Living in God's Rhyme 5 Minutes with Grey Hair

100, 10-10, SHOW  NOTES & COPYRIGHTS,  (Scheduled 4/20/2023)
                       
Today we are reading and discussing a poem about what God has offered us and 2 new poems written for today’s podcast.
We’ll start with a poem from God’s Rhyme, on page 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:


THE PRAYER ROAD

The time has come,
At least for some,
To kneel in prayer
For what is there.

‘tis not the end,
Hearts left to mend,
Once having heard
Through prayer a word.

In the race we run,
Is the shining Son,
Filling us with love
As we look above.

The road we take,
That God did make,
Follow through faith
Knowing His grace.

It is not goodbye,
No question of why.
We did kneel and pray.

He will lead the way,
And in knowing Him,
So we will follow.                                  tcarter, 4/9,10/2023


Discussion:  

NOT PERFECT

Not perfect, but willing.
God continues instilling,
My soul constantly filling.

I look to the skies,
Wipe tears from my eyes,
Answering my whys.

Not perfect on this earth,
Yet I have found my worth,
That began with a birth.

Not perfect today,
So again I pray
I follow God’s way.

I am not perfect in my present life, 
but God is perfect and Jesus will
lead me to perfection.                                (tcarter, 4/11/2023)


Discussion:



As we come to the end of today’s podcast, let us pray.

Dear Heavenly Father, Dave, I thank you for the time You have given us to record these podcasts.  Through this time, we both have experienced growth in our faith and the need for You in our lives.  We hope that we have been able to touch at least a few listeners when they needed to hear what You have done in our lives and the patience You have had with us during this time, and before, in our lives.  We know that this is not the end of our days with You.  We trust in You, knowing that if we are open to Your will for...

99, 10-9, SHOW  NOTES & COPYRIGHTS,  (Scheduled 4/13/2023)
                       
Today we will be reading poems about prayer.
The first poem is in God’s Rhyme on pg. 33.
PRAYER

Dear Jesus, how do I pray,
            what do I say?
What words do I speak
            for the peace that I seek?

I give thanks to You
            for all that You do,
for the blessings You are giving
            in this life I am living.

I praise Your blessed name,
            forever & always it is the same.
Yesterday You guided me,
            today You helped me see.

Forgive me for all the wrongs,
keep me singing happy songs.
From temptation set me free
so that in You I can be.

I praise You
I thank You
I worship You
I honor You

Jesus, You set me free,
            now I can see.
When my vision is blurred
            You show me Your word.

As I have been blessed,
            now I pray for the rest,
for my sisters & brothers
            who think they have no other.

For our salvation You are risen,
            for us new life You have given.
Use me as You would
            that others may have what they should.


I praise You
I thank You
I worship You
I honor You


On bended knee or with hands upraised,
            it is Your life that is praised.
And as I give You my life
            You take from me my strife.

You have given me so much;
            joy, life, love & the such.
& all You have taken
            is my life’s burden.

You are all the love 
from Heaven above.
& Jesus, each time I pray 
there is not enough to say.
 
Except,
            I praise You
                        & Your holy name,
            I thank You 
for what You have done,
            I worship You
                        as my Savior & Lord,
            I honor...

98, 10-8, SHOW  NOTES & COPYRIGHTS,  (Scheduled 4/6/2023)
                       
Today we are reading and discussing 3 poems about Jesus, the Lamb of God, what He has done for us and the blessings that we receive as we receive as we believe that Jesus is the Son of God, lived on the earth as one of us, a life without sin, took the sins of the world upon Himself, as called to by His Father, a death that was the final sacrifice God required for the forgiveness of man’s sins.  If we will believe we will receive everlasting life in Heaven with our Savior.
THE GATHERING LAMB
Page 110 God’s Rhyme


“We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us 
has turned to our own way; and the Lord has 
laid on him the iniquity of us all.  Isaiah 53:6, NIV

The Lamb of God, with God before time,
perfect, as is God, in every way,
before the words were written in lines
Jesus, the unblemished Lamb was there.

Jesus and God, with the Holy Spirit,
indivisible, the Trinity;
so the Lamb of God is also God,
who saves our souls for eternity.

We, living on this earth, a herd of sheep,
we wander, are lost not knowing the cost,
not knowing, we cause a pain so deep
that God sent Jesus to find and save us.

An earthly shepherd has a special one,
one of the herd that seeks the wandering, 
those sheep that are lost, that have gone astray,
returning them home before the day is done.

Our Heavenly Master has sent His Son
to find the lost and to gather the strays,
to bring us home before the end of days.
The Lamb of God, a never ending search.

            Before we knew Him
            He knew who we were,
            He knew our thoughts,
He knew our prayers.

