Christian Poetry

O Father Dear, What Can I Say? A Prayer.

October 28, 2018 Effie Barba Leave a comment

O Father Dear, What Can I Say?

O Father Dear, what can I say

As here before thy throne I pray

So, humbled by majestic Grace

As glorious joy fills this space

O Sovereign Lord, my Righteous King

Your Love doth make my heart to sing

You drew me near, salvation’s song

And bid me leave the earthly throng

That I might sit a while with you

Though silence may at times ensue

Yet, in the quiet time I feel

Your strength and love, You do instill

And quiet then, my restless heart

Doth long to stay and ne’er depart

Oh, how I wish that I could stay

Right here with You through each long day

You bid for me to then arise

To run and tell, this world apprise

Of all that You have done for me

You took my sin, and set me free

From all the chains that bound me tight

Desires and fears, the lonely night

So, counterfeit the joys they brought

Until it was thy Word I sought

So, Father dear, I now must go

To spread Your truth, your words to sow

As I arise to face this day

I bid You, Lord my hands to stay

Without Your strength, I will but stray

By Words I do, or things I say

So, this is all I ask of You

Please, let Your Love and Grace shine through

Cast all my selfish will aside

With all its anger, foolish pride

Upon a cross there crucify

My ego, self; oh, let it die

Let then Your glory shine through me

For all this broken world to see

How precious is thy love and grace!

Open their eyes to seek thy face.

Thought

How wonderful it is to sit alone with God, even if you have nothing to say. Just to sit in His presence is enough.

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR?

If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior: I urge you to 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.

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Previous Posts Concerning the Lord’s Prayer

What are You Really Asking God For?

Do You Mean It When You Pray Thy Will Be Done?

How to Live in Joyful Expectation of God’s Kingdom

How to Really Honor God: Hallowed Be Thy Name

What is the Significance of Having a Heavenly Father?

Do You Really Know God as Father?

How Important is the Lord’s Prayer?

POEMS

Sunday Poetry–Thy Glory Drawing Nigh

A Grace So Grand-Sunday Poem

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2018
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 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.

Footnotes and Credits

Photo by Samuel Martins on Unsplash

Blog

What Are You Really Asking God For?

October 26, 2018 Effie Barba Leave a comment

As we have been studying the Lord’s Prayer, it began with placing God in His rightful position. The prayer then turns to requesting God for our needs. What are those needs most urgent: life sustaining provision, forgiveness, and protection. Without these, we cannot survive. But with these, what are we really asking God for? Some would try to say, “Ok, God, I have rightly glorified you in my prayer first, so give me all I ask for”. But that would be wrong! In fact, if we think in that manner, we really haven’t understood or truly placed God on the throne. This is not some magical formula for getting what we want. Instead, it is recognizing His Place as Sovereign Lord over our life. If we truly do that, then our requests become very humble. Give us day by day our daily bread (Luke 11:3).

Asking God for Bread

Continue reading What Are You Really Asking God For? →

Blog

Do You Mean It When You Pray Thy Will Be Done?

October 24, 2018 Effie Barba Leave a comment

As we continue through the Lord’s Prayer, we come to “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). Perhaps it is very easy to say, “I trust God. And I want His will to be done in my life and on earth.” However, what if His plan in my life includes that battle with Icancer, the death of a loved one, a divorce I never wanted or planned for? What if my finances are turned upside down or I find myself without a job. Do I really “Thy Will Be Done”?

Furthermore, do I really believe that God IS fully Sovereign. And that He rewards those who diligently seek Him. When life’s storms rage around me, do I believe? Or when I see the spiritual battle raging within our own nation, do I really mean it when I pray, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10)?

When I look at the world around me, filled with injustice, do I truly believe that God has a perfect plan here and now? He has said, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3). Do I cry forth like Habakkuk, “O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! Even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save! (Habakkuk 1:2). However, after his discussion with God, Habakkuk surrendered to God’s will as we see in Habakkuk 3:17-19.

Trusting in His Plan

Continue reading Do You Mean It When You Pray Thy Will Be Done? →

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How to Live in Joyful Expectation of God’s Kingdom

October 22, 2018 Effie Barba Leave a comment

When we look around us at all the evil, the bitterness, anger, and hatred, we plead “thy kingdom come!” (Matthew 6:10). We look within our own hearts, longing to know the transformation is complete, loathing our own failures. So, how are we to live in joyful expectation of God’s Kingdom? Is it possible to know the righteousness, peace, and joy of God’s Kingdom here and now? For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost (Romans 14:17). However, we live in a world so filled with concerns, work, finances, relationships, and obligations. Furthermore, we live in an earthly body so filled with desires for pride, self-exaltation; wrought with frailties. Therefore, how can we live a life filled with joyful expectation of God’s Kingdom; while facing so many obstacles without and within?

Although, we may fully understand that Christ has won the victory once and for all against sin, death, and destruction. Yet, anyone who has lived the Christian life for any length of time knows all too well the moments of our own failure to love as we should, forgive others, or even trust God. Longing for that day, we cry out as Paul did. “Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. (Romans 8: 21-23).

God’s Kingdom

Continue reading How to Live in Joyful Expectation of God’s Kingdom →

Christian Poetry

Have You Ever Considered When Loss is Gain?

October 21, 2018 Effie Barba Leave a comment

When Loss is Gain

As I look back upon my life

The times of joy and times of strife

How could I cry for any loss?

Once I have gazed upon Thy Cross

How could I ever dare complain?

About life’s sorrows, tears and pains

When You so freely took my shame

Upon Yourself removed my blame

Because from sin You set me free

I now thy willing servant be

So, pierce my heart-declare me thine

And purge all selfish thought of mine

If all I have, You choose to take

That Glory bring for your namesake

Allow me gaze upon Thy Face

Thy eyes of love, thy smile of Grace

I do not know what life may bring

Prepare my heart to always sing

A Song of joy, abounding praise

Amidst the billows storms may raise

For you my precious, Lord and King

Will lift me high on eagle’s wing

To soar above this world below

And cast aside the grief and woe

Philippians 3: 7-10

⁷But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

⁸Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

⁹And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

¹⁰That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death

Just to know you Lord is to gain the greatest treasure. All else, is loss.

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR?

If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior: I urge you to go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. Because there is nothing more important than this, I urge you to seek Him today.