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| JESUS The One Who Inspired All Poetry |
Time with Jesus - 16 July 2013
Hi
all,
Today
we have a couple of Jimmets to meditate on. I’d like to call them Sonnets, but
in terms of modern poetry writing, my style is incorrect. They are written in “iambic
pentameter. What’s that? Wikipedia explains it as follows:
Iambic pentameter (from Greek: ἰαμβικός πεντάμετρος, iambikos
pentametros, meaning to have five iambs)
is a commonly used metrical line in traditional verse and verse drama. The term
describes the particular rhythm that the words establish in that line. That
rhythm is measured in small groups of syllables; these small groups of syllables
are called "feet". The
word "iambic" describes the type of foot that is used (in English, an
unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable). The word
"pentameter" indicates that a line has five of these "feet". |
| William Shakespeare |
In other words, each line
reads, De Dah, De Dah, De Dah, De Dah, De Dah. If you don’t know Greek, don’t
be too concerned. I don’t know Greek either! All I do is write that way.
Wikipedia ads, Sonnets have 14 lines of Iambic pentameter, each line ending with a
word that rhymes with other lines. The rhyme scheme in a Shakespearean sonnet
is a-b-a-b, c-d-c-d, e-f-e-f, g-g; the last two lines are a rhyming couplet.
In
more recent times the rhyming style has changed to a-b-b-a, c-d-d-c, e-f-f-e,
g-g, although this is by no means cast in concrete. Personally, I prefer to
stick with the Shakespearean sonnet. But so as not to offend English poetry aficionados’
I call them Jimmets. But if you want to call them sonnets, be my guest.
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| Me Too |
The
first Jimmet looks at the first two Scriptures; Nehemiah
4:9 ESV and Matthew 26:41 MSG. Basically
the Jimmet refers to Nehemiah rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls. It includes Jesus’
instruction to His followers to stay alert. These instructions are still valid
in the 21st century.
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| More on how they Work |
The
second Jimmet is an extrapolation of Philippians 4:6-7. It is called, “Be
Careful for Nothing”. Paul’s comment to the Philippian Christians has inspired many
down through the years. I’ve merely extrapolated on his words in order to
compile the Jimmet.
Incidentally,
we all know what Paul means. The New Living
Sonnets
and Jimmets are fairly easy to write provided you know where you are going and
what you want to say. Getting the style and rhyme correct can be a challenge. If
you want to have a go, choose a Scripture passage you know fairly well. Then
start expressing what you want to say in Iambic pentameter form. When the first
four lines are almost complete, concentrate on choosing the rhyming words for
your Sonnet. Its lots of fun.
Shalom,
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
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| Iambic Pentameter |
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| Now You Have a Go! |
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – 16 July 2013
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
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©
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These devotionals are the intellectual property of
Jim Strickland and copyright protected. You are welcome to copy and distribute
them to anyone provided it is for non-commercial Christian purposes
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©
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INTRODUCTION
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DAILY
LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES
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JIMMETS
- PRAYER & VIGILANCE
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When all else fails, read the instructions. These words were drummed
into me when I was an apprentice in England in the 1960’s. It was excellent
advice. The trouble is I seldom learned the lesson in advance. Like most of
us I tried to “tinker” with things before I read the manual. You know what I
mean. “No dumb book will stop me getting this thing working”. After many
disasters, you’d think I’d learn. But I didn’t. It could have been very
expensive. Fortunately, for me, the biggest loss was loss of face.
Some years later, I came across a young man who loved tinkering with
radios and a variety of electronic “knick-knacks”. You’d think he would learn a lesson. In
this case, just the opposite was true. He’d take something to pieces. Then
he’d put just about everything back leaving several bits and pieces still on
the table next to the thing. Curiously, you’d think the thing wouldn’t work.
Much to my chagrin, it seemed to work better than it had before. Here was a
young man who seemed to have no need for manuals. However, I am reliably
informed that when his son was born, he looked all over to find the working
instructions! I can’t really blame him. Most new parents, new fathers in
particular, seem to be completely void of any real knowledge about babies. Thank
God for mothers!
