Effie Darlene Barba

Join Christian Author Effie Darlene Barba

At the Miami Book Fair for the signing of her newest release, Ultimate Inspiration-God’s Plan of Love

The Initial 70 books will be given away to the first to arrive.

DATE:  Sunday, November 18th

TIME: 2:30-3:30

BOOTH NUMBER: 300

Miami Book Fair

Her other books Include: Mountaintop Experiences in the Valley, A Broken and Contrite Heart, and Mercies and Exhortations-A Book of Poems.

You may click on any of the links on the right to learn more about her works, obtain copies of the artwork of Ronald Barba whose art is featured on the covers of her latest works and the interior of her book of poems.

Revival is what we need within our own hearts and then spreading out to our nation.  For that to occur we need hope and hope is built upon faith.  If we look at the world around us, we see little to hold onto that builds hope.  I am a nurse practitioner in Cardiology.  As I look at the changes that are occurring in which the plans to save medicare dollars is a severe cut in the payments to the cardiologists and even to the extent that any testing done would be paid by medicare at below the cost to a private office, healthcare becomes a frightening place to work as budget cuts will be necessary and many jobs will be lost.  Our national debt continues to climb and the very ones we owe are a Communist Country.  If you read the Wikipedia account "China is estimated by the Federation of American Scientists to have an arsenal of about 180 active nuclear weapon warheads and 240 total warheads as of 2009, which would make it the second smallest nuclear arsenal amongst the five nuclear weapon states acknowledged by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. According to some estimates, the country could "more than double" the "number of warheads on missiles that could threaten the United States by the mid-2020s" 

All of this I point out to say that if we look at the world around us there is no sense of hope, only panic and fear; but we who believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior do have hope which is founded upon faith in an Omnipotent God’s promises.

Hebrews 11: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

² For by it the elders obtained a good report.

³ Through 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.

We understand that the very God who created the heavens and the earth is still upon His throne.  So, stop wringing your hands in desperation and fear.  Look up and hold tight to the promises that God has provided for you.  Stand firm in faith.  Count the billions of times that He has provided for you when all around you seemed impossible. Rejoice in that hope which can only be found in Him. 

Ephesians 2:

¹² That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens…, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

¹³ But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

¹⁴ For he is our peace,

Because God so chose to pay the penalty for our sin and to provide through faith a means of reconciliation to Himself to all who would believe, we have cause to rejoice no matter what is happening around us in this world. 

1 Peter 1: ² Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

⁴ To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

⁵ Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

⁶ Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

⁷ That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

⁸ Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

⁹ Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ea3x3B4HZ4

Ephesians 4: ²⁹ Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

³⁰ And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

³¹ Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

³² And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

If we are to have revival in our own hearts and in our nation then we must learn how to forgive.  Forgiveness is easy to say; but, I daresay not that easy to perform. How often do we say, "Oh, I forgave him; but let me tell you what he did to me." (So you can really understand how great I am to have forgiven him or her).   I am certain that I have failed in this area too often and must repent of the same.  So how do we learn to forgive and lay aside all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour and evil speaking?  How do we learn to forgive the way God forgave us which went beyond forgiveness and included reconciliation to whomever would accept His forgiveness.  Perhaps if we remember how much God has forgiven us, then how much should we forgive.  Let us each pray that God give us His heart of love and compassion so that we might forgive in this manner and that He bind up our mouths to not speak until we have had our words seasoned by His wisdom.  Let’s look at a few scriptures that remind us of what God like forgiveness is.

1.  Jeremiah 31: 34  they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

2.  Psalm 103: ¹¹ For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear (revere)  him.

¹² As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

3.  Romans 5:  ⁶ For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

⁷ For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

⁸ But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

⁹ Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

¹⁰ For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

¹¹ And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

4.  Matthew 18: ²¹ Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

²² Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

4.  Luke 6 ²⁷ But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,

²⁸ Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

²⁹ And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.

³⁰ Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.

³¹ And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

³² For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.

³³ And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.

³⁴ And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.

³⁵ But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

³⁶ Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

Let us remember the great forgiveness that we have been given.  Let us pray earnestly for God to transform our hearts. 

