Category Archives: Religious type

These have a religious side to them and are separate from the main Religious Category because of being poems

Why God!!! “Oh Why????? 2015-146

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Why God!!! “Oh Why?????   2015-146

A simple question that I do not have an easy answer, but ask!

I would like to ask God, “Why do things happen the way they do?” regarding so many things that occur each day, week, month or year.

I think I know the answer, but would like a confirmation on what I think…  God is where He is right now, and in a way, I believe He is with me as I type. He, in the form of the Holy Spirit, is present with me.

I could turn around, look to my right or left, or behind me and will not see Him, but He is there and I really think He is shaking His head at me. He is accepting me the way I am, who I am, and what I am. And. in that thought. I know He is wondering why I am asking such a stupid question of Him.

He knows what I am thinking and in the knowing, is not telling me the answer to the question, “Why!?” He knows I know the answer and His silence is so quiet, so, in a way, so wonderful. He is allowing me to look into myself and see, and hear what He knows I know.

I am sure, no, I am positive that He is asked, “Why” all the time. Look at the TV, hear the radio, read the newspaper, talk to someone, listen at conversations and the question, “Why” is asked of God all the time.

“Why did Uncle Charlie die; baby Jane, or any loved one we know?” It is not that they are now in a better place; they were good where they were, around people and family they knew! So that is not a great question to find out why.

“Why do people do stupid or horrific things they do?” Why do the ISIS followers do what they do to innocent people.  Do they ever wish they had those five minutes of their lives back, to think things out better?

There are billions of why’s floating out there that people could and do ask God about!

For every question of “Why” there is also a “Why not!” question. If there was a God, it is asked, “Why not, is the question of “Why didn’t God, save, fix, or stop, or anything like that” for things that did not go so well or were not the way we want them. “Therefore, there is not a God, it is stated, or He would have helped, saved or protected, instead of doing nothing.

God cannot win at times. Either He gets the credit or the debit of life in the process.

Crap happens; it is as simple as that.  He is with us always, regardless of what is happening. He is beside us when we are dying, being born, experiencing life in the joys and sadness at times.

But guess what!? Many times it is something He knows that we should try to know. We, as His children are responsible for our actions, or someone is responsible. We can look in the mirror and see what we have done with the shell we inhabit. We, as God’s children, are in control, sort of, with ourselves in our daily living.

If we want to abuse ourselves, hey, go ahead. He can sit behind us and shake His head and wish we do not, but it is our choice. We can go on with our lives, and either live the good life or reap the rewards of the bad life. Our choice!  This has been called “Free Will” and has been debated by theologians and scholars forever.

It is so much easier to give credit to God when things go right and blame Him when the opposite happens. He can take it!!! He will understand our need to thank Him when something occurs that He did not make happen, and when crap happens, He understands our frustrations of blaming Him for something that He did not make to occur. That is life.

So, go ahead and ask God, “WHY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” But, understand that regardless, He is with us always, not sometimes, or on occasion, but always. Give this some thought and perhaps say “Thank you God for being with me when I needed your presence, thank you when I needed you in my time of need, thank you, when things went well and the times when they did not go well, but thank you God, regardless!”

Den Betts

Alpha and Omega 2015-143

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I guess I could cop out and say, “I just write them and do not necessarily understand them”, but that would really be lying. What concerns me at times is the fact that even though I write them, I actually do understand them, in a way, when I wrote the poems.

 

Alpha and Omega  2015-143

He said, “I am the Alpha and the Omega”

The beginning and the end

That which was and has become

 

The living was the existence

And the very soul of being

Change became the norm

With evolution, a maturity of life

 

A start with innocence

Experience was the outcome

And a conclusion of thought

Became a completeness of knowledge

 

That which was, is not anymore

Instead, an overall process of living

An involvement of simple simplicity

Of realization that what is — becomes was

Den Betts

The Light 2015-141

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So many thoughts, writings, and discussions about God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit! So much said about what He, as part of the Triune God, is and how the light will show us the way toward having the light of life. What IS the light of life? It is something that is promised and something that can be looked at as a wonderful thing that will occur. In time, I look forward to this blessed event and happening and wish, only wish, that others can see the promise also and know that it is truly there to experience…………

The Light 2015-141

 

What is “The Light”?

