Truth Poet: Truths of Our Fallen World and Glorious God

By Joshua I. Sykes

Seeking and showcasing truth through poetry, songs and sayings, Truth Poet delves into truth on various levels – some truth is quite hard and controversial, much is exceedingly glorious. Open the pages of this book and you could find material and situations that you or those around you have experienced. View these things from a different lens and spur on your own personal growth. Truth doesn’t change. Truth changes people.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Inspiring Voices
• Release date: Aug 19, 2019
• ISBN: 9781462412723

Joshua I. Sykes

Joshua Sykes is a new author from Clearfield, Pennsylvania. As a former skillful liar, truth became very important to him when he genuinely started following Jesus in his early 20s. This, along with a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a Minor in English from The Pennsylvania State University, Josh brings a unique perspective to seeking truth through real and relatable material. Josh serves in various children’s and teen’s ministries at the Clearfield Alliance Church. In his work life he works with teens and young adults who are in or have been in the foster care and placement system. He passes hope and truth on to the next generation.

Book preview

Prologue

You are a king, then! said Pilate.

Jesus answered, You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.

What is truth? retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, "I find no basis for a charge against him.[¹]

What is truth?

What a question that is. It is one we will all ask one way or another in our lives. Pilate did. He asked it to Truth Himself, yet he didn’t even recognize it.

Oftentimes, we do the same thing, trading Truth (Jesus) for truth, or a cleaver lie, or facts (facts do not always equal truth) and we miss real Truth that is there. We live lesser lives because we believe lies.

Through the writing of this book, I was deliberate in incorporating personal experiences or experiences of those around me. Real and relatable lives have been portrayed.

One thing that wasn’t intentional that was brought to my attention during the editing process was how much of this book deals with sanctification and its struggles. Sanctification is the process after accepting Jesus as Savior by which one thinks, acts, and is more like Jesus more and more as they build closer and closer relationship with Him - This is impossible to do without the Holy Spirit’s power.

This extra blessing reiterates what I am trying to convey: Life is hard. But God is always good.

After reading this book, my prayer for you is this: Whether you are a new Christian, a Follower for 50 years, or haven’t met Jesus just yet, that you are more purposeful is seeking and seeing truth, that you are encouraged if going through a hard time, reminded if doing well; in the highs, lows, and in-betweens – Truth remains the same.

POEMS I

"When your conscience is seared,

You can look at truth

And deny reality."

Pastor Ernie Conley, Lifepointe Alliance Church, Mars, Pa.

The Dance

She looks up

As the tears fall down

And dreams of life

In the cotton candy colored clouds.

The tears fall down,

They fall to the ground,

They soak the earth

And water the grass above her buried spirit.

She put it there years ago,

When her innocence was taken,

When she was robbed of childhood.

She put it below the soil

Of a dark, dark world

And left it there.

Lying in the garden,

She looks up from a world that’s forgotten her,

And gets lost in the cotton candy colored clouds.

She dreams of a family,

A family who loves her,

A father who won’t leave her,

Who’ll take her in his arms

And dance her across the sky blue-pink.

She weeps

Because she knows the world offers no solace;

She’ll never dance across the sky

With a father who loves her.

She believes no one cares

That she is all alone;

She longs for death

And would be glad to welcome it.

She plots it out,

In the light of a fading day,

What she might do

To end her misery.

A quiet roll of thunder fills the sky

And a soft summer rain begins to fall.

Little does she know she does have a Father,

A Father in Heaven,

Who does love her,

Who longs to hold her in His arms

And dance her far beyond where the horizon lies,

Across and eternal sky blue-pink.

He weeps

Because He knows He’ll never leave her.

The rain brings her back from her daydreams.

She thinks of the beauty of the evening

And decides to hang on awhile longer.

She walks home as Heavenly tears

Continue to fall.

They fall to the ground,

They soak the earth

Far below the garden

And water her buried spirit,

And it begins to grow.

Poured Out

I feel poured out.

But am I half full

Or half empty,

A quarter full

Or almost gone,

A drop of life in a thirsty world

Or one drop away from a parched soul?

You tell me

Because I don’t know.

I can’t even tell anymore

If I’m up or down,

Smile or frown,

Floating on grace

Or trying to drown.

I’ve lost myself in the world.

I didn’t even know I was leaving,

But there I went;

Now where’d I go?

Gather my frayed thoughts

And start to go –

But where?

Am I going here

Or coming from there?

Do I even care?

Would I know which way to go?

What’s my life got to show?

Am I coming up

Or going down?

Spinning ‘round and ‘round;

Stop the vacant whirlwind of my wanting thoughts

And bring me back to Your solid ground.

Maybe more of You and less of me?

Will that help me see?

Ah, yes,

More of You and less of me,

That’s brining me back to who I’m supposed to be.

Clinging to the cross

Amidst the loss,

There I am!

‘Neath Your feet;

I see me

And I start to weep.

There I was!

All along;

A length away

From Your outstretched arms.

You Are The Cure

Every day,

Every day,

It eats us from the inside.

Slowly and surely,

Fastly and fiercely,

It blackens our soul,

It won’t let us go.

It smiles as it drags us down

To places we never thought we’d be.

Every day,

Every day,

Slowly and surely,

Fastly and fiercely,

It blackens our soul,

It won’t let us go.

It grins as sin comes at us

From a thousand different ways.

It grins as we sin,

Sin has come in.

Every day,

Every day,

Slowly and surely,

Fastly and fiercely,

It blackens our soul,

It won’t let us go.

We invite it in

Like a friend we can’t trust

But to whom we can’t say no,

Knowing full well

It will steal from us everything

Until we are left to die in the street.

Every day,

Every day,

Slowly and surely,

Fastly and fiercely,

It blackens our soul,

It won’t let us go.

It teaches independence as king

And forgiveness as a jester,

To be mocked and belittled

And put to death on a whim.

Every day,

Every day,

It blackens our soul.

Fastly and fiercely,

Slowly and surely,

It eats us from the inside.

But,

The Son has come,

Has risen,

And has lit the day.

You Lord Jesus,

You are the Light

That pierces the darkness.

Darkness cannot hide,

It is swallowed up

In the light of day.

Jesus, You are

Faster and fiercer,

Patient and steadfast.

You won’t let us go,

You lighten the burden of our soul,

You smile as You lift us up

To heights we thought we’d never soar.

Jesus, You are

Faster and fiercer,

Patient and steadfast.

We embrace You as a friend we trust,

We embrace You as Savior,

Knowing full well our sins

Are covered by Your blood

And You will never leave us.

Jesus, You are

Faster and fiercer,

Patient and steadfast.

You teach us forgiveness and love.

You are the King

And we are Your happy servants

Forgiving in love

And loving to forgive.

Jesus,

You are the cure

For this everyday disease.

Even a Whisper

He rushes at us like a warrior,

Wielding His mighty acts

In His righteous right hand,

Tenderly tearing apart the hearts

Of those who choose to follow.

Blood poured out for love;

Not our blood,