Tag: grace

IT BEGINS WITH ME

These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Revelation 3: 15-20

How sad the tragedies of this week which cry out to our hearts.  We stand in fear, sorrow, and ask, “God, where are you?”  Yet, all who proclaim the name of Christ, think about this:  How long have we been complacent?  How long have we closed our eyes?  How long have we been too busy to pray or to extend our hands in mercy and love?  Have we allowed roots of bitterness to grow up in our own hearts?  Revival begins with me!  If I die proclaiming the name of Christ, let me do so with honor, grace, and love!!  But let me not be silent; nor let me be filled with fear or anger!!  Let me stand with love, grace, mercy and truth on my lips proclaiming the truth that our only hope as a nation, as a people and as a world is to stand firm in proclaiming the name of Christ as the only hope for all nations.  It begins with ME!!

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IT BEGINS WITH ME

By Effie Darlene Barba

 

With all the pain across this land

What can I do to take a stand?

For hope, for joy and virtue too

Oh Lord, to take my stand for You!

 

There is no hope for truth to reign

While men do use Your name in vain

Their selfish lies Your gospel feign

Our streets now filled with bloody stain

 

My Lord, I come with heavy heart

To ask You Lord, “What is my part?”

“What can I do? Where do I start?”

I have no strength lest You impart!

 

For if I speak, they will not hear

Angry, embittered, deafened ear

With hearts of rage and hearts of fear

Until truth and love all disappear

 

Such bitter rain of dark dismay

“What can I do? What can I say?”

Except on bended knee to pray

To plead You come to heal today

 

You are the ONLY Hope I know

Where virtue, truth doth overflow

I plead for them, that You might show

Your mercy, Lord to men so low

 

And let Your victory on the cross

Cover our shame, our bitter loss

Open our ears to hear Your voice

Let peace and love now be our choice

 

Turn evil hearts that they might see

Their only hope of victory

Is to bow down on bended knee

Pleading for Grace, humility

 

I cannot see my brother’s pain

While anger, fear within me reign

So, first I come before You now

Clean my heart, Your truth avow

 

It all must now BEGIN with Me

So, open now my heart to see

My selfish heart, my guilty stains

Let truth and mercy fill my veins

 

That I might boldly go proclaim

That if each one would call Your Name

And lay aside their selfish pride

Your peace and love could then abide

 

Our freedom, liberty renew

Our torch of hope for all to view

And so Dear Lord, I clearly see

Revival now, begins with me.

I plead with each and every person that hears my voice to in humility bow your knees before the throne of God and pray for our nation.  Pray that He reveal to you the sins, doubts, bitterness, and pride that lies within your own heart; so that you might repent and be cleansed.  Lay down before His mighty throne any root of bitterness in your own heart, so you might then stand in mercy, truth and love to proclaim His Name to a despairing world in need of Him.

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

[bctt tweet=”As a nation we must pray for grace & love to reign  in our lives. It begins with me!!” username=”effiedarlene”]

[tweetthis]I must be responsible for my own behavior!! It begins with my own heart.[/tweetthis]

[bctt tweet=”If I desire Peace, Love, and Grace from others, it begins with me giving Peace Love and Grace.” username=”effiedarlene”]

[tweetthis]Let’s start a new movement of hope, love and harmony. “It Begins with ME”[/tweetthis]

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2016

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.  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.

A Prayer for Our Nation- Poetry Sunday

1For 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. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13

If we listen to the news today; we would believe that our nation is broken beyond repair-split between so many ideas that could never be united.  We watch violent protests, politicians with no respect for truth nor the laws of our land.  We see heated arguments played out on our news broadcasts.  We see anger, terror,  lies and the portrayal that our liberties are squelched by what might be called political correctness.  It seems all that the news medias want is to further divide and sensationalize our differences for their own financial gain.  Yet, if you walk outside for a moment; I think you would see the true greatness of this land.  You would see someone stopping to give a helping hand to a stranger.  You would see the hearts of the police who sacrificially serve their communities while facing evils that we dare not even think about.  Our greatness as a nation is our ability to unite and stand strong with one true battle cry, ““I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”    I am proud to be a Christian and I am also proud to be an American where I defend liberty and justice to all regardless of their faith, race or gender.  I do ask that I, as a Christian; be afforded those same liberties as well without fear.

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To all my Christian brothers and sisters, let me remind you that we must unite in prayer for our nation.  We must then go forth and proclaim the name of Jesus unashamedly; while at  the same time displaying the truth of His gospel through love, grace, humility and kindness.  We must stand firm for what we believe; yet, we must do so with dignity, grace and love.

 

A Prayer for Our Nation

by Effie Darlene Barba

 

I listened to the news today

Their crafted words were meant to sway

My mind to turn and think their way

The truth I dare not really say

 

Their words portrayed a great divide

And bid me then to take a side

A battle built of human pride

While truth and justice set aside

 

Our Country torn and broke apart

No hope to find a brand new start

And then I looked within my heart

I must not delay to do my part

 

And so, I bowed my head today

While for my country I will pray

For truth, for love, for grace to sway

To shine a light by words I say

 

“Give me the strength, dear Lord to stand

With humble love to heal this land

Not water down the truth I know

Through kindness then your love to show

 

Give me words to speak, make me wise

Yet, never, never compromise

I cannot deny the Only One

Who loved us so You sent Your son

 

To bleed and die upon that cross

I’d rather die or suffer loss

Than e’er deny my God, my King

Let bells once more of freedom ring

 

And never deny my right to say

To God, I bow my head to pray

Teach me Oh Lord to stand for you

With gentle grace and honor true

 

As I look upon Christ’s gentle face

To understand your love and grace

I must not compromise my stance

Yet do so with a love filled glance

 

And so, dear Lord I bow my head

Teach me to walk where you have led

And fight this war down on my knees

Where I might there your will then seize

The original picture of the flag is from: http://www.123rf.com/profile_stillfx  I did use photoshop to add the cross with the praying woman.

