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Why Is It A Matter Of The Heart?

December 16, 2015 Effie Barba

As we looked at Monday, it really is the heart of the matter. Our love, though an imperfect, broken hearted love for Jesus is just that—it is a heart that is seeking after Jesus, longing to learn of love. It is not so much about our frailties nor our strengths as it is the heart of the issue. We see that most clearly in I Corinthians 13 where love is the key. So it is here. God looks upon the heart of man. With all the “righteousness of the Pharisees” they did not truly love Jesus; nor could they see Him for who He really was. Again Jesus presses on, “Don’t let your heart be troubled. I am your peace, your hope and your joy.” They asked, How if you go away? Once more came the piercing words, “If a man love me?” But, instead of it being the perfect following of the law; truly, it is a matter of the heart.

“If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.²⁴He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.²⁵These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.²⁶But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.²⁷Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:23-27)

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Christian Blog

The Most Piercing Question Of Jesus, "Do You Love Me?"

December 14, 2015 Effie Barba

The Most Piercing Question Of Jesus, "Do You Love Me?"

“If you love me; keep my commandments and I will…” Jesus had just told the apostles, “don’t let your heart be troubled”; then comes these words. Words which reach out and penetrate deep into my heart as it must have Peter’s only 24 hours later when he denied Christ. What kind of love is this, Lord that I have for you? The kind of love that could not stay awake and pray while you agonized in the Garden of Gethsemane. My love, the kind that denied you before the crowd!! I fear, these words cut deep into my own heart. It burns like a light reaching deep into the recesses of heart—like the questions Jesus later ask of Peter. “Peter, do you love me?” Is that not the same question that I too must face at the end of a long day in which I have allowed some desire—some selfish thought to fill my heart and mind so that I come to God with sorrow instead of rejoicing in His Love? Or when I have become angered with someone or been unforgiving—those words of Jesus echo loudly in my heart, “Do you love me?” Or when, Satan comes to torture my mind with all my failures, those moments when I longed for things I could not have. Those moments when I cried because I could not see that “Jesus was all I needed for Joy, Love, and Hope.” When I let the worries or the desires of this world beat deep within my chest; then, I become broken hearted by the question of Jesus, “Do you love me?”

So, right after Jesus has told Peter, “You will deny me before morning break, 3 times”; His next words were: “Let not your heart be troubled; trust God and trust me.” Then comes these words, “If you love me you will keep my commandments.” What commandments, Lord? I so want to!! I long to pour out my love toward you!! I want to love you better!! What commandments, Lord? “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:37-40).

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Christian Poetry

Poetry Sunday: I’d Traveled Far

December 13, 2015 Effie Barba

My life’s journey has lead me to so many places and so wondrously has allowed me to meet so many amazing people along the way. Today’s poem, I wrote in October 2013 as I was preparing to leave Orlando and move to Columbia, Missouri. In 2003, I had left Springfield, Missouri to go to Orlando. I was uncertain why God had sent me to Orlando; yet, I with some hesitation had gone. Some many dear friends I met every step of this journey—so many have been beacons of light sent by God to guide me.

I’d Traveled Far

By Effie Darlene Barba

I’d traveled far across this land

Unto the eastern shore

Uncertain of what God had planned

Alone, I stood once more

I’d heard Him bid for me to go

Twas all I needed know

And then I saw, as time did pass

His plan begin unfold

I had been placed within His class

To learn His love untold

And as I saw His Glory Shine

His joy, His love now mine

I met dear friends along this way

That helped me as I grew

And others stumbling blocks did lay

God used to guide me too

That I might see His Grace His might

With Christ my guiding light

And Now I know that I must go

To leave these all behind

I wonder if my life did show

A Glimpse of God’s dear mind

And did my life His Glory shine

Within this mirror of mine

Oh, Lord I have this one request

When memories of me rise

That they might see how I was blessed

Your Grace my greatest prize

You took this broken, selfish heart

To fill Your Love Impart

So, can you Lord, use all I’ve done

Though blend of good and bad

To point them Lord to your dear son

His Grace, His Love did clad

A simple person such as I

With righteousness on High

I don’t usually include a song on Poetry Sunday; but, today I shall. The song I think so clearly speaks of my life’s journey is Call it Grace.

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 Greatest Miracle I Could Pray For?

December 11, 2015 Effie Barba

What Is The Greatest Miracle I Could Pray For?

^“10Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.¹¹Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.¹²Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.¹³And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.¹⁴If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it” (John 14).

We read these words with great longing and great hope. We are each coming to the table of Jesus with different desires or requests. We want so to believe that we could perform miracles. That we could pray for peace in our family, our community and our country and God would respond immediately. What could Jesus possibly mean when He said that he would give us whatever we ask in His name? Or what did he mean when he said that because He goes to the Father we will be able to perform greater works? Does He mean miracles such as feeding a crowd with 2 fish and 2 loaves of bread? Or perhaps, the miracle is much greater than any of the physical miracles we long for!!

The works of Jesus that matter most as we saw with the lame man that He healed was the salvation of His soul—not the healing of His body. A true work of Grace displayed by Jesus was His transforming the Samaritan woman into His missionary to the Samaritans. The greatest work of Jesus Christ was His bringing spiritual life to men and women who were dead spiritually. It is a much greater miracle to cause a self-exalting heart to humbly, lovingly, sacrificially serve God and others. The greater miracle is when God can cause our blind hearts to see, seek and savor Glory. In a world filled with darkness we are shown light. A broken heart that sings forth a song of real joy—that is a miracle.

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Christian Blog

How to Follow Jesus! Can You Show Me The Way?

December 9, 2015 Effie Barba

How to Follow Jesus! Can You Show Me The Way?

We had a very old farm house and an old storm cellar when I was a child. I can remember when suddenly in the middle of the night when a storm would sound as though it was going to take the house away, my father would whisk me out of bed. Wrapped in a blanket, he held me very close to his chest as we went down into the storm cellar where mom was already. He would run back and carry my brother down. Then he would close the rickety door. He would sit just above us on a stair step and with his powerful arms, he held the door shut. No matter how hard the wind. No matter how loud the thunder. With each lightening flash, I could see his silhouette and I knew that the storm could not touch me.

That is what Jesus wanted these apostles to understand. The storm was coming. He longed to draw them in close. He wanted so much that they could understand. Yet, Jesus also knew that over the next three days they would face confusion. There would be doubts as He was going to have to leave them to finish the work of salvation. Once His work was finished He would come again to be with them—then He could make the promise to them and to each of us who would follow; “lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world”. Only when the work was finished could He make that promise by sending the Holy Spirit to indwell them. The night spent in this upper room with these His dearly beloved apostles, He longed to fill their hearts and minds with so much truth. “Don’t let your hearts be troubled, trust me.” This journey you are about to face is filled with storms, trials, struggles and doubts; but, don’t let your heart be troubled—trust me. I will keep you safe and bring you safely home. Abide in my love, my joy, and my peace.

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