Effie Darlene Barba

 

Matthew 11: 28

²⁸Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest

Psalm 69:

²I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.

³I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.

⁴They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.

There are moments in our lives that we may stop and wonder where is that rest that God has promised.  It was such a day in December 15, 1987 when  I received the phone call from Mom that my brother Charles Allen Garner had died suddenly in a car accident.  It was a senseless accident.  There had been a huge storm which caused a huge tree to fall down across a dark and hidden country road.  The tree was in such a position among the small hills so that in the dark it could not be seen until too late.  The road crews had been out all day and they knew the tree was there but failed to put up any warnings and failed to clear the road.  Such it was in the dark of the evening, my brother coming along that road did not see the tree in time and despite his attempt to stop his truck drove into that tree.  There was a huge branch that broke through the windshield crushing across my brothers chest and into his throat pushing this 250 lb 6’3” giant of a man into the back of the truck crushing and hanging him to his death.  The news was devastating, it had been God’s grace that the week of Thanksgiving due to a botched up job by a contractor that my brother had come to spend a precious week with me.  It was that week which I drew to remember.  The time spent catching up and understanding each other once more.  A moment that I could tell him how proud I was of this teacher who had chosen a simple life so as to help the farm children to learn how to survive.  All misunderstandings were brought to light that week and now he was dead at the age of 33, hung by a tree so unsuspecting.  My life was one of sorrow for my husbands bipolar disease lead to moments of violent abuse; yet, God had asked me to remain.  That day as I told him I had to go to the funeral, my husband refused to let me take the children.  I was filled with fear to leave my children there as I made this journey; yet, I knew it was useless to continue to argue as he stood firm in his decision.  The entire way to the airport my husband told me what a useless person I was and that upon my return he wanted a divorce.  The grief of my brother’s death was drowned with the fear and the sorrow of the words shouting in my ears.  I wanted to grab my children and hold them to tell them that God would protect them; yet, I wasn’t given that chance.  I was filled with worry and pain and fear of what could be going through their little minds.  I begged God for answers as my heart was plummeting downward for the final count.  I needed strength because I could not burden my parents with the sorrows of my life at this moment of their grief.  In my weakness I wondered if it were not true that I was useless and perhaps even God saw me that way.  I was accustomed to feeling that way.  My mother was also an undiagnosed bipolar who taught the Bible through a legalistic form.  Since I seemed to always stumble no matter how hard I tried, I felt that all this pain and sorrow had to be my fault and somehow God was punishing me and could never love me despite having given me the gift of salvation.  On the plane I continued to pray, finally in the silence of only my thoughts.  That is when these words came to me in the form of a song.  They pressed in my mind and finally I wrote them down.  God was there with me and God gave me the strength to get through that week.  I saw my father’s sorrow and I held him tight.  When I returned home, my husband was in a gentler tone and did not repeat any of the words he had as I was leaving.  My children were safe and peace returned.

Let me share with you the words of that song.  Many years and sorrows would pass after this gift song and it wasn’t until about 4 or 5 years ago that God began to speak to me in the form of poetry to comfort me.  Yet, this was the first and I hope you enjoy it. 

When I First Came to Know Him
By
Effie Darlene Barba

When I first came to know him
So many years ago
I vowed that I would serve him
With heart and mind and soul
Then I found that in my strength
I would but only fail
Then He came and He told me
As we walked down life’s trail

Chorus:
I’ll be your strength when you are weary
And your hope when skies are gray
I’ll be your faith when yours is failing
And your light on each dark day
I’ll be the love your lonely heart
When it’s breaking in despair
I’ll be all in all your everything
If you look to me in prayer
 
I strove on in my strength
And strayed so very far
Until my life was broken
And sin had left it’s scar
Then I cried, Oh, my Father
How deeply I had failed
Then He came and He held me
And His love prevailed

2nd Chorus
Now He’s my  strength when I am weary
And my hope when skies are gray
He is my faith when mine is failing
And my light on each dark day
He is the love to my lonely heart
When it’s breaking  in despair
He is all in all my everything
When I look to him in prayer

Now if you have strayed from
Or never knew His love
Then turn your eyes toward Jesus
And seek Him from above
He will take all your brokeness
And fill it with Himself
He will take all your sin away
And fill each empty shelf.