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2016

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.  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.

Can Anyone Really Escape If They Ignore Jesus?

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
After those days, says the Lord:
I will put My laws into their minds,
And I will write them on their hearts.
And I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.
“And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen,
And everyone his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’
For all will know Me,
From the least to the greatest of them. “For I will be merciful to their iniquities,
And I will remember their sins no more.” When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear. Hebrews 8:8-13 (NASB)

The writer of Hebrews continues to plead with these early Jewish Believers not to return to the rituals of their old faith. He reminds them of the prophesies of Jeremiah that there would be a new covenant. Jesus Christ had come to be the final sacrifice. When He did, He made the first covenant to be obsolete.

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But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come,[a] with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. Hebrews 9:11-14 NKJV

The new covenant has not become fully realized by the Israel nation yet! However, it will be one day when Christ returns. For the moment, the new covenant has been extended to all who accept Christ as their Savior. This means Jew and Gentile alike.

Continue reading “Can Anyone Really Escape If They Ignore Jesus?”

Is There Any Hope When Hate and Terror Reigns?

For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God…Wherefore he (Jesus) is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such a high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens (Hebrews 7: 19,26-27)

As a Christian writer, I have tried to always present the truth of the gospel to the best that I can and not enter into politics nor have I ever tried to be politically correct when proclaiming the truth of the gospel. The tragedies in Orlando on 6/10/2016 and 6/12/2016 caused me to feel helpless and grieved over where our world and our nation are at this time. So many tragedies from hate and division. We seem to be a nation divided by race, by religion, and by ethnicity with little hope being presented to change this. Have we who are Christians failed to represent Christ as so beautiful that we could draw others to Him? Have I failed to proclaim His Love in a way that others would hear and desire Him? As we have reached Hebrews chapter 7 in our study; let, me point out the superiority of Jesus Christ as our High Priest.

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The writer of Hebrews has pleaded with his readers that they needed to mature in their faith so they could begin to understand the truth. They had returned to the rituals and the Laws; yet, the law never was able to save anyone. There was always the need for an innocent sacrifice to cover the sins of man. Yet, Jesus was the hope all of this pointed toward. The law can only condemn and open our eyes to the truth that evil exists in each of our hearts. We are so prone to selfish desires with little hope of truly showing any love. The law points that out with such clarity; yet, can never be the solution. There could be no priests from the tribe of Levi who were the representation of the law and of whom they themselves are all sinners in need of a sacrifice to save them. Yet, then there came Jesus who is named “Priest forever after the order of Melchisidec” who was considered King of Righteousness and King of Peace.

Continue reading “Is There Any Hope When Hate and Terror Reigns?”

My Little Girl—Poetry Sunday

Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.  Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them Psalm 127:3-5

As I hurried to try to complete everything at work last Friday, I was filled with the anticipation of my week ahead.  This week I lay aside all the stresses of a busy job to enjoy the wondrous benefits of vacation.  I am heading out later today to California to celebrate with my daughter her 42nd birthday which is tomorrow.  This weekend I have had my youngest grandchild, Annabella Grace.  Seeing the world through the eyes of a young child filled with such wonder and joy, always reminds me of how truly blessed I am.  So my dear readers, forgive me if this week my postings are not exactly on schedule.  I will try to get them out on time; but, California time is different than Missouri so I may be off by a few hours if not days.  Oh, well; I hope to be off that much—but we will see.  This poem I wrote 7 years ago in tribute to my daughter.  Those who have read the story of my life; may know that I did make the hard choice of leaving my little girl to be raised by her Father.  Truly, I believed at the time it was the sacrifice that love demanded given the circumstances.  Right or wrong, I cannot say now.  What I can say it has been God’s wondrous grace that gives me such a beautiful daughter so filled with love, grace and mercy herself.  I love you, Happy Birthday Melissa.  I am on my way so we can celebrate on a weekend of adventure and fun.

 

 

My Little Girl

 

My little girl I see you now

Your baby in your arms

It takes me back to years ago

To you with all your charms

 

I loved you so my precious sweet

I’d give the world for you

Yet life it turned and choices made

I thought were best for you

 

I thought I didn’t have enough

To give my little girl

To keep you safe, to give you more

I sacrificed my world

 

I prayed each day God keep you safe

Beneath His wings of love

That all life’s pain and grief

He’d help you soar above

 

And yet, my love, I see you now

This mother you’ve become

I know that God answered my prayer

With joy, I’m overcome

 

I love you so, my precious one

Though womanhood you’ve found

You’ll always be my little girl

Though years keep turning round

 

The greatest gift I give to you

Is Jesus Christ, God’s son

Who paid the price, that hand in hand

Equipping you this race to run

 

So rest within this perfect truth

He has the perfect plan

For you and now your little girl

He cradles in His hand

[tweetthis]God’s Grace is big enough to change even my failures into blessings for me[/tweetthis]

My prayer for each of you is that God’s Grace shower down upon you today.  If you have made tough choices in your life, some you have come to regret.  Remember this God’s Grace is bigger than all your failures, regrets and sins.  Turn it all over to Him and watch what He can do with it.

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2016

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.  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.