Poetry of Christian Faith

PODCAST 21, 3-1, SHOW NOTES & COPYRIGHTS (proposed date 9/10/21)

Today we will be discussing and reading poems about God’s love for us and struggles we overcome knowing who Jesus is and what He has done for us.

The first poem is about a Bible verse that I am sure everyone listening is familiar with.

JOHN 3:16  (God’s Rhyme, pg. 106)

“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.

© 2018 God Rhymes by Tim Carter

Read reflection on next poem first:

Reflection on What Can I Offer?

I had the thought of writing about what I have to offer to God for a few months.  I’m sure that I heard it in a sermon.  When I finally was able to write, I was in church.  During the last song before the sermon we were asked to sit as we sang.  At some point in the song the poem was there. I wrote on the bulletin and was finished just after the singing was over. When I typing it I did add “the void”.  God’s rhyme, always there.  Sometimes he just says follow my lead and write.  There is a message in that.

WHAT CAN I OFFER? (God Still Rhymes, pg. 87)

What gift can I offer you?

All I have to offer is my sin.

And with your grace you accept them.

You take the weight of my sin

And lift it from my failing heart

That I may have new life

Breathed in to the soul of my heart.

Through your grace

You take from me

All that is wrong

And fill the emptiness,

The void with your song.

© 2018 God Still Rhymes by Tim Carter

In John’s Gospel, Chapter 11, Verses 38-54, are about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.  Let me read a few verses starting at verse 45 to lead into the next poem.

45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.“What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”49 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. 53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life.54 Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples. (NIV)

Into this world you were born so that you might be scorned,

Never seeing your worth while on this earth,

Though they saw the torn veil, not knowing that you would prevail.

JOHN 11:45

Part I, the Poem

Jesus threatens the comfort of our lives

Just as he threatened the Pharisee’s lies.

For that he should 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 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?     

Part II, the Thoughts

Jesus threatens our comfortable way of life

just as he did the Pharisees.

They wanted to kill him because 

when people believed he was the Messiah,

the Son of God,

they no longer had control over those lives.

So many are comfortable in their own beliefs,

their own religion,

either devised or perverted by man.

The way of the world is control,

Control of the weak!

Traditions can become the way;

when perverted, the wrong way.

Who perverts - man of course.

Their power gives false hope

as if on dope.

Their promises are of man,

of this sinful world.

They are proud in the eyes of their gods – 

themselves.

Jesus gives life everlasting.

The ultimate judge, 

his control is love,

his saving grace.

Not forced, freely given

to those who accept.

Love does not control,

it guides, 

forgives,

gives hope

which leads to freely accepted

obedience.

They wanted to kill Jesus then,

they want to kill him now!

Reflection on John 11:45

 I write notes, thoughts, verses and more in a small spiral notebook, on the back of the church bulletin, on sticky notes at work, but not my hand.  Part II of this poem was written on two pages of the small notebook. With the exception of some punctuation marks and putting the free flow of thoughts into verses, it is the original thought.  Sometimes I think that the original is better than the rewritten.  I know that at all times the original is better than the rewritten.

If it seems that the verse before the title is missing something, it is.

© 2018 God Still Rhymes by Tim Carter

BLESSED IS LOVE  (God’s Rhyme, pg. 25)

Blessed are they

who love the Lord

thy God,

for they shall love

one another

& those around them.

We are commanded

to love God

our Father

with all our heart

& all our soul.

And after, to love

Thy neighbor

As we would

love ourselves

who are created

in the image

of our Creator.

Love with all 

our hearts

& all our souls

as He did

who saved our souls

on Calvary’s hill.

Father, Son & Holy Spirit;

One & the same

for eternity.

Likewise, the Ten Commandments

Jesus said are one;

“Love one another

as I have loved you.” 

The love that God commands

is the love He has given.

Blessed are we

who accept His love,

for we can return

the blessing.

Blessed are they

who love the Lord 

for they, like God,         

are love,

& love, like God,

goes on forever.

© 2018 God’s Rhyme by Tim Carter

It is God’s love that we need and God’s love we need to share.

Where to find books (book signings, mention book signing inquiry at a local library, read inside, sell in parking lot)

Closing Prayer:

Dear Father, we thank You for this time we have had today to share our faith with each other and  our listeners.   We pray that it not only has lifted our faith but also our listeners.  We pray Lord that if there is someone listening that hasn’t accepted Your grace, the gift You have offered of salvation through your Son, Jesus, that this may have been the planting of the seed that will be watered and lead to salvation for that person.  We thank you, Lord, for your blessings in our lives and this podcast.  We also pray for those listeners who may be going through trials in their lives, emotional, health wise, or in other ways that you work a miracle in their lives this coming week.  We give You all the honor and praise for anything good that comes from this podcast.  We pray in the name of Jesus, Your Son, our Savior.

If you give

Him the times

As you live

His word rhymes

And don’t forget, we are the King’s kids and you will never get rid of us because we are His with Jesus . 

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Tim and Dave

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

"We are the King’s kids and you’ll never get rid of us because we are His with Jesus."

20, 2-10-SHOW NOTES & COPYRIGHT (Revised from 19, 2-9), (Poem added at end, 8/23/21)

3 unpublished poems, however posted on Facebook, from 2018 and one from God Still Rhymes and one from Living In God’s Rhyme.

June 12, 2020

After publishing 3 books, there  may be no more, I still enjoy writing.  I have found that every so often the subject/tone of the poetry changes.  I have close to 300 unpublished poems.  No book planned now.  But I realized as I typed this poem that if there ever were to be another book it would be titled TOMORROW IS TODAY.   Right now I can’t write the rosy, uplifting poetry/prose that I read on other Facebook pages.  So I have accepted that my focus will be on what we Christians must be prepared for, what God’s word tells us to be prepared for.   When asked about signs of the end times in Matthew’s Gospel, one of the signs Jesus proclaimed was, “Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (Matt 13:13, NIV)

The Lord is patient, as we must also be.  He has recently shown that patience with me as the last few months have been rebellious on  my part.  It started with too many questions I had after reading too many articles about today’s false teachings in the church.  Today I am blessed to be on month 2 of my recovery of my faith and trust.  One thing that was always on my mind was tomorrow.  Will I be prepared for that day?  Today I am closer to that.  These last few months are also why I am going to be writing about tomorrows.  As Christians we must be prepared and still live our lives as God has prepared for us.

Patience is not procrastination.

TEARS FOR TOMORROW

Be aware today,

Hear what others say

Then kneel and pray

That you have heard

All of God’s word.

Prophecies then,

For just when?

For the end of times

Where there are no rhymes.

Yesterday is gone.

Today is here.

Tomorrow will we fear

When the world is wrong?

Prepare for the coming of the Lord.

Rise above the earthly horde.

Sing songs of praise

With hands upraised.

Stand tall and proud,

Not behind a shroud.

Yes, the clamoring crowd

At you will shout so loud.

As we sing Hallelujah

We understand why,

Though we all will cry,

For some their Hallelujah

Will bring tears of joy

Through the birth of a baby boy.

6/10/2020, tcarter

Discussion

April 8, 2018

Something that came from reading Isaiah 52 thru 58.  

FROM PROPHETS AND WRITTEN LETTERS

The letter gets better,

It should, it would

Bring a tear of my fear

No longer needed as I heeded

What was said that has lead

Me to face what my place,

What could be if I see

What is you, what is me,

What I may be only with you.

Thank you for using and not confusing

Me with the word that I have heard,

Heard of your love, from Heaven above,

A love that does give so that I may live

In your saving grace as I run this race.

From times of old with words so bold

The story was told, of today foretold,

Of those who you did use so we would not confuse

Living in our times with life in your rhymes.

Words that were true, the words from you

Of the world in which we live and what you for us would give

To save our lives, to save us

You did send your Son Jesus.

