Effie Darlene Barba

Zechariah 9:

⁹ Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

John 12: ¹² On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

¹³ Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.

¹⁴ And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,

¹⁵ Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt.

Luke 23: ²⁰ Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them.

²¹ But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.

²² And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go.

²³ And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.

The crowds who sang Hosanna (Savior, Rescuer) as Jesus entered Jerusalem were the same ones who so soon thereafter called out to Crucify Him.  They wanted Him to set up His Kingdom now.  They wanted riches, ease, power to be theirs now. Much like many who may say that they believe in Christ when they want or need something from God; yet, do not see His worth, Glory, nor Righteousness when He chooses to allow sorrow, pain, and suffering.  Many tend to want a "Give me what I want God" and do not understand that a relationship with Him is the only hope for Joy.  He is all that we need to fill this empty, broken heart.  They do not love nor appreciate the price He paid for us to be allowed that relationship with a Just, Righteous God.  When they realize that He may even ask us to follow Him in His Suffering so that we might be a testimony for Him; they want nothing to do with Him–just like those who cried out Crucify Him.  When we see the majesty, the Glory and the Righteousness which is Christ and then desire Him above all else; the desire for worldly gifts from God becomes foolishness as it becomes replaced with awe for Him.  The more we know of Him, the more we recognize our utter unworthiness of this marvelous Grace.  Then we come before knowing two things.  1. I am a great sinner.  2.  He is a great Savior.  Recognizing that with praise and love we bow before Him, humble servants desiring that He do with us whatever He desires that might bring Him Glory.  We desire that He remove anything within us that might stand between us and Him. 

Hebrews 12:Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

³ For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

⁴ Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

Lord, whatever desires of this covetous heart of mine seeks any counterfeit joy which dims my view of you; please, rip it from me that I may only desire you.  You the author and finisher of my faith- Hosanna, my Savior.  Rescue me from any desires that impedes my vision of Your Glory. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZBiC_5aI6k

Psalm 100: 1Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.

² Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

³ Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

⁴ Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

⁵ For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Have you ever just stopped with heart filled with Joy because of Your Relationship with God and shout "Thank You, Lord".  I am not talking about only when everything seems to be going well in your life, or only when you get a promotion, or when you have been healed from some illness.  Have you ever in the midst of turmoil, turned your head toward heaven and shouted "Thank You, Lord" for having saved me, walked with me, and covered me with Your Hope, Your Joy, and Your Peace so that none of these circumstances can steal them from me.  Thank you, Lord for each trial that has lead me closer to You.  Thank You, Lord for every tear that drove me to Your word of truth and forced me to cling to Your Covenant Promises.  Thank You, Lord for the moments of loneliness or fear that drove me to cling tight to You, resting then in Your Arms of Love. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K44trVhtZX4

 

Psalm 62: Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.

² He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.

³ How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence.

⁴ They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.

⁵ My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.

⁶ He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.

⁷ In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

⁸ Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.

⁹ Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.

¹⁰ Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.

¹¹ God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.

¹² Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.

God is my rock and my salvation, my salvation and my Glory, my strength and my refuge–that we might trust in Him.  Such a beautiful scripture.  Yet, then I came to the last verse and sat in wonder as to what David meant.  Why does David say that God is merciful and then in the next part of the sentence says that he renderest to every man according to his works.  Since we have all sinned and are worthy of only God’s wrath and eternal damnation, then what part of rendering upon to me my just punishment would have in God’s mercy.  There must be more to this verse than originally meets the eye.  That answer I believe comes in two parts.  First, if one goes in search of the Hebrew words found in this verse they are

כְּֽמַעֲשֵֽׂהוּ׃  (to his work).  This word then when searched leads first to the following verse:

Exodus 28: ⁸ And the curious girdle of the ephod, which is upon it, shall be of the same, according to the work thereof; even of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.

The ephod was a garment that was to be worn to go before God, mostly worn by the High Priests.  We too have a garment of fine works that covers our sin when we go before the heavenly Father and that is the shed blood of Christ which covers our sins. We are covered by His finished work upon the cross.  Secondly, as you read Galatians you will find:

Galatians 2: ¹⁶ Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

So, now faith is the key to our being justified before a Righteous and Just God.  It is God’s mercy that looks upon sinful man and then through faith in Jesus Christ, God takes our sin and imparts to us His righteousness and His Glory.

Romans 4: 9 …faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.

Does that mean that I then take sin lightly and desire to continue in it.  A thousand times NO.  Indeed, when I understand the love and grace which God has provided; I will abhor the sins that are in myself.  The more I see Him and His Glory the more I desire to follow after and be like Him.  He continually is about the work of transforming me, so that one day I will be the bride without spot or blemish.  One day I will look like Christ.  Though that day may not have fully arrived; but, I know that He has promised to finish that work in me.  Whatever cross or fire it takes to complete His purifying work in me, I eagerly accept; because I now seek Him above all else.  This has been His act of mercy to step by step work in me to transform me each day, sifting and purifying my works so that they are His; as I surrender by faith daily to His Will. 

