When God created man in His image (body, soul, and spirit), He did so in order to share His love, His Joy, and His Glory–because He had such overflowing love and joy that He desired to lavish it upon someone who could experience and feel the intensity of wonder, greatness and envision His Glory.  Were mankind a mere robot, devoid of choice and devoid of a full range of emotion; then, he would be incapable of feeling ecstasy.  In that same light, if I never knew what sorrow was or loneliness could I understand joy?  If I never felt the empty void within my heart that only God could feel would I ever understand or know the peace and comfort found in my relationship with Him?  Adam had never known a day without God’s presence until the day Adam’s love for Eve lured him to disobey God.  Eve had been tempted, she wanted to become equal with God.  Sin is often man putting himself in God’s place. Adam remembered what God had said; yet, Adam loved Eve more than he loved God at that moment and was willing to face whatever punishment for disobedience with her.  Still, that very act which separated them from God (they died spiritually) resulted in their loss of joy and love which then resulted in their own discord between each other.  Thus began their first argument as they began their blame game of accusations.  Without God indwelling spirit, Adam’s love for Eve was then changed to disgust and disdain as he blamed her for his own sin.  Ever since then, man has still tried to say or prove that he can reach God-likeness on his own.  Sometimes in defiance saying, "I don’t need you God; look at what I can do on my own" or "Look at how good I am, wouldn’t you want me in your kingdom."  Either one of these statements out of covetous, self exalting hearts fail to see the glory and righteousness which is truly God.  Because mankind continuously wanted to prove his own worthiness of heaven (though he is no more than a speck of sand in the magnificent universe created by God); God gave the law which merely proved man’s inability to perform and served as a means to help man recognize and acknowledge his sin.  Sometimes that sin being one of commission and at times a sin of omission (failure to do what is required of us).  The law could never save anyone because no man of his own actions and thoughts could perform the perfect law both with action and with heart.  God knew this and even before Adam sinned God had a plan for man’s salvation.  The only righteousness that counts with God is that which comes from God because only God is perfect righteousness; yet, perfect righteousness requires perfect justice.  God’s love was so great, His desire to lavish His joy and love on all who would accept His gift by faith resulted in His paying the price through the sacrifice of Christ’s death on the cross so that He could accept the blood of His own son (the body of the trinity–while the Father is the soul and the Holy Spirit the Spirit).  Thus he created the great exchange; He takes all my sin and gives me His righteousness.  So if sin is man putting himself in God’s place, Salvation came as God took our place, our penalty, our suffering and our pain.  His desire is to lavish upon us His love, His joy and His glory–that we might understand the overwhelming ecstasy of what a relationship with Him means.  We can only do that by having our eyes opened to see a glimpse of His Glory that we might desire it.    Now, read the following verses slowly, carefully grasping the truth of His word. 

Romans 3: 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

With such great love demonstrated, how can I desire anything more than I desire Him?  How can I love anyone more than I love God?  Each day I fall on my knees, for His Grace still amazes me and His love is still a mystery.  Every day I fall deeper in love with Him? 

Do you know Him?  Have you ever come to Christ to say, I am a sinner with a deep void in my heart.  I know that I am unworthy of you; but I believe your word which says that if I confess my sins and trust in your propitiation for my sin; you will save me.  I believe that you are the creator of the universe and I believe that Christ died for my sins and I long to have a vibrant relationship with you; so I hand you my sins, my covetous heart, my selfish desires and I believe as your word says that you will come into my heart to dwell with me.  Thank you.  In Jesus name I pray and all my hope stands, Amen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNJGhq8PPRs (Preview)

The Grace in Which I Stand

by Effie Darlene Barba

 

Oh feeble heart, Oh fragile soul

Where is the hope on which you hold

With all the failures of your past

Where is the faith to make you bold

Where is the faith to make you bold

There was a King though blameless He

That came to pay my penalty

And in that act He set me free

To follow Him in liberty

To follow Him in liberty

It is His love that drew me out

And in His Grace I shall not doubt

That He who started this work in me

Will finish it with a Glorious Shout

Will finish it with a Glorious Shout

One day the finished work be done

That I might look then like God’s son

Sifted, shined just like pure Gold

As Glory shines forth, Glorious One

As Glory shines forth, Glorious One

And in this hope my faith conformed

I know my life will be transformed

I stand upon this future grace

So for His work my passion warmed

So for His work my passion warmed

So in this faith I firmly stand

That formed in me as God had planned

No force on earth can shake me free

My future held by God’s great hand

My future held by God’s great hand.