3rd Chorus
He’ll be your  strength when you are weary
And your hope when skies are gray
He’ll  be your  faith when yours is failing
And your  light on each dark day
He’ll  be the love to your lonely  heart
When it’s breaking in despair
He’ll  be  all in all your everything
If you  look to Him  in prayer

Then let me leave you with a reminder of God’s promise which I have found to be true every step of my way.  He has revealed His great love for me and the true meaning of grace which  destroys the legalistic barriers to feeling His glory and joy in our lives. 

Isaiah 40:

²⁷Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God?

²⁸Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

²⁹He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

³⁰Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

³¹But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

As for Pete, my husband, God still had yet to reveal His magnificent Glory and Grace which He did before Pete’s death.  He was someone with a heart of gold trapped in the great turmoil of a bipolar mind and had suffered throughout his childhood abuse greater than I could imagine.  Yet, God wove His mighty work that this man would find Christ and now rests in his bosom.  To God be the Glory, Great things He hath done.  Let me leave you with a picture of my brother Charlie—“I love you, Charlie”   

With love,  Effie Darlene Barba

                         

Ephesians 1:

¹⁷That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

¹⁸The 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,

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

²⁰Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

²¹Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

²²And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

²³Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

 

What has changed in my life from the last blog until now?  Not really much on the physical realm.  The world continues to twirl around me.  The difference is inside of me.  I am at complete peace with  God.  My hope is in Him.  Satan is constantly trying to destroy my life’s testimony.  Yet, the exceeding power of God toward me is such that I will win in this war against Satan; even  though I may on occasion lose a battle—God has equipped me with all I need.  God gave His only Son, that the war has been completed.  He will finish His work in me.  If we go back to Habakkuk and look one more time.   God reminded Habakkuk that He was in control and though it might seem strange that God would use the very evil Babylonians to fulfill His full purpose.  This evil nation came down to conquer the Israelites.  These evil people then took the best of their youth, including Daniel.  As noted in Daniel 1:  ⁶Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:

⁷Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego

A review of the Book of Daniel would reveal that God  was fully in control and that these young men repeatedly revealed God’s Glory by their steady faith.  Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into a fiery furnace where they did not burn and Christ stood there with them.  At that point the heathen King had to acknowlege that God was mighty and powerful.  Daniel 3:

²⁸Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.

²⁹Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.

Note that  the king was ready to declare that the people allow these young men to worship their God.  He was not willing to worship God; but he did acknowledge His power.   As time went by even these events must have been forgotten as also the king had changed from Nebuchadnezzar  to Belshazzar .  Tthere came forth a decree that no one was to pray to anyone except the King himself.   Daniel continued to pray as always and therefore was thrown into the lion’s den.  Once more God’s Glory was demonstrated.  This time the king declared.  Daniel 6: ²⁶I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.

So it is very clear that God had and perfect plan that was to demonstrate His Glory and even touch a very evil nation.  Habakkuk 2:

¹³Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity?

¹⁴For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

 

So, let  the eyes of our heart be opened that we might  see fully the hope of  His calling.  That we press forward filled with this hope forever reaching and pressing forward even when the storms  of this present world surround us.  God, almighty stands upon His throne and His plan is to bring Glory to Jesus Christ and thereby fulfill His Glory through me.  The full riches of His Glory inherited through this adoption as His child.  So why fear anything.  When the eyes of our hearts are opened and the cataracts of this worlds appeal removed, then we can begin to understand the very depth of His Mighty Power toward us.  As we appreciate the power of Satan and sin in our lives then we can come to realize the Awesome power of God that indwells us  as believers to allow us to win in this war.  So I must  surgically remove the cataracts of  desires for such vanities as this world would offer that I might continually seek His face and look fully into His Face of Glory with eyes that savor the beauty of all that He is.  When I do this I am filled with joy in the midst of sorrowful world, hope when disaster surrounds, and peace in the center of turmoil.  God is in Control. 

