Effie Darlene Barba

2 Corinthians 4: ¹³ We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;

¹⁴ Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.

¹⁵ For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

¹⁶ For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

¹⁸ While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

As Paul continues his letter to the Corinthians, we have just passed the point where Paul has told us that as we see God’s glory (though dimly) we are being transformed into His image glory by glory (step by step, little glories followed by little glories) not by our own works; but by the work of the Holy Spirit.  Immediately to follow this great promise, he begins to tell us that this great treasure (this power of the Gospel itself unto salvation) was given to us within these easily broken, fragile earthen vessels so that the Glory may be of God and not in ourselves.  He points out that there will be sorrows, trials, and testing; but we are sustained by God Himself in the midst of all the trials.  2 Corinthians 4:

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;

¹⁰ Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

There in the midst of our trials we can see that there is a purpose.  Not only do we see God in His Glory; but as He sustains our heart and we learn to praise Him for His Glorious Grace in each storm we become a beaconing light that redounds ( have an affect or consequence) of showing a world the magnitude of His Glory.  We shine that light into the darkness with which the unbeliever lives in the hope that we might cause the eyes of their heart to see Him and seek after Him.   This thankfulness that we feel in the midst of the storm cannot be a phony cover up.  It is born out of sometimes years of trials, an understanding of who God is (with all His Mercy and Grace), a humility learned sometimes after many failures that gives greater depth and understanding of How Great is the Grace I have received.  It is a Thanksgiving that comes from a heart tempered and so overflowing with love for God that Joy shines forth no matter what the current circumstances.  It is founded on trust in the Omnipotent, Omniscient one who gave His very life that I might share in His love, His joy, and His Glory.  So consider all this as Thanksgiving Day quickly approaches and ask yourself what do you have to be thankful for?

 

2 Timothy 1: 1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,

² To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

³ I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;

⁴ Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;

⁵ When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.

⁶ Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

⁷ For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

⁸ Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

⁹ Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

¹⁰ But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

What a tender letter of love Paul is writing to this young disciple of Christ.  Paul was imprisoned and knew it was only a short time before he would be killed for his faith.  He saw Timothy as a son in faith in Christ Jesus.  Timothy had been taught faith from his grandmother and his mother.  Timothy was a young man when Paul began to take him on his missionary journeys.  Acts 16: 16 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: ² Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.³ Him would Paul have to go forth with him;

Timothy continued on as an evangelist both to the Jew and to the Gentile, proclaiming the name of Christ.  All began with faith filled Grandmother and Mother who pointed him to Christ. 

It was my mother who taught me about Christ and that was the greatest gift she gave me.  As a mother, I have made many mistakes along the way; but, the most important thing that I could do was to point my children and now my grandchildren toward Christ Jesus.  There is no greater gift I could give them in this world.  I am amazed by the Gracious Mercy of God as I look upon the faith demonstrated by my children in their journey on this earth.  I pray unceasingly that my stepson also has the eyes of his heart opened to the light of the truth of God unto salvation.   I truly hope you listen to the song that follows and let this beautiful song become the prayer you have for your children and grandchildren. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mtGp-hpJJs&playnext=1&list=PLE5FF65D1D1990FBA&feature=results_video

^{2 Chronicles 20: 12} O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.

¹³ And all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.

¹⁵ And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.

¹⁶ To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.

¹⁷ Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you.

¹⁸ And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord, worshipping the Lord.

¹⁹ And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice on high.

²⁰ And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.

²¹ And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever.

²² And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

²³ For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.

²⁴ And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.

Three armies had prepared to attack God’s people.  It appeared as though there was no hope and that all would be destroyed.  All the people went before God in prayer.  God’s answer? Don’t worry, don’t be afraid; I’ve got this.  So in full faith they marched forth with a praise band at their helm when they arrived, the battle was over and the enemy had fallen.  What mighty power there is in prayer.  What victory is ours to claim in praise!!  Do you have any problem that seems to be pressing in from all sides?  Are you battling against an enemy within your own soul? (perhaps an addiction, anger, depression, or some area of sin that seems to always win making you feel that there is no hope of victory)  Then, take heart, run to God and pour out your burden in prayer before Him.  There in earnest prayer you will hear Him say "stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you,… fear not, nor be dismayed;… for the Lord will be with you."  Then start Your praise song.  I am going to give you two incredible battle songs of praise–both are easy to remember and let play in your head whenever facing a battle that you might think impossible.  Every time during the day that a doubt or temptation pops up squash it with praise song to God.

 

     

BE BOLD BE STRONG FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD IS WITH YOU

  Be Bold, Be Strong, For the Lord your God is with you

If there is to be Revival in Your Heart, then you must set aside a time of quiet Prayer to God.  Prayer is a means of intentionally conveying a message to God.  You may say God already knows what I need–He is God.  True; but prayer is for us.  A moment to be alone with God and He being our only focus.  This must be more than just a whispered "God help me" which has it’s time and place; but we need to set aside a time each day to be alone with God.  Christ himself went out early in the morning to be alone with the Father.  So what did Christ have to say about prayer? 

Matthew 6:  ⁵ And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

⁶ But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

⁷ But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

⁸ Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

⁹ After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

¹⁰ Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

¹¹ Give us this day our daily bread.

¹² And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

¹³ And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Prayer must come from the heart.  It is a means of communicating to God our desires, our hopes, and more importantly our loving devotion to Him.  So you may still say, "What do I say?"   That is the beautiful part–just get alone, intent on being near to God.  The Holy Spirit within you will intercede for you. 

Romans 8:  ²² For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

²³ And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

²⁴ For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

²⁵ But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

²⁶ Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

²⁷ And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDkTqC7h4zw

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.