Fearless Faith and Awestruck Joy

May 18, 2015 Effie Barba

Fearless Faith and Awestruck Joy-Part 1

Throughout the scripture we hear God’s commands to fear not and to rejoice, as though we can command our most base emotions. Fear rises suddenly within our chest when we gaze into an unknown future. Sometimes injury, pain, illness, financial loss, or our own failure suddenly takes charge and it would seem our whole world crumbles in around us. Sorrow grips our heart and steals any thread of joy when we lose a loved one, when we watch our own children face trials, when we are left to pick up the pieces of broken relationships, and when we come face to face with our own failures. So, how can God command us to fear not and to rejoice!! Instead of a command, I believe it is His cheering us onward.

God knows what we have to face and He repeats these words to lead us onward. “Fear not—I am here. Rejoice, I am your joy. Look up—I love you and I am right here with you.” “One more step child, one more mile,” He urges us onward. Just as a baby learns to walk, one step more or the runner reaches for the finish line-one more minute to run; God is there urging us forward. He is cheering us onward with, “Fear not! Rejoice!”

Truly it is not so much a command as it is a plea. God is concerned with our joy. God desires that our faith be strong so that we can delight in Him. He knows that we can never feel the exuberance of running across that finish line, if we have never first learned to walk. So, it is His love that draws us to a closer relationship with Him. He is the one who sees the finished tapestry of our life.

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Christian Poetry

Not Tonight

May 16, 2015 Effie Barba

In honor of national police week, I wanted to repost this poem I wrote in March 2014. I wrote yesterday a reminder that as Christians we are to 1. Live a life of honor and righteousness as displays the life we have in Christ. 2. Be submissive to those whom are placed in positions of authority over us and 3. Remember our own frailties and the darkness of our own sin for which we have been forgiven freely by the blood of Christ. It is so easy for some to stereotype “all police”; yet, to do so one has to dehumanize the officers. This is a reminder of their humanity. Every life matters in the eyes of God and we need to open our hearts in love, mercy and grace to display Christ to the world—that is my duty as a Christian. God has ordained that we be law abiding citizens and that there be those in authority over us as an act of His Common Grace so that we might not live in a world of total chaos overrun by pure evil. Evil is present lurking at our doorsteps; so, we each need to daily examine our own hearts and present ourselves humbly at the foot of the cross. We need to give the respect to the officers who have vowed to protect us, sometimes with their own lives as those placed there by God’s Common Grace.

The artist that drew the picture “A Broken and Contrite Heart” featured on my header and who created the backdrop for this poem is Ronald Barba. 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 and to discuss pricing.

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.

Blog

3 Reflections as We Remember The Fallen Officers

May 15, 2015 Effie Barba

President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation to designate May 15 to “To pay tribute to the law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and to voice our appreciation for all those who currently serve on the front lines of the battle against crime”. So, I wish to take a moment and to honor those men and women who have taken an oath to protect and to serve. They are forced to make a split second judgement which may cost them their life, destroy their own life, or be called a hero for the lives they have saved. They are seriously underpaid, underappreciated, and overly criticized. They are laughed at, spit upon, and too often treated with disdain. They are human and they do make mistakes. Still within their own ranks, they are held to higher standards than you or I and justice does get carried out. Yet, sensationalism drives the popularity rankings of the news media and stirs hearts toward believing lies as truth.

So, what does the Bible say as to how we are to respond toward law enforcement? Look at the word of God written

in Titus 2 and 3 ,(TLB)

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Christian Blog

4 Reasons God Waits to Display His Glory

May 13, 2015 Effie Barba 1 Comment

The journey had seemed so long and I was tired. Oh, yes; throughout the journey I had watched the mighty hand of God guide my every step. I had watched His grace as it had shown forth in forgiveness on me His child. I had learned of the depth of His love for me. He was my guiding light throughout the struggles—even during the abusive relationships. God had displayed His majesty as He carried me through the cancer and then the ulcerative colitis. So, when they found the mass on the pancreas there was a part of me that sighed a prayer, “Lord, are you taking me home? I am tired. It has been a long journey. I just want to be with you.” That was 2002. So, obviously; God had a different plan to display His Glory to me here on earth. He knew I still needed to learn that He was my joy, my hope, and my everlasting love here. He knew my prayer to go home and leave this world was a cry to leave the pain because I didn’t know how to bask in His joy, love, and hope here. He knew that for me to fully experience heaven with Him one day, I needed to realize how majestic He really is and I needed to learn that here first. I needed my eyes to learn to see Glory first. Steadily, patiently, slowly He has continued His work of transforming my heart so I might see His Glory and His Majesty with greater clarity.

All too often, we are very impatient in our desire to have our prayers answered. We, too often, become discouraged while waiting for God to answer or to fulfill a promise which we may be clinging to with all our heart.

original photo used by permission of Jim Peregoy

Yet, God knows when our heart is ready to see His Glory in the miracle before us; so, He waits. He knows when we will know that without Him there is no hope left—so we might feel the magical awe of watching Him intervene for us. When, all the hope of our own efforts is gone; He can display His might in such a manner that we will give Him all the Glory and hence we will feel the overwhelming joy of watching His love bestowed on us.

Remember the story of Lazarus, Mary and Martha?

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Christian Blog

In the Midst of the Storm

May 11, 2015 Effie Barba

In this lifetime, we will face storms at times, whether they are storms within our own souls, storms within our emotions, relationship storms, or financial storms. When they come we tremble, we wonder where has God gone; doesn’t He know how desperately we are hurting? Doesn’t He care? Why would He allow such tragedies to occur? Some would even say, “I’ve been trying to follow His will? What now? How do I start again?” I am certain Job very much felt that way as He sat in the ashes scraping his wounds-everything gone. Was this God’s punishment? Was it judgment for Job’s sins? Yet, the scripture tells us that “Job was a righteous man.” Job’s faith had been counted for righteousness, much like ours. So, why the storms?

Used by permission of Ronald Barba for information go to http://www.barba-art.com