The prophets of old

Then apostles so bold,

Through them you told

Your people to behold

The love you have for us

Through your Son Jesus,

His death on a cross

To prevent our loss

Our separation from you.

We now have a life anew.

4/5/18, tcarter

Discussion

May 1, 2018

My memory isn’t what I need it to be.  The idea for this poem came as I was reading a few nights ago.  I do remember the date, April 28th because I wrote it at the top of the page.  What I was reading I can’t tell you.  I have not been reading in any sort of order.  Whatever I was reading led me to refer to Psalm 16.  I also wrote down Psalm 116:12,13 in my notebook.  That will be another day.

PSALM 16

Keep me safe my God,

for in you I take my refuge.

Psalm 16:1,2  (NIV)

Lord, from the time I rise in the morning

Until I arise from my sleep the next day

You are my refuge, my mooring.

With you I will not drift away.

When the waves come crashing in

You are there to wash away my sin.

Before my life turns to decay

You are there that I may pray.

You lift me up above the tides.

You carry me safely to shore.

It is with you I must abide.

With you I cannot ask for more.

LORD, you are my portion and my cup;

you make my lot secure.  Psalm 16:5

Lord, your Word feeds me.

You quench my thirst with living water.

Jesus, the Bread of Life,

The cup of my salvation.

What more can I be

Knowing I will not falter

Or live with strife

By your grace, my salvation.

Lord, as I hear your call

I may receive all

You have for me.

In you Lord, I will be.

You make known to me the path of life;

You will fill me with joy in your presence,

with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Psalm 16:11

PS – I once had a counsellor tell me I needed to keep a daily journal.  I told him that I didn’t like to write and took some poetry with me to my next session.  That was the end of that discussion.  I also know that people write of their Bible reading in a journal.  Maybe I have been fighting it, probably.  But I find this writing to be my journal, those things that really have meaning.

4/30/18, tcarter

Discussion

And a published one from God Stilll Rhymes.

I Want It . . .  (God Still Rhymes, pg. 64)

From death you are risen

and life you have given.

And I rise

as I strive

to be more like you 

in all that I do.

I find in you Jesus

all that pleases.

I opened the door

and heard you call.

Needing, wanting more,

no not more,

I want it all!

Now set free,

what you have for me,

what you see in me,

what in you I can be,

I want it all,

everything

so I can sing

to those among the horde

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

Lord of all!

© 2019 God Still Rhymes by Tim Carter

We can’t forget that Labor Day is coming up next Monday. Our final poem is from Living in God’s Rhyme,

Labor Days.

Labor Days (Living In God’s Rhyme, pg. 166)

As followers of Christ we are his day laborers,

Laboring every day and through the night.

In first Corinthians we are told to

Always give ourselves to the Lord’s work

Because we know that our labor

In the Lord is never in vain.

The wages of our sin were ransomed

By a death on the cross so our loss

Would not be forever, that never

Would we be forsaken, forever.

The one who plants and the one who waters

have one purpose, and they will each be 

rewarded according to their own labor.

for we are co-workers in God’s service;

you are God’s field, God’s building.  1Cor, 3:8,9

We work, but our toil is not with the soil.

The seeds one plants are the seeds of God’s love.

The one who waters does so with the living water

Of a death, a resurrection, of forgiveness and love.

For we are God’s handiwork, 

created in Christ Jesus to do good works,

which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Eph, 2:10

By God’s grace we have been saved by faith

To perform the good works he has prepared for us.

We receive our reward through God’s Son, Jesus.

And as we have received we must help others believe.

We labor in love,

The love of God,

Our love for our neighbor,

The love for our Savior

So that others will see

What with God they can be.

© 2018, Living In God’s Rhyme by Tim Carter

Yes, at times a grueling task,

But God did not just ask,

No it is a command we must follow

Unless we think any of his words are hollow.

He prepared the works to be done

Knowing we have strength through his Son.

We must labor for God in this life we live.

Just consider the sacrifice for us he did give.

Labor Day, a holiday for man to celebrate the worker’s labor.

Let us make every day a holy day and celebrate,

Let us celebrate and not worry or contemplate,

But let us pray for all things as for God we do labor.

Reflection on Labor Days

Yes, I did labor on this poem.  And I was given a revelation.  I got out my Pocket Rhyming Dictionary so I could have more variety in my rhymes.  There is no section for the letter L and a few others.  I am satisfied with the rhymes God has.

Discussion

Close with a prayer.

Dear Father, We thank Your for the time you have given Dave and me to present this podcast.  And Lord we give you all of the praise for the work you have done in leading us into and through today’s podcast.  You knew our individual strengths and have blessed us by joining our strengths into one goal - praising You and the work You have done and continue to do in our lives.  Lord, we pray for those listening to the podcast that they have found something of worth in it.  We pray that you have touched lives beyond

what we have dscussed here.  We pray for our listeners that they have a blessed week and that You touch and heal those who are sick and going through struggles in their lives.  We give You all the priase and glory for the good that may have come out of our encounter today.  We pray in Jesus’ name.

In closing:

If you give

Him the times

As you live

His word rhymes

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

19, 2-9 SHOWNOTES & COPYRIGHTS (Revised from 18, 2-18), (typo corrections 8/21/21)

All of today’s poems were inspired by the writings of the Apostle Paul.

Paul was a Jewish Pharisee who, as such, persecuted Christians. From the Book of Acts Chapere 9:

9 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”  5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.  “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”  7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.  10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered.  11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”  13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”  15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”  17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.  (NIV)

ONE THOUGHT BECAME ANOTHER (Living In God’s Rhyme, Pg. 75)

He who spoke creation into existence 

By his word was one with God. 

Watching God’s creation from Heaven

As man strayed he answered God’s call.

Born into his creation he became man.

As one of us he did live

That he might show the way.

To those he loves, his live he did give.

From the beginning he was a blessing

To all of creation, especially man.

Before the beginning, beyond the end

In Jesus we have found more than a friend.

We have found a Savior

Who overcomes our behavior.

This man Jesus as God,

By his life he has saved us.

So we give thanks and praise 

For the life God did raise

For the lives Jesus did save

Through the life he gave.

We now have the hope beyond our lives

That it is by God’s saving grace we do strive

To honor and praise the Almighty God

And the Savior Son he does love.

Knowing what lies ahead,

Turning from sin to God instead,

Just as Paul did running toward the goal,

So must I with all my heart, all my soul.

An After Thought (from before)

Amazing Grace, I have been found,

When you spoke, I heard the sound.

Now blessings are all around

And your love knows no bounds.

Through grace

You spoke

The blessings

Of your love

Reflection on One Thought Became Another

 As I have written before, when I pray for not just direction, but the words, poems do not go where I thought they would. I had the last two lines of this poem come to me at work. On the drive home I thought about writing stanzas of praise and thanks to God. I was going to call it Random Thanks and Praise. I just thought I hadn’t written enough praise and thanks into my poems lately. The title of today’s poem should tell you what happened.   

©2018 Living In God’s Rhyme by Tim Carter    

All of Paul’s writings apply to the world we live in today.  He wrote about anti-christs, and false teachers and prophets.  He wrote about God’s saving grace that has saved those who believe and confess that Jesus Christ is His Son who lived among us on this earth, living a life free from sin.  And I have  no doubt that the temptations he faced were on a  much grander scale than those I will face.  He was offered by His Father as the final sacrifice required for the forgiveness of sins, once for all.  He died a unbelieveably horrific death on a cross, a death I deserved, and was buried.  After three days he rose from the dead, thus defeating death.  He then ascended into Heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.  

My friends, believe that, profess that, repent from your sins and accept the grace God has offered us.  Paul spent the rest of his life after the encounter on the road to Damascus travelling parts of Asia and Europe, with occassional trips to Jeresulem.  His sole purpose was to share the gospel of our Lord with the Gentiles.  Anyone who believes, will receive the blessings of salvation.  If Jesus can call a sinner like Saul, who sought our believing early Christians, then he can use any of us.

