The West Virginian: Volume Two: an Anthology About Christianity

Copyright © 2015 by David Thompson.

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Rev. date: 01/16/2015

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Contents

Going Back To West Virginia

Introduction

Chapter 1: Poems And Songs About Faith

Introduction

Come, Come, Everybody, Sing

Sing A New Song

Penetrating Thoughts Not One’s Own

Life Is Passing

Time In This Space

Where Is Your God?

Indoctrination

Don’t Worry About Death And Destruction

Growing Old And God’s Peace

A State Of Hope

Creation’s Beginning

You’ll Never Live Until You Die

Finding Water That Makes Whole

Everything And Something

Christ Gives Rest

Not Seeing With Senses

Prayer To Make Whole

Prayer For God’s Strength

Praise To Angels

Down But Not Out

Legion And Us

Come Hither

Chaos And Order

Questioning Their Presuppositions

I Pray God For Your Wisdom

Good Feeling

Resurrection Doubt

Refreshment

God Is I Am

The Way, Truth And Life

Lord, I Really Love You

Christ Will Return

A Fire Is Burning In My Soul

Be At One

Jesus, Heavenly Treasure

In The Land Of Galilee

Walking In The Light Of Jesus

A New Race

Thanks For Now And Eternity

God And Our Land

Do You Wholly Trust In Jesus Name?

Jesus You Are The Redeemer

A Prayer Of Thanksgiving

A Long Time Ago On Dark Calvary

Making Christianity A Wreck

What Keeps Me Tame

Doing God’s Will

Waiting For The Day

Halfway Through The Night

Before Christ Came

Hope Beyond The Grave

God Gives A Clue

It Does Not Matter What They Say

In Christ Jesus Is Full Respect

Disrespect Does Not Slack

God’s Will Is My Heart’s Desire

While In Bed And Lying Awake

Unfolding, Unfolding And Much More

New Nature In Christ

The Christ Of God Came To Earth

God Removed From The Conjunction

About Temptation

Why Not Sing With What We Know

God’s Light

God’s Order Of Things

Lean On Christ

A Fire Is Burning In My Soul

Christ Will Return

Eternal Love

The Man With The Foolish Heart

Let’s Give God A Try

Near Creation God Captures Me

If God Doesn’t Help None Else Will

Come With Me To The Well Of Plenty

Can’t Go Much Further

My Heart Cries Out For A Different Position

Passionate Imagination

Removing Self From Worldly Wrong

Abstaining

Another Day

The Light Of Jesus

Great God Almighty

Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled

Chapter 2: Biblical Truths

Introduction

The Conflict Of Biblical Truths And Other Disciplines

Developing A Biblical Theology

Scripture: Inspired Of God

Record Of God’s Word And Tradition

The Lord’s Rebuke Of Sexual Immorality

Contending For The Faith

The Truth Of Christianity And Pluralism

The Law Of Circumcision And Christianity

The Climate Of Irreverence

Coming To The Light Of Christ

Remembering Our History

Unenlightened Zeal For God

For Or Against

Knocking At Heaven’s Door

Profaning God

Should Wonderers Be Wanderers?

A Woman Named Damaris

Naked And Barefoot

Managers Have Institutionalized The Christ Of God

Finite Universe

The Second Cosmos And Transformation

Christ Our Redeemer Is Lord Of Hosts

Revelations Of God Speaking

Resurrection, Restoration, And Transformation

Redeemed But Still Living By The Flesh

The Genesis Account: Poetry Not Myth

The Tension Between The First And The Second Exodus

The Theology Of The First The Miracle Of The First Human Births

Theologians And Academics Have Failed The Church

Wondering Into Myths

Scripture: Inspired Of God

Chapter 3: Theological Reflections

The Theology Of The Renegade

The Theology Of Progressiveness

The Theology Of Expansive Theology

The Theology Of Expanding But Limited Cosmological Systems

The Theology Of Pluralism:

The Theology Of The Sacredness Of Human Life

The Theology Of Unlimited Hope

The Theology Of Another Hypothesis

The Theology Christ Jesus As

The Theology Of Christian Inclusiveness And Sexuality

Christ Without Boundaries

The Theology Of The Inspiration Of Scripture

The Theology Of Another World Penetrating This World

The Theology Of The Gospel Story And Its Glory

The Theology Of Rearranging The Great Commission

The Theology Of New Formula With Christian Revelation

The Theology Of A Hodgepodge Theology

The Theology Of The Inspired Revelation Of God

The Theology Of The Authority Of Scripture

The Theology Of Biblical Truths

The Theology Of Sin

The Theology Of Salvation In Christ Jesus

The Theology Of The Resurrection Of Jesus And New Life

The Theology Of Christ’s Companionship

The Theology Of The Sword Of The Spirit

The Theology Of Honoring God And Nation

The Theology Of Being Taken Captive

The Theology Of De-Elevating Christianity

The Theology Replacing Biblical And Traditional Christianity

The Theology Of Human Existence

The Theology Of Christianity: Rational And Irrational

The Theology Of An Expansive But Limited Cosmos

The Theology Of Expansive Theology

The Theology Of Economic Justice

The Theology Of Journalism

Going Back To West Virginia

Going back to West Virginia

Going back to my hometown

Going back to my loved ones

Before I’m laid in the ground

I was sitting near the railroad

When I heard a whistle blow

A train passed like the Wahbash

Then I knew that I must go

I have lived long far from home

Many things my soul has missed

The old ways and my loved ones

Cause in my eyes a great mist

I am told my days are numbered

I want to go and be with friends

I want to be buried in my home soil

Then my troubles, they will end

Going back to West Virginia

Going back to my home town

Going back to my loved ones

Before I’m laid in the ground

Introduction

The following poems, songs, and meditations about biblical truths and theological reflections have been developed over a period of months and years. The religious concepts and doctrines expressed are not as absolute absolutes. They are rather attempts to express a groping and growing process of religious understanding. Nevertheless, they were written with an effort to express truths perceived at that time.

