As has become my tradition, on Sunday I want to share with you a poem.  Frequently, I awaken with a new verse in my head as I lay in bed alone talking to God.  Perhaps there was a time I felt the loneliness of widowhood; until, I realized how special it was that I awoke each morning and could lay there talking with God and hearing His voice.  For those whom God has blessed with a companion; never forget how truly blessed you are. You should each morning begin your day with a gracious thank you praise to your Heavenly Father for having been so kind.  Then, a sweet good morning to the gift of love He gave you should immediately follow.   For those of you, who like me find yourself alone, remember we too are truly blessed for God is right there with us.  Isaiah 54: “⁴ Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more. ⁵ For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.”   I wanted to share with you today a poem I first wrote in 2005 and hope it lifts you just a little higher, letting you see a Glimpse of His Glory and His Love for you. 

T o GOD-MY LOVE, MY HOPE, MY JOY

by Effie Darlene Barba

 

My life-so filled with hopes and dreams

Lay shattered at Your feet

So many tears, so many pains

I’d laid before Thy seat

 

Can I look upon Your face of love

And question what You’ve done?

For You have been my only hope

My only morning sun

 

You’ve seen my heart when crushed with pain

Your hands have held it tight

When I have been so weak, so frail

You’ve shown Your strength, Your might

 

You’ve held me close within Your arms

When darkness filled my night

And when I could not see my way

Your eyes, they gave me sight

 

I lay my life within Your hands

That You may heal my soul

And keep my eyes upon You Lord

That I may reach Your goal

 

Shine forth Thy grace, Thy mercy Lord

And let me be Thy light

That all may see Your eyes of love

The blind, they might have sight

 

Let not the sorrows, nor the pains

Bring bitterness within

And give me strength to walk this path

Protect my heart from sin

 

I lay my heart, my soul, my dreams

Before Thy throne of love

I lift my eyes to You, My God

And seek Your will above

 

Thou art the only one I need

To fill my heart with glee

It is Your face, my one true love

Tis all I need to see

 

So lift me up and hold me close

Reveal Thy love divine

That through the holes within my heart

A world might see You shine

 

And if the sorrows of my past

Can touch a wayward one

I thank you Lord for each dark path

That lead them to Your son

 

I praise You now from mountains high

For each dark path I’ve trod

Twas there I found Your heart, Your love

Twas there I found You God

 

What great and wondrous joy I know

Because You are my king

And though the path I cannot see

My heart will trust and sin

 

A song of praise unto You Lord

Who knows what’s best for me

You’ll hold my hand and lead me on

In darkness, I can see

 

Your love, Your help, Your guiding hand

Is all I’ll ever need

So hold me close unto Your path

For this is all I plead

 

I’ll skip with joy along this path

Though darkness may surround

Because I know You hold my hand

My feet will e’er touch ground

 

I cannot fall outside Your love

I cannot lose my way

I’ll hold my broken dreams once more

And see them real, one day

 

A song of praise unto You Lord

Who knows what’s best for me

You’ll hold my hand and lead me on

In darkness, I can see

 

Your love, Your help, Your guiding hand

Is all I’ll ever need

So hold me close unto Your path

For this is all I plead

 

© 2014 Effie Darlene Barba

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to any 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 regarding the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Perhaps one of the greatest mysteries or questions that we as believers face is why is there still so much suffering? Didn’t Christ say “come unto me and I will give you rest”? (Matthew 11: 28) Didn’t God promise that “³ He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds”? Psalm 147. Yet, Paul wrote concerning the Christian that “⁸ We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;⁹ Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;” (2 Corinthians 4) So, what is Paul talking about, when I am cut do I not bleed?  Troubled on every side, but no distress? If I am distressed does that mean I have failed in my faith? Are all the trials merely a punishment for my failure to follow God as I should? Or can there be other reasons. My life has not been exempt to sorrow. Indeed, trials have always been present in one sense or another as a part of this my journey, my pilgrimage. I have not been a stranger to emotional and physical abuse, cancer, chronic illness, financial disaster, multiple surgeries, false accusations, tragedies, death of those I loved most, and periods of desperate loneliness. Beyond that are the sufferings deep within the heart of feeling unworthy, guilt laden and that fear of failing in all that I do. I tell you all this very honestly to allow you to know that

Drawing used with written permission of Ronald Barba. © 2011 Ronald Barba and is protected under copyright laws.

