How to Overcome the Sabotages to Prayer and Praise

July 22, 2015 Effie Barba

Monday evening I went to visit Mom at the assisted living. I have been very regular to go two evenings a week and always leave with the laundry list of things she wants me to bring the next time. This time her list was even longer and she had wanted me to go back out to get it right away. Her lists consist of a stockpile of groceries to hide in her room and eat between meals. Her stockpile wasn’t empty; but, she still wanted now. I knew it would take at least an extra hour. I was very tired, so I told her next time. Thinking all is well; I headed home. At 11 pm I got a call from the facility. Your mother insisted that we call the ambulance and send her to the ER because she says she has been coughing and has chest pain. (Mom doesn’t have heart disease and since I had been down this road before when she lived with me—I rolled over and waited for the second call.) Besides as a Nurse Practitioner, I knew the EMTs, nurses and doctors would take care of her. They would call me if needed. The second call came at 2 am. “Your mother is ready to be taken back to the assisted living.” Frustrated, tired and angry with Mom for being so manipulating; off I went to get her and take her to back to the facility. I made it home at 4 and sat down to pray. As I tried to tell God of my frustration with Mom’s selfish behavior, the conviction of my own selfishness hit me. I protested. God sat quietly. I made excuses for myself. God waited and listened. “²⁵And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins” (Mark 11 NIV). So, finally prayer came. Then, I wrote yesterday’s post and all was well. So, I thought.

[bctt tweet=”The Greatest Sabotage to our prayer lurks deep within our own heart: Pride, self exaltation…”] We try to deny its presence. We pour over scripture. We pretend it is gone. We “pride ourselves for being merciful and kind.” Still, there it is- pride!

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Christian Blog

Can I Really Engage People In A Computerized World?

July 21, 2015 Effie Barba

Can I Really Engage People In A Computerized World?

It has been an amazing journey since 2010. I began when Dr. Bajaj asked if I could start sending a devotional email to the staff every day. From the devotional email, I got the idea of starting a blog post. If my emails could reach or encourage a few, perhaps on the web I could reach more. I had just published my first book of poetry and was working on another book that was dear to my heart. Perhaps I could reach a larger audience for Christ. At the same time I had begun speaking in a jail ministry. Not having much capital, I did obtain some help from a young man who understood computers and how to set up the website.

A FAILURE TO READ THE MANUAL

Pretty much later, I had to figure it out. Sadly to say, I have one of those brains who has trouble reading the instruction manual. You know the type, the one who tries to figure it out. Well, that was me. I did watch a few YouTube videos for how to. You can imagine how I have stumbled along this path. Hours and hours sometimes to accomplish the simplest of tasks. Still work was too commanding and chaotic to ever consider taking a class in all this technical stuff. (My difficulty with reading the manuals is why I so often have lead you through entire books of the Bible or series. The one manual I do want to learn, is God’s Word. When I am taking you through a series, I am committing myself to fully read, study, and understand before I teach you each section.)

[bctt tweet=”Lost in the mass of the technical jargon, the one thing that kept me going was love for each of you”] You see, every step of this journey called life has been a journey reaching for hope, joy, and peace in the midst of chaos. The thought of not sharing the wondrous mysteries of the gospel with you would be an unbearable thought.

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Christian Blog

How to Actually Overcome with Joy when Satan Roars

July 20, 2015 Effie Barba

I Peter 5: ⁸Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour

Roaring Lion? Do we know Satan as such? After all, were he to come at me roaring; I would see the danger, right? I am so aware of Satan’s hissing, whispering sounds of a lying snake. How often have I heard His hissing questions? “What makes you think God could love you, look at you?” or “Surely God could never use someone like you.” Or “Do you really believe that is what God has said?” Or “If God really loved you, He would never have allowed the suffering in your life?” And so the whisperings of Satan go, planting seeds of doubt and feelings of despair; promising that we might have greater joy if we would just………. But roaring?

How does Satan roar? He encircles us with pain. Pacing around us with evil, tragedies, destruction, illness, rejection, and despair. Roaring as he circles—pacing, roaring while inciting fear and doubt. As, he roars “Where is your God, now? God love you, really? Look what He did.” Satan knows that we are looking to Christ, the Lion of Judah, to protect and guide us. So he cloaks himself with the image of a lion; yet, instead of being the protector, he roars forth with anger and suffering until our hearts would faint and our faith would vanish. [bctt tweet=”Satan roars in our pain & suffering Where do I turn when Satan roars?The God of Grace is my Joy”]

How can I shut the mouth of this roaring Lion? I found there are 3 keys to shut Satan’s roars.

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Christian Poetry

Poetry Sunday: Sit Here at Your Feet

July 19, 2015 Effie Barba

Sit Here at Your Feet

By Effie Darlene Barba

Oh, Father Dear

I long to come

And sit here at your feet

As you draw near

Before the dawn

Your presence oh so sweet

What kind of fool

Have I been all these years?

That I would be

The source that caused your tears

With arms raised high

I asked for so much stuff

I did not see

That You, You are enough

My Precious, Lord

You are the one

The one my heart does need

My life restored

By your Dear Son

Who for my sin did bleed

And here I am

Unworthy of your love

Yet, still you called

To me from high above

To be your child

To sit here at your feet

To rest in you

And never see defeat

Oh, Father Dear

I long to come

And sit here at your feet

As you draw near

Before the dawn

Your presence oh so sweet

[bctt tweet=”Before the day begins, it is good to sit at the feet of He who loves us with everlasting love.”] He is our greatest treasure, our dearest counselor and best friend. Why would I ever want to start my day without talking to Him first?

Do you have a story or a poem you would like to share? You can by clicking here and leaving your comment.

The artist that drew the picture “A Broken and Contrite Heart” featured on my header Please go to his website ( http://www.barba-art.com) for information regarding obtaining copies or to commission him to create a masterpiece for you. Feel free to email him at Ron@Barba-Art.com to discuss any art projects.

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

5 Essentials to Prayer When Living in a Hostile World

July 18, 2015 Effie Barba

From the midst of a dark, cold jail cell; Paul wrote to the early church. A church that he knew would be persecuted. Even more so, the church which Paul was preaching too were the Gentiles—those who were by the Jewish nation considered the lowest of the low—the heathens. So, while imprisoned for his faith in Christ, beaten and flogged for having preached the gospel; Paul has eloquently been telling early believers to remember who they are in Christ. They are the redeemed, beloved, chosen children of the most high God. He has urged them to remember these truths as they were going to need to cling tight to those facts while they are being rejected and persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ. He reminded them that it was God’s plan from before the earth was formed that the body of believers would include them. The new church was to be formed from the gentiles, as well as the Jews. These former enemies would be joined in the formation of the “church” of believers that would now spread the gospel of Christ.