Tag: JESUS

Poetry Sunday-Grace Upon Grace Poured Out Upon Me

 

O Lord, our Lord,
How majestic and glorious and excellent is Your name in all the earth! You have displayed Your splendor above the heavens….When I see and consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,  The moon and the stars, which You have established, What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of [earthborn] man that You care for him?  Psalm 8 (AMP)

God loves me

 

Grace upon Grace Poured Out upon Me

By Effie Darlene Barba


Jesus the word the truth and the light

Portrait of God’s perfect Glory-Delight

His Grace upon Grace poured out upon me

That I from these chains- forever set free


The King above Kings lay aside His throne

Because He loved me-my sin to atone

From Glorious splendor to humblest birth

Submitting to pain and sorrows on earth


Imagine the perfectly righteous one

God’s precious delight-His Dear Beloved Son

Would willingly choose to suffer such loss

Beaten, rejected He died on a cross


What kind of love, oh how can it be?

He suffered all this for you and for me

Despite all my sin and my foolish pride

He bids me to come-in His love abide


Open my eyes, Lord, always to see

Your love and your Glory there before me

Laying aside all my foolish desires

Until you’re the treasure my soul aspires



Jesus the Word the Truth and the Light

Portrait of God’s perfect Glory-Delight

His Grace upon Grace poured out upon me

That I from these chains forever am free

God loves You.  He is standing with open arms, desiring to fill your heart with His peace and His Joy.  Won’t you say yes, today?

 

photo courtesy of unsplash.com/grakozy  The writing I added.

Amplified Bible (AMP)Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

 

©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.

The Most Piercing Question Of Jesus, "Do You Love Me?"

The Most Piercing Question Of Jesus, "Do You Love Me?"

“If you love me; keep my commandments and I will…” Jesus had just told the apostles, “don’t let your heart be troubled”; then comes these words. Words which reach out and penetrate deep into my heart as it must have Peter’s only 24 hours later when he denied Christ. What kind of love is this, Lord that I have for you? The kind of love that could not stay awake and pray while you agonized in the Garden of Gethsemane. My love, the kind that denied you before the crowd!! I fear, these words cut deep into my own heart. It burns like a light reaching deep into the recesses of heart—like the questions Jesus later ask of Peter. “Peter, do you love me?” Is that not the same question that I too must face at the end of a long day in which I have allowed some desire—some selfish thought to fill my heart and mind so that I come to God with sorrow instead of rejoicing in His Love? Or when I have become angered with someone or been unforgiving—those words of Jesus echo loudly in my heart, “Do you love me?” Or when, Satan comes to torture my mind with all my failures, those moments when I longed for things I could not have. Those moments when I cried because I could not see that “Jesus was all I needed for Joy, Love, and Hope.” When I let the worries or the desires of this world beat deep within my chest; then, I become broken hearted by the question of Jesus, “Do you love me?”

do you love me

So, right after Jesus has told Peter, “You will deny me before morning break, 3 times”; His next words were: “Let not your heart be troubled; trust God and trust me.” Then comes these words, “If you love me you will keep my commandments.” What commandments, Lord? I so want to!! I long to pour out my love toward you!! I want to love you better!! What commandments, Lord? “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:37-40).

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Are You Searching For Passionate, Compelling Love To The End?

Are You Searching For Passionate, Compelling Love To The End?

“when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end” (John 13:1).

There was a heaviness and almost gloom that had laid upon my heart that week. All of the years of loving Pete had been a lesson in love my heart needed. It was throughout those years I had begun to understand at least a glimpse of God’s love toward me. To love someone so much that you are so vulnerable, and willing to endure selfless agony at times if only they were to find happiness. To love so dearly that you are willing to give up all other dreams, hopes and desires; if that would bring them joy. Yet, Pete at times was swallowed up by the darkness of bipolar depression. Although, I had watched that world in my own mother; I could not fully comprehend it. The chemicals in my own brain could not truly understand that world of mental illness. At times I was frustrated by it; yet, at other times like a mother would cradle her sick child, I longed to discover the cure. Perhaps if I could love just a little purer, I could sweep away the pain and darkness. That week, as I prayed; my prayer went like this. “Father, I have pleaded for years that you cure Pete. If the only way for him to be well and to find joy is to go home to you and for certain, he is your child—then I let go. If by any slim chance, he doesn’t know You, Lord—then give me the words and the strength to show him Your Love. Give me one more chance.” Two days later, he was gone to be with the Lord. That was July 23, 1994 that he died and still, today; I love Pedro Barba and I guess I always will unto the end—no matter what else my life brings.

Love of Jesus

Mine was such an imperfect love; as always is the case with human love. Yet, I tell you all this to help you FEEL GOD’S LOVE. Paul prayed earnestly for the church of Ephesus that they might be grounded in and strengthened by the love of Christ and that they “May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:18-19). That is my prayer for you.

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3 Barriers in the Heart of Man Preventing Genuine Faith

3 Barriers in the Heart of Man Preventing Genuine Faith

As we see the public ministry of Jesus coming to its end in the book of John, Jesus withdraws to be alone. John through the inspiration of the spirit takes us back to Isaiah’s scriptures to help to guide us to what is both tragically heartbreaking and yet should point us toward our greatest source of joy. Jesus came that He might save the world; yet, to do so He had to suffer utter rejection and humiliation at the hands of those He came to save. His ultimate joy in those who would follow Him, His unwavering love, and His Glorious Grace would be realized only through the greatest travesty of disbelief by mankind’s pride filled hearts. The very people for whom He came would reject Him as their messiah. Why? What were the barriers in the Heart of Man that prevented their seeing Him, desiring Him and believing in Him as their Savior? As we look at the barriers of the crowds that had seen Jesus, perhaps we can see the barriers within our own hearts which thwart our faith.

darkness

To help us realize these truths let us first go back to the temple when Mary and Joseph first brought Jesus as a baby.

“25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,28 Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.33 And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2).

Why did I take us back here? Look closely, Simeon so accurately declared—“this child is set for the fall and the rising of many in Israel”. While the hearts of some would rise in faith

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YOUR LIFE IS HANGING IN THE BALANCE! YOUR VERDICT IS?

YOUR LIFE IS HANGING IN THE BALANCE! YOUR VERDICT IS?

“The Jews took up stones again to stone him” (John 10:31). What was it that Jesus had said or done to insight such hatred?  They had asked them to tell them once and for all whether He was the Christ. He had responded with “I already have and you don’t believe me.” So, once more He proclaimed the truth clearly, “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30). Jesus had proclaimed himself to be God. He had left no room for “being merely a good prophet” or a “religious teacher.”22799295_m

Your life hangs in the balance!! What is your verdict?

The entire discussion throughout John 10 was that. Either Jesus was the one true good shepherd promised throughout the Old Testament or He wasn’t. He stood on the truth of having fulfilled every word of the prophecies. He stood on the truth that He was yet to die for the “sheep”—all who would believe in Him. He foretold of His own resurrection; yet, these men blinded by their own pride filled arrogant religiosity wanted to stone Him. He didn’t wear the right clothes. He hadn’t come to them with words to pump up their own prideful hearts. After all, they were the scholars and certainly they thought God would have come to “pat them on the back for all their labor.” Instead, Jesus had come and pointed out their hypocrisy. His remarks were insulting to them.  He had suggested that they were the thieves and robbers!!  He had dared to say they were not even of the sheepfold of God.  Listen to the words of Jesus.

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