When I started putting the show notes together for today’s podcast I first found the poems I wanted, realizing that they were all influnced by the Apostle Paul.  A week or so later when I started to fill in the blanks between the poems, the discussion, The Bible verse and my written comments just kept flowing.  His Blessings, they are my rhyme.

OK, on to the next poem.

RUNNING TOWARD THE GOAL  (God’s Rhyme, pg. 29)

“All I want is to know Christ

and to experience the power of His resurrection,

to share in his suffering

and become like him in his death

in the hope that I myself

will be raised from death to life.”     Phil. 3:10 GN

The race I could never win,

no, not on my own.

I stumble & fall, I sin.

& many times the race seems too long.

But for me, the race has been won.

Following God’s heavenly course,

Jesus, my Savior, His holy Son,

has received all the glory.

Knowing where my life ends

I continue to strive & run

the course Jesus set before me,

hoping that with Him I will become one.

“May you always be joyful

in your union with the Lord.”     Phil. 4:4, GN

I must look ahead, never behind,

keep running by the power of His love

straight toward the goal & prize – 

God’s call thru Jesus to life above.

As Jesus has done before me to see,

I must follow the course

He so perfectly set before me,

avoiding the obstacles of this human world.

& when I do finally & joyfully arrive,

He will take this weak & mortal body

& like His it shall become alive

in glory by the power of Him who has created all.

“May you always be joyful

in your union with the Lord.

I say it again, rejoice!”

©2019 God’s Rhyme by Tim Carter    

My thought:  With Jesus at our side, we will reach the goal, eternity in Heaven in a room He is preparing for us.

WEAKNESS (God’s Rhyme, 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.

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 on Weakness:

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

(Written in 2014)     

 ©2019 God’s Rhyme by Tim Carter    

I love this thought.  Once I have Jesus, it is strength that strengthens me.  I give up my earthly desires and my failures and give my life to Him.  I live in Hs strength when I do this.  

I do need to do this more.  My prayer is that I let Jesus be Jesus and the Holy Spirt the voice of God that leads me away from sin and into His love, power and grace.

I wrote the next short poem, I promise it is short, after I had found the other 3 poems and saw the relationship they have.

THE GOAL 

Our soul and the goal,

Eternally intertwined,

We will forever find

Just how God’s role

In the live we live

Allows us to give

His love to others,

Sisters and brothers.

Before I put the pencil down, these words were written:

As we run our race

In the life we face

We will find our pace

And know our place

Through God’s grace

7/29/21, tcarter

I

Close with a prayer.

Dear Father, We thank Your for the time you have given Dave and me to present this podcast.  And Lord I want to give you praise for the work you have done in leading us into and through today’s podcast.  You knew our individual strengths and have blessed us by joining our strengths into on goal - praising You and the work You have and continue to do in our lives.  Lord, we pray for those listening to the podcast that they have found something of worth in it.  We pray that you have touched lives beyond

what we have dscussed here.  We pray for our listeners that they have a blessed week and that You touch and heal those who are sick and going through struggles in their lives.  We give You all the priase and glory for the good than may have come out of our encounter today.  We pray in Jesus’ name.

If you give 

Him the times

As you live

His word rhymes

©2019 God’s Rhyme by Tim Carter   

We are the  kings kids and you will never get rid of us because we are His Jesus 

©2019 God’s Rhyme by Tim Carter 

Follow is on our website

www.livingingodsrhyme.com

You can buy Tim's books at the following websites

god rhyme tim carter | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)

Amazon.com : God's Rhyme Tim Carter

https://www.lettrapress.com

Please follow us on Facebook and Like us

(6) Tim Carter, God Still Rhymes | Facebook

You can hear us on Apple Podcast, Google Play, Pandora, Stitcher, IHeart radio, Tunedin Radio. and all the other podcast sites. 

Please subscribe to the podcast

Tell all your friends about us and have them tell thier friends,

Thank you for being here, we are blessed that you listened.

Tim and Dave

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

"We are the King’s kids and you’ll never get rid of us because we are His with Jesus."

TOM SEPPO INTERVIEW,

Discussion topics:

Tom knows Dave from High School and Tim from a Bible Study

It Tom sitting in Tim’s old office at BMJ?  Something is wrong, the secretary is sitting in the bosses office, specifically the half occupied by our first interviewee.  It is a small world.

Growing up in a Christian Family.

Tom and his brothers singing group.

His family, wife & children.

What influenced Tom to go into the ministry?  (Highlights/Lowlights ????)

Starting Operation Transformation and its mission.

Hopes for the future.

INTERVIEW

Podcast followup:

1. Interesting how the connections to people & places has played out in our first 2 interviews.

2. God’s Ways &  Means committee.  

3. Tom’s ability through his faith to pray at class reunion.  I especially liked when he talked about what happens when we come to the end of our life.  Not being pushy, just relaying God’s messaage.  I think as Christians that should be our example, to pray and share our faith where we can, when the door open to allow us to freely do it.  He was asked to pray at the beginning of the event and he did so much more.  That’s Tom.

4. His work with Billy Graham Foundation, being point man for Franklin Graham’s Route 66 Tour with stops at 8 cities.  

5. Tom is another great example of the work God can do through people if they are fully open to His leading.  It has to take anoumous trust and faith to have followed where God has led Tom.

6. We will have to have him back after the Route 66 Tour.

Poem for Operation Transformation from God Still Rhymes

Outreach (for Operation Transformation) (God Still Rhymes, pg. 94)

“Your love has given me great joy

and encouragement, because you,

brother, have refreshed the hearts

of the Lord’s people.”  (Philemon 1:7 NIV)

Saving one life, maybe more,

Giving hope to a neighborhood

With perhaps a rundown store,

Where once despair may have reigned,

Now there is hope for the good

That comes when pride is regained.

Transforming,

Performing,

More than one,

More than a few

With hope renewed.

How, one may ask in a world askew,

Can “hope” and “less” pray in the same pew?

Well the few are many

When joining together

To give of themselves to the others,

One hand becomes more as they gather.

When one becomes seven,

A number from Heaven,

Then lives will heal

As love they feel.

            Communication

            Churches

            Community

Chaplain Services

            Commerce

            Certification

            Children/Youth

As Jesus gathers in the lost sheep 

He is helped by many of faith.

There is one who gathers the helpers,

Though many they become one,

Joined in faith by the command

To love others as Jesus loves them.

The many become one

Through Jesus, God’s son.

Knowing their strength, together they pray,

Forgoing the loss, together they stay.

Operation Transformation, 

Transforming a community

One soul at a time

Through the unity of faith.

After dinner thoughts 

Making the community a Christian

professing one through faith based

organizations partnered in Christ.

Save the prisoner,

Those in jail, 

Those who hail

From a lost life.

Like a herd of sheep taken in by the Good Shepherd

If people were rain,

There would be a flood at the door,

Rain drops, feet on the floor.

Love for others 

Was the report

From all the support.

Reflection on Outreach

I wrote this poem after attending a fundraising banquet for Operation Transformation.  It is a local non-profit organization that works with civic and service organizations to develop ways to meet the needs of the people of the community.  Rev. Thomas Seppo, the executive director was in the Bible study that I wrote about in God’s Rhyme.”  He also went to school with my younger, much younger, brother.

© 2018 God Still Rhymes by Tim Carter

Links to Operation Transformation

options.org

billygraham.org

Link for the TV interview with Tom and Tim

https://ebw.tv/?s=Tim+carter

Follow is on our website

www.livingingodsrhyme.com

You can buy Tim's books at the following websites

god rhyme tim carter | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)

Amazon.com : God's Rhyme Tim Carter

https://www.lettrapress.com

Please follow us on Facebook and Like us

(6) Tim Carter, God Still Rhymes | Facebook

You can hear us on Apple Podcast, Google Play, Pandora, Stitcher, IHeart radio, Tunedin Radio. and all the other podcast sites. 

