[014] A Message From A Poem - Against The Christian

[014] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - AGAINST THE CHRISTIAN

The origin of this poem goes right back to a time of considerable difficulty when I was going through tough times and some people were very nasty. Christians do face real difficulties and you will have persecution and unfairness just because you are a Christian. Satan hates the people of God.

Sometimes the writing of poems follows either from situations like that or is an expression of relief for me. Only now and again is it like the latter. The Christian poems I have written come to about 100,000 words.

I suppose all I can say, is that if you see the emotion in the poem, then you will understand. Perhaps you also have difficulties you are facing. If you are helped in any way, praise the Lord.

You will note at the end, that the poem was written in 1974, but the last 4 stanzas were added in 2022.

May I leave a few verses with you.

(1). {{2 Timothy 3:12 “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus WILL BE PERSECUTED.”}} If you have a rosy existence as a Christian, then God bless you but according to this verse godly Christians WILL BE persecuted. If you face that, rejoice, for the Lord also was persecuted and He understands as the next verse says –

(2). {{Hebrews 2:17 “Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, that He might become a MERCIFUL AND FAITHFUL HIGH PRIEST in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”}} Our Lord is both merciful and faithful, two qualities humans rarely balance but the Lord is perfect, and serves us as our special and personal High priest.

(3). {{John 14:16-17 “and I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper that He may be with you forever - that is, the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.”}} The AV’s use of Comforter for Helper (NASB), I love, because the Holy Spirit is the One who gives us comfort in storm in all the trials of this earthly life. Even when we fail, He does not fail us.

AGAINST THE CHRISTIAN

Tread the depths of sorrow deep;

Burning hurt and fiercest pain;

Suspended o’er a chasm deep;

Taste shredding winds that cut again.

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Glanced-fierce look, eye-narrowed stare

Revealing black thoughts, bitter within.

The sordid state of morality bare;

A heart full cankered by hidden sin.

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Tread down the weak; disparage the poor;

Gain by deceit and flatter the rich;

Splinter the ravished heart; wounding it sore;

Pursuing persecutors who increase the pitch.

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Unreasoned hatred and tongues that murmur,

Are against the Christian set.

But the Saviour holds His own the firmer;

Endured through all the trials He met.

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Don’t talk about rosy pathways

The Christian is supposed to travel along.

Christians step in the sin-world’s maze,

And will suffer from the world, its wrong.

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Crawl for gain; lie for gain; even more -

The heart of man is very dark.

Earthly gain is but transcendent’s flaw

For finite people to leave their mark.

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Christians are not on holidays.

Stand for right, and you’ll receive the wrong.

The setting around you may be ablaze,

But your inner self can sing a song.

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Our time on earth is a fleeting shadow,

Incomparable with eternity.

Ignore the world’s deceitful gusto;

Remain true; trust always in certainty.

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19 November 1974. Revised June 1989. Last 4 stanzas added 5 January 2022.

R E Ferguson Metre = Irregular A-B-A-B