Poetry Sunday—Transforming Grace

July 12, 2015 Effie Barba

Poetry Sunday—Transforming Grace

As we have reached our 14th day of the prayer challenge, I pray that you are feeling the touch of God’s transforming Grace wrap you with His love, His Grace, His Joy and that you have seen a touch of His Glory. If you haven’t found the time yet to join in with a prayer time alone time with God, I urge you to try. It will change your life—of that I am certain. Today I hope you enjoy this poem as well.

Transforming Grace

by Effie Darlene Barba

Transforming Grace, how could it be

That you should choose someone like me

And with one touch these blind eyes free

A glimpse of Glory’s love to see

A mind so filled with doubt and fear

Transformed to peace as you draw near

The darkened winding path now clear

As whisper of your voice I hear

I cannot fathom why you sought

Someone like me, Salvation bought

That from this rubbish thou hast wrought

A life now filled with Your dear thought

So take this selfish heart you found

And with your gentle love surround

That kindness might pour forth abound

And songs of praise the only sound

So mold me by your righteous hand

That firm within Your truth I stand

And trusting all that you have planned

Your joy I sing throughout this land

[bctt tweet=”A glimpse of His Glory, the beauty of His Creation- Who am I, that He would love me so? Yet, He”]DOES. He Loves me with an everlasting Love so great that He doesn’t leave me where he found me. He is step by step transforming me. Ever so patiently and gently He is changing me into a vessel of His righteousness, overflowing with His Love and filled with His Joy. What wondrous Grace He has shown me. I am awed and humbled by His Grace. [bctt tweet=”I HAVE NOTHING TO GIVE IN RETURN FOR ALL GOD HAS GIVEN. HE HAS CAPTURED MY HEART”]

Do you have a poem you would like to share or a story of God’s Grace in your life? You can safely and securely share it by clicking here.

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. In fact, if you email him today with the words GIVE, he will give you a 50% discount. Our secret, shhh. 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

Can Praying the Lord’s Prayer be actually powerful?

July 11, 2015 Effie Barba

Can Praying the Lord’s Prayer be actually powerful?

We find in the Bible two recordings of Jesus instructing his disciples to pray. Once in Matthew 6 and the second time in Luke 11. These do appear to be at different times because the one in Matthew is while Jesus was preaching the Sermon on the Mount. The prayer in Luke is amongst a much smaller crowd and occurred when one of His disciples had seen Jesus praying and then asked if Jesus would teach them how to pray. The differences between the two prayers are minor.

Of note, in Matthew; a few verses before Christ had warned against repetitious prayers. “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking” (Matthew 6:7). Then Jesus proceeds and says, “After this manner therefore pray ye” (Matthew 6:9). The Lord’s Prayer that follows was to be a template, a guide. Still, can we use it as our prayer? There are those times when it can be actually very powerful, when we pray it from our heart. Let’s exam it- section by section.

Our Father Which Art In Heaven (Matthew 6:9)

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What an amazing truth those words. God is my Heavenly Father The fact that we can call God Father reflects that this is a relationship. I have the wondrous gracious privilege to talk to my Heavenly Father; because of the redemptive work of Christ on the cross.

© Liz Lemon Swindle/Licensed from GoodSalt.com

[bctt tweet=”I can sit beside God, My Father with childlike wonder and tell Him all about my day.”] No pretenses. No need to hide my flaws. I can sit beside Him, babbling on in my child like speech; knowing that He listens. I also know that He will guide and teach as a loving Father who desires my best. And, note;the word “our”. In this relationship with God, I have many brothers and sisters, including Christ Jesus. I am not alone; rather,

Continue reading Can Praying the Lord’s Prayer be actually powerful? →

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

July 10, 2015 Effie Barba

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

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.

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

Christian Blog

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.

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

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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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