Effie Darlene Barba

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God (Matthew 5:9). The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance (Galatians 5:23).  In the last post, I wrote regarding our position as believers, resting in the truth of knowing peace with God.  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God (Romans 8:16). Therefore, as His child, I must take on characteristics so that I may look like Him.  God is a God of Peace, Righteousness, Justice, Grace, Mercy, and Love.  When I in my speech or actions fail to represent my Father, I bring shame to His name. The Beatitudes are like large spikes piercing this sometimes-rebellious heart.  There are moments when I throw off the righteous robes I so graciously have been given, revealing the filthy rags of my own heart.

Yesterday was such a day.  I could say that it was a righteous indignation that began the downfall.  However, that is the excuse we Christians feebly give for our own anger or lack of grace.  Once allowing those thoughts to enter, they grew much like a rapid growing cancer.  I could say the stress of everything overwhelmed me.  After all I am about to make a major move.  I worked very diligently to have everything in place before I left.  Yet, bureaucracy moves slowly and hence I fear for those I have for 5 years overseen and protected with a mothering love, until my replacement begins.  But if I have allowed fear in, have I not pushed aside faith? For it has not been I who protected them these 5 years, it has been God and He will continue to do so.

One Failed Peacemaker

Continue reading “One Failed Peacemaker and a Gracious God”

In a world filled with derision, wars, and division, how can we speak of peace.  Yet, the third fruit of the Spirit we are told is peace.  “And the peace of God, which passeth understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). How? Note it says, this is a peace that passeth understanding.  One that quiets the restless soul and comforts us amid the chaos of our lives.  It begins with knowing Jesus Christ and His Love which reached forth to us, even when our hearts were at enmity with Him.  He loved us first, before our selfish hearts could love Him.  Forgiven, I find peace with God.  As His Beloved, Redeemed Child, my heart discovers joy in Him as my greatest treasure.  Then each step of this journey, He teaches me how to trust Him more. Therein, I know peace, even when chaos surrounds me.

Horatio Gates Spafford had learned of this peace which overtakes the soul in the hardest of times.  Like a river of God’s Grace flooding one’s heart and mind pushing aside the desert of pain and sorrow.  He had lost everything financially in the great Chicago fire. That same year, their son had died of pneumonia. Two years later, he planned a family vacation to England. Due to business meetings, he sent them ahead.  He planned to join them.  The ship carrying his wife and four daughters went down.  Only his wife survived the shipwreck.  As he crossed the Atlantic to join his wife, he wrote these words. “When peace like a river attendeth my way. When sorrows like sea billows roll. Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, ‘It is well, it is well with my soul.’”

Peace that Passeth Understanding

How with such tragedy and loss could Mr. Spafford write of peace? The key is found in the remaining verses-it is Jesus Christ.  For in Christ, we know that this world is not our destination.  Read on:

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

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!

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.

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!

And Lord, haste the day when the 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.

Whatever circumstances we may face or trials in this life, we can peacefully rest assured in God’s love for us.  Furthermore, we are assured that His love knows what is best, even when we do not understand. Jesus said, “Peace 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.” (John 14:27).  Even when we cannot understand, we can trust Him.  Therein, we know a peace that passeth understanding.

Concluding Thoughts

Next time, we will look at peace with others.  However, it begins with having peace within our own souls with God.  So many cry “peace, peace, when there is no peace”.  Furthermore, they suggest band-aids to heal the broken heart of men.  But alas the only one who can heal the broken heart of man is God himself.

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR?

If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior: 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.

ARE YOU IN OF NEED PRAYER?

If you have a prayer request email me by clicking here

Or if you would like to tell me your story or thoughts  comment here

Books Available

If you want to know more about books I have written. Then, please click on this link to discover a world of Book Resources.

Or you can find all my books on Amazon.com, search just by searching Effie Darlene Barba.  Or click this link to be taken there

Furthermore,  for inspirational photos or home decor click here.

Previous Posts to Consider

The Fruit of the Spirit is Joy

Displaying the Fruit of the Spirit Love. How?

Perfect in Love Oh How Can it Be?

Is Your Fruit of Love Sweet or Bitter?

How Does God Prepare the Soil for Growth?

What Fruit is the Garden of Your Heart Producing?

How to Discern the Voice of God from Yours?

POEMS

I Did But Pray

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2018
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

Photo by Kalen Emsley on Unsplash

On the vine of our life in Christ, another fruit of the Spirit is Joy.  This is not the fleeting moments of joy when all seems well in our life.  Rather this is an abiding steadfast joy that the chaos and pains of this world cannot destroy.  Isaiah spoke of the coming Messiah, in whom our joy is founded.  The Holy Spirit within us, filling us with God’s Joy shone brightly to us and within us through His love. Therefore, this is God’s promise to all who know Him, to all who have accepted His wondrous gift of salvation through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

            The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound. To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God. Comfort all that mourn. To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion (and) give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning. (His) garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified (Isaiah 61:1-3).