Ephesians 2:¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t2Evnpn1do

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV

John 17: ²⁰ Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

²¹ That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

²² And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

²³ I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

²⁴ Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

²⁵ O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.

²⁶ And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

Oh that you might grasp the significance of this the prayer of Christ as He headed for the Garden of Gethsemane heralding His approach to the cross.  His prayer was that the power of the Father might so penetrate our hearts and minds that we might become one with the Father and Son and by thus doing we might grow in our sanctification, becoming perfected so that our lives would shine forth as a testimony of the perfect love that the Father had for the Son and overflowing to fill each heart of those who would believe.  Let our love overflow in like manner to a world in need of a Savior.  Let our love overflow to a brokenhearted,  sorrow filled world. He has not only shared His love and His Joy; but desires to share His Glory.  Let us Christian world become united in this one passion to display the Love and Glory of Christ.  Lay aside your selfish, covetous, fleshy desires that you may be one with the Father and Son.  Let us declare His Splendor, His Glory and His Joy.  Though it may be a cross we must bear to show His Glory more, let us carry that cross with the joy that we find in a relationship united with God.  Not laden down or downcast; but, through keeping our eyes focused on Jesus we know that whatever cross we are carrying, He is there with us and never forget that all things work together for good to those who love God.  The chance we have to communion with Him, to walk with Him, to talk with Him and to study the truth He has provided in His word for us is Joy Abounding.  Circumstances come and Go, but He never leaves us. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOAlmLDi3m0

 

 

John 17:  ¹¹ And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.

¹² While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

¹³ And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

¹⁴ I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

¹⁵ I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

¹⁶ They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

¹⁷ Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

¹⁸ As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

¹⁹ And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

The moment was approaching in which Christ would be rejected, accused, spit upon, beaten horribly, and then die upon a cross.  The righteous, sinless Son of God had known before Creation that this moment would come.  Adam’s choice had not taken the God-head by surprise.  Omniscience knew that Adam would sin; but also knew that there would be many born who would accept God’s gift of salvation wrapped within His desire to share His love, His Joy and His Glory with those whom by free will would accept His offer of salvation and choose to seek Him.  So the moment had come that Christ must bare the penalty of sin for all of mankind upon the cross with the one thing most terrifying and painful for Him, that He must be separated from God the Father (His very soul) and God the Holy Spirit (His very spirit) and He would be plunged into Hell.  If Hell is eternal separation from God’s love, joy, and glory; then Christ was plunged into a hell that He could never have prepared for and could never have experienced brefore.  That torment was the greatest for Him.  The soul of God (the Father) could not look upon sin for He is perfect righteousness and could not have any part with sin; so as Christ took on man’s sin, man’s guilt, and man’s suffering–God was forced to forsake His son–until the work was finished.  Yet, on His way to the Garden where only hours later He would be betrayed and the walk toward the moment in which that very dark hour would begin; Christ prayed for all who would accept this gift of salvation.  His desire is that they know the truth and be sanctified through the truth of the word of God.  When one knows the truth, that the only true joy that our hearts, minds, and souls can truly feel is based upon a relationship with our creator.  All other joys are merely counterfeit.  All conflict, sorrows, pains, and trials on this earth become meaningless trivialities when we recognize that they cannot steal the Joy we have: founded upon a relationship with our creator and our Savior.   What Joy is mine because I know Him!  What Joy is mine to know that He loves me, unconditionally!  What Joy is mine to know that His love is so great that He cannot leave me in the regenerate state in which He found me; but rather is always about the work of my Sanctification, that I may become the beautiful bride for Christ that He already sees me to be.  He sees my greatest potential and is ever about the work of my reaching the point that I will realize them.  He sifts out the chaff, removes the blemishes, destroys one by one the strongholds of sin that my heart desires and rips from my hand the counterfeit joys that I tend to cling to; that I might find this wondrous Joy that I know in Him alone.If I may, I would like to quote two statements from the writing of Jonathan Edwards who is able to express this much better than I can, though these truths have become glaringly evident in my heart. 

Jonathan Edwards > Quotes

“God is the highest good of the reasonable creature. The enjoyment of him is our proper; and is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied. To go to heaven, fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here. Better than fathers and mothers, husbands, wives, or children, or the company of any, or all earthly friends. These are but shadows; but the enjoyment of God is the substance. These are but scattered beams; but God is the sun. These are but streams; but God is the fountain. These are but drops, but God is the ocean.” 
― Jonathan Edwards, The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Vol. 17: Sermons and Discourses, 1730-1733

“God’s purpose for my life was that I have a passion for God’s glory and that I have a passion for my joy in that glory, and that these two are one passion.” 
― Jonathan Edwards

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQJ1zb-HcEk&playnext=1&list=PL492D7877FFA036D3&feature=results_video