I have been a student of suffering and as such have learned that there are 6 reasons that God allows suffering in the life of the Believer and all six are an act of pure Grace and perfect Love that He might lead us to a place of Glory, Peace, Hope, and Exceeding Joy.

The six reasons why God allows and even ordains suffering in the life of the Believer are as follows.

Continue reading Why Do Christians Suffer? →

Are there any conditions of being heard?  Is there a difference of heart for which God hears some prayers and declines others?  Some faith healers would say that if the answer did not come it is because your faith was not strong enough.  Still even our faith is a gift of God’s graciousness as the Holy Spirit trains us up (sometimes through great trials).  So again are their conditions to being heard?   In the book of Jeremiah we may see that Jeremiah 11:” ⁹ And the Lord said unto me, A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.¹⁰ They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.¹¹ Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them.¹² Then shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense: but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble.”

God is not and will not be our “get out of jail free” card that is called upon only in a time of desperation. For the unbeliever, a cry out to God in a moment of trial may or may not be answered. God sometimes answers that He might become known to the unbeliever and other times He may not. For the believer, there are times when we have wandered so far from the central core of His will that He may have ordained the storm for the purpose of drawing us back.

Drawing used with written permission of Ronald Barba. © 2010 Ronald Barba and is protected under copyright laws.

God knows and sees the heart whether it is seeking Him for the gifts only or if it is seeking the Treasure of knowing Him. 

For those who are seeking to follow Him, He has promised–Jeremiah 33: “² Thus saith the Lord the maker thereof, the Lord that formed it, to establish it; the Lord is his name; ³ Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”

How do you know if you are going to be heard or not?

Continue reading Conditions for Being Heard by God →

How do we discern God’s plan in our life?  There are so many decisions that we make every day of our life; how can we know whether we are following His plan?  How can we distinguish God’s voice when there are so many voices bombarding our minds from outside and from inside? Can we be certain?

Drawing used with written permission of Ronald Barba. © 2012 Ronald Barba and is protected under copyright laws

Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:” (John 10:27)   Have you ever heard His voice?  Sometimes it is a whisper of a scripture verse or a song in the middle of the night that awakens you and suddenly your heart is filled with peace and joy

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You might say, fine; but does God guide me in the everyday decisions?  Can I be able to say, God said do this; and, I will because He commandeth? David wrote in the Psalms 16: ⁷ I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.⁸ I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.⁹ Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.¹⁰ For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.¹¹ Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

If we look very closely at these scriptures, I do believe that we might get some direction as to God’s Guiding Hand.

Continue reading How Do You Know with Certainty God’s Plan for Your Life? →

When it would appear that we have more questions than answers; what are we to do?  When we are yearning to know God’s plan and the next step is yet unclear what actions must we take?

So often in my own life I have had more questions than answers.  Frequently that is when fears and doubts begin to creep in.  You wonder whether you heard God correctly (a subject we will address more fully tomorrow).  So, for the moment let’s say; we had like Abraham followed God’s command and then the famine came.  Do we then doubt and worry?  Do we run off to Egypt?  Or what do we do?  I, daresay, David gives us the answer in Psalm 146.

Psalm 146 “Praise ye the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul.² While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being…⁵ Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God:⁶ Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:⁷ Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The Lord looseth the prisoners:⁸ The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind: the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down: the Lord loveth the righteous:⁹ The Lord preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.¹⁰ The Lord shall reign forever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the Lord.”

photo courtesy of @istockphoto

Even when you have followed God’s command you may find yourself in a desert land for a time. So, when you find yourself in that desert land; then, you should follow these steps.

Continue reading Steps to Calm a Fearful Heart–Praise the Lord, Oh My Soul →