While filling out the questionnaire for the upcoming Launch Conference that I will be attending, one question was what was my mission statement.  I realized that every hospital that I had worked and perhaps even Florida Cardiology have had a mission statement; yet, did I know those and did I truly follow them or let them guide my work at that company?  Suddenly, I realized that a mission statement for myself and my ministry for Christ must be one that really and truly guides what I do.  Truly a mission statement should be one that I return to often to see if indeed I am accomplishing what I have set forth to do.  Do you have a mission statement for your life?  If so, what would it be?  For Paul the apostle, his mission statement is as follows:

Philippians 3: 12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

For Paul the apostle, this was what guided every area of His life.  This is what he was truly passionate about.  I have written previously in blogs and also have a chapter in "A Broken and Contrite Heart"  that asks, "What is your true passion?"  Let’s take this one step further,  is that for which you are most passionate become your mission statement?  Passion is an emotion and must come first; yet, to be passionate without actions that transform that passion into one’s life mission little is accomplished beyond sitting and reveling in that passion.  Example:  I can be passionate about dieting and exercise; yet, nothing happens until that passion is followed by action–a mission or goal set.  Developing a mission statement for your life guides you toward accomplishing and fulfilling your greatest passion by 3 means.

Mean #1: Goal Oriented.  A mission statement causes one to look ahead toward the goal.  As Paul whose goal became reaching the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.  His goal was to become like Christ and to accomplish all that God had called him to do in the ministry of Christ.

Mean #2 Focus.  A mission statement when reviewed, posted, memorized, and quoted regularly helps you to focus on what is important toward fulfilling that goal.  Focus then prevents you from wandering off track down life’s road.

Mean #3:  Forces Action.  Setting forth a mission statement demands action.  It requires that one develop steps toward accomplishing that mission.  Back to the diet/exercise example–you must now develop a step by step guide toward accomplishing the goal.  (Recognize, that using the diet/exercise example, I do not suggest that your life mission be just that–merely it is an example that is easily understood and can be a smaller mission under the big true mission since health is important to reach any goal.)

So back to my answering the questionnaire and establishing my mission statement, I decided to look at the mission statements of some of my favorite pastor’s ministries.  So I turned to Truthforlife.org with Alistair Begg.  There I noted the mission statement to be:  " To teach the Bible with clarity and relevance so that unbelievers will be converted, believers will be established, and local churches will be strengthened. "  I thought about all of the teaching I have heard from Alistair Begg and I said, "Wow, he truly follows and performs exactly his mission statement.  Then I looked at Leadingtheway.org with Michael Youssef and noted his mission statement to be "leading the way for people living in spiritual darkness to discover the light of Christ, by passionately proclaiming uncompromising Truth "  Once more, I realized that their mission statement guided all that they did.  So more urgently I searched for what would I say was my mission statement.  Then I looked at my business cards and realized, I had already stated it over a year ago; that was my true mission statement.  How could I have hesitated?  I must write it so heavily on my heart and post it around me so that I never forget.  It is Seeking and Savoring Christ that His Love and His Joy might be displayed. 

So let me ask you once more, what is your life’s mission statement?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyuyOnVrATM (Preview)

What happens to our faith when we face financial disasters, illness, loss of income, tragedies, or suffering? We question God, we fret, we try to work it out on our own, and we doubt God’s love for us.  We wonder if we have failed and God is so tired of our failures that He quit listening.  So where do we go?  How do we hold tight to joy in our salvation when it seems that God is not answering us or even listening?  Where do we find our faith?  There are two major elements of faith on which we can anchor our soul as outlined in Hebrews 11.

Hebrews 11 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Element #1:  Believe that God is.  Do you believe that God is the Creator of the Universe?  Do you know that He is omnipotent, omniscient, perfect righteousness, perfect love, Glorious King who reigns over all the earth? Do you believe that? Look at the manner in which Paul presented God to the people of Athens.  "24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring." Acts 17.  Do you know and really comprehend who God is?  If you understood who He is, then why do you worry?  Do you not realize that it is He who gives you life and the next breath that you take?  Did not Christ say, (Matthew 6) "31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."  So once more my question is, why are you worried and fretting?  Sometimes your own doubts as to who He is bombard your mind with so much noise that you cannot hear His voice.  In those cases, keep reading the scripture, search the attributes of God, list them, pray and then be prepared to hear His soft gentle voice awaken you in the middle of the night to sing a song of comfort to you.  The middle of the night may the only time your soul and mind are still enough to hear His voice; but, I will assure you as you seek to know Him more–He will answer.

