Effie Darlene Barba

In our study of Proverbs, we come to chapters 25 to 29.   The beginning of this section of Proverbs reads: “These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied” (Proverbs 25:1).  Knowing that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16), I wondered why this notation was important.  So, I went in search of those scripture which could tell me more about King Hezekiah.  What I found was that he was a man who obeyed God.  “For he held fast to the Lord: he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses” (2 Kings 18:6). The result? “⁷ The Lord was with him; he prospered wherever he went.” (2 Kings 18:7).

Perhaps that is why we should look closely at which Proverbs of Solomon were dear to him.  Oh, perhaps you would think, after all he was King of God’s chosen people, what could go wrong?  Well, if you think that, you have forgotten the history of “God’s people” who constantly rebelled, chased after idols, and were like lost sheep who could never find their way.  Furthermore, he became King over an exceedingly small nation surrounded by large powerful nations.  His father and grandfather had been very wicked kings, promoting idolatry, making foolish treaties with evil empires, and paying for the treaties with all the money while impoverishing their people.

So, one might think he would be popular among the people?  Well, not so much.  They had grown accustomed to worshipping other gods, desiring the idols and their own sin.  Here came King Hezekiah to tear down all the altars, restore the temple, and to defy the purchased allies.

So, What Happened Next?

Continue reading “Why is Obeying God so Important?”

We looked at how “the name of the Lord is our strong tower, the righteous run to it and are safe” Proverbs 18:10.  Yet, there was one other concept we did not fully explore and that is “friend”.   Some would object to our referring to God as our friend, as though that might cheapen the idea of His authority over us.  But let me explain from scripture why I believe we are to call Him friend and we are to be a friend of Jesus.  This can only be true if we consider Him the wise, all knowing friend, whom we feel so honored to know.  Could it be possible that we are His chosen children and not also be His friend?

 

If we find the concept of God as friend foreign to our thinking, then perhaps we do not fully comprehend the idea of a true friend.   A true friend desires and seeks the best of their friend, is willing to be honest even if it hurts, and are willing to lay down their life to save their friend.  Furthermore, they so desire that others might see you as they do, someone worthy to be cherished and adored.  Do you know have any friends like that?  Are you that kind of friend? Or particularly are you that kind of friend to Jesus?

Proverbs 18:24 reads in the amplified version:

Continue reading “Are You Truly a Friend of God? If so, How?”

Proverbs 18:^{10 and 24} The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are ^[e]safe…there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Is that not what we need? Particularly now when all around us is fear, chaos, and destruction.  Oh how we need a strong tower to run to and a loyal friend who will never leave us.

But what do we mean by strong tower?  A place of refuge where safety is found.  Our hiding place from the storms of life.  If we turn to Judges 9:50 we read of the story of Abimelech, King of Israel.  Abimelech was one of Gideon’s sons who decided to take over the kingdom by killing all his half-brothers and forcefully taking rule.  When civil war broke out, Abimelech decided to go to Thebez.

 

Judges 9:50

Continue reading “Why Run to Jesus?  He IS the Strong tower”

In a world so filled with chaos and despair, we long for a joy that holds fast.  Not some frivolous counterfeit joy; but true joy that is abiding and steadfast.  That joy can only be found in the name of Jesus.  For only in Him do we have security, hope, and being.  Without Him we are nothingness longing to be found, shooting arrows into the darkness while praying for light.  How complex and difficult this life is until we turn to Him.  He has been seeking you, calling you from the day you were born.  Willingly He left His throne to walk among us and to die to pay the price of our sins, to break the chains that bind us, and to offer us eternal life with Him.

Psalm 63:1-8

O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;

² To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.

³ Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.

⁴ Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.

⁵ My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:

⁶ When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.

⁷ Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.

⁸ My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.

There is Joy in the Name of Jesus

John 17 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:

² As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

³ And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

⁴ I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

⁵ And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was…

¹³ And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves…

¹⁷ Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth…

²² And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

²³ I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

²⁴ Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

 

Fountains of Joy To Quench Each Fire

(There is Joy in the Name of Jesus)

I come to pray dawn’s early hour

That I might seek Your strength, Your power

Prepare my soul to battle sin

The fears, the doubts that rise within

I do renounce my foolish pride

That in Your Glorious love abide

Chorus:

Oh, Lord; I long to see Your face

The wondrous beauty of Your Grace

It is Your love that draws me near

Your Joy that lifts my heart with cheer

Fountains of joy to quench each fire

Until You are my one desire

As I go about my day

How oft I then must stop to pray

A whisper here or whisper there

Your Holy presence rich and fair

Is always there to hear my sigh

To guide my way, my needs supply

Chorus:

Oh, Lord; I long to see Your face

The wondrous beauty of Your Grace

It is Your love that draws me near

Your Joy that lifts my heart with cheer

Fountains of joy to quench each fire

Until You are my one desire

Then as the day draws near it’s end

I turn to God, my dearest friend

To tell Him of life’s ups and downs

Of all the laughter and the frowns

I fall asleep there in His arms

Safe, secure from all life’s harms

Chorus:

Oh, Lord; I long to see Your face

The wondrous beauty of Your Grace

It is Your love that draws me near

Your Joy that lifts my heart with cheer

Fountains of joy to quench each fire

Until You are my one desire

Concluding Thoughts:

Do you desire to know true Joy?  If so, know this:  there is joy in the name of Jesus and no where else can you find such joy to satisfy the longings of your weary heart.  Just call out His name, seek His face, look to the cross and bow before His throne of grace.  There you will find that there is true, abounding, steadfast, always abiding joy in the name of Jesus.

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD?

If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you to go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.

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Previously

Can Freedom Really be Freedom without Virtue and Faith?

Disclosures

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2020
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Credits

When this country was first formed as an experiment as a democratic republic, it was unknown if the people could maintain it.  For freedom is a fragile thing, dependent upon truth, virtue, and even faith.  But for truth, faith, and virtue to stand one must also have freedom.  Was everything perfect as the initial colonies began this new form of government by the people?  Certainly not!  But the genius of our constitution was just this, it was a promissory note that could be cashed in as the people grew in their strength and ability to live out this freedom they were given.  A covenant of sort.  Everything to later abolish slavery was already written in the original documents, just waiting for a time for it to become reality.

There in the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence was this promise.   “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.– That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

Governments deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.  Therein lies the dilemma. Can mankind ever govern, maintaining the freedom of a republic such as ours without virtue and faith?  And can this “Golden Triangle” as referred to by Os Guinness ever stand without first holding fast to truth?

America was founded on principles only before seen in the Christian/Judeo systems.  Where God called forth liberty and freedom from the bondage of sin; but not to use that freedom to harm or perform evil.  He called forth a people from the bondage of sin to a righteous life instead.

Can Freedom really be freedom without Virtue and faith?

Continue reading “Can Freedom Really be Freedom without Virtue and Faith?”