Effie Darlene Barba

Please watch this short video from John Piper.

http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/the-saddest-and-happiest-reality-in-the-universe

Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

² By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

The more I know of God and the more I see of His Bountiful Love, the more Glorious I recognize Him to be.  The greater His Glory shines  a brilliant light into my life, the more I realize how utterly unworthy I am.  I see the darkness that lurks inside this human heart so filled with selfish desires.  So busy with the things of this world that I quickly forget how precious a treasure I have been given. The guilt and the weight of who I am would utterly crush me to the ground if it were not for this truth found in Romans 5.  Because of the Cross which Christ so willingly bore for me, I am justified by faith and faith alone.  In the courts of heaven, all the charges against me have been stamped "not guilty" because Christ paid the price for my sin.  Far beyond that, I am declared righteous; cloaked with His righteousness.  Despite that there are moments when I do not display Him as fully as I should.  Perhaps in laziness the mirror of my life which should reflect Him gets covered in smoke or soot and needs to be polished by the steady filling of His presence, by prayer, and by the diligent study of His word.   Yet, this is the greatest Grace by which I can stand and rejoice in Hope of the Glory of God.  He has promised that whom he called, He will justify, and whom He justifies, He will Sanctify.  I will look like Christ one day. 2 Corinthians 3: ¹⁸ But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.  Little by little, glory by glory; I am being transformed.  That is a promise I can cling tight to and rejoice in that hope of Future Grace  which proclaims that one day I will look like Him.  Such love, such grace compels me to stand and ever press forward 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."

So, my dear friends; I offer you this.  Whatever chains of guilt may try to drag you down today, whenever Satan whispers to you of your failures and inadequacies–remember this, you can stand and rejoice in the hope of the Glory of God.  God will never fail to keep His promise.  My prayer for you today as you go forward through this day is "¹⁸ The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

¹⁹ And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,"  Ephesians 1

The following song is one that I wrote many years ago; but, still speaks back to me as a reminder of His wondrous all sufficiency.  I hope you enjoy it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LbHd6eZrgk&feature=g-upl

Isaiah 43: ⁶ I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;

⁷ Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

⁸ Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.

⁹ Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.

¹⁰ Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.

¹¹ I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour.

God has called unto Himself sons and daughters from the ends of the earth.  He created mankind to share His Love (the overflowing love of the Triune God).  He, creator of the universe, has called each by His own Name to share in His Glory though undeserving we might be.  He calls us to be witnesses to the world of His Glory.  We are to call out to the masses who are blinded by the world’s view.  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."

Yet, so often, for even those who know Christ we fail to show Him to this dying world because we (though witnesses of His Great Salvation) falter in our execution of the same; because we falter in our faith.  In this verse, I hear the pleading voice of God to His people to be witnesses for Him and of Him.  It is very similar to the plea that Jesus made of His apostles in Mark 8: "¹⁴ Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf.

¹⁵ And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.

¹⁶ And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread.

¹⁷ And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened?

¹⁸ Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?

¹⁹ When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve.

²⁰ And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven.

²¹ And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?

It is my prayer today, that God might so shine His Light for me to see Him with the Eyes of My Heart to seek Him, laying aside all my own petty desires and "agendas".  I wish to be His servant and His Witness today. I pray for faith to understand His Will. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt0WluTpFTg&feature=related

Isaiah 55: ⁶ Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

⁷ Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

⁸ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

¹⁰ For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

¹¹ So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

¹² For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Some believe that salvation and following Christ can wait until tomorrow.  They may say that they are not ready to seek Him or to give up some treasure they think He might demand of them.  "When I accept Him I might have to give up all the fun I am now having" say some people when they hear of the Gospel of Christ.  Such foolish thoughts because there is no guarantee that you will have another chance tomorrow.  The Holy Spirit will not always strive with each man, today if you feel the Spirit calling you seek him today for there is no guarantee that tomorrow His presence will be there to enlighten you again.  God’s thoughts are righteousness, justice and purity which is so much higher than man can ever reach in his state of unrighteousness and self centeredness.  Only by seeking a relationship with God (while the Spirit is calling) can a person find Salvation purchased by Christ in which our faith is counted for righteousness.  For those of us who know Christ as our Savior let us be reminded that He is there to hear our prayers and that we can trust Him for the Grace we need today and the Future Grace that will guide our lives into that place of peace and great joy.   God is on His throne.  Have you talked with Him today?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSf65y4B20w

Deuteronomy 32: ¹⁰ He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.

¹¹ As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:

¹² So the Lord alone did lead him

This scripture was in reference to Jacob; but is so true of each of God’s children.  Anyone who has studied the life of Jacob would realize that Jacob could not stand on any valor of his own; yet, God kept him as the "apple of his eye" and led him. Such a beautiful illustration is shown in verses 10 and 11.  In the desert land of my spirit and the howling wilderness of my life; he led me, he taught me of His Glory, and He kept me even when I tried to pull away.  He built a secure nest within His presence in which I might rest protected from all the predators that might try to injure me.  He fluttereth over me with cries of hope and joy.  He fed me with the words of His mouth.  He spreads forth His arms to cover me with His comfort and protection from all the pains and sorrows of this world  (sorrows and pains do come, but they cannot harm me with Him covering me completely in love and hope).  He takes me up and carries me into the highest heavens so that I might soar with the power and strength that is His.  More than that, the Lord alone leads me each step of this journey.  I must take my eyes off of my feet and the rocks that surround me so that I might follow after Him–looking only to Him to be assured of each step. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIQe0uj7u_8&feature=g-all-a

I 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.

So often after I have chosen a verse, I realize how precious each word in that verse truly is.  Read these verses very slowly and let the Holy Spirit Guide your understanding.  Each believer, elected according to the foreknowledge of God the Father.  He saw me, before the earth was ever formed.  He drew me out and continues the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.  He has ever so gently, step by step led me into a life of obedience.  He sifts out the chaff.  He is ever about the work of transforming me into the beautiful bride that He sees me to be.  Each transforming trial of my faith leading me ever closer to Him.  The closer I am drawn to Him, the more my heart resounds with praise and the more my joy abounds–knowing that He is my greatest treasure.  I have found that then my trials (when I see them through His eyes and I am able to praise Him in the midst of them) lead to other people seeing the honor and Glory that is Christ.  For that reason, I rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of His magnificent Glory.  Not only was I called by God, saved by His Grace (Christ having paid my price), I am being transformed into His Image by His work in me and I am "kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."  Hallelujah, Amen I have no need to worry because all this is dependent on my Omnipotent Heavenly Father’s  power and not dependent on me.

I truly hope that you listen to the following song so skillfully written and sung.  It expresses this scripture so beautifully. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DulUJxJ1Ldw