From the most fragile newborn whose instinct is to nuzzle to the lonely senior whose eyes light up by a visit; we are all born with a need to love and to be loved. Like a driving force deep within our psyche; we recognize that we were created with this great need for love. If indeed, we were just some chance of nature; why would we be driven by deep emotional needs? The depth of loneliness cries out to us as a nation when you consider the suicide rate, drug addictions, alcoholism, and even the divorce rate; all of which point to our inability to fulfill our need to feel loved. Consider this: God, who created us, IS love and the only way to really know love is to know Him!
I am certain, there are a few skeptics out there who would say, “wait a minute. Haven’t you seen atheists who love their children, their community, and their partners?” Of course I have; so, how could I say to really know love; one must know God? The reality is that God’s Grace is such that He taps on the shoulders of all men; precisely because of love. He displays this character of His Divine Nature to people; to draw them to Himself. Just as, God shares the beauty of His creation will all people; so, they might glimpse upon His Glorious beauty; He also displays His Divine Nature, by allowing people to experience love, so they might begin to realize, He IS. Nothing draws us closer to divinity than to experience true love.
Therefore, if God IS love; then, let’s look at His Characteristics of True Love as shown in His Character, Calvary love, and His covenant love toward us.
It was Easter Morning; and I had agreed to help Dr. Scala with hospital rounds. Casually, I mentioned that I really would like to go to church; because it was Easter. Certainly, I was surprised when Dr. Scala, said, ” OK, we will go!” Between hospitals, we stopped at the First Baptist Church of Orlando, FL. Pastor Uht gave a beautiful message, which explained the difference between just believing Christ lived and receiving Him as Your Savior and King. After the service, we got into Dr. Scala’s car to head toward another hospital to continue rounding on our patients. Then, Dr. Scala proclaimed: “I did it. Today, I accepted Christ as my Savior. Always before, I was that man who believed in Jesus Christ; but, I had not received Him as my Savior.” That day, in Dr. Scala’s life; the truth of “love has won the victory” became a reality.
John 1:12
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name
A few years later, Dr. Scala left central Florida to set up a practice in Cape Coral, FL. I had lost touch with him. Then August 1, 2016 he passed away, following a battle with cancer. When I heard this, I remembered that Easter many years before. That is when I knew I could proclaim “Love has won the victory”; because, I knew that Louis Scala, MD stood before Jesus and would spend an eternity in His presence. Although I wasn’t scheduled to work that weekend, I went in when Dr. Scala asked me to; because, I listened to a small voice inside my heart urging me to go. Rest in peace, Dr. Scala. One day I will see you again; because, love has won the victory for all of eternity.
LOVE HAS WON THE VICTORY
by Effie Darlene Barba
As darkness filled the noon day sky
The earth shuddered and did quake
A trembling as God’s heart did break?
While wrath and hate screamed crucify
Christ humbly left His throne above
Forgiveness for mankind to buy
He knew the tears His heart must cry
And yet, He came because of love
It would appear that all was loss
Their pardon was His final plea
His Gift of Grace for all to see
He bowed and died upon that cross
The Father’s love, it was so great
Awake, my son, arise awake
He called Him forth a new dawn break
Pure Love had conquered death and hate
Love had won the victory
Joy rang forth a wondrous sound
Hope and life that did surround
Giving faith for all with eyes to see
So Open wide your eyes to see
That Love Has won the victory
My heart so filled with darkest fear
Shattered by evil, hate and pain
Falling torrential like the rain
Anguish filling every tear
Through broken cracks God’s love shone in
He wrapped me tightly in His arms
And there so free from all life’s harms
Forgiveness, joy, and love did win
Love had won the victory
Joy rang forth a wondrous sound
Hope and life that did surround
Giving faith to all with eyes to see
So, Open wide your eyes to see
That Love Has won the victory
Don’t fall into some dark abyss
With pain and guilt that pull you down
Until you feel that you may drown
Look up to God, In Him is bliss
Love has won the victory
Joy rings forth a wondrous sound
Hope and life they do surround
Giving faith to all with eyes to see
So, Open wide your eyes to see
That Love Has won the victory
It is finished
CONCLUDING TWEETS
[tweetthis]When God swung open heaven’s gate Pure Love had conquered death and hate[/tweetthis]
[tweetthis]Christ rose again, that you might see That Love Has won the victory[/tweetthis]
This is an original Drawing by an amazing artist whom I love and admire. Please check out his work at http://roninron.com Because he did this drawing with a piece of paper and a pencil only, I am awed by the talent God has blessed him with. Also, because it is protected under copyright, it cannot be copied or duplicated without permission.
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.
Featured picture at top of post courtesy https://unsplash.com/@aaronburden I added the inscription.
He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. Deuteronomy 32:4 Do you truly know in your heart of hearts that this is true? All too often, we question God’s integrity. Particularly doubt arises when we see tragedies occur in the world or our own lives. Furthermore, we stutter out some phrase of trusting God’s intentions. At the same time, deep within we wonder how a God of perfect righteousness and justice allows tragedies to continue upon this earth we live. Yet, if we truly understand the perfect righteousness and justice of God; instead, we would marvel at the amazing Grace that He has not called down final judgement on human race already.