Talking about working instructions, we Christians have a book which
tells us all we need to and do while living on this earth. It’s called the
Bible. Each and every year, the sales of copies of the Bible are greater by
far than the sale of any other book published. In view of this, you would
think Christians would be experts in the art of living a Biblical lifestyle.
Sadly, although the Bible is purchased in great numbers, people seldom read
it. We have been taught that the word “Bible” comes from the Greek word “Biblos”. I used to think that too. Then I found
that actually the word is an acrostic. Using each letter of the word Bible,
it means; Basic;
Instructions;
Before;
Leaving;
Earth.
Presumably that’s why people don’t read it. Books of basic instructions are
ignored in favour of self-experimentation; “suck it and see” “let me have a
go” and “Who needs instructions anyway; This is what my granny did!”
I thought the same way myself. I tinkered around with life and tried
to take things to pieces. Then, when finished, like my young friend, I found
there were bits left over. I’d like to say that life worked better without
them. It didn’t. It was a disaster and I did a spot of reaping what I’d sown.
Now, I find it far better to check things out in my Bible. After that,
vigilance and prayer combine nicely. I highly recommend it to you. Bible;
Vigilance and Prayer; a recipe for guaranteed success.
Jim &
Phyllida Strickland
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9 And we prayed to our God and set a guard
as a protection against them day and night.
Nehemiah 4:9 ESV
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Prayer and Vigilance Neh. 4:9
We thought the enemy was all around,
And didn’t really know what we should do.
Then upon reflection we all found,
If we prayed and trusted, Lord, in You,
It would be the way to keep ahead!
Prayer and vigilance to spot our foes.
For we knew for sure that You had said,
“Keep on praying and stay on your toes.
If you do, you’ll keep the foe at bay,
Nothing that the enemy may try,
Can come and defeat you any day;
Neither will they know the reason why!
It will be your secret of success.
Prayer and vigilance and nothing less!”
-oOo-
Jim
Strickland
Written 16 July 2012
Be careful for nothing
Phil 4:6-7
Christians need never, ever fear
That the enemy will win the day.
Not if you will let the Saviour near,
And you do the things that He will say.
Prayer and supplication will succeed,
If it issues from a thankful heart.
Ask the Lord to give you what you need.
Surely that’s the proper place to start!
Make all your requests to the Most High.
Come to Him in true humility.
Lift your hands to Him and to Him cry,
“You alone are my necessity!”
Then His peace will fill your heart and mind,
In a way that mortal man can’t find.
-oOo-
Jim
Strickland
Written 16 July 2012
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41 Stay alert; be in prayer so you don't wander into temptation
without even knowing you're in danger. There is a part of you that is
eager, ready for anything in God. But there's another part that's as lazy as
an old dog sleeping by the fire."
Matthew
26:41 MSG
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2 Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert
mind and a thankful heart.
Colossians 4:2 NLT
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7 Turn all your anxiety over to God because
he cares for you. 8 Keep your
mind clear, and be alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a
roaring lion as he looks for someone to devour. 9 Be firm in the faith and resist him, knowing
that other believers throughout the world are going through the same kind of
suffering.
1 Peter 5:7-9 GW
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46 "Why are you so polite with me,
always saying 'Yes, sir,' and 'That's right, sir,' but never doing a thing I
tell you?
Luke 6:46 MSG
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22 Don't just listen to the word. You fool
yourselves if you do that. You must do what it says.
James 1:22 NIrV
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15 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why
are you crying out to Me? Tell the people to get moving!
Exodus 14:15 NLT
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6 Don't worry about anything. Instead, tell
God about everything. Ask and pray. Give thanks to him. 7 Then God's peace will watch over your hearts and your
minds because you belong to Christ Jesus. God's peace can never be completely
understood.
Philippians 4:6-7 NIrV
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