Should The World Ever Really Fear God’s Wrath? Absolutely!

June 24, 2016 Effie Barba

For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Hebrews 10: 26-31 (NKJV).

As has been the case throughout the book of Hebrews, the writer follows each promise with an earnest plea for the reader to take heed and to listen. He has presented Jesus Christ as Superior to the Prophets, superior to the Angels and as the Great High Priest who can wash away the sins of all who will come to Him for salvation. Now, comes the warning once more, “Oh, do not neglect to come to accept Him as your Savior.” The writer knows, as do I; that some will hear the truth of the gospel and will walk away. Some will say, “there are many ways to God and I am a spiritual person; while in their hearts rejecting the only means of salvation—Jesus Christ.”

Anyone who believes that Jesus was merely a prophet or good man “tramples the Son of God underfoot.” There are those who wish to be politically correct by saying, “Well, there are many ways to God—following Christ is only one of many”. The ones who proclaim that are counting the blood of the covenant as though it meant nothing—when for Jesus it was everything. Those who have heard the gospel, have felt the urging of the Holy Spirit and have refused to surrender their heart-have effectually insulted God’s Grace toward them.

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Christian Blog

One Desperate Man’s Hopeless Cry for Redemption in a Futile Faith

June 22, 2016 Effie Barba

¹⁹And so, dear brothers, now we may walk right into the very Holy of Holies, where God is, because of the blood of Jesus. ²⁰This is the fresh, new, life-giving way that Christ has opened up for us by tearing the curtain—his human body—to let us into the holy presence of God. ²¹And since this great High Priest of ours rules over God’s household, ²²let us go right in to God himself, with true hearts fully trusting him to receive us because we have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean and because our bodies have been washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:19-22 TLB) Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23 NKJV)

In such a world filled with great sorrows as has been so evidenced in Orlando over the past two weeks, where is the hope to which I can hold fast? Where do I find such a firm foundation that I might still hold onto a steadfast Joy that is undaunted by life’s storms? Can such hope be founded in mere “spiritualism” or religion? No, for mere spiritualism or religion do not hold the only hope on which we can stand—Jesus Christ!!

But this Man (Jesus Christ), after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God,¹³from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. ¹⁴For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. Hebrews 10:12-14 NKJV

My hope can only be found in Jesus Christ who was the perfect and ultimate sacrifice for my sins. The veil was torn in two as He shed His blood on Calvary’s cross. He was the only perfect sin-bearer. The only High Priest who could rip open the veil and provide a means that I might boldly stand before God’s throne of Grace. Jesus Christ is seated on the right hand of the Father forever making intercession for me.

Continue reading One Desperate Man’s Hopeless Cry for Redemption in a Futile Faith →

Christian Blog

Can Anyone Really Escape If They Ignore Jesus?

June 20, 2016 Effie Barba

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
After those days, says the Lord:
I will put My laws into their minds,
And I will write them on their hearts.
And I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.
“And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen,
And everyone his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’
For all will know Me,
From the least to the greatest of them. “For I will be merciful to their iniquities,
And I will remember their sins no more.” When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear. Hebrews 8:8-13 (NASB)

The writer of Hebrews continues to plead with these early Jewish Believers not to return to the rituals of their old faith. He reminds them of the prophesies of Jeremiah that there would be a new covenant. Jesus Christ had come to be the final sacrifice. When He did, He made the first covenant to be obsolete.

But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come,^[a] with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.¹²Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.¹³For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, ¹⁴how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? ¹⁵And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. Hebrews 9:11-14 NKJV

The new covenant has not become fully realized by the Israel nation yet! However, it will be one day when Christ returns. For the moment, the new covenant has been extended to all who accept Christ as their Savior. This means Jew and Gentile alike.

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Christian Poetry

Whispers of Love (a poem)

June 19, 2016 Effie Barba

The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. Zephaniah 3:17

God’s love wraps you tightly in His arms through every trial you walk while singing His love song of joy over you. There is no fear, no sorrow too great; but that His love will bring hope, joy, and peace to your weary heart and soul. Then you will soar!!

WHISPERS OF LOVE

Whispers of Love flowing all through my life

Even in moments of sorrow or strife

Whispers that came in the dark of the night

Promising Joy with the new morning light

Whispers of hope for the bleakest of day

“Love will find strength and will find its way”

Into your heart and grow from within

Until it flows forth rejoicing and then

Suddenly out of those long and sad years

Love does spring forth out of fountains of tears

Into rivers of joy bursting forth then to see

That love had been there abiding in me

Oh, thank you dear Lord for teaching me love

As Your spirit descends with the wings of a dove

And gathered the pieces of this shattered heart

To weave it with steel, Your glory impart

A Picture so rare, its beauty unmasked

A portrait of you made in brilliant stained glass

Your love had been there inside of me

Even when I had been too blind to see

Whispers of love, it was You all along

Holding me close, I am your love song!

[bctt tweet=”Our security, our hope all rest upon the strength of God’s love which is always abounding to us.” username=”effiedarlene”]

Photo used with permission: https://unsplash.com/@ryanjacques

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 If Your Feet Slip On Sifting Sand?

June 17, 2016 Effie Barba

Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:28-31

So, wanted to pause and tell you about my vacation. We have been having a great time in San Diego at Sea World and the Marina. Yesterday we waited for the low tides and headed to the beach to see the tide pools as we changed hotels. Since I normally do not swim in the ocean I was wearing my shorts and just walking along the shore. I am not an accomplished swimmer—actually I am a bad swimmer; so, I did not plan on getting wet. I went with purse on my shoulder and equipped with my cell phone.

As it was the tide pools were located around the rocks. So, being a bit daring, I carefully and cautiously made it over the rocks. The climb was a bit hard. After all, since so many abdominal surgeries and the destruction of all my abdominal muscles (some even removed); my balance is not always the best. After seeing the amazing things of nature I then started to climb my way back. There appeared to be a shortcut where I could walk across the shore line. The water was below my knees even as the waves moved in—no problem!! So I thought. As I left the rugged rocks and stepped into the water a wave came in the sands beneath my feet suddenly shifted and I found myself floundering, purse, phone and all in 2 feet of water as the next wave crashed into me. There I was, purse, wallet and clothes all soaked with the ocean. Then the phone fell into the water and one shoe floated off to shore. I would have shown you that picture—it was quite a sight; but, alas it did not seem a Kodak moment for me.

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