Season 7, Episode 8, The Truth of His Word Reigns

Poetry of Christian Faith

67, 7-8, SHOW NOTES & COPYRIGHTS, (8/4/2022)

Today:

Christian faith and the world view have been at odds since the time of Jesus’ resurrection. I am using the word faith instead of religion because faith is from God not religion without the reforms man has instituted into religion. We Christians must be able to separate the word of God from the words of man. To do so we, will be led to pray to God our Father, the Creator.

We must be ready to face and live in this world which . . . this world which does not like us. Sorry. I’m trying not to let words get the worst of me before we start reading. But as the world is against us, God is for us. And by His grace we can run the race before us and cross the finish line that those of the world are unaware of.

We’ll start with poems from God Still Rhymes.

SHELTER FROM THE STORM (PG. 83)

Who will give us shelter

as we suffer and swelter

from the impeding heat

of the city street?

Who will in our lives so torn

shelter us from the storm,

from the pouring rains,

from the winds of pain?

Some do not like

to consider God’s wrath

as out they strike

along their earthly path.

His word

on our path,

where it leads

do we heed,

heed his word,

have we heard?

Do we care

as we stare

never knowing

what we are sowing?

Do we live among the herd,

do we ignore his word

looking for treasure

and earthly pleasure?

There are so many

who refuse to hear,

to look in the mirror.

Joy there isn’t any.

They do not know

the seeds they sow

will always grow

death in the weeds.

There are oncoming storm clouds

as the world shouts

not knowing the pain

of the oncoming rain,

Not knowing the wrath

because of their path,

not knowing,

having never heard.

Jesus has calmed the stormy seas,

has rescued those in fear and need.

And through his sacrifice for our sin

he calmed God’s wrath for those who believe.

Discussion:

Yes, I like Bob Dylan and have at times tried to write like him. This shelter from the storm is completely different than the one he wrote with the same title. They are like faith and the world.

Another from God Still Rhymes, pg. 85

BORN THEN SCORNED

Into this life you were born

So that you might be scorned.

Never seeing your worth

While on this earth,

Though seeing the torn veil,

Not knowing that you would prevail.

(John 11:45)

Jesus threatens the comfort of our lives

Just as he threatened the Pharisee’s lies.

For that he would die.

Did they, do we know why?

The Messiah, the Son of God,

For that and all he said

They wanted him dead.

The world hasn’t changed.

He who controls rules.

The law, did it have the clues?

Not for the ruling few

Who believed they knew.

But what did they know?

What seeds did they sow?

Leading the lost sheep astray,

Did they ever ask or pray?

Today,

What do we say?

Do we ever pray

That we not be

Led astray,

But find

The Way

The Truth,

And the Life?

Please pray that your life can be more than you see at the beginning of the day.

Pray that your life may be changed, priorities rearranged,

That all you say, that all you do, is not for you alone

But for others through him that does atone.

May God’s grace shine upon your face.

May the gift of salvation be your restoration.

May you be joyful in the Lord,

Believing through faith

That Christ alone is the Lord of your life.

Discussion:

The last one from God Still Rhymes, pg. 90

AFTER READING HABAKKUK

God will punish those who oppose him,

Those who worship false idols as gods,

Gods of wood, silver and gold,

Those who oppress his holy people.

But at the same time the people of God

Will also suffer at the hands of their oppressors,

Those who do not believe that he is

The God of Heaven above, the earth

And the universe around us,

The God who breathed life into the first man Adam.

It is by his breath we find our strength

Through his Holy Spirit.

Because we live among unbelievers

We will suffer their hate for us

And their hate for God Almighty.

Through this suffering we pray

And through our prayer we come closer to God.

He hears our petitions, our fears.

He knows our weaknesses.

Becoming closer to God, by seeking him out,

We know his will for us and can stand firm

In strength, his love for us.

Knowing that in the end

When the battle no longer rages

We will be with him for eternity,

Not in the burning flames of Hell.

Though living in an adulterous world,

A world that forsakes the one

Whose image we were made in,

We do not reflect the failings of man.

We will grow in strength,

We will grow in faith,

We will grow in love.

We will not be the destruction of this world.

We will live to see the face of God

And forever be with him

Because he is our God,

The one and only God of the universe.

You may fight God, you may run from God,

But that path will lead you astray,

Lead you to where you may forever stay.

While there is time seek God, his ways are true.

Reflection on After Reading Habakkuk

Over a week or so I read the book of Habakkuk in the Old Testament. I wanted to reread the Minor Prophets since I knew so little about them. After my first reread I knew that I wanted to write about this book. It seemed like something that continuously happened throughout history. God’s chosen people defeated and suffering at the hands of worshipers of pagan idols. And there is Habakkuk asking God why evil prospered. Then God’s explanation and Habakkuk’s final prayer. Today we need to pray for God’s strength as we face a world that wants to marginalize Christians and God. Though it may seem that evil prospers, our prosperity for eternity has been secured by our faith in Jesus, his death on the cross as payment for our sins, all by the grace of God.