One of the quotes that my son Alberto introduced me to is

"As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn’t supposed to ever let you down… probably will. You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it’s harder every time. You’ll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken. You’ll fight with your best friend. You’ll blame a new love for things an old one did. You’ll cry because time is passing too fast and you’ll eventually lose someone you love. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you have never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you’ll never get back."

Author: Unknown

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=h1Lu5udXEZI&feature=endscreen

Psalm 85: ⁶ Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?

⁷ Shew us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us thy salvation.

⁸ I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.

⁹ Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.

¹⁰ Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

¹¹ Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

¹² Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase.

¹³ Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.

Revival must begin with me.  We look around us and know that this great land of ours is in trouble.  National debt, crime, homelessness, joblessness, stress, pain, and sorrow fills our streets.  We have churches, TV ministries, Internet Ministries, Radio Ministries, and millions of Bibles available.  Yet, what we need is a revival so that we might once more rejoice in God’s love.  With so much available, we so often go about our busy lives with little thought of our Savior and Redeemer.  TV becomes more important than our Bible.  Prayer is that which we go through the motions before we eat or right before we go to bed and more often than not, only when we want something from God.  If revival is to come, it must begin within the heart of each believer.  Look at this verse as David prays for Israel (who so often got caught up in their pride-filled follies while ignoring the God of their salvation).  We must each as individuals begin by developing a reverence for the magnificent Holiness of God so that we clearly see the sin in our own lives for what it is– an abomination against God.  We must ourselves repent before Him and lay ourselves before Him as a Holy Sacrifice to denounce sin and put on His righteousness so that His Glory may dwell in our hearts and in our lands.  Only then can we demonstrate where mercy and forgiveness have met with the perfect truth of God’s Justice, Holiness, and hatred of Sin as He took on our penalty.  It is at the Cross of Christ where perfect righteousness with it’s condemnation of sin met with finding peace with God through His paying our penalty.  So get rid of your pride and in humble obedient love follow after Christ.  Only as we revive the heart within ourselves can we hope for revival in this our great nation.  Then, God will guide us in the "way of his steps", "righteousness shall go before Him" and "the Lord shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YTZq37OpMw

1 Timothy 2: I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

² For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

³ For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

⁴ Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

⁵ For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

⁶ Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Romans 13: Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

² Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

³ For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:

⁴ For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

⁵ Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.

⁶ For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.

⁷ Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour

When we read Romans 13, we may want to say, "What are you talking about Paul?"  Weren’t you imprisoned by government? Beaten by government?  Put to death by government after watching many Christians die for proclaiming the truth of Christ? Christ was crucified by the government or was he?  When Pilate was interrogating Christ, look at how Christ responded.  John 19: ¹⁰ Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?

¹¹ Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

Was Pilate a follower of Christ? No.   Was Caesar a follower of Christ? No.  So what is Paul talking about and what is Christ talking about?

1.  God is Sovereign and God is in Control

2.  God is Omniscient and knows not only today, but also tomorrow.  He is working out His perfect plan.

3.  Authorities are in place so that there is not anarchy

4.  As Christians we are subject to the authorities who are over us with God being our ultimate authority.  Example, if tomorrow there is a law that I cannot speak the name of Christ without being punished by imprisonment, then I will go to prison for speaking His name.  However, I am not to retaliate by sinning and killing the guard who is taking me to prison. 

5.  I am to continue to pray for those who are in power over me.

If we are disturbed by the direction our nation is taking, then we are duty bound to pray for spiritual revival, we are to teach the Gospel where ever we go, we are to humbly submit to the laws in place (do not speed, do not steal, do not murder, do not evade taxes, do not resist the police), and we can write our congressman, as well as our president.  We cannot transform our nation from the outside in, but we can transform our nation by preaching the gospel and changing men’s hearts from within.  The Gospel is that which can enlighten the darkest heart and transform it.

2 Corinthians 4: ³ But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

⁴ In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

⁵ For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.

We must pray for our leaders.  We must pray for our nation.  We must proclaim the Gospel of Christ to all those whom we meet. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgukTjyCMX8