Tag: prayer

When Words Fail, Where Is Hope Found in The World?

 

Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13: 20-21 (NKJV)

As we come to the end of our study in the book of Hebrews, I urge each and every one of us to pray this prayer. It is every bit as relevant today as it was in the early days of the church. We live in a broken world and a broken society—broken by all of the evil that selfish, self-centered, self-exalting hearts filled with rebellion can bring. Is this not the prayer that we each need today? Indeed, the writer of Hebrews after pleading with his readers to “beware lest they drift”; had in Hebrews 13:18 also asked that they keep him in their prayers.

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Let us look at that request as well.

Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly. Hebrews 13:8

That is my prayer as well. Understanding how important words can be; I pray that my words only seek out truth from the scripture. Never do I want “me” to get in the way by action or word in displaying the fullness of God’s Grace, Love and Glory. Each morning before I write, I pray for guidance. Truth, honesty, integrity is too often lost in our “need to exonerate our own person”. So often our own agenda stands in the way of truth. We are so quick to make excuses for our own behavior or words; while, never hearing or seeing another’s reality. So yes, please pray for me as I pray for you and our nation this prayer.

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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!!

darkness-reigns-compressor (1)

 

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.

Why Is Prayer So Important in My Life?

 

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16

Some seasons of our life seem to go on and on. So it was with the ulcerative colitis. Mine awoke me every morning at 4 am without fail. There was a cycle with my worst pain and incessant trips to the bathroom occurring every morning from 4 am to 8 am. Then it would calm down enough I could get to work. That was when I drug my big recliner into my large walk in closet—my prayer room was created. For 4 hours every morning, it was God and I alone preparing to face the day.

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Over the course of the disease, I developed all the severe side effects from the high doses of steroids. I lost all the muscle tone in my legs making stairs a near impossibility. I grew a mustache and beard. The large “buffalo-hump” between my shoulders ached. My eyes and mouth became lost within the moon shaped face. Fatigue plagued me as there was little hope for sleep those days except the one in three that I allowed myself a sleeping pill. Despite the massive routines of suppositories, cortisone enemas, and pills; nothing controlled this monstrous disease. It was the hours alone with God that gave me the strength to keep going. In those early mornings, I would read scripture and we would just talk. When I looked in the mirror at the stranger staring back at me, I now saw a warrior. I was God’s warrior.

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How Should I Pray To Be Heard By God?

How Should I Pray To Be Heard By God?

Over the course of the evening, Jesus had said  three times, “Ask what you will in my name and it will be done” (John 14:13, John 15:7, and John 15:16). We long with all our hearts to know that truth in our own lives.  We pray for peace on earth; yet, we turn on the news and hear of hatred, violence, and terror. We pray for healing of a loved one while we watch them slipping away with some agonizing death—we feel helpless and lost. We pray for prosperity and instead we face sudden financial ruin or the loss of our ability to earn an income instead. Is it some lack of faith on our part that hinders our prayer? Did Jesus mean this to be true only for some and not for me? How can I pray so that God will answer my prayers that way?  Perhaps if  we look closer to each of these scriptures we can gain a little insight into the “how to have that kind of response to our prayers.”

Yes in prayer

John 14(NIV): “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” Immediately following, He says keep my commandments and I will send the Comforter to guide you, instruct you and remind you of all that I have said—He will abide in you.

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What Is The Greatest Miracle I Could Pray For?

What Is The Greatest Miracle I Could Pray For?

“10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it” (John 14).

We read these words with great longing and great hope. We are each coming to the table of Jesus with different desires or requests. We want so to believe that we could perform miracles. That we could pray for peace in our family, our community and our country and God would respond immediately. What could Jesus possibly mean when He said  that he would give us whatever we ask in His name?  Or what did he mean when he said that because He goes to the Father we will be able to perform greater works? Does He mean miracles such as feeding a crowd with 2 fish and 2 loaves of bread? Or perhaps, the miracle is much greater than any of the physical miracles we long for!!

Lights shining forth

The works of Jesus that matter most as we saw with the lame man that He healed was the salvation of His soul—not the healing of His body. A true work of Grace displayed by Jesus was His transforming the Samaritan woman into His missionary to the Samaritans. The greatest work of Jesus Christ was His bringing spiritual life to men and women who were dead spiritually. It is a much greater miracle to cause a self-exalting heart to humbly, lovingly, sacrificially serve God and others. The greater miracle is when God can cause our blind hearts to see, seek and savor Glory. In a world filled with darkness we are shown light. A broken heart that sings forth a song of real joy—that is a miracle.

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