CHAPTER 1

POEMS AND SONGS ABOUT FAITH

INTRODUCTION

This collection is a product of emotions, empathic emotions and perceptions, which were experienced over a period of years. The poems may well express thoughts and feelings that others may have. The poems attempt to express both the good times and the bad times; some poems attempt to address the unanswered mysteries of life. In any case, life must go on and life should be one of hope even in the midst of despair. The following pages attempt to include the concept of hope.

Come, Come, Everybody, Sing

Come, come, everybody, sing

To Jesus Christ our Lord and King

Share His love that makes life ring

Come, come, everybody, sing.

Though He was born in a lowly place,

He was God’s Son to the human race.

His life was filled with heavenly grace,

He gave new life with a new face.

Come, come, everybody, sing,

To Jesus Christ our Lord and King.

Share His love that makes life ring.

Come, come, everybody, sing.

The things He did can’t all be told,

He healed the sick and helped the old.

He raised the dead and made them bold,

He walked on water when it was cold.

Come, come, everybody, sing

To Jesus Christ our Lord and King.

Share His love that makes life ring,

Come, come, everybody sing.

The elders saw Him as a threat,

He made the Romans even fret.

He wouldn’t change as they sat,

So He gave His life for a sin debt.

Come, come, everybody, sing

To Jesus Christ our Lord and King.

Share His love that makes life ring,

Come, come, everybody, sing.

They mocked and nailed Him to the Cross.

The disciples thought all had been lost.

He died on the Cross at a great cost,

But then God acted in an early frost.

Come, come, everybody, sing,

To Jesus Christ our Lord and King.

Share His love that makes life ring,

Come, come, everybody, sing.

Raised from the dead in early morn,

He beat the power of all who’d scorned.

He brought comfort to those who mourned.

He gave new life to those who were torn.

Come, come, everybody, sing,

To Jesus Christ our Lord and King.

Share His love that makes life ring,

Come, now come, everybody, sing.

Sing A New Song

Sing a new song

Sing all day long.

Sing of the Savior

Sing you belong.

He died for you,

He died for me.

And on the Cross,

He paid the cost

That set us free.

He was God’s Son,

The only one

Whom God sent forth

To give us worth

And make us one.

His suffering death

Saved us from wrath.

And now through Faith

There is new birth

Sing now, we’ve worth.

Sing a new song

Sing all day long.

Sing of the Savior

Sing you belong.

Penetrating Thoughts Not One’s Own

Penetrating thoughts not one’s own

Can invade in one’s own home.

Some thoughts, not Truth, capture some

Especially when one’s all alone.

There could well be a fantasy

That may seem real where one can’t see.

How to structure so to be free

Is the question all should agree.

Agree that Truth is beyond the sea,

Agree that thoughts may not always be

Agree that Truth frees captivity.

But there remains a word not truth,

And some receive this word as worth.

Unworthy thoughts of a different level

Must surely be the work of the devil.

Life Is Passing

Life if passing and it is so agile.

Some may think that life’s not fragile.

Still, death comes to each and all

But does life end when death calls?

Some say, Well, yes, there is no more.

But others think there’s another shore,

Where life continues in a big store

There, life’s exciting and not a bore.

Christians believe as some others may,

That one is awakened to a great new day.

They know it’s so for Christ is the way.

No! His life did not just pass away.

Sure, life may pass, but don’t say bye

For in Christ Jesus, there’s another sky.

If one can’t believe, why not just try?

This life doesn’t stop where the bodies lie.

Time In This Space

Rain and wind in my face,

As I walk I sense God’s grace,

Which causes me to keep pace.

And I know this is my place

And my time within this space.

Where Is Your God?

Where is your God? they said to Him,

"He is not here and is not our friend

Does that not make you want to curse?

Come on down! Do a reverse!"

So they just laughed while carrying on,

Keeping civil law for everyone.

But the tide would soon change,

As their world became quite strange.

An earthquake and cloud soon emerged

It was as if there was a scourge.

Then there was a loud thunder

The Temple Curtain was rent asunder.

Now the Officials who were making fun,

Threw down their spears and began to run.

Those making fun of our Lord

Begin to change giving up the sword.

Indoctrination

Indoctrination into this world

Causes some to deny our Herald,

Causes some to deny His flesh,

Causes some to deny His touch,

Causes some to deny His miracles,

Causes some to deny His circles,

Causes some to deny His death,

Causes some to deny His worth,

Causes some to deny His love,

Causes some to deny His salvation.

Indoctrination of no Resurrection

Causes some to an Insurrection.

Don’t Worry About Death And Destruction

Don’t worry about death and destruction,

Think of life and Resurrection.

For this life will pass away

That Day will come, come what may.

But there’s a way to another day

No matter what the Rationalists say.

Cosmos expansion will someday stop

With great destruction they cannot plot.

So put your hope on life to be,

And live with Christ eternally.

Growing Old And God’s Peace

Although I am growing old

A peace abides within my soul.

At such times, I can be bold.

At other times, I need a hold

Or else I will surely fold

And then meet the final cold.

But this peace is like gold,

Assuring me I’m in God’s fold.

A State Of Hope

Giving up is hard to do.

I do not know if I’ll get through.

No funds, much pain, and great