The light is the way!

The way is of God

God is the light!

 

Jesus was and is

The light of the world

Whoever follows Him

Will never walk in darkness

But Will have the light of life

 

Look for the light

See in the dark

Know that you are not alone

Follow and have the eternal light of life…..

Den Betts (with help from the NIV- John 8:12)

 

 

◄ John 8:12 ►
 

New International Version When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Miracle 2015-140

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A friend of mine told me that what happened was a miracle. I listened, wondered and contemplated what he said and, I guess, accepted his statement. I DO think that a miracle would be believed better, if it was seen by many and not just a few or just one. Well, maybe not believed, but at least acknowledged as something different that has happened and can be talked about at length. Oh well, God is involved and I do not want to get in a conflict of thought with Him…………..

Miracle 2015-140

When does an experience become a miracle?

Does it happen to one or very many

Why does it occur if it does?

And why does it not when it could

What is taught by the occasion?

Or is the occasion lost in time

Who is the benefactor of being?

When the being is an abstract thought

Is miracle too complex of a subject

OR can the subject be a complex miracle

Questions of life that pursue me

As I contemplate what was then and now.

So simple to just think of it

Without knowing the answer

But always believing what is known

IS what it was and is.

A miracle IS what it is, as it is, and because it is

A Miracle!!!!!!!!!

 

Den Betts

A Man 2015-129

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Just how do we feel about those that are not of our kind or looks. It is so easy to be judgmental and turn away from those not like us. We do have much to learn about being more tolerant and forgiving to others that do not appear like us, or are different in many ways, such as faith, color, heritage, location of living, and so many other ways……..

A Man   2015-129

I saw a man as if in a dream,

His hair was long like a once called hippy.

The sandals he wore appeared as old as he,

The smell of sweat was in the air, not clean.

Looks are not true of a man and his beliefs,

But, only are signs of what and how things just are.

Should I criticize the longhaired or bare footed,

Or those that are not like me?

A man died for me once who was like this,

Would I judge him today like he was then?

Do I cast a verdict for those not like me,

The outside looks are not the inside thoughts.

The self-righteous man has much to learn,

From those that walk the ways of life.

Den Betts

A Man 2015-39

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“Just how do we feel about those that are not of our kind or looks. It is so easy to be judgmental and turn away from those not like us.  We do have much to learn about being more tolerant and forgiving to others that do not appear like us”

A Man   2015-39

I saw a man as if in a dream,

His hair was long like a once called hippy.

 

The sandals he wore appeared as old as he,

The smell of sweat was in the air, not clean.

 

Looks are not true of a man and his beliefs,

But, only are signs of what and how things just are.

 

Should I criticize the longhaired or bare footed,

Or those that are not like me?

 

A man died for me once who was like this,

Would I judge him today like he was then?

 

Do I cast a verdict for those not like me,

The outside looks are not the inside thoughts.

 

The self-righteous man has much to learn,

From those that walk the ways of life.

Den Betts

In the Name of God 2015-29

Posted in Religious type, Statement by

I post this with the knowledge of the atrocities an killings done in the Middle East and what was also done on 911. When, just when, will we wake up and see  that the actions done are beyond primitive in nature. When will those that fight and kill stop doing so especially in the name of God. Maybe never! This would be a companion poem to the Radical Islamist Thoughts blog.

In the Name of God    2015-29

Conflict reigns with fevered pitch,

As opposing sides find their fiery niche.

Jews and Arabs continue to die- – –

Religious differences – A reason why?

 

Protestants and Catholic fought in Belfast,

Makes one wonder, how long peace will last.

How many times will this fighting go on,

From night until night and the next dawn.

 

A heathen Indian who prayed to the sun,

Decimated by the white man with his Christian gun.

A nigger slave (words used then) who tried to be brave,

Shot by an owner and sent to the grave.

 

History abounds with stories of grief,

Of sons and daughters dying for a belief,

Does the Deity prayed to in all this strife,

Really want these deaths by the gun and knife?

 

Does He condone this wanton killing,

By all the people that do so – so willing..

