Doesn’t God know what I need? Then, why pray?

July 10, 2015 Effie Barba

God is sovereign and omniscient. Scripture reminds me that He has known every detail of my life since before creation. He has known my failures, my victories, my sorrows, and my joys. Isn’t that what David wrote so eloquently in Psalm 139? That being true, why prayer? Does prayer change the course of my life in any way? Yet we are commanded “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6)

During this Christian journey, there have been moments when[bctt tweet=”my prayer has been a cry of sheer desperation from a broken heart & shattered life.”]I have known years of great sorrow, when the pleas seemed to go unanswered. This was particularly true during the long years in which I could not understand how the wonder of loving someone could be the source of my greatest suffering as well. How God’s plan for the salvation of my beloved husband would lead me through the darkest valleys of desperation was beyond my comprehension. Those years of agonizing prayer drew me in ever closer to God’s arms of love. Then God did what my finite brain thought unimaginable. Once my husband found Christ as His Savior, all would be well. Then God took him home and I was left a widow. My grief was almost more than I could bear; yet, I knew I must for my children’s sake. I prayed then for strength.

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5 Verses That Inspire Your Heart to see God’s Glory

July 9, 2015 Effie Barba

5 Verses That Inspire Your Heart to see God’s Glory

How are you doing with the challenge? For me it is becoming a part of my early morning routine. In fact, I awaken with a hunger for those moments alone with God. I do get my cup of coffee and then retire to a chair—just my Bible in hand. Occasionally, I have been tempted (by old habit) to turn on the computer first thing; but, that I have laid aside.

[bctt tweet=”When you don’t know what to pray, reading God’s own words out loud can be a very powerful prayer”]I have chosen these 5 verses to help you today.

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How to Find the One True Love You Need

July 8, 2015 Effie Barba

How to Find the One True Love You Need

For me, it had been the search of a lifetime. Was it growing up in America or could it be a worldwide phenomenon? The fairytales of Cinderella, Snow White, and happy ever after called to my heart like a beaconing light of hope. Deep in the central core of my heart there was that aching need to be loved, a void that needed to be filled. Much like the Samaritan woman at the well; that search for love had left me thirsting, until I found the truth.

“¹³Jesus answered her, All who drink of this water will be thirsty again. ¹⁴But whoever takes a drink of the water that I will give him shall never, no never, be thirsty any more. But the water that I will give him shall become a spring of water welling up (flowing, bubbling) [continually] within him unto eternal life” (John 4-AMP).

DESPARATELY NEEDING LOVE

We were created to be the recipients of God’s love: to be filled to the overflowing so that love would then bubble forth from our hearts.

[bctt tweet=”That void within the human heart-that desparate need for love can only be filled by God’s love”] Sin had separated us from God; yet, God sent Christ to be the atoning sacrifice that we might be redeemed into fellowship with Him. He fills our hearts with the only love we ever really need. Not the only love we will ever know; but, He is the only love we will ever need. You see, need love is always looking for someone else to fill our hearts. Need love searches for validation. Therefore, until need love is filled a person cannot truly feel or give love. In the desperation of need love we find our hearts broken over and over again without even understanding why. Loneliness, feelings of worthlessness, and feelings of

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How to Pray When Prayer Seems a Soliloquy of Desperation

July 7, 2015 Effie Barba

How to pray when prayer seems a soliloquy of desperation

Prayer at times can be great and mighty praise with songs of joy!! There are seasons in everyone’s life where prayer seems a soliloquy of desperation. During this Christian journey, I have known both. I do not know which season of life you may be in. For any of you who are at this moment in a season of life that feels more than you can bear. Are you living in a moment in which your prayers seem to be cries of desperation into the darkness? Perhaps a diagnosis of cancer, a broken heart, or you have lost your job? A moment in which you don’t know what to do and it feels as though God is silent.

[bctt tweet=”How do you pray when prayer seems merely a soliloquy of desperation?”] I have been there at times in this pilgrimage journey and though I cannot pretend to know the burden of your heart today; I can pray for you and with you. In the book of Psalms are many such prayers to guide us; although, sometimes silence is all we can bring into God’s presence. He hears that as well.

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How can I know God’s Ways and see His Glory?

July 6, 2015 Effie Barba

How can I know God’s Ways and see His Glory?

The greatest desire that I have is to show you a glimpse of God’s glory; yet, I know that my words will always fall so far short of the reality of who God is in all His splendor. Any attempt to simplify the magnificent truths of who God is will always leave something lacking. Yet, my heart will not allow me to be silent; if perhaps, by some chance God might use my faltering words to open the eyes of your heart to see a glimpse of His Glory. It is a grave responsibility which I do not take lightly and pray that my words will always guide you to see a glimpse of His Glory. I cannot pretend to understand all of who God is and some mysteries I will not know until I stand before His Throne of Grace one day; clothed in a righteousness not my own. I do believe I will fall to my knees in awe and wonder that He in all His grandeur would choose me to be His child.

The Glory of the trinity, I cannot fully comprehend. Why would perfect righteousness ever come to walk on earth and die a horrendous death on a cross as atonement for my sin? How could He have ever loved me that much? It is all too great for me to understand. Yet, He did. “For God SO LOVED the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16)

[bctt tweet=”A Glimpse of His Glory, A moment in His presence-my heart would soar with His Joy.”]

Yet, how can I come before His throne? With all my dirty rags, my foolish desires for things, and my selfish requests. Oh, that I might lay aside all other desire to follow after Him.

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