Effie Darlene Barba

 

^{Luke 19: 41}And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,

⁴²Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.

John 11 ³⁵Jesus wept

 

Jesus wept when He arrived at the tomb of Lazurus—He came with a great and wondrous gift.  He knew that He came to raise Him from the dead and yet no one understood that He was coming with the greatest gift of all—life.  How could these who knew Him so intimately not understand that He was life.  So He wept that they did not get it.  The same as He weeps for all of us His followers when we just do not get it.  We go on about our day filled with life’s worries and cares and just don’t get it He is all we need.  How many times in my lifetime did Christ weep over my doubts and lack of faith. Oh, this my prayer is that never again do I want to know that I have caused Him even one more tear. 

He wept again over those who would reject Him.  He was on His way to Jerusalem to die and  become ULTIMATELY WORTHY of all our praise.  He had come with eternal life, joy, peace, heirship, and constant communion with God.  He sacrificed everything that this world might have everything- yet, they continue to reject Him.  As He gently stands before you with His hand out stretched to offer you His righteousness to replace your sin, His glory to replace your shame, his hope to replace your despair; He continues to weep each time you reject Him.  Would you come and answer this His call to you?

A friend sent me this video and I want to share it with you as it touched my heart, I pray it does yours

                                            Love,   Effie Darlene Barba

 

 

^{II Corinthians 4: 5}For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. ⁶For 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. ⁷But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

 

The work of our salvation, justification, sanctification, and glorification is a work of God and He only can change this dark heart that searches for vain self glory at times.  What an incredible thing that even this my Christian walk has little to do with me.  Most of this my Christian walk I have strived to work toward pleasing Him, thinking that there was something I could do for Him.  He who is King of this universe, needs nothing of man. In the frailty of this earthen vessel the only thing left is that I might see His glory and savor that in my heart—seeking to see Him fully.  Even that is purely His work.  It was God who commanded that the “light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ: “shine out of darkness into the darkness of my heart.  He called me into His own and from the moment I accepted Christ as my Savior He sat about performing the work of transforming me into His image.  Sometimes this journey has led me through great sorrow or pain, all ordained by His Hand of love.  The work of transforming a selfish vile heart into one of service, love, and glory would seem so impossible—yet, the creator of this whole universe loved me so much that He would spend His energy and time in this transforming work.  He knows that by nature I and this human race seek to find self glorification or pride so He even allowed my failures that I might erase all pride.  I use to wonder why it would me that I would want so badly to please Him only to find that I had stumbled and fallen once more.  Yet He guides each step of my path.  He does not ordain sin and I do not wish for you to think lightly of it, nor do I.  Yet, He said in Romans 8: “²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. ²⁹ For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. ³⁰ Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”   How then does this fragile earthen vessel ever reach glorification?  It is a step by step process—His work and only His.  II Corinthians 3:” ¹⁶ Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. ¹⁷ Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. ¹⁸ But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”   He sets about to transform me step by step, glory to glory (little steps, little changes).  Yet, even the revelation of Christ’s glory to this darkened heart is His working in me.  Such patience He has demonstrated in this wayward heart.  The very depth of that kind of love draws me to want nothing except Him and to as Paul in Galatians 6: ¹⁴But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

When you begin to understand this, everything changes.  The struggling stops, all fear dissipates into joy.  Even those trials that are a part of our daily lives here when viewed as part of God’s plan in that transformation are welcomed.  We must keep focused on the glory He wants to reveal in us.

Romans 8

¹⁸ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. ¹⁹ For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. ²⁰ For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; ²¹ because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. ²² For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. ²³ Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. ²⁴ For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. 

There is an urgency in me that wants to spread this truth to a world so covered with pain and suffering.  He is the only hope.  Only He can spread this light of joy, peace, and hope.  Even if He gave me nothing, even if salvation were not available, He is so worthy of my praise that I must go forth telling of His Glory.  Have you seen Him is all His Glory, if not ask that God remove the veil from your darkened heart that He might shine forth His Glory into your heart.

The other morning as I needed to leave for work I had to stop and write these words down before they disappeared from my brain.  God knew I needed hope for that day.

Glory to Glory

Glory to Glory, my life now defined

Boughten, redeemed by Your love divine

Transforming my life by Your joy sublime

Laying my life down, I give you my time

To seek your full Glory, all else I resign.