There is no greater portrait of God’s Glory than found in this characteristic of His nature intertwined within all His characteristics of Glory. Certainly, His Perfect Righteousness and Justice must be every bit as great a part of His being as is His Sovereignty and His Loving Grace. There cannot truly exist Grace; were there not justice, as well. Think about this. Can I be forgiven my sins, were I not first condemned?
As Romans 3: 23 tells us clearly, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” Until I truly know God IS Perfect Righteousness and Justice; I cannot fully understand my predicament, nor can I embrace the truth of His gift of Grace purchased at such a tremendous price and displayed in the verses that followed. Continue reading Do You KNOW God IS Perfect Righteousness and Justice?→
Over the past few weeks, I wrote to you about the first foundational truth that can transform your life into one in which you awaken each day amazed by joy, undaunted by the storms of life. Faith begins with knowing God IS. Within those two words we begin to see the characteristics of God as the Great I am. We are nothing, having no being; until we find our Being in Him, who created us each and gave us life. Beyond knowing our existence in Him, we need also to understand that God IS Almighty! His power and might is above all other powers. He rules with Sovereign might over the affairs of men (women and children); just as He rules over the stars, the animal kingdom, and everything within the Universe. As the Almighty Ruler; then, we must understand that He will accomplish His purpose in our life.
Even in those moments that we do not understand the plan; we can trust the heart of Almighty God, who loved us with all His might. Nothing happens in my life or your; but, that God Almighty has allowed or ordained to fulfill His purpose in our lives. He, who created me, knows every crevice of my heart; knows also exactly what is needed to transform my heart into one that finds my joy, my hope, and my pleasure in Him. He knows that in the end; He is that which will fully satisfy my heart.
ISAIAH 46 (NKJV)
Remember the former things of old,
For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things that are not yet done,
Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,
And I will do all My pleasure,’ 11 … Indeed, I have spoken it;
(and) I will also bring it to pass.
I have purposed it;
(therefore,) I will also do it.
12 “Listen to Me, you stubborn-hearted,
Who are far from righteousness: 13 I bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off;
My salvation shall not linger.
God pleads and draws near to us, who so stubbornly desire our own will; as though, we really know what is best for our own lives. We think we know what will bring us pleasure; only to be disappointed repeatedly with counterfeit joys. In His Sovereignty, often God allows us to face disappointment, trials and sorrows; so that we might ultimately seek Him and then find our rest and comfort in Him. When we begin to see our trials through His Almighty Hands of love; we, learn to seek Him in the center of every storm. His only desire, in the end is our fulfillment of Joy, Love, and Glory in Him; for He IS all that we need.
AN EXAMPLE WITH JOB
Job had been a righteous man, even before the disaster came. He prayed, offered sacrifice, and worshipped God; however, he never fully understood God’s almighty power to bring him into a closer relationship with God, until Job lost everything. He knew of God before the tragedy; but, he really knew God intimately after the tragedy struck. I won’t try to recall the entire story of Job here; but, I urge you to go to the book of Job and read it for yourself. I do want to point out this one statement by one of Job’s “friends” and refer you to God’s own dissertation that followed in Job 38-42, in which God declares once more Himself as the Almighty Ruler over all.
“You who think you know so much,[b] teach the rest of us how we should approach God. For we are too dull to know! With your wisdom, would we then dare to approach him? Well, does a man wish to be swallowed alive? 21 For as we cannot look at the sun for its brightness when the winds have cleared away the clouds, 22 neither can we gaze at the terrible majesty of God breaking forth upon us from heaven, clothed in dazzling splendor. 23 We cannot imagine the power of the Almighty, and yet he is so just and merciful that he does not destroy us. 24 No wonder men everywhere fear him! For he is not impressed by the world’s wisest men!”Job 37 (TLB)
Moses, by all human accounts; looked like the most unlikely person to lead the nation of Israel. Certainly, his life was spared; when his mother hid him in a basket by the river so that Pharaoh’s daughter would find him and raise him in the palace. But, he had long ago run in fear from Egypt, after having stood up against a guard who had beaten one of the Israeli slaves. In the quiet life that he had become accustomed to as a shepherd; he had no thought of returning to Egypt. Then, God called upon Moses to lead the people. Indeed, this is the first-time God refers to Himself as I AM. For you and I to embrace the truth of God IS; we must understand the truth of God’s own name for Himself as I AM. God IS the Absolute Being-the eternal creator of heaven and earth.
God IS transcendent–meaning that He exists independent of the materials of this world (not needing anything of us to exist) while at the same time He IS immanently involved in every detail of this His creation. To begin to understand the absoluteness of God we must begin to see Him as Yahweh. For this I do suggest you read How to see God as Yahweh: The Great I AM; which I wrote back in February.
Let us look at this exchange between Moses and God to further understand God as LORD-the Absolute Being by whom and for whom we can find our being and place in this vast Universe. Certainly, Moses came to discover his place in God’s Story and so can you and me.
This is an original Drawing by an amazing artist whom I love and admire. Please check out his work at 