Because it is His overflowing oil of joy  He pours forth, the mourning of our spirit and soul is erased by His steadfast joy.

The Fruit of the Spirit is Joy

Continue reading “The Fruit of The Spirit Is Joy”

The first fruit of the Spirit named in Galatians 5:22 is love.  But as we have already looked at in the previous posts, our human hearts ability to truly love is dismal.  Our hearts are often hardened, impenetrable because of our own selfish desires, preoccupation with fulfilling our own need to feel loved and pride.  We seek to “be” apart from God.  Our heart desperately needs to feel that we are loved because of our own merits.  We constantly seek for others to “love us just as we are.”  That desperate need to be loved can only be fulfilled in a close relationship to the very essence of love itself-God.  “For in him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28).  Apart from Him, we merely exist, floundering in our desire to be exalted as God of our own life with no hope of true love.

Jesus Christ, the perfect righteous son of God, God Himself in the flesh came to suffer, die, to bear the penalty of our sins and then to rise from the grave victorious over sin and death for all who would believe and accept this gift of love.  Therein, God displayed His perfect love for all who would lay aside their pride filled desire to be “god” and accept His gift of salvation. This He offers to all who would believe.  Furthermore, Jesus declared as He spoke to the Father in John 17: 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.

God the Father, loved us with the same degree of love as He has for the son? Imagine that for a moment.

Displaying the fruit of the Spirit Love. How?

Continue reading “Displaying the Fruit of the Spirit Love. How?”

PERFECT IN LOVE

Perfect in love, oh how can that be?

When bits of my heart think only of me

I bid you now Lord, to set my heart free

From selfish desires, to then truly see

The cost of your love for my liberty

To an old rugged cross, you went willingly

Leaving your throne, your comfort and glee

Choosing the pain, for love of me, humbly

You counted it joy to die on that tree

My redemption to buy, that was your decree!

To offer forgiveness, that was your plea

Though I was the one, hands and heart guilty

You left everything with no thought to flee

You ran to my side providing for me

A chance to see You in all Your Glory

Wrapped in Your love eternally

 

So, now that I hear your voice bid me go

To places unknown, Your Glory to show

To hearts shattered, broken whose lights lost their glow

The pains and the sorrows of life made them low

My Precious Lord, how could I say no

Your perfect love commands I bestow

Upon them Your Love, as I’ve come to know

 

You go now beside me, You are my guide

In Your Perfect Love my heart will abide

 

Your perfect love casting out fear

Replacing it with Your Joy and Your cheer

Perfect in Love

Anyone who has read I Corinthians 13, must confess that their own hearts ability to love falls far short of perfect love.  Without the help of the Holy Spirit, we fail in perfecting our own love.  Were it not for the life-giving sap provided us by Jesus Christ’s love, grace and forgiveness, there would be no hope.  Look once more at I Corinthians 13 in the Expanded Version.  Consider your own heart.  Ask God to transform you into the gracious image of Jesus Christ.

⁴ Love is patient and kind. Love is not ·jealous [envious], it does not brag, and it is not ·proud [arrogant; conceited; puffed up]. ⁵ Love is not ·rude [disrespectful], is not ·selfish [self-serving], and ·does not get upset with others [is not easily provoked/angered]. Love does not ·count up [keep a record of] wrongs that have been done (against you or others) ⁶ Love ·takes no pleasure [does not rejoice] in ·evil [wrongdoing; injustice] but rejoices over the truth. ⁷ Love ·patiently accepts all things [^Tbears all things; or always protects], ·always trusts [^Tbelieves all things], ·always hopes [^Thopes all things], and ·always endures [^Tendures all things].

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR?

If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior: 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.

ARE YOU IN OF NEED PRAYER?

If you have a prayer request email me by clicking here

Or if you would like to tell me your story or thoughts  comment here

Books Available

If you want to know more about books I have written. Then, please click on this link to discover a world of Book Resources.

Or you can find all my books on Amazon.com, search just by searching Effie Darlene Barba.  Or click this link to be taken there

Furthermore,  for inspirational photos or home decor click here.

Previous Posts to Consider

How Does God Prepare the Soil for Growth?

What Fruit is the Garden of Your Heart Producing?

How to Discern the Voice of God from Yours?

POEMS

Love has Won the Victory

Thanksgiving Day Song

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2018
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

Expanded Bible (EXB)

The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.