Please subscribe to the podcast

Tell all your friends about us and have them tell thier friends,

Thank you for being here, we are blessed that you listened.

Tim and Dave

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

"We are the King’s kids and you’ll never get rid of us because we are His with Jesus."

PODCAST 17, 2-7, 

Today we are going to read poems about grace, God’s grace.  I found 3 poems with grace in the title and another that is about grace.   Three of the poems are unpublished.

What is God’s grace?

Grace is the unmerited favor of God for those who are under condemnation for their sin.

HIS GRACE

Having heard God’s call

The apostle Paul,

Hearing God’s Voice

Was able to rejoice.

Having faced the day

We prepare to pray,

Asking God to deliver us.

It is then in Him we must trust.

When we ask for God’s grace

In this world we face,

Do we trust it is done

And the battle is won?

He has said His grace is,

It is here in the present time.

We’ve asked and so He gives

In that moment our needed rhyme.

He is

We are

We asked

He gave

At the moment we ask

To be relieved of the task

The answer to our prayer,

His grace is now there.

We must believe

That we receive

In faith to know

That it is so.

 Ask and receive His grace.

We are only human in this place.

We at times close our eyes,

But as we pray He never denies.

HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT,

His grace is a prayer away.

A few days later:

If we pray in His will,

What is pleasing to Him,

He will answer our pleas.

He knows our needs.

Whether today or another

When the answer is revealed,

Know that there is no other

By whose grace we are healed.

When we say Amen

As our prayer ends

We will know

It is so.

8/5/19, 8/7/19, tcarter (Facebook)

When I was looking for poems with grace in the title, these two poems were together,

HIS GRACE (pg. 127, God Still Rhymes)

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith –

and this is not from yourselves, it is a gift of God –

not by works so that no one can boast.” (Eph 2: 8-9)  

It is by grace that we embrace 

Our salvation, our hope,

That in this race we see his face,

That in this world we can cope.

What is grace?

His love for us,

A fallen race,

We have lost

Our way, our place,

Since the time

In the Garden.

Asking

what is mine

Without thought

Or concern

For what we ought

To do or think.

And as the eye

Does blink

We wonder why

As we wander

As in the journey

The path meanders,

Til the day’s end

 Not knowing

Whether friend

Or other

We did treat

One we did meet

As a brother.

Grace is His love given freely,

A gift we will never deserve.

But it is there for us to accept,

Accept the love he does give

In this life we do live.

And we share that gift

As others we uplift

So as we follow, we serve.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus 

to do good works, which God prepared in advance

 for us to do.” (Eph 2:10)

We now share our faith

We received by His grace

As we then serve others,

Our sisters and brothers.

We show our faith by our works,

Which have been prepared for us

By the God of Heaven above

That we may show his love.

Jesus said, “believe, be baptized and spread the gospel”

The gospel is full of his good works;

The healing, the kind words,

The love for mankind that poured out from him.

Good works, helping those in need,

Perhaps planting the seed,

That others may water

So that God may reap the harvest.

We can sit

On our hands

Or for a bit,

Maybe stand.

But how does

That honor

The grace given?

Works are 

A continuation

Of the rhyme.

The rhyme

Of all time,

Past,

Present

And future.

Our faith lives though works.

It is a sign that we are heirs.

Without works our faith 

Is but a mist in the air.

As in the gospel James said,

Faith without works is dead?

It is like speaking without a voice.

We have be given the choice.

 We can say it and we can believe

We are saved by grace.

Our lives he has repaired

So what he has prepared,

The works, for us to do,

We help more than a few.

 ©2019 by Tim Carter

These are some of my favorite words in the Bible.  They give me peace and a complete understand of what God has done and what we are to do.  Grace, how amazing.

This next poem is from a Facebook post on God Still Rhymes page.

It is with sadness I look at the world today.  But is with hope that I look forward.  My faith, our faith, must tell the stories we have about a loving and forgiving God.  We must share, I must share, God’s care for us through his son Jesus.

UNDESERVED LOVE

I apologize

For the lies

I have told.

Being so bold

It all gets so old

As it has a hold

Forgoing my needs

As among the weeds

I live every day,

Once knowing what to say

Then turning the other way.

Now the price I dearly pay.

Yes, the lines get longer.

But God’s love is stronger.

And as I resist,

My hands in fists,

I struggle every time

I hear one of God’s rhymes.

If I only confess

And accept his grace

The world I can face.

I need 

To heed

To his will

And be still,

Let him rectify

As I testify

Of the love he gave

For my life to save,

Saving me from myself

And thoughts of worldly wealth.

My sins he accepted

Once I rejected

The life I led,

Living though dead.

God sent his Son

So it would be done.

He took my sin,

What I had been.

He paid the ransom

For what I had done.

He died

For the times

I lied,

For my crimes

Against God almighty.

His Son’s death on a tree.

From death His Son rose,

Thus he defeated

Death for those

Who do believe.

What did God see in me,

In the sinful human me?

He saw the hope in me

That others would see,

That though once undeserving,

What I had been I would no longer be,

That now others, not me, I would be serving.

God knew what I would do.

As he knew me he knows you.

7/7/18, tcarter (Facebook)

God’s grace at work.  On my own I am unworthy until I let Jesus makes me worthy.

PRAISE GOD’S GRACE

Once tattered and torn,

Battered and forlorn,

I have been reborn.

I now praise the name,

Forever the same,

Who fought

And bought 

My freedom, 

The total sum.

Yesterday is gone,

Today there is grace,

Tomorrow a song

As I finish my race

In the loving embrace

Of the He who loved me

Long before I could see.

No longer led astray

With Him I will stay.

I will constantly praise

The one God did raise,

He who has paid the price

For my ungodly life,

My Savior, Jesus,

Who has saved us..

Believe in Him and receive

Life everlasting.

Praise Him in your days,

Days everlasting.

8/24/2020, tcarter (Facebook)

God deserves our praise for the love he has for us and the sacrifice he made for us.  That love, if we accept it, makes us worthy to be in His presence.

Here are a couple of more poems, not  published.  This one was inspired by the writings of the Apostle Paul.

THE GOAL

Our soul and the goal

Eternaly intertwinedwe will forevr find

Just how God’s role

In the life we live

Allows us to give

His love to others

Sisters and brothers

We run our race

In this life we face

We will find our pace

And know our place

7/29/21, tcarter

And finally . . . 

I have been reading the Book of Revelation again.  I’m taking my time and understanding more of what it says and connecting a few dots, so to speak.  The following isn’t  meant to be a poem, it is just my thoughts after reading one night.

MY WEALTH

My wealth comes from God,

The truth of God’s word,

The promise through God’s grace,

The sacrifice, once for all, if His Son,

The faith I have received,

The peace as His Spirit leads  me through my day,

The forgiveness of my sins,

The turning from the world’s ways.

I am wealthy beyond my worth 

As I live on this tattered and torn earth.

This is wealth I cannot buy, nor can I earn.

His love covers me and lifts me up.

My wealth lies in the saving grace of God,

His word, His sacrifice overcoming death.

My wealth is held for me in Heaven for eternity.

8/3/2021, tcarter

 I will live in God’s Rhyme

When my life is no longer mine.

If your give 

Him the times

As you live

His word rhymes

©2018 by Tim Carter

And do not forget; We are the King’s kids and you will never get rid of us because we are His with Jesus.

©2018 by Tim Carter

16, 2-6-SHOW NOTES

Today’s poems have not been published.  Some were a continuation of my writing and posting on Facebook as I had done with the poems in Living In God’s Rhyme.  