Or is it true that its NOT – in the name of God,

And should be stopped, FOR GOD’s SAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Den Betts

Candle 2015-19

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Candle         2015-19

 

A blind man sat on a barren hillside, at noon;

Holding a small lit candle near his lap.

Nobody journeyed to see him or inquire,

The daylight absorbing the candles rays.

He sat and waited, and sat some more,

It seemed forever – each passing hour.

Discouraged and sad he prayed to God,

To help him, and to help them find the way.

A miracle occurred that was more than just rare,

An eclipse; his candle becoming a bright beacon.

People looked up and saw the light up above,

Went and gathered around its glow.

The man told them of the meaning of faith,

And how believing can make a happening occur.

Such as turning the light of one small candle,

Into a guiding light for those in darkness.

One small candle, one ordinary man,

Making a change for many or for few.

Den Betts

 

Sacrifice 2015-11

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I thought I better post this before it becomes February. Since we just celebrated Christmas and Easter will be upon us soon, this might be good to read now – DB

 

Sacrifice   2015-11

It is January,2015 as I write this about- sacrifice. The Christian world will be celebrating Easter on April 5, 2015 and, of course, Good Friday on the 3rd. The way my life is going, it will be here in no time, so I thought I would get a head start on the subject.

What is Good Friday and Easter?  When I was a kid Easter meant chocolate and yellow colored marshmallow chicks that we ate, but it meant nothing else.  Christmas was something about getting toys and having a big meal, but in both cases, nothing about church, Jesus Christ or what those days really meant. I found that was my loss and I did not know it at the time.

So, what is sacrifice? I heard something stated about Christmas in that it was the prelude to Easter! Wow, never thought about it in any way. But when you do think about it, the birth of Jesus Christ was for us  as people on Earth, and it was in the Sacrifice at Good Friday that led up to Easter that was why there are Christians today.

What is sacrifice again?    Food for thought:   Romans 3:22-25 “This righteousness from God comes through faith is Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of  His blood.”

Another verse would be from Hebrews, Chapter 10: 8-10   “ 8.First, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. 9 Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

I believe I am adding the above two Chapters in defense of my using the word sacrifice in conjunction with speaking about Jesus Christ.  I was told, at one time, that it, the crucifixion, should not be looked at as a sacrifice by the man-God Jesus, but I really cannot remember the exact WHY I should not do so. I ignore that request anyhow, and when I pray, part of my prayers say, “and thank you Jesus for your sacrifice, so that I have the chance of eternal life”. I have been told many things during my lifetime that I take with a grain of salt and discount them for one reason or another.

I can remember recently (in the last couple of years) whereas I “projected myself, in my mind, to be at the foot of the cross and watching Jesus die, so that my sins, and all other peoples, can be forgiven, because of this selfless act. It was eerie, scary, and life like to me at the time.  You can read in the Bible the things that happened to Jesus on Good Friday, but I felt His presence, felt his pain and suffering all at the same time.

Jesus Christ SUFFERED, so that we may live again. I fear not death, because I will have the chance to be with Him in what people call Heaven or Paradise.  Those that do not believe, I can only hope the best for them and do pray they will join me through the grace of God.

So, Christmas is more than toys, and Easter is more than good things to eat. There is meaning in the holidays more than what many of us acknowledge. Nobody knows the exact day of the birth of Jesus, but we do celebrate it on Dec 25th or the Orthodox do on Jan 6th. They are joyous days for the Christian faith, and I am so glad I have seen the light, of knowing what they mean now.

Den Betts

Body and Soul 2014-44

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Body and Soul  2014-44

 

The very essence of the soul of man,

Resides, perhaps, in the confines of the mind.

The totality of the feelings of man,

Are, in reality, the very thoughts of the soul.

The body is but used as a convenient vessel,

For the soul’s long journey through life.

Comprised from many chemicals and minerals,

The body is a shell for the soul to inhabit.

At deaths door, the soul departs the useless body,

For a continued life far beyond imagination.

To where – is not for man to decide, only for God,

But with certainty it goes, never to return.

Gone, but with hope, never to be forgotten,

By those left behind in body and soul.

Den Betts