 

Undeserving I be, now my sins You erase

Let me lay down my life for my cross to embrace

What else could I seek but Your glorious face

Right there beside me each step of this race

It is Your joy, Your peace, Your mercy, grace

 

Love, Effie Darlene Barba

Zak  came into my mother and my life during a time period that was very tough.  Perhaps, we had each gotten lost in our own thoughts.  Mom needed to find her worth and I was unable to fulfill that need.  Zak brought back joy into her life, something she had lost along the way.  I was very busy providing for our household, so busy that I hardly had time to notice.  I gave up trying to get mom back into life because she had given up and my attempts were ignored until finally, I just went on about providing needs without noticing that what she most needed was attention.  Zak gave her that and gave her a new will to live rather than just exist.  Everyone needs to feel that someone really cares.  He also gave so much to my world by fixing those things that were broken and those things that needed to be done.  He became a part of our life.  He designed this website and that is something I could never thank him enough for.  Yet, life turns and he has been called away to help a dear friend of his in a time of great need.  God has a perfect plan and brings those people into our lives that are needed at that moment and that time.  Mom and I worked through many emotional problems that had stood between us.  I learned to accept and even enjoy our differences.  It reminds me of a poem I wrote a long time ago when God sent someone to just talk to me in a moment when I felt very down about myself so I wish to share that now and say Thank you so much Zak for all you have done.

 

Angel Unaware

I met a man the other day

And little did I know

He’d touch my heart is such a way

That reached my very soul

His glasses lay upon his face

Such sculptured beauty there

The gentle kindness of his smile

The softness in his hair

I listened as he spoke that day

His words so kind and strong

He kindled deep within my heart

His knowledge I did long

The candlelight of hope in me

Had grown so very dim

And now it flamed to brighter light

As I listened there to him

I knew that God had sent Him there

What wonder could this be?

His spirit mirrored a part of me

In perfect symmetry

Our paths would cross, a moment’s time

And go their separate ways

Yet change our lives and lift our hearts

In such a few short days

If on this road of life you walk

You meet a stranger there

Reach out your hand of help to meet

An angel unaware

 

Thank you Zak for all you have done and remember you have touched our hearts and changed them.  May God lead you all the way and fill your heart with peace and joy.  He is all that we need in this troubled world.                    Love, Effie Darlene Barba

^{John 17: 20} “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; ²¹ that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. ²² And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: ²³ I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. ²⁴ “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. ²⁵ O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. ²⁶ And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

 

Stop for just one moment and drink in all the beauty of this scripture, revel in it and savor every morsel of truth. 

First, note that this is  a prayer by Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane.   He is heading to the cross where He is about to take on all the guilt, the shame, and the punishment for my sin and yours.  God, who can not  look upon sin, will turn His back upon Him with a wrenching pain that we cannot even imagine.  He, who knew no sin, was on the road to Calvary to be  my sin bearer.  The King of Kings, the Lord of Lords in His most desperate moment of pain; knowing what He would face, prayed for me. My great high priest pleaded for me and continues to plead for me. 

More than that, look at this incredible prayer.  He asked that I might be united in Him and the Father in the same manner that He is united with the Father.  Think about this, united in Spirit and Communion with God just as Christ is—this is His plead for me?  Me with all my vain desires and stumbling of feet united as one with Christ – what a thought!!!  Beyond that He says “And the glory which You gave Me I have given them”  He has given me His glory?  When I gaze upon Him in all His Magnificent Glory—high and risen up- this Prince of all ages; it is nearly unimaginable that He shares that Glory with me.  Who am I that He who created the entire universe would love me so much.  He desires that I know and understand that  God loved me with that same love as He has for His Son.    There it is that is exactly what verse 23 says.  We still cannot grasp the full magnitude of this unless we fully behold His Glory and the depth of love the Father has for Him, so He even pleads that we may be given this vision.  Just as declared in II Corinthians 3:¹⁶ Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. ¹⁷ Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. ¹⁸ But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 

He is the one who removes that veil of blindness that this human  heart has and step by step reveals that Glory which is too great for me to even comprehend without the work of the Holy Spirit.  As He reveals the greatness of His Glory He sets about to transform me into that same image of Glory which is His so I might go forth and show forth to a dying world His Love, His Joy, His Hope, and His Glory.  How can I do any less than just that !!  The cares of this world fade to dimness in the light of His Glory.  Is there any hardship or pain to great to endure for this High Priest?  Is there any shore to distant to walk for Him?  He is right there with me each and every step of the way pleading for my understanding.  Whatever befalls my life, I will follow Him, my Shepherd and Savior.  The amazing thing is when standing in His presence those things that people consider as suffering no longer even feels burdensome.  His overwhelming Joy fills my heart and His perfect peace fills my soul driving out all sorrow and fear.  It is a very foolish thing indeed to not make seeking Him the number one priority of one’s life. 