Three of today’s poems are about color.   I am not an artist so I write words of color that are not seen by the eyes, but hopefully are seen by the heart.   

THE COLOR OF WORDS

Can words paint  pictures

Like a brush on a canvas?

That was the question.

What is the answer?

The brush paints a scene,

But what does it mean

As its many colored hues

Present many varied views?

The brush paints with color,

The color of the rain,

The color of one’s pain,

The color of life’s strain,

The color of a smile,

The color of a traveled mile,

The color of two in love,

The color of the sky above.

The colors of the world

By the brush are swirled.

The colors of our dreams,

Just what do they mean?

Colors are everywhere,

A breath of fresh air.

Words, what do they do

In their monotone hue?

Words paint the emotions

Of peace and the commotions

Of the life we live

And what God does give.

There is color in our pain,

There is color in God’s reign,

There is color as we strain

Our tear filled eyes to see

Beyond the dark what will be.

There is color in our story,

There is color in God’s glory.

Through words we will see

Colors, the many colored hues,

Through words holding the clues

To blessings from above,

The blessings of God’s love.

Every word spoken, every word heard is another brush stroke in the painting of our story in Gods’ glory.

What do the dictionary and a box of crayons have in common?  They tell our story.

6/4/19, tcarter  (read date)

 It has been a few years since I had read today’s poems.  I was surprised when I could find three about colors.  I was especially surprised at the short period of time between writing the previous poem and the next one.  More on that after this, A Flood of Colors.

 A FLOOD OF COLORS

Red,

Orange,

Yellow,

And green,

Blue,

Indigo,

And violet,

Together become a rainbow,

A promise of God so long ago.

The blood of Jesus, 

The blood of the lamb,

The blood that saves us,

Salvation, God’s plan.

The fire of God’s deliverance

As we passionately praise

Through our faithful observance

Of the life God did raise.

The glory of God now shown,

Finding joy in our faith,

Knowing we will see God’s face.

Through His reign we have grown.

The new beginning,

Promised restoration

From  lives of sinning,

Now with adoration.

The authority of Heaven,

Fed on bread unleavened,

Led by the Holy Spirit,

God’s word, we hear it.

The infinite and the finite,

One is God, the other man.

Jesus is the bridge over the chasm

That was created by Adam.

The priesthood, the kingship,

The royalty, the mediator,

It is Jesus we worship

Who is One with the Creator.

The rainbow, a sign of the mercy of God  (Genesis),

The colors, the glory of God (Ezekiel),

At the end, the power of God (Revelation),

The rainbow, a reflection of God,

Yesterday,

Today,

And tomorrow.

Post Script:

An artist paints with colors,

A poet paints with words.

Both tell a Story

Of all God’s Glory.

Tim Carter

July 7, 2019 (read date)

At the end of June and the first day of July in 2019 I attended Book Expo in New Your City.  I had been invited by my publisher, Lettra Press to be one of three authors to showcase their books.  The last day was BookCon and the three of us gave out and signed copies of our books.  One of the authors was a man named Dr. Jan Cooper.  He has quite a resume, teacher, PHD, author, artist, and more.  We struck up a friendship over lunch one day.  The day of the book signing, he not only signed copies of his book, he drew a picture around the person’s name.  I have one also.  After he had passed out his books he went to the side of the exhibit and continued to draw pictures for an hour or more.  Before we left, he challenged me to write a poem about colors.  I don’t remember if it was specifically the rainbow.  It probably was since its in the first line of the poem.

And our last poem for today.

 May 14, 2018, this post was the result of reading too many news reports the las couple of weeks.

May one day we say,

Take my hand as we walk this land.

I will understand where you stand.

And as we walk we will talk

So it is understood all that is good.

COLORS

We are not the colors of the rainbow.

The sign God promised to Noah

When the flood waters receded

Was that a rainbow would appear

At the end of a rain as a sign

That he would not flood the earth again.

But we are people of different colors,

Children of his creation, made in his image.

We are commanded to love our neighbors,

Love them as we love ourselves.

What harm would we do sitting on our shelves,

What harm would I do to myself?

Today history continues along its way,

Continuing to lose its way in what we say.

Is what we say who we are?

How have we survived this far?

Yes, we love ourselves, maybe too much.

At this time there is no rhyme.

We are our own god

And now that is not odd.

It is more the norm

As we awake each morn.

Yes, we live in a world torn and tattered.

Many living lives more battered

Than the fewer who have not.

Those life has not shot.

Who do we see walking down the street?

So many faces of different colored hues,

Is it just the hue that we view

As we walk in the crowded city heat?

What is inside, what is covered with skin?

For all of us it covers our sin.

But is also protects our soul,

Who we are, what is our goal.

Why must we be separated by our color?

What color is God, which one does he favor?

To both the answer is none

So why do we shun the one

Who looks different than us?

For most of us so did Jesus.

Backgrounds, upbringing, culture,

All can be the vulture

Sweeping down to grab our dead souls

As our lives continue to spin out of control.

Backgrounds, upbringing, culture

Are life with which we must live,

Yours, mine and ours, our future.

With an open heart we must live.

Walk a mile in another’s shoes

What have you got to lose?

Nothing but all that hurts,

Hurts you, leaving you in the dirt.

Those we despise, those we hate,

Those we consider lesser in their worth,

Though suffering while on this earth

We may watch entering Heaven’s gate.

What joy is there in anger

As we berate and hate a stranger?

What joy is there in ignorance

Of another person’s innocence?

If we think we are better, we are not.

Created in God’s image

We have been conformed

To the ways of the evil one.

Love thy neighbor,

Trust in God

Accept his grace

A death and resurrection

So we, his creation,

Though living in this world,

Will live in eternity,

In a place of perfection.

Two songs from younger days come to mind,

Songs that, though saying the right words,

It has become for me impossible to find

The truth, the words that are not heard.

All you need is love,

Give peace a chance.

Only with God’s love

Will we truly live in peace.

5/13/14, tcarter

After rereading this poem after 7 years my first thought was that we need to live for the goodness of the colors God has given us in this world.  

As I’m putting together these show notes all I can think of is, Dear Lord, heal us not with the bandages of man, but with the mighty healing power of Jesus, His blood shed for us. 

And finally this.

As a youngster TV was in black and white

As a teen TV had advanced to colorful color

They both showed and reflected the same picture

The days of our lives were still the same

Only the televisions had new names

I’m not sure where this is going

I’m not sure what I am sowing

All I know is we were created in God’s image

And if we love God we love those he created

May we bless and be a blessing to all

SATURDAY EVENING BLUES

8:09 pm, looking out the window,

Watching as the setting sun still glows.

Earlier, the rising sun and sky of blue

Brightened the welcoming of the day anew.

There was rain in the afternoon,

But it stopped fairly soon.

The clouds moving over the lake

Leaving a gentle breeze in their wake.

The light of the setting sun

Gives the sky of different hue.

The blue sky now shining bright

Mixed with the Son’s glorious light.

Above the horizon,

Beyond the sun,

Above the stars,

And what is ours

The Son shines bright.

He is our guiding light.

8/1/21, tcarter

Follow is on our website

www.livingingodsrhyme.com

You can buy Tim's books at the following websites

god rhyme tim carter | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)

Amazon.com : God's Rhyme Tim Carter

https://www.lettrapress.com

Please follow us on Facebook and Like us

(6) Tim Carter, God Still Rhymes | Facebook

You can hear us on Apple Podcast, Google Play, Pandora, Stitcher, IHeart radio, Tunedin Radio. and all the other podcast sites. 

Please subscribe to the podcast

Tell all your friends about us and have them tell thier friends,

Thank you for being here, we are blessed that you listened.

Tim and Dave

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

"We are the King’s kids and you’ll never get rid of us because we are His with Jesus."

