Effie Darlene Barba

As we journey through our life on earth, we find ourselves often in the wilderness.  That place where the complexities of life don’t make sense.  The center between where we were and where we are going.  There, our hearts yearn for more.  Desiring love to battle against loneliness.  Fighting the darkness within our minds.  Reaching out, we grasp hold of what we might think brings happiness, only to discover a different pain as we lose ourselves into the unknown.  Reasoning and rationality fall apart.  The wilderness looms around us as we have no idea what is the next step we are to take.  The familiar past is gone, and we need direction. As our heart aches and fear enters, we tremble with anticipation but of what? So, here we begin, as an entire nation in the book of Numbers learns lessons from God in the wilderness.

Led by Moses, the children of Israel left Egypt where they had resided for 400 years.  What a spectacular Exodus it had been!  They were headed to the Promised Land.  Along the way, the people grew restless and murmured against God.  How quickly they forgot what God had done. Yet, God provided all they needed. When they came to Mount Sinai, Moses went up to the mountain top to meet with God.  There he received the covenant of God including the Ten Commandments and rules on how to live both as a family and a society.  The people saw God’s presence on the mountain as a cloud filled with thundering and lightening.  When Moses returned, they accept God’s covenant, promising to love God with all their heart, mind and strength.  Never to put another God before Him. Joyous for God’s presence they were happy.

In the Wilderness

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Paul arrived into Rome where he was bound by chains, prisoner in a home.  Shackled to a guard, he was allowed visitors. Although he could not go out in the streets.  There it was, he called to himself the Jews of the area.  He so wanted them to know Jesus.  Yes, his ministry had been among the gentiles primarily.  However, his heart bled for the Jews.  Despite their attempts to kill him in Jerusalem, he fearlessly called the Jews of this area.  Then he said, “For the hope of Israel, I am bound with this chain”.  Bound by chains because he knew the one hope of the world, Jesus Christ.  Furthermore, he was bound by chains because his heart bled for Israel that they too might know the one hope.  Then, they would also know why the gospel message was for all people.

Am I bound by chains with passion to the one hope?  Do I truly love God with all my heart, my strength, and my mind?  What would my life look like if I did?  Paul never missed an opportunity to tell others about Jesus.  He marched straight into danger, driven by his passion for the lost.  Without Jesus Christ, all of humanity is lost with no hope of salvation.  Their eternity forever separated from God, tormented in hell.  The lifetime on earth that we live is a split second compared to eternity.  How can not be bound by chains of love to ministering to all we meet, regardless of the cost.  For Jesus Christ is the one hope, the only hope for the lost of the world.

Bound by Chains to the One Hope

So easily in the storms, my mind and heart lose focus of this one thing.  Why is it that I can be so easily distracted from this truth?  Ah, we are fighting a battle against our own flesh and against the demons, principalities and darkness of this world.  Satan wants to chain us to the cares and worries of this world, stealing from us the joy of our salvation.  Thusly we turn our hearts away from the one hope and fail to tell others of Jesus.  Truth is our hearts are either bound by chains to the world or to God.  So, once more I must ask the question—what would my life or yours look like if truly we loved God with all our hearts, our minds, and our strength?

[bctt tweet=”God, I ask you bind my heart With chains of love for you That I might never try to depart There bound! Your will alone I do pursue” username=”effiedarlene”]

[bctt tweet=”Oh, let my heart be bound by chains to the only hope Jesus Christ. So tightly bound heart to heart that my lips are compelled to always proclaim His name to everyone I meet.” username=”effiedarlene”]

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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5 Keys to Surviving the Relentless Storms of Life

Why Is “Almost” the Same Devastating Loss as “No Way”?

 

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©Effie Darlene Barba, 2019
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If there is one thing for certain in this life, there will always be a barrage of relentless storms.  Whether that be illness, financial distress, problems, matters of the heart, or the loss of someone precious to you.  Sometimes life seems unbearable as our heart fills with anxiety or even lays shattered at our own feet.  How often I have been there and how quickly I fall back into that dark abyss when the relentless storms of life keep raging around me.  So, who am I to tell you the 5 keys of surviving?  Ah, precisely, I have been there and have learned how to recalibrate my heart quickly.  Or when my heart will not recalibrate, how to ride through the relentless storms of life, trusting in a Holy, Sovereign God who knows what is best for me.  Even if the relentless storms of life are what brings the good.

Paul had just spent two years in the house of Felix, separated from the ones he loved.  Despite his ministry to Felix and to King Agrippa neither came to a saving knowledge of Christ.  For a man whose heart beat for the lost, this must have broke his heart.  Furthermore, the Jewish leaders with hearts hardened toward the truth of God sending the Messiah must have also caused great grief for Paul.  He had more than enough time to reflect those two years of all the relentless storms of life he had battled for the name of Christ.  Paul knew the truth of the gospel.  He knew not all would be saved and there would be relentless storms.  However, I cannot believe that his human heart did not lay shattered at times at the foot of the cross.  Also, he had time to reflect about his own failures in life.

Relentless Storms

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Paul unashamedly presented the gospel message every chance he had.  It was as such he during an audience with Felix did just that.  Paul spoke to him and his wife Priscilla “concerning the faith in Christ.  And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, ‘Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.’ (Acts 24:25).  Almost! But still the same devastating loss for Felix as if he had said “No Way.”   He had felt the Spirit’s power convicting him, for he trembled at the words.  But he turned away, with “later”.  How many say, “No, maybe later I will believe; but not now.” Felix hoped that someone would offer him money for Paul’s release.  His mind so focused on worldly gain that he did not answer the Spirits call. What devastating loss!

            For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16:26).  Felix had hoped to gain riches here, but alas he lost his soul.  Two years, Paul was there near him. However, for Felix a convenient season never came.  Felix was then replaced as governor by Festus.  The Jews petitioned him for Paul.  They wanted him dead.  As Festus found no Roman law had been broken, he asked Paul whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem for trial before the priests.  Paul, as a Roman citizen then petitioned his right to be taken before Caesar.  While Paul remained there, King Agrippa came to visit Festus.  Festus then asked him to render his opinion in the matter of Paul.  Hence, Paul was brought before King Agrippa.

Almost remains a devastating loss

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Paul was carried to the Governor Felix for further determination of whether he was guilty of a crime.  Five days later Ananias the high priest with his spokesman came to inform the governor against Paul.  So, they all came with their liberal conspiracy lies to accuse him of high treason.  Naturally, they begin their oration with flattery all of which were intended to turn the head of Felix.  Yet, he knew they did not mean any of it.  He knew that as well; but, anyway this is what we learn in Acts chapter 24-how to respond to liberal conspiracy lies.

Speaking of Paul they said, “For we have found this man a pestilent fellow,   and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes: who also hath gone about to profane the temple.  We took him and would have judged him him according to our law.  But the chief captain Lysias came upon us. And with great violence took him away out of our hands, commanding his accusers to come unto thee.” (Acts 24:5-8).

LIBERAL CONSPIRACY LIES

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