Arise, My Heart to Sing—Poetry Sunday

July 31, 2016 Effie Barba

Arise, my people! Let your light shine for all the nations to see! For the glory of the Lord is streaming from you.²Darkness as black as night shall cover all the peoples of the earth, but the glory of the Lord will shine from you. ³All 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

[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]

©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

How to Serve God with a Humble and Certain Heart

July 29, 2016 Effie Barba

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

It was with great humility and certainty at the same time that Daniel went before the mighty King Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel’s humility came because he fully understood that God was Sovereign over detail of life. It was God’s Sovereignty that had placed even this pagan King upon the throne and that allowed Judah to be taken captive. Daniel’s own fate had been God’s providential hand at work. Even if Daniel did not fully understand all the mysteries of God’s plan; Daniel still trusted God’s Mercy and Grace. After Daniel and his friends had earnestly prayed, God revealed to Daniel both the dream and the interpretation of the dream. So, it was that Daniel went before the King with both a humble spirit and a certainty of heart.

God had warned Judah over and over that their worship of selfish desires and pagan gods was leading toward their captivity. Yes, God was in control of the events. We do know that it was God who allowed this Pagan King to take Judah captive.

Continue reading How to Serve God with a Humble and Certain Heart →

Christian Blog

How to Find Wisdom When Life Looms as Impossible

July 27, 2016 Effie Barba

Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter. Daniel 2:20-23

King Nebuchadnezzar was having nightmares that awakened him with a sense of terror; yet, he could not remember the details. All he remembered was the terror they left behind deep within the core of his being. He called all of the sorcerers, the astrologers, and his most educated of men. Then, he asked that not only they interpret his dream; but, first they must recall his dream for him. Their reply was, “No man can do that! They would interpret the dream, but they could not discover the dream of another”. So the King was furious and decreed that all the wise men were to be killed. When Daniel heard of this he went to seek audience with the King and asked that he be given time to do what the others had not. Having been granted a day, Daniel hurried home and called his prayer warriors to join him.

Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah joined together in prayer.

That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret Daniel 2:18

Note this, they asked that God’s mercy reveal this dream to Daniel. They did not demand or declare it as some right; rather, they cried out for mercy.

Continue reading How to Find Wisdom When Life Looms as Impossible →

Christian Blog

How to Find Purpose and Joy in This World

July 25, 2016 Effie Barba

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore, he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Daniel 1:8

He was only about 14 or 15 when taken as a captive. Prior to that he had been a part of royalty in Jerusalem. Now he was a slave for the King of Babylon. The King ordained that the most intelligent, the most handsome, and the strongest would be chosen to live in luxurious housing and dine on the finest foods of the land from the Kings tables. Daniel was quickly selected as were three of his friends. But there was only one problem. The meats had been offered to idols and the wine was quite strong. So Daniel “purposed” in his heart not to defile himself; rather, to remain true to God’s laws and commandments, even if that meant his death. Yet, he did not protest nor did he sit quietly in despair waiting to die. He was going to follow God with all his heart and all his being. He proposed to the Prince of the Eunuchs to allow him as well as his three friends to eat only water and vegetables for the next ten days; after, which they would be examined to see if they were stronger and healthier than the rest. Then Daniel prayed. At the end of the 10 days, they were brought in audience with King Nebuchadnezzar. Continue reading How to Find Purpose and Joy in This World →

Christian Poetry

MY LOVE IS ENOUGH-Poetry Sunday

July 24, 2016 Effie Barba

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound Isaiah 61:1 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Psalm 34:18

What an amazing week this has been! I have had the wonderful blessed opportunity to spend this week with thousands of Christian women in the Proverbs 31 She Speaks 2016 conference. So many amazing women deeply in love with Jesus and on fire to spread the word. I could go on and on naming the speakers who so touched my heart and life. The amazing attendees each with a passion and a story. We all have stories. Sometimes those stories are filled with sorrow, pain, and grief; yet, ringing through it all is one thing—God loves me, God never gives up on me, and God’s love is enough to overcome every sorrow. Friday night as Lysa Terkeurst took the stage, I anticipated a great message. A woman so anointed as a writer and speaker; yet, I did not expect the raw vulnerability that drew me in. Somehow, we think that those who are so well known in the ministry don’t still have storms; but, they do. Lysa had recently finished a book called “Uninvited” which is a book dealing with the rejections we face. Believing all had already been said about the subject, then an uninvited storm came into her life and sent her running in retreat of her own book for comfort. Sometimes, we feel uninvited and sometimes uninvited storms come in and we feel abandoned, rejected by God. Ah, but God is right there. Her talk was raw with emotion, filled with inspiration, and that beautiful grace of God’s sustaining joy in the midst of the storm. That talk inspired me to write this poem. So if you are hurting, know this God is enough to fill your heart with glee. Just wait a moment, you will see.

My Love is Enough

by Effie Darlene Barba

Trials arise and storms of the heart

Come raging into our life

Uninvited, unwanted they scream

Words of bitterness and strife

Into the depth of our heart and our soul

Driving their pain with sharpest of knife

Cutting, bleeding taking their toll

Stripping away any signs of our life

Crying to God, I scream for a why?

Didn’t I love enough? Sing your praise?

Wounded, battered I really did try!

All of my life! All of my days!

Then I did feel His warmth, His embrace

Oh, my dear child, don’t you now see

Everything, spiraling toward you with grace

Only reveals the truth that is me

I had to remove the scars of this world

The dark hidden spots you never reveal

Twisted, resisted so tightly furled

Had come in the night your joy to steal

Come deep in my arms, rest for a while

To heal all those scars you carried so long

The Broken Unspoken pain doth beguile

Drawing you far from where you belong

I see your heart wounded deep inside

Come my dear Child, Safe you will be

Wrapped in my love, here to abide

Wait for a moment and then you will see

My love is enough to fill you with glee

[bctt tweet=”Wait for a moment and then you will see My love is enough to fill you with glee” username=”effiedarlene”]

I also urge you to order your copy of Uninvited as well at: http://www.p31bookstore.com/

Picture used by written permission of the artist, Ronald Barba. You may obtain copies at http://fineartamerica.com/artists/ronald+barba where you may also view other masterpieces of his work. You may contact me if you are interested in his doing any commissioned artwork for you.