I had the wondrous opportunity to listen to an incredible sermon  by John Piper who God  has truly placed as my mentor on this earth, I hope to share this with you..  Just follow this link.   Love, Effie Darlene Barba

 

http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/the-immeasurable-greatness-of-his-power-toward-us#/watch/full

Habakkuk 1 King James Version

¹The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.

²O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!

³Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.

⁴Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.

 

In the New Living Translation

² How long, O Lord, must I call for help?
      But you do not listen!
   “Violence is everywhere!” I cry,
      but you do not come to save.
³ Must I forever see these evil deeds?
      Why must I watch all this misery?
   Wherever I look,
      I see destruction and violence.
   I am surrounded by people
      who love to argue and fight.
⁴ The law has become paralyzed,
      and there is no justice in the courts.
   The wicked far outnumber the righteous,
      so that justice has become perverted.

 

Per haps this week I have felt much like the prophet .  It seems that twirling around me is constant anger and despair.  I struggle to see and understand God’s plan.  I must stretch to remember that we are admonished to not grow weary in doing good.  Still, perhaps it is the fatigue from returning to work so soon after surgery (should have taken off a minimum of 6 to 8 weeks) or perhaps it is that I am surrounded by so many who say they appreciate all that I do for them while actions are completely lacking.  You see I am accustomed to my mother  not helping any, after all, at this point her arthritis and years of inactivity plus her bipolar disease does limit her ability to help.  Still, I pay someone to come in and help because she insists they help her mental health; however, more and more I pay with almost nothing being done to help the house.  Perhaps if God would bless me with winning the lottery or miraculously sell my books; then I wouldn’t worry about pouring out money.  Instead for some reason, God has allowed one of my more lucrative side  jobs to cease and my income will suddenly plummet by  very soon unless God steps in with a replacement .   Meanwhile, I thought God had prompted me to help my deceased friend’s daughter by letting her live here free while she goes to school.  She does work as well.  My request was in return for rent, clean house; but alas once more I come in from my three jobs to find nothing cleaned, nothing mopped and in fact my garbage can rotting from food and garbage that was not bagged before being thrown in which the lid was left off and rain half filled the can.   I cleaned out the trash and asked that she wash the can two weeks ago and to date it hasn’t even been washed.  Meanwhile, she says “ just let me know if I can help or bring something from the grocery;” yet, if I ask—she is either sleeping or upset.  Three times I asked for 1/2 gallon of milk and three times no milk was brought home and I had to go after it.   So I quit asking.  She complains about how horrible she has it because she cannot take food and water onto the new carpet in her  bedroom and mom complains about her  until my head is spinning between the text messages from one and the words from the other.   How am I helping any of these people either by getting frustrated or by keeping silent?  Can you teach people to appreciate anything or has this world reached the point that everyone is a taker and no one responds with a giving or gentle spirit.  Is everyone so caught up with themselves that they cannot see beyond their own face?   Still, I look at my own children and know that they are different and display Christ in their actions and attitudes.  Oh, how I miss being near them and a grain of sanity near me instead of this house of self centered people that I am supporting.    I know that it sounds like I am being very picky and very un Christ like despite all that I have said and all the wondrous poetry and books He has given me the opportunity to write.  So I will sit in this moment and ask Him to please reveal to me what He wants me to do.  It is moments like this, when turmoil surrounds my head, that  I know He has a new plan with perhaps a different direction in mind and I need to just sit still until He reveals it to me.   The song right or left at oak street keeps playing in my head and a part of me wants to just disappear.; but instead I know I must just sit still and wait for Him All I want is some time alone with my Savior for I have so learned that there is where peace and joy are.  Sometimes, because of all the wondrous things God has given me or provided for me; I don’t want to tell you about my fears, or my frustrations; but today for some reason I must.  Maybe, I need to let you know that it is ok not to always have the answer and it is ok not to always be strong because God has taken the weak and the foolish and He has used them for His Glory. 

