Effie Darlene Barba

Matthew 28:18-20

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁸ And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

¹⁹ Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

²⁰ Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

All power in heaven and earth belong to Jesus.  What do you have to fear?  You may want to say but I thought Satan was the prince and the Power of the air?  Why does so much evil exist if God is on His throne and He has all power?  Couldn’t He just speak and bring it all to a sudden end? Precisely,  He could and if He tarries it is that one more soul is yet to come into His fold to share in His love, His joy and His Glory.  It is His Grace and Mercy that cause Him to wait one more day to give each of you that one more chance to seek Him, and to follow Him.  That is why we are commissioned to Go out and teach all nations.  Then why so much sorrow and so much evil is allowed?  Foolish men that we are, He allows it to continue because we of such vain and pride filled hearts never even think to look at Him in all His glory unless some disaster befalls us.  We seek all the counterfeit joys and believe them to be our treasure while ignoring the greatest treasure of all–God’s presence in our lives.  So He waits and allows Satan and all His followers to reek havoc for one more day, He encircles His own with His love.  He has the best planned for His children and He gently guides us into the fullness of joy that can be found only in Him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjYiEyu8Si8

2 Timothy 2: ¹⁹ Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

²⁰ But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.

²¹ If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

²² Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

²³ But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.

²⁴ And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,

²⁵ In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

²⁶ And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

Paul sent 2 letters to Timothy for instruction and for guidance in this Christian walk.  Timothy was a young man.  He urged him to follow Christ with a pure heart.  When we remember all that Christ did for us, we should desire to be a vessel that will bring honor to the name of God.  We were adopted into His family and should always be mindful that our actions reflect upon our Father for honor or dishonor.  So, study that you might know that which is right, honorable, and just.  Avoid getting into doctrinal arguments with those who are ignorant; but rather, teach by example and gently–waiting patiently for God to speak through you.  Your example will outshine any words you might speak to guide others to Christ.  Whenever you get it wrong, then be quick to admit your failure and apologize.  "Lord, so often I have faltered and at times I have failed to honor Your name in all that I say and do.  So fill my heart that I might display Your Love and Joy to a world so in need of you.  Guide my thoughts, guard my mouth, and show me your way.  I only want to seek and savor You so that this vessel might display your love, Your joy, and Your glory.  I desire to bring You honor. In Jesus name I pray, Amen"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eb5WanDeYkc

Ephesians 2 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

² Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

³ Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

⁵ Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

⁶ And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

⁷ That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

⁸ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast.

God has been so rich in his mercy and grace toward us.  The problem that we most deal with in life is faith.  It is our failure to believe in God’s promises that lead us to see the lies of sin as compelling.  We must continually bathe in the word of God so that light shines deep into our hearts to illuminate those items we wish to cling to. The lies of sin become so embedded within the dark recesses of our hearts so that we have a hard time letting go sometimes until the light of God’s Word is able to shine deep within us and break them apart.  We may think, "to succeed and pass this difficult course, I need to cheat on this one test." In order to attract that guy over there, I need to dress provocatively"  "If I don’t compromise my principles, I may lose that guy who makes me feel so loved and so it will be ok to compromise this once" "My marriage is so miserable, I will just get a divorce or I am justified to have an affair, my happiness depends on it."  "You are a fool to forgive that person, revenge is what you need." "Only a fool would tithe, after all, God understands you cannot afford to on your salary" So go the lies of sin.  We have, by nature so much darkness within our own hearts that Satan could take a vacation and we would continue on in our own pride, jealousy, revenge and disbelief. John Piper gave a great illustration which I would like to share. In the dark recesses, we may pick up a black, shiny object and cherish it for ebony.  We admire it and cherish it.  We put it in our pocket so that we might feel it close to us and cherish it–or place it on a chain around our neck.  We begin to read the word of God, light begins to shine into those dark places and we pull out that cherished object to see it clearly in the brightness and suddenly realize that instead of a piece of ebony we are holding in our hands a cockroach.  We begin to shake our hand to through away that object as quickly as possible (that violent disgust and  rejection of the object once cherished–that is repentance).  Hebrews 4:¹² For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword.  God’s mercy is to shed so much light through His word so that we do not cling to cockroaches and believe them to be cherished items; instead, he wishes to fill our hands with His Brilliant diamonds of truth to guide us and to provide us His rest.  We should savor and seek out His promises by reading the word of God. "I will up hold you, I will love you, I will provide for you, I have removed your transgressions, I will strengthen you, and I will transform you into the Glorious likeness of my son. I will give you my water of life, my joy, and my rest."  As you seek the Word and the light shines into the depth of your heart, what cockroaches are revealed and suddenly repulse you into throwing them away to no more be a part of your life. 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rl45JnnRSw