If you give

Him the times

As you live

His word rhymes

©2018. Tim Carter

 We are the Kings kids and you will never get rid of us because we are His with Jesus.

The Clock Poems

Chapter 1 (God Still Rhymes)

The Clock Poems

 With the exception of the first poem in this chapter, these poems were inspired by a wall clock in the room where my wife and I attended a seven week series called Christ Life.  The sessions consisted of a video viewed by the whole group, then we broke up into small groups.  At the end of each session, we returned to the larger meeting room for a song and prayer.  One meeting while waiting for everyone to return from their small groups, something that I had noticed about the clock before, now inspired me to write the following poems.  Give me the time and this is what can happen.

Discussion:  Explain significance of the room the clock was in

Grandfather Clock

 Old Grandfather clock

tick tock

pendulum swinging

those hands purposely

circling

the hours

of time

that face has seen

so much

and there’s no such

time as now

for no matter

how we try

we can’t close

time’s eye

and grandfather clock

keeps sounding on

tick tock

tick tock   (1971)

The Broken Clock?

Time stands still

as our hands circle time,

day in, night out.

And without doubt,

if we were to stand still,

time would move forward,

life would not stand still,

no matter our will.

For it is in God our hours

are measured

by his hands on the clock.

Time is his

to stand still

or move forward

at his will.

(The broken clock, I think not.)

Still the Clock Is Still

The clock is still there,

Hands idle, never moving.

So, I take a breath of air

To know that my heart is still moving.

9:30 (AM or PM?),

Though it was just after lunch,

And with that I had a hunch

That I was in a time crunch;

Too late for brunch,

Too early for a snack to munch.

So I sat still,

My hands not moving,

Idly wondering

What was God’s will?

Our Time Standing Still

The clock makes not a sound,

Its hands never turning round

Its numbered face.

There will be no race,

Not today.

That is not 

To say

That someday

We will see

That maybe

Time is no stranger

As we face danger

Of our living

And not giving

Our time,

Our dime

To help feed

Those in need.

Time standing still,

Just waiting until

We make the time

To share his grace,

To plant a seed

So someone will see

Life in the manger.

The Clock, the Time, Our Hours 

Time, is it ours or is it hours,

The hands that do not move?

As we move through time

Do we make life rhymes?

Whose face is on the clock?

Does it reflect

     the number of years,

     the number of fears,

     the number of tears?

The rhymes that age us

As we look in the mirror,

Is it ours or the face of time?

Will the hands on the clock

Give us time to unlock

The secrets we keep,

Our sins so deep?

Do we have the hours,

At least to start,

To open our heart

And release what was ours?

Time will wait for no one.

Will we be standing still

At the end of time?

Time will not go on into infinity

As we wait for eternity.

We are free,

what ever

we want to be

for all to see

especially he

that is in 

Heaven above.

Will we choose

his love

before the end?

Will we accept

the grace

he did send?

In the shining sun,

do we have time 

to accept his son,

his sacrifice 

to make us right?

The hands on the clock

sometimes move so odd.

At times they do mock

each and every minute of the day.

But if we make time to pray

we will see the hand of God,

feel his infinite love

his saving grace

his sacrifice 

for our righteousness, 

that we will be for eternity.

The Clock a Few Months Later 

Looking at the clock once again I said,

“it is still 9:30, though I just had lunch.”

To which the priest then said,

“that clock hasn’t worked for forty years.”

Can you imagine what time,

as if it were noticed, 

has been missed all those years

as those hands stand idle?

(How can hands stand?

I guess the same as us

when we spend time

idle, without Jesus.)

Through the years . . . 

 tears of fears,

the joys of a baby boy,

a laugh, a cry

as always we try

to give as we live,

a room for meeting

with random seating,

while time seeks what is yours,

what is mine upon sandy shores.

(Can we ever count

the grains of sand

on the sea shore,

let alone those

of the hourglass?)

However, throughout time in that room . . . 

we are able to nourish our souls

while being nourished by soup in bowls,

worship

and prayer,

friendship everywhere.

In the room with the clock

time stands still as our

hearts we do unlock,

more than a minute, forever hours.

No, time has not stopped.

The clock on the wall

gives us the time

to answer his call.

Reflection on The Clock a Few Months Later

This was written after attending one of my grandson’s last day of vacation Bible school.  There was a church service, a program and nachos.  On my way out I talked to the parish priest for a few minutes, which inspired the poem.  The clock is the same one that never moved during the meetings in the previous poems and is the same clock in the same gym that our kids attended middle school.  No wonder it took so long for them to complete those years.

All poems & Reflections © 2019, Tim Carter

Discussion:

1.     What does time mean for our days?

2.     Does time just pass us by or do we plan it?

3.     Can one over plan time?

4.     Most importantly. How much time do we set aside for God and Jesus, or are they constantly with us throughout our days.

Closing Prayer

If you give

Him the times

As you live

His word rhymes

And remember, we are the Kings kids and you will never get rid of us because we are His with Jesus!

Follow is on our website

www.livingingodsrhyme.com

You can buy Tim's books at the following websites

god rhyme tim carter | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)

Amazon.com : God's Rhyme Tim Carter

https://www.lettrapress.com

Please follow us on Facebook and Like us

(6) Tim Carter, God Still Rhymes | Facebook

You can hear us on Apple Podcast, Google Play, Pandora, Stitcher, IHeart radio, Tunedin Radio. and all the other podcast sites. 

Please subscribe to the podcast

Tell all your friends about us and have them tell thier friends,

Thank you for being here, we are blessed that you listened.

Tim and Dave

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

"We are the King’s kids and you’ll never get rid of us because we are His with Jesus."

With God we are never alone, He will never forsake us.

AN ETERNAL HEART (pg. 135)

Therefore we do no lose heart.  

Though outwardly we are wasting away,

yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

2 Corinthians 4:16

As our years pass our outer body shows age.

In the book we write of life every year turns a page,

But with God every day our soul he renews.

The outside and inside present different views.

For our light and momentary troubles are 

achieving for us and eternal glory

that far outweighs them all.  2 Corinthians 4:17

In the earthly life we live we will face

Trials and troubles that will test our faith.

It is in each trial and trouble that we find

An answer from God that is beyond our mind

To understand because his ways are not ours.

He loves us all for all time through all the hours.

The strength of our faith will grow

As his seeds God does sow,

Seeds of love for him in those who are meek

So that at all times, in all things it is him that we seek.

So we fix eyes not on what is seen, 

but on what is unseen,

since what is seen is temporary, 

but what is unseen is eternal.  

2 Corinthians 4:18

It is only with God that we can look at the unseen

With the hope and promise that goes beyond our being.

We have the promise through Jesus, God’s Son,

That after our death, for eternity with him we will be one.

We live in a temporary state in these jars of clay

Knowing that we will be with God at the end of our days.

Through eternity and beyond we will be forever

With our Heavenly Father, we will live forever

© 2019 God Still Rhymes by Tim Carter

Discussion:  I found it interesting in reviewing the poems for the Show Notes that this poem is the perfect follow up to my week in the hospital a couple of weeks ago.  I chose the poems for today’s podcast 2 weeks before that.  God?  I think so. 

FOR THOSE HE LOVES (pg. 119)

There are words of our feelings

And words for our healing.

There are arms that embrace

As life’s threads we lace.

For him his life was more than touched,

It was ravaged by cancer,  

An ugly uncaring disease

For those it reaches out and touches.

But somehow through all of the pain,

When all around the skies just rain,

Though not knowing the future

There always was hope in love.

It was in a book about a young boy

Who was born inside out.

The story told of his growing from toys

Of childhood to the toys of his children.

There was love in a poem on a brown paper bag.

There was love in the air that made him aware

That with this girl he could not let time drag.

The love she gave him was all he wanted to share.

There were children, not one but five,

So every day he knew that he was alive.

Family, oh the love they would give

Each and every day he did live.