Let’s get back to Habakkuk.   God’s answer to Habakkuk was that it was going to get worse; but to remember God is in Control and is on His Throne.  All of this pain and suffering is with a purpose that is to bring good.  All I must do is wait and like Habakkuk realize that  all of this little stuff  is so unimportant  in the big scheme of things and that He will strengthen me to do whatever work He has before me.  He will reveal that work to me when He is ready and the bridges are lead to move forward.  I must wait patiently and silently before Him.   Then I will truly pray like Habakkuk  3 New Living Translation

² I have heard all about you, Lord.
      I am filled with awe by your amazing works.
   In this time of our deep need,
      help us again as you did in years gone by.
   And in your anger,
      remember your mercy.

¹⁷ Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,
      and there are no grapes on the vines;
   even though the olive crop fails,
      and the fields lie empty and barren;
   even though the flocks die in the fields,
      and the cattle barns are empty,
¹⁸ yet I will rejoice in the Lord!
      I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!
¹⁹ The Sovereign Lord is my strength!
      He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
      able to tread upon the heights.

 

Funny, that this turmoil comes closely on the heals of completing the writing of “A Broken and Contrite Heart”.  I wish I could publish it tomorrow, but God will provide the way when He is ready.  I know this and I do trust Him even in the darkest of storms.  Last week He requested a special donation and I said “I do need to pay this bill”; but I sent Him as He asked and I know He’s got my back all the way as He has every other time in the past.  Let me share with you a song written by William Cowper.  William Cowper was plagued with intermittent bouts of deep depression and an opium addiction; yet, how God used him to abolish the slave trade in the English Parliament and to write such incredible hymns as the one that follows.  It is with great excitement I found the following YouTube production that touched my heart. and calmed my spirit as only God can do.   How beautifully the words were displayed with the music by  George Winston – Variations on the Kanon by Pachelbel

 

 

 

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.
…Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.
His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.
Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain

                                                                                                       Love,

                                                                                                 Effie Darlene Barba

Chapter 10 The Grace in Which we Stand

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

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

Within the recesses of this verse is the key to getting off the rollercoaster of Christian living. It holds the power that we need to stand firm, never wavering with our roots dug deep, unshakeable no matter what the hurricane that surrounds us. How could I possibly say that these two little verses can hold such power over sin? Let me help you to understand by carefully dissecting this out for you. Oh, that God give me the wisdom and the words to make this truth real to you so that it may transform your life forever.

“Therefore being justified by faith” begins these two verses. Wherever there is a therefore, we need to look to what has been said before since the basis of this statement comes as a direct inevitable conclusion to what has already been said. Paul in the chapters 1 through 4 has laid out in great detail man’s dilemma as a sinner with no means of earning merit by his own works. He demonstrates God’s absolute justice and wrath against sin. Carefully, He lays out God’s plan of redemption by Jesus Christ receiving on Himself God’s full fury for our sins; thus, paying our penalty once and forever by His death on the cross with separation from God the Father for a time. He then rises from the dead, victorious against Satan and all his armies to be lifted up next to the Father full of GLORY and HONOR and Dominion. He provided a way that unrighteous man might gain His righteousness and share in His Glory through faith in Him. Because of all this work being performed by the Creator of the entire Universe we may be justified by faith. Imagine He who spoke all the Galaxies into being came to earth, suffered and died that we tiny flecks of dust, so unworthy and ungrateful, might share in His full Glory one day. This is so big that it is difficult for us to even wrap our minds around such truth-it is too big for us. Yet, because of this we are declared just and righteous before Him, not because of anything we have done, but because of everything He has done. Our only act, is to see His Glory, to believe that He is and by faith accept this wondrous gift that He has given. There is no room for self-pride in our adoption as His child, only awe that He would choose me with all my flaws. “Therefore, because of all of this redemptive work completed by God we are justified (declared innocent or guiltless; absolved; acquitted) by faith in the one who paid our price for sin to the only true Just and Righteous Judge-God.

