flees from them shall not get away,
And he who escapes from them shall not be delivered.

²“Though they dig into ^[^b^]hell,
From there My hand shall take them;
Though they climb up to heaven,
From there I will bring them down;
³And though they hide themselves on top of Carmel,
From there I will search and take them;
Though they hide from My sight at the bottom of the sea,
From there I will command the serpent, and it shall bite them;
⁴Though they go into captivity before their enemies,
From there I will command the sword,
And it shall slay them.
I will set My eyes on them for harm and not for good.”

⁵The Lord God of hosts,
He who touches the earth and it melts,
And all who dwell there mourn;
All of it shall swell like ^[^c^]the River,
And subside like the River of Egypt.
⁶He who builds His layers^[^d^] in the sky,
And has founded His strata in the earth;
Who calls for the waters of the sea,
And pours them out on the face of the earth—
The Lord is His name. Amos 9 (NKJV)

This is the fulfillment of the 70th week

⁸“Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are on the sinful kingdom,
And I will destroy it from the face of the earth;
Yet I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob,”
Says the Lord.

⁹“For surely I will command,
And will ^[^g^]sift the house of Israel among all nations,
As grain is sifted in a sieve;
Yet not the smallest ^[^h^]grain shall fall to the ground.
¹⁰All the sinners of My people shall die by the sword,
Who say, ‘The calamity shall not overtake nor confront us.’

Hope and Joy Reign

Then begins the millennial reign of Christ where all has been established. God promised Abraham that he would

¹¹“On that day I will raise up
The ^[i]tabernacle of David, which has fallen down,
And ^[^j^]repair its damages;
I will raise up its ruins,
And rebuild it as in the days of old;
¹²That they may possess the remnant of Edom,^[^k^]
And all the Gentiles who are called by My name,”
Says the Lord who does this thing.

¹³“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord,
“When the plowman shall overtake the reaper,
And the treader of grapes him who sows seed;
The mountains shall drip with sweet wine,
And all the hills shall flow with it.
¹⁴I will bring back the captives of My people Israel;
They shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; Plant vineyards and drink wine from them;
They shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them.
¹⁵I will plant them in their land,
And no longer shall they be pulled up
From the land I have given them,”
Says the Lord your God.

In this God fulfills His promise of Hope and Joy to Abraham

12 Now the Lord had said to Abram:

“Get out of your country,
From your family
And from your father’s house,
To a land that I will show you.
²I will make you a great nation;
I will bless you
And make your name great;
And you shall be a blessing.
³I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12 (NKJV)

Therefore, where is our hope and joy? God has accomplished each part of the promise and we are a part of this. This is just a moment in time. We are like Daniel, an exile in a world that is not our home. So, let us live as Children of the High God full of hope and joy through the power of the Holy Spirit.

For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed ⁹and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy….“The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in Him the Gentiles will hope.”¹³May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15: 8,12-13 (NIV)