Element #2:  Believe that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.  Do you know His promises to all who believe in Christ as their Savior?  Do you believe Romans 8:28-30? Read this very carefully, "28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."   All things, not just the things that look beneficial, not just the easy things, not just the glory filled moments; but, rather all things work together for good.  That means even what you may think is a valley, God means for good.  Only He knows how all the parts when woven together will help you to look like His son, justified, purified, and glorious.  He knows what is needed to transform your self-exalting, covetous heart into one that can be filled with overflowing Joy, Hope, and Love that is found only in Him.  Nothing comes into the life of a believer but that which God has allowed to help purify them so that they are a vessel that can receive His magnificence.  You do not know Joy until you have fully realized His Joy.  Do you believe that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him?  Are you seeking Him?  Don’t be an Eeyore here, "well, I knowww He does; but mayybee it wasn’t meant forrr mee?"  Perhaps I know that one because I use to be like that.  What a foolish, self-centered thought to believe that God’s grace applied to everyone except me as though there was something uniquely different in how God looked at me.  Oh, yes, God saw my sins and my failures which generally came out of a lack of faith; still, He patiently, gently has continued to His work of transformation in my life.  He has sifted, polished, and purified my life (sometimes in-spite of me) so that I look more like Christ today than yesterday and I know He will finish the work He began in me.  He is the precious treasure that I seek. 

As you may have noticed in the previous blogs, recently I underwent one of those great aha moments (an epiphany of sorts) in which I suddenly felt as Abraham must have felt when Isaac was laid in his arms.  I saw God’s mighty hand perform and complete a promise made to me 33 years ago–what a leaping bound took place in my faith.  How could I ever doubt Him again no matter what the circumstances?  So, dear friend, if you are in one of those circumstances where God says wait; trust me, it will be worth every moment you have waited.  All of this I have written to those who know Christ as their Savior; but if you do not know Him, don’t you want to?  He loves you, Christ died for you, and He desires to have a relationship with you–today, this hour, this moment–won’t you ask Him into your heart?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOm2mMusqUw (Preview)

How can we find our way along this journey of life?  How do we learn to hear His voice clearly that we might know that voice distinctly so that we might always follow?  Has He not become the only treasure that I seek?  As I have journeyed through this life, I have come to realize that He is my heart’s desire.  All the other stuff that I thought were things I desired have become nothing compared to Him.  I so want to follow Him and only go where He says go, not running ahead nor lagging behind; but how can I be certain?  How can you be certain it is His voice?  David desired to follow God, he loved God, so let’s look at David’s prayer in Psalm 119. 

Psalm 119: Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.

2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

3 They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.

4 Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.

5 O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!

6 Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.

7 I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.

8 I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.

9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

He had learned that God was his greatest treasure and desire whom he sought with all his heart.  Also, he knew that the joy of his salvation could be tainted by sin, so he desired to follow God’s commands diligently.  To do so, he knew of the importance of studying God’s word.  Yet there were three more petitions which he made of God, knowing that these were paramount to his walk with God. 

Petition #1   Psalm 119:18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law….

He asked that God open his eyes (I daresay he was referring to the eyes of his heart) to behold the wondrous things of the law.  Unless we clearly see God’s glory and righteousness, we do not understand the depth of depravity that sin holds upon us. We do not understand our need, unless God opens the eyes of our heart to see Him.  Neither can we understand the depth of joy found in our relationship to Him and may think ourselves content with our counterfeit joys instead. 

Petition #2 Psalm 119:27 Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works…

73  give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments….

David also asked for wisdom to discern God’s voice and to understand the scripture.  He needed his eyes to see and his brain to understand God’s ways.  God has promised wisdom to those who ask.  Have you asked today?  Are you diligently studying his word?  Are you steadfast in prayer?

Petition #3 Psalm 119:80 Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed….

The third petition is to keep our emotions sound, firmly grounded in God’s statutes.  We sometimes let our emotions float from one extreme to another and need God’s comforting arms to steady us when trials and storms pass through our lives.  This even more so when we find ourselves tired or facing some tragedy.  Do not follow emotions particularly when too hungry, too angry, too lonely or too tired–ask God to steady your emotions and wait patiently for His answer once your emotions have settled down. 

So, these three petitions are essential and should be included in our prayers.  God, open my eyes that I might see you clearly. Give me wisdom that I might discern your word with clarity.  And steady my emotions that I might find my rest and comfort in You.  God will hear your plea and will unfold His magnificent plan for your life which will lead to Joy, Hope, and Peace that is ever overflowing from His Love. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkvCWeqKVEQ (Preview)