By faith in Jesus Christ and through His power and might, we “have peace with God.” His entire just wrath against sin has been satisfied by the atonement of His son, so that we might enjoy peaceful, joyful communion with God. Instead of the wrath we would deserve, we now have His full blessing. Jeremiah 29: “¹¹For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. ¹²Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you” By the justification of Jesus Christ, we are moved into the position of being sons and joint heirs with Christ of everything He has. Romans Chapter 8 tells us “¹⁴For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. ¹⁵For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. ¹⁶The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: ¹⁷And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” As part of this package of peace we have been provided with the Holy Spirit who reminds us of this promise of peace. Christ promised this peace in John 14: “²⁶But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. ²⁷Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. ²⁸Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I

Through Jesus Christ “we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand.” Please listen very closely to this. By faith in Jesus Christ we have access into grace which is the force that makes us stand firmly in our Christian walk and reconfirms and circles back to fill our faith which opens our eyes more fully to Grace that holds us firm in the palm of His hand. Mercy does not give us what we deserve (death, wrath and penalty). Grace gives us what we do not deserve which is God’s unmerited favor toward us. Grace which holds us up is based on the power and might of God; not by my power at all. Over and over God tells us that whosoever comes to Christ will be transformed into the image of Christ. This is found both in Romans 8: 28-29 and II Corinthians 3: 17-18. He confirms this as His work through the Holy Spirit. Having been saved by Jesus Christ and His power, it does not then change that I keep myself through works of my own. Do not get me wrong here. I am not saying then to run after sin so that God’s grace might be magnified. There are two major problems with that idea. First, if you are never longing after Him then I would wonder whether you had ever seen Him through the eyes of saving faith. Second, since He has confirmed that He will complete the work; He will use however much fire and chipping needed to mold you into Christ’s image. I certainly do not want to be the child molded into obedience, kicking and screaming all the way. There is another important point to it being Grace that sustains us. If you indeed are seeking after Christ, then stop worrying so much about yourself and your failed attempts to follow. Again, He will complete the work and we are held by His strength, not our own. We need to rest and relax in that promise. He made a new covenant which He will not break to each and every person who accepts Christ as their Savior.

This covenant is recorded in Hebrews 10¹⁰By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. ¹¹And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: ¹²But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; ¹³From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.  ¹⁴For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. ¹⁵Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, ¹⁶This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 17And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. ¹⁸Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. ¹⁹Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; ²¹And having an high priest over the house of God; ²²Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. ²³Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)” WOW!! Christ paid the price once and for all so that we may enter in boldly to the throne of God. He commands us to hold fast the profession of our faith not because we are faithful but God is faithful who has made this promise to us. Our righteousness is held tight by the power of God who cannot and will not deny himself. So what about those moments that your faith may waiver? He still holds us. 2 Timothy 2: ^13”If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.” Guilt and shame which continues with us after we have turned it over to God is our way of saying that Christ is not enough. Can we raise ourselves to such levels as to say I am too holy to forgive myself when God has forgiven us? Read Romans 8: “31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?  ³²He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? ³³Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. ³⁴Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” I do not have the right to condemn even myself once I have laid my sin at the feet of Christ. I am to confess my sin, then get up with my focus ever more fixed on my Gracious Savior and march forward with Him, “the author and the finisher of my faith” as quoted from Hebrews 12: ¹Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,  ²Looking 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. ³For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. ⁴Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.”

Our ability to Stand Firm is based wholly upon Grace. By that I do not wish you to imagine something soft and fragile; but rather this comes with the Mighty Power of A God who spoke the Galaxies into being with one breath. Grace reigns through Jesus with Power, Authority and Dominion over the entire Universe. That is the power that makes you stand and keeps you standing, and stand you will even in your weakest moments because God Himself is holding you there. Romans 14: “⁴Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.”