And He knew of our rebellion,
Before, He has always known.

Yet He loves us still
and He always will.
He sent His Son
to be the one
that would seek us out
even as we doubt.

He sent His Son to gather us in,
the unblemished Lamb, the Sacrifice,
to pay the price, to die for our sins
so that with God we are finally put right!
.
Reflection:
The result of Bible study.  The lamb who gathers us in, who died for our sins.


Discussion:


THE LAMB OF GOD
Page 14, Living in Gods Rhyme


“Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, 
the root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open 
the scroll and its seven seals.”
Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, 
standing at the center of the throne . . .
Revelation 5:5-6

As I sat reading of John’s vision
I felt as if I never fully understood
That for eternity God’s decision
Remains forever for my good.

Yes, I have read of the cruelty 
Of his beating on the way to the cross,
Of the agony of his death,
The death of God’s son.

The death of my condemnation.

I know that by God’s grace
I will be with him forever.
I know I will see his face
And feel his loving embrace.

But reading the words of what John saw,
Though they shouldn’t, they rub my wounds...

97, 10-7, SHOW  NOTES & COPYRIGHTS,  (Scheduled 3/30/2023) 
Today we will be discussion the call to missions in our lives.  We are called to spread the gospel to the nations.

THE MISSIONARY’S MISSION (Living In God’s Rhyme, pg. 65)

They leave the comfort of home
Where they were raised and grown,
Where seeds of faith were sown,
By those who gave them a home.

With the love for those,
These that God chose
Have a yearning to share
The love of God’s care.

Traveling across continents and seas
To spread his word and plant the seeds,
Prayerfully hoping that their good deeds
Will show more how God’s grace does please.

Where language is a barrier 
His word speaks to all,
No matter the carrier,
More will hear your call.

More will hear your call
Because they, many of them,
Love you and those in need
Of hearing a word, 
Of sharing a good deed.

It is God’s love that leads the missionary.
It is his call that sends them forth,
That sets the missionary on a course.
He has set their hearts on fire
With a spirit full of desire
To help their sisters and brothers
In a way not done by others.

God will bless
Those who help
More who have less,
Those who reach,
Those who teach
The one or more
Who need help.
He will bless evermore.

Pray for those with a heart,
A desire to live apart 
From the comforts of a life,
To live with those in strife.
May their living,
May their giving,
Be the gift,
Give a lift
To the spirit
Of many more adrift,
Perhaps not knowing
That as more do hear it,
The words of works
More will share,
More will care
That it is God’s word
More will be sowing.

Reflection on The Missionary’s Mission
I got the idea for this poem on my way to work .  I had a few good lines that I fortunately remembered to write down when I got to work.  However, when I wrote it, I struggled.  I’m not sure what that means, if anything.  Maybe it was because I was writing about something I know little about.  But upon reflection during the day I realized that we are all called to be missionaries.  Where ever we are we are to share the good news of salvation.  At work, on the street, with friends, and especially at home.  And it all starts with our story.







HIS WORD  MAY IT LEAD US (Living In God’s Rhyme, pg. 63)

Matthew, Mark Luke and John,
Paul, Peter, Timothy and Jude,
Books and letters written 
To show us the way to God’s love,
The love of his sacrifice,
The love of his grace,
The love he has for us,
The human race.

Jesus said,
Believe,
Be baptized
And spread the Gospel.

We should not only pray,
Pray every day,
For those who have not heard
His mighty saving word.
We should speak
So that we reach
Those souls we know
Of the gift we have received
So they will not be deceived.
We need to shout
To the world about
That Jesus saves,
He is what God gave
So the end will be better,
So it will not be bitter.

After Thoughts
As believers we can meet in clusters
So that faith and desire we can muster
That as we leave the room
We do not have a sense of doom
But the faith to share,
Share that we care,
That others hear
What we hold dear
To...

96, 10-6, SHOW  NOTES & COPYRIGHTS,  (Scheduled 3/23/2023)
                       

Today we are going to follow up on Dave’s suggestion to read a specific poem.  This poem has one of my favorite titles, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrowday.  Sometimes I like to play with words and even make my own words.  Yesterday, today and tomorrow are all days of our lives.  And no, I have not watched this soap opera on tv.   I’m not sure how clean I would be after watching an episode.

Ok, enough, I’ll get to reading.  Our first poem is found in Living in God’s Rhyme on page 157.


YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROWDAY

As I write this it is today.
I wrote the one for yesterday
Sometime earlier today.
You will read this tomorrowday.

Yeah, it sounds nonsensical.
Maybe it’s like something from 
A long lost, thankfully, musical
Whose tunes you cannot hum.

