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The Heart of The Matter

May 22, 2015 Effie Barba

Fearless Faith and Awestruck Joy (Part3): The Heart of the Matter

Fearless Faith in the heart of the believer begins with the absolute confidence that God is the Sovereign Creator of the Universe and that He rewards those who diligently seek after Him. The question arises then, do you and I believe that God is Sovereign? Do we really believe that He rewards those who seek after Him? Are we looking for those rewards here and now or are we focused on our future with Him? If I know for a certainty that by investing now, I will in 20 years become a multimillionaire; would I squander that investment on frivolous items today? Too often, in the world of world finances we are not convinced with a certainty that our investment will be secure; thus, opting for today’s pleasure instead of tomorrow’s security. What about spiritually?

If I truly believe that in Christ I am God’s beloved, blessed, redeemed Child—heir of God’s kingdom; would I ever be worried about the cost of my investment here and now? If I truly believe that God’s promises are all “yes and amen” in Christ; could I ever worry about today’s trivial circumstances when all of eternity in His presence is mine? The Creator of the Universe longs for a relationship with me and was willing to pay the price of my sin that I might be able to walk with Him, talk with Him, and have His Holy Spirit always present within me.

How then is it that I would ever feel fear? How would I not always feel overjoyed with the awe and wonder of His presence? As I look at the majestic beauty of His creation which is only a tiny glimpse of the Glory of His common grace upon all of mankind, how would I not fall before Him in humble worship? When I look back at all that He has done just to draw me closer to Himself, how could I ever doubt for a split second His desire to do good to and for me in every circumstance?

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Christian Blog

The Wonder of it ALL

May 20, 2015 Effie Barba

Fearless Faith and Awestruck Joy (Part 2) The Wonder of it All

What is faith? If we look at the Webster Dictionary it is defined as “complete trust or confidence in someone or something.” Complete trust. What about when circumstances appear to be going the wrong way? The Bible defines faith in Hebrews 11 as: “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen….³Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” So faith in God is complete trust in God—who He is and believing that His promises are true; no matter what the circumstances appear. Faith is the “substance”—the real tangible presence of our hope. It is that complete trust in knowing who “God is and believing that He rewards all who seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).

We gaze into the skies at the universe that surrounds us with awe or stand on the edge of the ocean listening to the waves or watch the colors of a sunset with a sense of awe and wonder at so much beauty. The intricacies of how everything fits together; our spirits rise as we recognize that Glory is displayed in all that surrounds us. We hunger for that beauty to fill our hearts.

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Christian Blog

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.

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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.