Because of all of this, “rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Would there be any reason left not to be joyous. He saved me, He sealed me and He will finish the work of transforming me into the image of Christ. I must rejoice in the hope that I will look like Christ. Maybe not today, but I will one day look like Him in all His Glory. That hope should be enough to keep me rejoicing through whatever trial or tribulation may come my way; knowing that God is working out my perfecting and He only has my best interest at heart. Our faith which is anchored in Jesus Christ is not only for what He has already done but that this Sovereign, Omnipotent, Omniscient Savior is steady about the work of imparting His Glory to me. I see glimpses of that Glory, little changes and transformations that are forever presenting themselves in me. I, like Paul, have not yet obtained it; yet, I look more like Him today than I did 10 years ago or 20 years ago. He will complete the work He started in me by His power and might, Hallelujah, Amen. Our Faith is anchored in Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. His promises remain steady and sure; therefore, our faith is not grounded and supported by yesterday only; but sustained through today and creates steady hoping for tomorrow, joyfully awaiting the grace that will come in the future. Knowing this stabilizes us and removes that rollercoaster from our Christian Walk.

The Grace in Which I Stand

Oh feeble heart, Oh fragile soul

Where is the hope on which you hold

With all the failures of your past

Where is the faith to make you bold

Where is the faith to make you bold

 

There was a King though blameless He

That came to pay my penalty

And in that act He set me free

To follow Him in liberty

To follow Him in liberty

 

It is His love that drew me out

And in His Grace I shall not doubt

That He who started this work in me

Will finish it with a Glorious Shout

Will finish it with a Glorious Shout

 

One day the finished work be done

That I might look then like God’s son

Sifted, shined just like pure Gold

As Glory shines forth, Glorious One

As Glory shines forth, Glorious One

 

And in this hope my faith conformed

I know my life will be transformed

I stand upon this future grace

So for His work my passion warmed

So for His work my passion warmed

 

So in this faith I firmly stand

That formed in me as God had planned

No force on earth can shake me free

My future held by God’s great hand

My future held by God’s great hand.

 

My life-so filled with hopes and dreams

Lay shattered at Your feet

So many tears, so many pains

I’d laid before Thy seat

Can I look upon Your face of love

And question what You’ve done?

For You have been my only hope

My only morning sun

You’ve seen my heart when crushed with pain

Your hands have held it tight

When I have been so weak, so frail

You’ve shown Your strength, Your might

You’ve held me close within Your arms

When darkness filled my night

And when I could not see my way

Your eyes, they gave me sight

I lay my life within Your hands

That You may heal my soul

And keep my eyes upon You Lord

That I may reach Your goal

Shine forth Thy grace, Thy mercy Lord

And let me be Thy light

That all may see Your eyes of love

The blind, they might have sight

Let not the sorrows, nor the pains

Bring bitterness within

And give me strength to walk this path

Protect my heart from sin

I lay my heart, my soul, my dreams

Before Thy throne of love

I lift my eyes to You, My God

And seek Your will above

Thou art the only one I need

To fill my heart with glee

It is Your face, my one true love

Tis all I need to see

So lift me up and hold me close

Reveal Thy love divine

That through the holes within my heart

A world might see You shine

And if the sorrows of my past

Can touch a wayward one

I thank you Lord for each dark path

That lead them to Your son

I praise You now from mountains high

For each dark path I’ve trod

Twas there I found Your heart, Your love

Twas there I found You God

What great and wondrous joy I know

Because You are my king

And though the path I cannot see

My heart will trust and sin

A song of praise unto You Lord

Who knows what’s best for me

You’ll hold my hand and lead me on

In darkness, I can see

Your love, Your help, Your guiding hand

Is all I’ll ever need

So hold me close unto Your path

For this is all I plead

I’ll skip with joy along this path

Though darkness may surround

Because I know You hold my hand

My feet will e’er touch ground

I cannot fall outside Your love

I cannot lose my way

I’ll hold my broken dreams once more

And see them real, one day

A song of praise unto You Lord

Who knows what’s best for me

You’ll hold my hand and lead me on

In darkness, I can see

Your love, Your help, Your guiding hand

Is all I’ll ever need

So hold me close unto Your path

For this is all I plead

 

Love Effie Darlene Barba