For some that is the total sum
Of a week of days ever so weak;
There was yesterday’s yesterday
And then tomorrowday’s tomorrowday.

But we must remember the times
When writing of the week’s rhymes
That spellcheck continues to tell us we that we are wronger
With those red squiggly lines under words that are stronger.
(Writers comment: Man versus machine, God always wins.)

One day tomorrowday will be yesterday.
We cannot worry about whatever day
We find ourselves living in
Whether we lose or we win.

As we face each day we must pray,
Pray aloud that God removes the cloud
Of doubt so we may shout
For the world to hear that we have no fear.

Yes, we will have our coffee,
We will have the lives we live,
But these things become small
When we answer God’s call.

Yesterday I wrote, and today I write
As I will tomorrowday write,
“All I need today is a little Dr. Pepper
And a whole lot of Jesus”

Pray that we may
Stay with him always,
That what we say
May reflect the way
He has saved us,
God’s Son, Jesus.

Discussion:
Not much to say.  It’s how my mind works.  Crazy, I know; the voices in my head are constantly telling me so.

Let’s see what I wrote some other day.  This is found on page 53 of Living In God’s Rhyme.


SUDDEN DAY

The first day of the week,
We worship him in church
As comfort in our lives we seek
Before out the doors we lurch.

Tomorrow begins the weak days,
Those days when we can easily forget
What on Sunday he did say.
As we step in the puddles our feet are wet.

It is me
In the mirror
I do see.
In the morning
There is a warning
In the prayer said
That all I need
Is his word to heed
And I will be led
My soul will be fed
And then I open the door
To the world that wants more.
Each and every day I see
A reflection in the mirror.

But there are so many about
As our lives we live out
That have not heard 
Us speak of his word.

We must care,
We must share,
Let them know
As we sow
The seeds
That will feed
More than five thousand,
More than loaves and fish,
More than they could ever wish
In years beyond a thousand.

We can lead them to eternity.
Away from God’s enmity,
So that when it does arrive
Sudden Day they...

95, 10-5, SHOW  NOTES & COPYRIGHTS,  (Scheduled 3/16/23)
                       
Last week I asked for prayers that God would answer a question: Should I read poems I have written and posted on Facebook  about the times we are living in.  My concern was the political content of some of the poems.  And again, I am stating that it is not the politics of today I want to discuss, rather it is the fight of good and evil that overrides all things.

About 3 hours after finishing recording last week’s podcast I went to the computer, got on line and checked our bank statement.  Then a thought came to me while looking at the 3 books on the desk next to a pile of podcast files.  I wondered to myself, are the poems in here and is this what God has led me to.  I picked up Living in God’s Rhyme and was led to 3 poems.   

I love the answers to prayers.

The first poem is found on page 114.

IS THIS THE HUMAN CONDITION
(This is not a question)

Where is God when we need him?
Why has this happened again,
Over and over again?
We were told you were a good God,
A loving God who cares for his people.
Where are you in our times of need!

Before our time of need 
We should take time to read
Of the history of his chosen ones,
His beloved daughters and sons.

In their times of greed
They did not see the need
To honor his glory and heed
His word, words that feed.

It is there for us today.
Did we not know so we cannot say?
Did we not know as we walked away
That you despised our way?

Did we not hear that Jesus came
Not just for the Jew, but also the Gentile?
He came so that with God we could reconcile
So as Jew and Gentile we are all the same.

If we love God and his Son,
No matter what we have done,
His love for us never is never ending.
Our lives forever he will be mending,

If we love him we must follow
With words and prayers not hollow,
We must be true to him who loves us,
Loves us so much he sacrificed Jesus.

There is a reason us rhymes with Jesus.

But we never learned the lesson,
Maybe because we never read
Of God’s anger over the adultery
Of his chosen ones with idols
And false gods, the gods of others
That do no good, but only harm.
Gods of wood and gold, some were so bold
To worship nothing instead of everything,
All that their God had for them.

So where is God today as children are slaughtered,
As lives are abandoned and hope forgotten?
He is everywhere, where are we?

Reflection on Is This The Human Condition
I think that I mentioned before that I had no idea what direction the book I am writing here would lead me. Although I talk of reading God’s word and receiving the words of the poems from God, I am probably the last person, if I were on the outside looking in, that I would think could have that relationship. It has grown since I started writing this book. But the poems continue to surprise and amaze me. I was reading Hosea before writing and I just stopped and wondered at the times God’s chosen people walked away from Him and then when trouble came, well you know what we all do at those times.  Today we are in the same place. I had no idea I would what I would write other than the title
Discussion: 


The next poem is found on page 159

MEANINGLESS WORDS

First came the...