Christian Poetry

WHEN TERROR STRIKES

I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Psalm 3:4

WHEN TERROR STRIKES

by Effie Darlene Barba

 

When terror strikes from every side

Inciting fear in every heart

When all I see is torn apart

How can I Lord in You abide?

And rest in peace upon they word

With all the hate and sorrow heard

From wretched men, so filled with pride

I need a place in which to hide

 

I turn and lift my eyes toward You

To search the dark, to understand

How can this be as You have planned?

When all the world seems so askew

By evil hearts so filled with sin

It’s hard to see Your love will win

When selfish hearts themselves pursue

Destruction, death and pain ensue

 

As I gazed there shone forth a light

And reaching forth a steady hand

That held at bay hell’s death command

With sovereign power and such might

It is Grace alone that bids you wait

While justice bids man’s final fate

That one more broken heart contrite

With blinded eyes to then find sight

 

Oh, Lord, please help me understand

That the same love that bore the cross

Is Your love for us when we face loss

That Grace holds firm Your Mighty hand

That every kindness we have known

Is proof Your grace for us is shown

For Justice would itself demand

That darkness, death consume our land

 

So, help me Lord to be a light

To spread your word where e’er I go

Your love, your hope, your joy to show

Your gospel truth to then take flight

Transforming hearts that one by one

They seek and find your precious son

That then your Glory shine so bright

Beams of Grace in the dark of night

[bctt tweet=”As long as there are men who pray, God’s Hand of Grace has steady stayed.” username=”effiedarlene”]

[tweetthis]We do not know when God will return, so let us labor as if it were today![/tweetthis]

[bctt tweet=”Do not give up hope! Christ’s Final Victory Cry is drawing near!” username=”effiedarlene”]

Picture courtesy of http://www.lifeofpix.com/photographer/stefan-stefancik

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2016

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.

Christian Blog

What is the Only True Hope for Our Nation?

But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this. And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified. Then the fingers of the hand were sent from Him, and this writing was written. Daniel 5:22-24 (NKJV)

 

The Mede army was encamped just outside the walls of Babylon; yet, Belshazzar cloaked in his arrogance and false sense of security proclaimed loudly to all the people that there was nothing to fear. “No one could take down their mighty empire,” he declared with confidence. He knew the stories of his grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar. He was well aware that Nebuchadnezzar had surrendered his heart to worship God. Yet, he did not take heed. While the Mede army was pressing in, Belshazzar called the people to a lush and extravagant party. This was a party filled with drunkenness, sexual immorality, and blasphemy against God. Indeed, they had all of the sacred golden goblets that had once been in the Temple of Jerusalem brought to the feast that they might drink their wine from them. While they were partying, declaring that all was good; the hand appeared and wrote these words upon the wall. “MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN”— “Account, Account, Weighing, and Bisecting”. Belshazzar was suddenly filled with fear. He could not even read the words, nor did they make sense. But how did a large hand with no body appear and write this? What could it mean?

Continue reading What is the Only True Hope for Our Nation? →

Christian Blog

Where is Truth and Hope Found in this World?

Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down. Daniel 4:37 (NKJV)

Watching the news, flipping from channel to channel; I find myself wishing to know truth. The truth hidden behind all the rhetoric, the bias, and the bend for sensationalism. With a heavy heart, praying that God would guide my thoughts and that God would heal the divide within the nation. How can I help? What can I do to spread the gospel? How can I shine light into the darkness? Yet, it begins with holding fast to the truth that God IS. Faith begins there. God is truth! God is justice! God is in Control! God is the Great I AM!

