Effie Darlene Barba

John 6: ²⁸ Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

²⁹ Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

We are saved by faith and not by works.  We have never been able to perform the works of the law and for that reason, Christ died to pay our price for sin.  Does that mean that I give up the fight against sin in my life or even the sin of omission (forgetting that God is my greatest treasure and getting caught up in other affairs of life such as to push Him aside)?  Paul the apostle was very firm in his teachings (as was Christ) that salvation is by grace alone and not by works that I can perform.

Romans 3: ²¹ But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

²² Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

²³ For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

²⁴ Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

²⁵ Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

²⁶ To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

²⁷ Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

²⁸ Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Yet, if that is the case what about the following verse from James?

James 2: ¹⁷ Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

¹⁸ Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

¹⁹ Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

²⁰ But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

Once more Paul provides the answer.

Galations 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.

¹⁷ But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.

¹⁸ For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

¹⁹ For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.

²⁰ I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

²¹ I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Faith,hope, righteousness, justification all are freely given those who accept the gift of Christ for our salvation.  God continues to perfect us and step by step transforms us into the likeness of Christ.  He takes on the task of finishing the work He began in us.  For that reason, if any of you say "I am a Christian" and "going to heaven" and there is no transforming work going on–maybe you should ask yourself if truly you gave your heart to Christ or not?  Is there any passion or love for Him that draws you to His side–that makes you long to be with Him?  Do you go to Him only when you want something or do you want to just sit with Him a while and bask in His presence?  Do you see His righteousness shining so brightly that your heart aches each time you fall down and then marvel in the loving way in which He picks you up from the muddy mire-so overwhelmed by His love that you never want to fall into the mud again?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUg9qE_KjLg

Isaiah 26: ³ Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

⁴ Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength:

⁵ For he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low; he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust.

⁶ The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy.

⁷ The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just.

⁸ Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.

⁹ With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

¹⁰ Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the Lord.

¹¹ Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them.

¹² Lord, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us.

Perfect Peace–do you have it?  Do you want it? Then look to Jesus, study His words and His promises.  Rest in the Lord Jehovah who is everlasting strength.   Do you trust Him or do you merely go about saying that you do without ever letting that trust fill your heart, mind and soul.  Do you believe that He will provide for your every need?  Do you really believe that He loves you unconditionally?  Do you really trust and believe that He provided for you His righteousness and that He will set about the completion of transforming you into His image?  Does your soul thirst for Him in the dark of the night when you lay your head upon your pillow or do you drown Him out with TV?  Are you too busy in the early morning preparing for work to seek Him? Do you trust Him in the middle of a busy hectic day and ever whisper a prayer of thanks for His guidance?  What about when it would seem that everything is lost, do you trust Him still?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8_EfDqF7YI

It is Well with MY SOUL

by Horatio Spafford

1. When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,

   When sorrows like sea billows roll;

   Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,

   It is well, it is well, with my soul.

   • Refrain:

     It is well, with my soul,

     It is well, it is well, with my soul.

2. Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

   Let this blest assurance control,

   That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,

   And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

3. My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!

   My sin, not in part but the whole,

   Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,

   Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

4. For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:

   If Jordan above me shall roll,

   No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life

   Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

5. But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,

   The sky, not the grave, is our goal;

   Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!

   Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!

6. And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,

   The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

   The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

   Even so, it is well with my soul.

Mark 2: ¹⁶ And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?

¹⁷ When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

The pharisees who believed themselves to be righteousness could never recognize that they needed a savior and they were blinded always to their own need.  They could never realize that as we are told in Romans 3:⁹ What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;

¹⁰ As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

¹¹ There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God." 

How true that remains today of so many self-righteous who believe they somehow they deserve heaven because "they have lived a good life and never hurt people".  Then there are those who claim themselves children of God and spend a lifetime condemning others.  So tightly caught within the web of their own pride they fail to see the lost soul that God is reaching out to because that one doesn’t look the part to sit in our fancy church pews.  But Christ came to save those who knew they were sinners and needed a Savior.  The more I know of Him, the more unworthy I know I am; yet, He chose me, He loved me, and He saved me.  As you grow in Your Knowledge of Christ, you begin to see His magnificent Glory and His Righteousness.  When looking at a house, it may appear clean within a dim light; yet, the brighter the light, the more dust one can see.  The same is true in a man’s life.  In the dimness of the light that would be shown by other men, we may not look so bad; but in the brightness of God’s light shining around us, we are such wretched sinners.  Those who chose to remain comparing themselves by the dim light of this world can never seek Christ; because they cannot see that they need Him.  John 3: ¹⁸ He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

¹⁹ And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

²⁰ For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9Kcm2OAWNA

^{Psalm 94:}

¹⁸ When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O Lord, held me up.

¹⁹ In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.

Such a beautiful verse. When my foot slippeth, thy mercy, O Lord, held me up. It is even more significant when you look at the verses that proceed it. These two sentences come in the center of scripture which have just described man’s dilemma and God’s right for vengence against such perverse and vain hearts as are within man. Yet, this same just and righteous judge who by all rights should condemn every one of us–provided a means of mercy. Because of that salvation which God has freely given unto me through such a grave cost to Himself; when I begin to slip (as I do) I only need to cry out and His Mercy will hold me up. No matter how tumultuous are the thoughts whirling within my brain, He stretches forth to delight my soul with His comforting words so gently whispered. He draws me ever closer by His resounding love and mercy; therefore, I see His Glory shining through and know without a doubt that He is my greatest treasure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBzLOIGR7CA

^{Hebrews 4: 9} There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

¹⁰ For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

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.

Odd sentence, let us labour therefore to enter into that rest.  Labor to rest?  Perhaps in my life I have known a few people who work very hard at being lazy as though it were their job; but, I am certain that is not what this scripture refers to.  Remember the writer is speaking to the early Jewish Christians who are very familiar with their distant ancestors wandering in the wilderness for 40 years because their idleness drew them away from believing in God’s promises.  Their idleness had led to their bickering, worrying, and discontent with God.  They could not patiently, hopefully rest in the promises of God.  So this labor is referring to our diligently seeking to know Him more, to remain vigilant in prayer and to study His word so that we might know and rest in His promises.  We must cease from our own striving to do the work so that we might allow Him to work out His righteousness through us.  This is a matter of the heart and faith.  Do I truly believe that God has saved me and that He has provided for me His righteousness?  If so, then my actions will display that.  If I believe that God has conquered sin and set me free from it’s power, again I will rest in that promise and will not be burdened with fighting it in my own might-rather I will rest in Him, placing every temptation quickly at His feet.  If I believe that God has the best plan for my life, why would I ever fret or worry.  All of this is a matter of faith. I rest in His promises, if I believe He is the Creator of the Universe and that He provides for those who seek Him with all their heart.  My only labor is to continually cling to and seek to follow after Christ and His promises.  I am to continue to study His Word to show myself approved by God–because if I truly in my heart see Him as my greatest treasure; how could I do less than to seek to know Him more?.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlVibpNfK-Q