This may not be very poetic. After my second reading of Habakkuk, I tried to get up from my desk, but couldn’t. I knew why. So I wrote down the words that were given to me. That was all that mattered. Yes, I have tried to put the words into poetic form.

Discussion:

Now a couple from God’s Rhyme, hopefully with some encouraging words to finish our reading and discussion.

WEAKNESS (pg. 132)

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for

you, my power is made perfect in weakness,"

2 Corinthians, 12:9, NIV

Paul, the evangelist, an imperfect man,

blinded with insight by the perfect Son,

who lost his strength and became weak,

thus glorifying the Holy Three in One.

I have tried to live with the lie,

to never give in before I die.

I have seen the meek always so weak

and wondered why they would not cry.

No, always a smile

traveling every mile

with heads held high

and never shy

while I put too much stock

in thinking I was a rock

until others saw the bad

and what I never had.

Then one day the sky was bluer,

each and everything looked newer.

It was as if my very eyes

had been shut to the world's lies.

I was never strong,

not even for very long.

There was too much wrong,

it was such a sad song.

Like a newborn baby

I cried for each new breath,

never wanting to rest,

realizing that maybe . . .

No, knowing that I am not perfect,

looking, the mirror did reflect.

There is no strength in my sin,

the race alone I could never win.

I am a sinner,

my life a loss,

but it has been reclaimed for me

by the grace of God, a death on the cross.

Through death and resurrection

I am a new creation.

Accepting His forgiveness,

to the world I can witness.

Made in God's image, molded in clay . . .

yes, in God's image

throughout every age,

it is to Him that we pray.

WEAKNESS (continued)

He knew us before we were,

He knows us today,

He knows us tomorrow,

and still He loves us.

To follow His Son

we must lose the ways,

the ways of this world,

the lies of the days.

And when we accomplish that,

the world will consider us weak.

But know that God is with us,

so who can be against us?

It is then that the slings and arrows,

the sticks and stones, the broken bones,

the sorrows that no one will borrow,

in this race we know His grace.

When we let in Christ's power,

we will no longer cower,

because He is God's Son

and that is sufficient.

"Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about

my weakness, so that Christ's power may rest in

me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in

weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions,

in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am

strong." 1 Corinthians 12:9-10, NIV

May we live so that

by the strength of our salvation,

by the strength of our witness,

through the strength of our weakness

that God, that Jesus

may be glorified.

Reflection:

This is something I need to remember, at all times and in all places. But do I? I'm trying.

Discussion:

We’ll end with one written about John 3:16, pg. 106

JOHN 3:16

“For God so loved the world that He gave His

only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him

should not perish but have everlasting life.” (NIV)

God loved us,

He gave us,

His only Son,

For everyone,

Who believes

In His Son

Should not,

Will not,

Perish,

But have

Life

Everlasting.

What could be more poetic,

More comforting than this?

No words of yours or mine

Could convey love like His.

Gave His son,

Whoever believes,

Life everlasting,

There is nothing,

Not a thing,

Left to say.

Except,

Thank you Lord

For Your love.

Reflection:

So, one day I thought I could make god's love for us sound more poetic, make it sound more . . . whatever that it is in the Bible. I couldn't and happily admit it. The work of God in human hands . . . It should be left in God's hands.

Discussion:

AS WE CLOSE IN PRAYER, MAY WE CONTINUE IN PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father we come to you in prayer as we end today’s podcast. Dave and I thank You for Your leading us through the day and into tomorrow. We pray that today has been pleasing to You and honors Your glory.

We pray for our listeners and viewers; for their needs; those needing physical healing, emotional healing and a healing of their faith. We pray for the salvation of those listeners who have not received the gift of Your grace and accepted Your Son, Jesus, as their Lord and Savior.

We pray, Lord, for this world in which we live. We pray for the nation of Ukraine and its people; its leaders as the fight against the invading army of their enemy. May their faith and determination be an example to the entire world.

Father, as Christians, lead us to proclaiming the gospel where ever we are. May we do so in a loving way. Lead us to the truth of the days we are living in. May we know and proclaim Your truth over the lie. And as the world turns from You may we turn to the world and and pray, pray without ceasing as the Holy Spirit lead us.

Dear Lord, prepare us and our listeners and viewers for the coming week. We pray that it is You we live for and You who leads us. As we walk with you this week, may it be Your hand clasped around our hand so we may feel the grasp of Your love.

We pray in the name of Jesus, our Savior and Redeemer.

Amen

7/29/2022

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"If you give Him the times As you live His word rhymes "

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If you give

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And don’t forget, “We are the Kings kids and you will never get rid of us for we are His with Jesus.”

Living In God’s Rhyme ©2018 by Tim Carter

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God’s Rhyme ©2019 by Tim Carter