Hebrews 3: ¹² Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

¹³ But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

4 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

² For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it….¹¹ Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

¹² For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

¹³ Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

¹⁴ Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

¹⁵ For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

At first glance we see all these verses and want to believe that they are for those who never really accepted Christ as Savior.  When we read verse 12, we pass through it with a quick glance that would want to say "Oh, certainly God sees the heart of man and knows who are really saved and who are just going through the motions to see what they might profit from joining the crowd.  Much like the crowd that followed Jesus for the miracles, but screamed "crucify Him" when he stood before Pilate"  If we look a little deeper, we may see that there is a message of hope for all of us who are redeemed.  A guide that helps us to enter into His rest rather than to be dismayed by the conflict which surrounds our soul.  The word of God is that guide which while we study it digs deep into the crevices of our soul to search out all those areas in which we may be lacking in faith so as to shed light on that area of darkness, to provide us hope.  Do I really believe His promises?  We do not even need Satan to draw us into sin, within our own hearts there are those areas in which we don’t really trust God and it becomes those areas where the deceitfulness of sin draws us into believing in the the lies that sin would tell us.  Sin might whisper, "This is your last chance for love; after all God really doesn’t care if you compromise yourself by having an affair with an unbeliever–He knows you are lonely.  Didn’t He promise you the desires of your heart?"  Or sin may whisper, "Surely God knows your finances are bad, so what if you skim the time clock, cheat on your taxes or engage in some scam–after all maybe He allowed that opportunity to present itself"  Again it is the deceit of sin that tells us to lie if the truth might cost us our job or our friend.  I would say that all of sin comes out of a lack of belief in the Word of God and His promises.  The Word of God is our hope for rest and peace–it shines it’s light on the truth so that we may discern what is real.  It is our guide to discern what is really precious to us.  It provides hope, joy and peace so that we may rest in His Grace that covered yesterday to remove all the guilt and worry for the past.  It is the light that shines deep into our hearts to remove every ounce of unbelief so that we might hold tight to the truth and not be tempted by sin’s deceitful lies.  It is the brilliant glorious light that shines into tomorrow with the promise of Future Grace to sustain us.  That is why we must not neglect our study of the word.  That is why we must share His Good News and encourage all those around us who are in need.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTY-UKgLlXs

2 Corinthians 3: ¹⁷ Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

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.4 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;

² But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

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.

⁶ For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

For all those who are saved, we know that God commanded the light to shine within our hearts.  This is the same God who created the earth and commanded the light to shine out of darkness.  He placed the stars in the heavens and the sun by speaking them into being.  If you know Him it is because that same God commanded that your hearts be opened from the darkness within so that you might open the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  He sent forth His son to display His Glory to mankind.  He who was willing to be obedient unto death so as to be filled with the joy of sharing His love to us (such an unworthy and ungrateful bunch) Hebrews 12:2

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.  He who willingly Philippians 2:⁷ made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

⁸ And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

⁹ Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

His Glory was magnified by this very act.  We who are His are promised that He not only begins that work of faith in us, but finishes it. Hebrews 12:2

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.  He promises to transform us into the image of His son, glory by glory.  Little steps of glory by little steps of glory until the finished product will be His likeness.  How amazing is that fact!!  Every thread of our life, everything that happens is a part of that wondrous work God is completing in us.  Our part?  Keep looking upon Him and seeking to glimpse at His Glory.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygx4Qe27lBw&list=UU42mNOLo78vBCpPh34HSUTw&index=9&feature=plcp