My one question is “Do You Know and Believe in Him?”   This prayer was for all “those who will believe in Me (Christ)  through their word (the teaching of the disciples-The Bible)”  It is my earnest desire that if you do not know Him—seek Him. For those who do know Him, I desire that you understand the depth of these truths.  His love for me and You was never dependent on us; rather it is dependent on my great Savior, Friend, and High Priest—Jesus Christ.

 

                                                                                      Love, Effie Darlene Barba

^{Romans 5 1} Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Christ in Our Place

⁶ For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. ¹⁰ For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. ¹¹ And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Death in Adam, Life in Christ

¹² Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— ¹³ (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. ¹⁴ Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. ¹⁵ But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. ¹⁶ And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. ¹⁷ For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
¹⁸ Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. ¹⁹ For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.
²⁰ Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, ²¹ so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

I have had several friends facing extreme sorrow lately and in my work I see devastating diagnosis with pain and suffering. Other friends are in situations that make them feel so unworthy as humans that they don’t know how to face themselves each day. Financially, each month I stand and wonder how can I meet all the financial obligations before me.  My heart bleeds for those in desperate need and I wonder if there is any time or resources left to reach out and help?  So wherein lies this hope that awakens me each morning and calls me to arise?  Where can faith live in the midst of all of this devastation in this world? 

Perhaps this is the key to this truth  As we read Romans 5 there are many truths that ring forth.  Our hope is not in or of this world.  Christ died that we might have His righteousness—the great exchange He took my sins and gave me His righteousness.  When we grasp the magnitude of this truth, our life is changed.  Our love for Him can’t help but grow that He becomes all that we seek and hope for.  He takes our sorrow and gives us His joy to spread forth to the world around us.  He takes our fears and gives us His peace.  He takes our guilt and gives us His love even for ourselves.  I am worthy because my name is written on His heart, my name is graven in His hands of love.  When Satan would try to destroy me with my own guilt, I must only stand firm in this grace that holds me tightly.  I have a great High Priest that always pleads for me before God.  All the cares of this world fade into nothingness in the presence of Christ’s love.  I want to share with you one of my favorite hymns written by Fanny Jane Crosby.  

Fanny Cros­by was prob­ab­ly the most pro­lif­ic hymn­ist in his­to­ry. Though blind­ed by an in­com­pe­tent doc­tor at six weeks of age, she wrote over 8,000 hymns. About her blind­ness, she said:

“It seemed in­tend­ed by the bless­ed prov­i­dence of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank him for the dis­pen­sa­tion. If per­fect earth­ly sight were of­fered me to­mor­row I would not ac­cept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been dis­tract­ed by the beau­ti­ful and in­ter­est­ing things about me”

 

All the way my Savior leads me,
What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt His tender mercy,
Who through life has been my Guide?
Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort,
Here by faith in Him to dwell!
For I know, whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well;
For I know, whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well.

All the way my Savior leads me,
Cheers each winding path I tread,
Gives me grace for every trial,
Feeds me with the living Bread.
Though my weary steps may falter
And my soul athirst may be,
Gushing from the Rock before me,
Lo! A spring of joy I see;
Gushing from the Rock before me,
Lo! A spring of joy I see.

All the way my Savior leads me,
Oh, the fullness of His love!
Perfect rest to me is promised
In my Father’s house above.
When my spirit, clothed immortal,
Wings its flight to realms of day
This my song through endless ages:
Jesus led me all the way;
This my song through endless ages:
Jesus led me all the way.

 

This is my prayer each morning  and I hope it brings you the peace that it brings me.  He is all I seek and savor His presence His hope, His joy, His peace.

                                                                         Love,   Effie Darlene Barba