IT BEGINS WITH ME

By Effie Darlene Barba

With all the pain across this land

What can I do to take a stand?

For hope, for joy and virtue too

Oh Lord, to take my stand for You!

There is no hope for truth to reign

While men do use Your name in vain

Their selfish lies Your gospel feign

Our streets now filled with bloody stain

My Lord, I come with heavy heart

To ask You God, “What is my part?”

“What can I do? Where do I start?”

I have no strength lest You impart!

For if I speak, they will not hear

Embittered souls with deafened ear

With hearts of rage and hearts of fear

While truth and love all disappear

Such bitter rain of dark dismay

“What can I do? What can I say?”

Except on bended knee to pray

To plead You come to heal today

You are the ONLY Hope I know

Where virtue, truth doth overflow

I plead for them, that You might show

Your mercy, Lord to men so low

And let Your victory on the cross

Cover our shame, our bitter loss

Open our ears to hear Your voice

Let peace and love now be our choice

Turn evil hearts that they might see

Their only hope of victory

To bow their head on bended knee

Pleading for Grace, humility

I cannot see my brother’s pain

While anger, fear within me reign

So, first I come before You now

Please cleanse my heart, Your truth avow

It all must now BEGIN with Me

Lord, open now my heart to see

The selfish pride, my guilty stains

Let truth and mercy fill my veins

That I might boldly go proclaim

That if each one would call Your Name

And lay aside their selfish pride

Your peace and love could then abide

Our freedom, liberty renew

Our torch of hope for all to view

And so Dear Lord, I clearly see

Revival now, begins with me.

Twitter-able Quotes

[bctt tweet=”With all the pain across this land What can I do to take a stand? For hope, for joy and virtue too Oh Lord, to take my stand for You!” username=”effiedarlene”]

[bctt tweet=”There is no hope for truth to reign While men do use God’s name in vain Their selfish lies the gospel feign Our streets now filled with bloody stain” username=”effiedarlene”]

[bctt tweet=”You are the ONLY Hope I know Where virtue, truth doth overflow I plead for them, that You might show Your mercy, Lord to men so low” username=”effiedarlene”]

[bctt tweet=”Such bitter rain of dark dismay “What can I do? What can I say?” Except on bended knee to pray To plead You come to heal today” username=”effiedarlene”]

[bctt tweet=”Turn evil hearts that they might see Their only hope of victory To bow their head on bended knee Pleading for Grace, humility” username=”effiedarlene”]

©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 rawpixel on Unsplash

Justification, Guilt, And the Road To Victory

Often that which drives a Christian into depression are the feelings of guilt.  We see the world through our own eyes of unworthiness toward God.  This can lead us to sin, rather than to allow us to rejoice in our position in Christ Jesus.  Our road to victory can only be seen fully when we know the truth. When I do not fully grasp the truth that in Christ Jesus I am declared righteous by the blood of Christ which cloaks me, I become guilty of unbelief.  That leads to my seeing every trial as a punishment from God, rather than seeing it as His transformative acts of Grace that build my faith.

As D Martyn Lloyd-Jones points out:

Continue reading Justification, Guilt, And the Road To Victory →

Feelings of Guilt

Feelings of guilt can be a catalyst to transform our hearts or it can become a despair which traps us in a dark abyss of depression.  For mom in her bipolar world, feelings of guilt drove her to the place of attempting suicide.  She wanted to escape from her own feelings of guilt, which caused her so much pain.  Never recognizing the forgiveness of God, the grace she had been given, she was tortured by sins of the past.  We cannot negate our sin, for it is real.  However, our guilt must be laid before the cross of Christ alongside our sin.  We can never gain victory over the sin while remaining so preoccupied with self that we cannot allow God to be the only strength to overcome it.  As Ravi Zacharias wrote in his book Cries of the Heart.

            When expelled by irreverence, guilt makes life in mutual harmony unlivable. .. smothered by pride it makes one’s life unaccountable.  When concealed by fear it makes the pain unbearable.  (If) dismissed as cultural it makes morality untenable.  When claiming absolute innocence before God it makes the claim unjustifiable.  (Yet) when guilt surrenders to the grace of God, it makes the sin forgivable.  [1]

Haunted by Guilt

Continue reading When are Feelings of Guilt good or bad? →

While caught up in my own feelings, I could not see that Mom also struggled with feelings of rejection.  It is that way so often, you see.  Our own feelings of rejection cause us to reject the person we are projecting these feelings on.  Then, our actions cause them to feel rejected and a vicious cycle begins.

In her bipolar world, mom would walk into a room and believe she could hear what others were thinking.  What she heard were voices rejecting and critical of her.  Although these were her own thoughts about herself, it was easier to believe they came from others.  She was dealing with feelings of rejection and a desperate desire to be loved.

As I began to grow in Christ and understand more about His unconditional love and grace, I should have been able to reach out to Mom and help her see the same.  At moments I do; but, at other times, I fail to do that.  Why?  Because, I too, must each morning remind myself of who I am in Christ.  Daily, I must take up my cross, die to self, and live for Christ.  It is a day to day journey, seeking Him early in the morning, at moments through the day, and before I go to sleep at night.

Pride and quasi humility is always lurking at the door of our hearts, for as long as we walk upon this earth.  Yet, the Holy Spirit is there within us to guide us, to remind us of who we are in Christ, and to slay this dragon that would destroy us.

God’s Grace Overcomes

Continue reading How to Discover God’s Joy when Feeling Rejected →