The story continued through the love of sadness,

When life gave those who were there at his birth,

When it was their lives that were turned inside out,

When happiness and hope appeared much less.

First one, then the other,

Married for so many years

They suffered together

As others watched through tears.

Surgery the first invasion for both.

Then the invasion to their system 

Of perhaps lifesaving drugs.

Then the burning sensation 

Of man’s treatment of radiation.

All ending, all ending at the end.

The amazing part of the story was 

The continuation of love that surrounded

Those sick and those tired watching the sickness.

The rhymes were there though written

With different words, in different lines.

The chapter on cancer ended, the story went on.

The author of life had healed the broken hearts

With words of hope and his blessings of love.

That inside out boy was made right

By the love of God and his sight

Was restored so that he might

Continue his life in God’s love.

The story is one of love.

Love for others, love for God

And the love God had for them all

As he continued to heed God’s call.

God’s rhyme is everywhere,

In the good, the bad of all we see and do.

His rhymes are always there

If we are open, not just to what it is he can do,

But believing he will always care

© 2019 God Still Rhymes by Tim Carter

Discussion:

AS ONLY YOU CAN (pg. 116)

I look at the clouds and I wonder aloud

What lies beyond the skies?

What ever can be though looking I cannot see.

I look at the wonder of it all and I hear your call.

Beyond the skies is Heaven above,

Where there are no whys, just your love.

But first we share in this world of ours

For what we care in each day’s hours.

The mountains, the valleys,

The meadows, the deserts,

And the vast deep waters,

They all exist inside of us.

You spoke the earth into existence,

You breathed your breath into man,

Your power knew no resistance.

It was only and is only you who can.

May we live in your glory,

Be a part of your story.

May we every day strive

To have you in our lives.

May we see the splendor,

Of all you do, of who we are

As we shine brighter than the stars

When we let you, Lord, be who you are.

© 2019 God Still Rhymes by Tim Carter

Discussion:

“Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

We are to not only be still and silent before the Lord,  we are being told to wake up, stop trying to everything on our own and acknowledge God for who He is.  We are being told to allow God to do what only He can do.  Be still in God’s rest.

NO TITLE, I KNOW NOT THE WORDS (pg. 91)

Out of thoughts, ideas, inspiration.

That crossed my mind as I lay wondering

What to write, if I was even right

About the words I no longer have.

I am out of thoughts, I have no idea

As my mind continues its wandering

From day break til the end of night.

Unrhyming words are all I have.

Then I realize that one word is out of place.

The thoughts and ideas are of me,

They are the visions that I see,

Thoughts and words without God’s grace.

The word that does belong

Is the word for which I long.

It is inspiration, God’s word through me

Of who I am with him, of what I can be.

Sometimes the poets thinks he is so smart.

With pen in hand and paper upon the desk

He sits to write words to inspire, but cannot start.

The ink does not flow, so words do not follow.

It is when he reflects on the times he did write,

Of the words that became verses as the ink did flow

That he remembers the times he did not fight

With unwritten ideas that the words did grow.

So he laid bare his soul, and knelt and prayed,

Thanking God for mending a life that was frayed,

For the gift of grace, for the gift of words,

The words given him when his mind was not blurred.

Lord, I ask today that you be my guide

In all I do, in all I desire be at my side,

But more I ask that I allow your spirit

To fill me with your word, that I hear it. 

 © 2019 by Tim Carter

Discussion:  Life goes better if you allow God to lead the way instead of going it alone.

Time for one more poem.  This one is from God’s Rhyme.

2/3/10 (pg. 98)

I’ve seen the face of God these last few days, 

in the smile of a nurse’s face, probably more,

and in a concerned doctor’s expression, 

and in tear dripping down a loved ones cheek.

I’ve seen His face in the birth of a baby boy,

and four baby sisters, and two more baby boys.

And at the wedding of three, I saw His face there,

throughout life, in you and you, here, there and everywhere.

I’ve seen his face in death, in shrouded marble cold and gray,

In hospitals, not knowing what to say, only to pray,

And I have found His face in prayer, those of repentance, 

of petition and especially those of thanksgiving 

Today I saw God’s face, His smiling grace

as reaching I touched His face and thanked Him

for His love, forgiveness and salvation.

Today I sang Hallelujah, for with Him I am risen.

 © 2019 God’s Rhyme by Tim Carter

If you give

Him the times

As you live

His word rhymes

© 2018 by Tim Carter

And lest we forget: 

We are the Kings kids, and you will never get rid of us because we are His with Jesus.

© 2019 by Tim Carter

Follow is on our website

www.livingingodsrhyme.com

You can buy Tim's books at the following websites

god rhyme tim carter | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)

Amazon.com : God's Rhyme Tim Carter

https://www.lettrapress.com

Please follow us on Facebook and Like us

(6) Tim Carter, God Still Rhymes | Facebook

You can hear us on Apple Podcast, Google Play, Pandora, Stitcher, IHeart radio, Tunedin Radio. and all the other podcast sites. 

Please subscribe to the podcast

Tell all your friends about us and have them tell thier friends,

Thank you for being here, we are blessed that you listened.

Tim and Dave

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

"We are the King’s kids and you’ll never get rid of us because we are His with Jesus."

JOHN BOLDT INTERVIEW

I first met John in August of 1972 during job interview at Bol-Mac Engineering.

Started working there in September.  I as hired because of where I went to college, but because of my major – philosophy.

WHERE IS JUDI ? 

Chapter 1

A regular date.

Dinner for eight,

A prayer of grace

As hands embrace,

Conversations

And revelations

Of the days before.

They opened the door

To wonder and awe,

There were eight in all.

Chapter 2

As usual he made

Reservations for eight,

When the sun would fade.

They were  never late.

Dinner with friends,

Friends forever,

Beyond the end,

Ending never.

Chapter 3

Then one day it all changed,

Thoughts, emotions rearranged.

Eight had become seven

As one entered Heaven.

Memories are real

Until we place the seal,

As we no longer deal 

With a dinner meal.

But with faith

Once eight did face

Their sorrow 

Of tomorrow.

Chapter 4

Dinner reservations for eight,

Not noticing til all were seated

The empty chair.

Wondering just where . . . 

No, they knew why,

With tears in their eyes

As they sensed a light

Her spirit shown bright.

Another tomorrow comes

As sorrow becomes

Peace in their knowing

Love she is still sowing.

What had been normal,

Pizza sliced for eight,

A slice on each plate

But one still in the box.

Through these times

Where were the rhymes

And the question,

Where is Judi

And her beauty?

It became time for reflection.

The Final Chapter

Where is Judi ?

She is in Heaven at the table

For  more than eight,

The number uncountable.

And heaven will wait

For the missing seven.

Take this bread, 

It is  my body

Given up for you.

Drink of this cup,

My blood

Shed for you.

The Lord’s supper 

Brings us together

Today and forever

With the God of creation

And the Son of Salvation.

One day

There will be

No more days.

We have been set free.

Forever fed,

By Jesus led,

Finding tomorrow

Without the sorrow.

Their Chapter

Where is Judi ?

She is in heaven

And in their hearts,

Their thoughts,

Their tears and Their smiles.

She is here, there

She is everywhere

They want to take her.

11/23/18

Tim Carter

The links for the organizations that John talked about are below

https://loveachild.com

https://emiworld.org

https://camp-arcadia.com

Follow is on our website

https://livingingodsrhyme.com

You can buy Tim's books at the following websites

god rhyme tim carter | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)

Amazon.com : God's Rhyme tim Carter

Please follow us on Facebook and Like us

(6) Tim Carter, God Still Rhymes | Facebook

You can hear us on Apple Podcast, Google Play, Pandora, Stitcher, IHeart radio, Tunedin Radio. and all the other podcast sites. 