When the nation of Judah was taken captive into Babylon, it was exactly what God had warned them would happen. They failed to listen or heed warning. They failed to seek God or honor Him. They had continued on in their rebellion against God and worshipping other gods of their own making. Yet, look what God did as a result of that captivity!! What an amazing God of Grace, Love, and Hope He is! Out of those captives, through the fervent prayer and faithfulness of 4 men; God lead King Nebuchadnezzar (King of the Babylonian Empire) to a saving knowledge of God. What an amazing and wondrous thing that was! Continue reading Where is Truth and Hope Found in this World? →

Christian Blog

How to Really Know Faith when Facing Fiery Trials

If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Daniel 3;17-18

When fiery trials of life come into our lives, all too often we despair or become angry. We may cry out to God with that piercing question, “Why?” We pray for a miracle when a loved one is ill and then wonder what happened when our loved one dies anyway. Couldn’t God have saved them? Couldn’t God have prevented the storm from ripping away all that I clung to on this earth? Couldn’t God have prevented the Cancer or the years of illness that followed? Of course, He could have!! But He didn’t in my case and often He doesn’t; yet, what He does is more miraculous than the miracle we are asking for.

Nebuchadnezzar had quickly forgotten his own words concerning God spoken to Daniel: “Of a truth it is that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings” (Daniel 2:47). Most certainly, he had either forgotten or misunderstood Daniels proclamation, “Thou, O King, art a king of kings, for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory” (Daniel 2:37). Much like a lot of people we meet. Perhaps they have come to the awareness of God; but, quickly become more occupied in their own self exaltation. Never falling to the ground in praise or awe of God’s Grace and Glory toward them. So it was,

Continue reading How to Really Know Faith when Facing Fiery Trials →

Christian Poetry

Arise, My Heart to Sing—Poetry Sunday

Arise, my people! Let your light shine for all the nations to see! For the glory of the Lord is streaming from you.2 Darkness as black as night shall cover all the peoples of the earth, but the glory of the Lord will shine from you. 3 All nations will come to your light; mighty kings will come to see the glory of the Lord upon you. Isaiah 60:1-3 (TLB)

We, the people of God need to let our hearts be comforted in God’s promises and His Everlasting love for us.  It is so easy to feel our hearts break for all the sadness that surrounds us in this world.  Yet, God has called us to be the light of truth shining forth into a darkened world!!  The only truth that we can be assured of is found in God’s Words as He alone can fully reveal to our hearts during our time alone with Him.  Only there can we find solace, strength, and joy; so that we might arise with Hearts of Joy and Praise!!  It is there that we can find a Joy that sustains us even when we are surrounded by Hurricane Force Winds of despair trying to uproot our life.  Alone with God we are reminded that we are His Beloved, Blessed, Redeemed, Chosen, Sanctified Children.  So, let us each and everyone arise early to be alone with God; before, we too become swallowed up in this world’s grief, sorrow, and anger!  Let us arise and let our lights shine for all the nations to see God’s Glory streaming through us!!

Arise, My Heart to Sing

By Effie Darlene Barba

 

In the hustle and bustle of this life

The blasting sounds filled with such rage

Parched from a world of pain and endless strife

I cried to God,” Come now! My thirst assuage!”

 

Then with gentle voice, He called out my name

“My child, dear one. I’ve longed to hear your voice.

To talk awhile, my love for you proclaim

So that your heart could then with me rejoice!”

 

“Oh, Father forgive me,

Began my feeble plea

 

I’ve taken for granted

You are always there

I’ve taken for granted

Your love and your care

 

My Precious Dear Father, how could it be?

Busy with things, my heart had grown quite cold

While you waited ever so patiently

With arms open wide, my life to enfold”

 

Let me never forget

My life’s in Your hand

Let me never forget

In Your strength I stand

 

Let me rise up each morning before the dawn

To lift up my voice in prayer and in song

Let me sing Your praises so loud and clear

That the world might know; both those far and near

You are my God, My Lord, My Precious King

My greatest love, the hope to which I cling

Arise, my heart! Arise and sing!

A Joy filled song to God, My King

[bctt tweet=”Let me sing Your praises so loud and clear That the world might know; both those far and near” username=”effiedarlene”]

[bctt tweet=”You are my God, My Lord, My Precious King My greatest love, the hope to which I cling” username=”effiedarlene”]

[bctt tweet=”Arise, my heart! Arise and sing! A Joy filled song to God, My King” username=”effiedarlene”]

[tweetthis]Let us be diligent in prayer that we may become the light to this world[/tweetthis]

Living Bible (TLB) The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2016

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.

Inspiring Joy in Lifes Toughest Moments