12/31/19 POWERED BY PERFECT LOVE

12/31/19 POWERED BY PERFECT LOVE

Christians are powered by perfect love:
for God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit),
His word,
other people (family, friends foes).

An original DLG poem (from the 1960s) , appropriate for the New Year.
(with Background, Poem, Imagery Explained & Personal Challenge, copied from my 2015 Blog).

BACKGROUND
In the late 60's a hurricane threatened Carteret County. Just before it was suppose to hit I ventured out on the Sportsman's Fishing Pier (Atlantic Beach). While standing there, God gave me a poem. The night was like pitch, the wind was howling, the pier was shuddering as the waves pulled at its underside and crashed against its pilings. The only lights were the white caps reflecting the lights reaching out from the shore.

POEM
Staring out at the deep dark sea,
Arouses thoughts that challenge me,
To shove my Bark through the crashing waves,
And reach a land that my spirit craves.

In spite of dark and tossing brine,
And chills that grip this mortal spine,
My soul cries out for that waiting shore,
Where wind and wave offend no more.

Though darkness and the strength of hell,
Are bound up in each rising swell,
My chart and compass point above,
I'm steered and powered by perfect love.

IMAGERY EXPLAINED
The sea is the life, darkened by sin, corruption, temptation, loss and suffering.
A barque is a type of sail boat.
Heaven is the desired destination.
Each test, each trial, each temptation is meant to intimidate the believer, but it only sets our resolve.
The recurring testing of life is each ground "swell."
The Chart is the Bible.
The Compass is the Holy Spirit.
Perfect love is the life of Entire Sanctification lived in the power of the Holy Spirit.

PERSONAL CHALLENGE
God intends for us to be victorious in the trials of life. I hope you attend a church that teaches and preaches that Christ is greater than any problem you will ever have; that where sin did abound, grace did much more abound; that Jesus came to save us from our sins; that the blood of Christ cleanses from all sin; that God always leads us in triumph; that the Holy Spirit bears holy fruit in our lives and thereby bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.