Please subscribe to the podcast

Tell all your friends about us and have them tell thier friends,

Thank you for being here, we are blessed that you listened.

Tim and Dave 

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

"We are the King’s kids and you’ll never get rid of us because we are His with Jesus."

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A Few Poems Picked BY Mary Lou

One day I asked Mary Lou to read through the 3 books and pick a few poems she liked.  I wanted her input and participation in the podcast .  When I saw the books there were so many colored tabs in God’s Rhyme I look like a turkey spreading it’s feathers.  That apparently was her favorite book as the other two had far fewer colored tabs.  Or maybe she just ran out of colored tabs, that’s what I’m going with.

From God’s Rhyme one of the poems she chose is “Have You, Have I “

This is about sharing our faith.  Do we do it often enough?

HAVE YOU, HAVE I

Have you seen how beautiful is grace?                

Have you felt the comfort of His embrace?           

Have you looked into your neighbor’s face?         

Have you heard the sweetness of the sound?      

Have ever you been lost, but now are found?      

Have you known a love that is never bound?       

Amazing how our daily lives never end,                                

How a thoughtless word said never seems to mend,            

How amazing the ease with which we pretend                  

To be as one whether stranger or friend.                               

Forgive us Lord for what we do not say.  

Please  forgive us Lord each and every day. 

You are waiting and we get in the way,  

Wanting the world, knowing that we should pray.  

Without You in our lives who can we be?  

Without forgiveness how can we be free?  

It is only with You that we can see

That without Your grace there is only me. 

© 2019 by Tim Carter

I think the last ling of thisd poem is what I wanted to write as the last line of the poem Creativity.  Creativity Is a little different, but I like it.  It speaks to me.

CREATIVITY

like a knife rifled thru the still air

your thoughts are stifled by those who care,

unnoticed by you at that minute

when you first take view of your limits.

all around are sounds

that abound & drown

thinking maybe it’s spring –

annually this comes you say,

but does it really every year 

or is it only Friday waiting?

take a trip somewhere afar

to air the brain anywhere by car.

take life & strip the walls away,

relieve the strain of care today.

above,

the blue with hues

so few can view

take a trip home to find 

just if you are really that kind

who when alone can thru your eyes see

beyond the stars to what you can be.

truth, the saying doesn’t ring,

perhaps it’s more than just the day.

perhaps you’ve stopped looking in the mirror

to see it’s only you that’s waiting.

Reflection:

Just a poem, an exercise in creativity.  It was probably a bad day also.  But more than an exercise on a bad day, I think that this was a acknowledgement that the way of the world isn't the answer.  

© 2019 by Tim Carter

This one is the other side of my poetry.  

From God Still Rhymes This poem is titled “Who Am I.”  Right before the Closing Prayer, this was my almost last thought.

WHO AM I

Jesus asked his disciples,

“Who do you say I am”?

Who did they think he was?

And in times of doubt I ask myself,

“Who do I think I am?”

At these times in my life

I know I must reply,

I am reborn,

I am saved,

I am forgiven,

I am redeemed,

I am made holy in his sight,

I am blessed,

I am loved,

I am a child of God!

I am one with God!

Forever in his sight

I am now made right.

Though I may stumble and fall,

My name he will always call,

Always and forever,

He will leave me never.

Yes, I am a child of God.

That is who he says I am

© 2019 by Tim Carter

There are times I don’t act like and times I don’t consider that I am a child of God.

The last book, well maybe not the last, but for sure the 3rd one.  From living in God’s Rhyme “What Does God Want Me To Tell You.

WHAT DOES GOD WANT ME TO TELL YOU

No, that is not a question, it is his will.

I can speak nothing into existence,

But his word will not let me be still.

From me he has taken my resistance.

So I pray,

What do I say?

All he says is pray,

I’ll lead the way.

I will not lead you astray

In the prayers you will say.

Dear Father in Heaven who sacrificed for me,

Sacrificed your Son so that I, that we, could see

All of your love, all of your glory for eternity.

Believe, be baptized, with you we will be.

Dear Lord, I thank you for your mercy,

In the life I live.

I thank you that all I can be

Is what you give.

Today Lord I pray,

I pray for those who do not know you,

For those who have not heard your word,

For those who have been led astray

From the Truth, the Life and your Way.

I pray that all of your sons and daughters

Will rely on your strength,

That I will surrender my will

And live with the strength of your grace;

For this I pray for everyone.

Lord I pray for those

Without the basics of life,

Food, water and shelter;

For orphans and widows

As you have commanded us;

For those who struggle with

Addictions, and those who feed the addictions;

For those who are abused and their abusers;

For those who are bullied and the bullies;

For those in prison,

In hospitals,

Those who are lost,

Runaways,

Those who have been kidnapped

And their kidnappers,

Those with mental illnesses,

Those who hate,

Terrorists,

Those living under oppression,

For persecuted Christians 

In the Middle East,

Especially Coptic Christians 

Living under daily

Persecution.

I pray Lord for

Those who are sick,

Those with terminal illnesses,

For the health and salvation 

Of family and friends.

And Lord, I pray for 

Our country,

I pray that we repent 

From our sins against you

And allow you into our 

Daily lives, no matter where we are,

Finally Lord

I thank you for loving me

For helping me to see

What I should be

When we are we.

Forgive me for my sins,

Keep me from temptation.

But most of all Lord

I ask that you help me

To accept your Holy Spirit

Dwelling within me,

Help me to allow your strength

To be my guide

To show me the answers.

Help me Lord,

Help us all

To answer your call

That after baptism

We go out and spread

The Gospel.

For this I pray in the name of Jesus.

Amen and amen again.

 © 2019 by Tim Carter

Not only share the Gospel with others, but also pray for the needs of others.

I apologize, no I don’t, but There was another poem from  Living In God’s Rhyme that Mary Lou picked.   It’s titled Meet Me.

MEET ME

Lord, meet me, set me free.

You know where I’ve been, you know of my sin.

And although you know, you continue to show

That I am your child with a love so mild.

Lord, you met me when I could not see3te

Beyond my sight, what I thought was right.

You met me in the dirt of my earthly hurt.

My life you did raise so that you I could praise.

Finally found, hearing your sound,

The whisper of your spirit, loud enough that I did hear it.

You met me in uncharted seas with the waves washing over me

And calmed the storms in a life forlorn.

My Morning Prayer:

Meet me, Lord, every day

As I lift my head from my bed.

Help me to pray that each new day

I hear you before rising to my feet.

You, Lord, are my anchor,

You are my healer,

You are my redeemer,

My hope,

My joy.

You, Lord, 

Are my everything.

Without you, Lord, I am nothing.

With you I can be everything

You want me to be, 

Everything that you have for me.

My Evening Prayer:

May my life be as unleavened bread,

Without the yeast as the world serves it,

So when we meet I can hear the words said,

Well done, my good and faithful servant.

© 2019 by Tim Carter

As I was looking through the Contents of the book pages this thought came to me.  Nex wee we should share poems about children.

Thank you for listening 

If you give

Him the times

As you live

His word rhymes

And don’t forget:

We are the King’s kids and you’ll never get rid of us because we are His with Jesus.

The Publisher website Tim Mentioned

https://www.lettrapress.com

Follow is on our website

https://livingingodsrhyme.com

You can buy Tim's books at the following websites

god rhyme tim carter | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)

Amazon.com : God's Rhyme tim Carter

Please follow us on Facebook and Like us

(6) Tim Carter, God Still Rhymes | Facebook

You can hear us on Apple Podcast, Google Play, Pandora, Stitcher, IHeart radio, Tunedin Radio. and all the other podcast sites. 

Please subscribe to the podcast

Tell all your friends about us and have them tell thier friends,

Thank you for being here, we are blessed that you listened.

Tim and Dave 

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

"We are the King’s kids and you’ll never get rid of us because we are His with Jesus."