> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://matthew-d-burkholder.ghost.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Fire and Brimstone
- URL: https://matthew-d-burkholder.ghost.io/fire-and-brimstone/
- Published: 2016-12-30T03:06:00.000Z
- Updated: 2016-12-30T03:06:00.000Z
- Author: Matthew D. Burkholder
- Tags: Theology, #Migrated-1787946130805, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-28 15:42

For the past couple years I have been struggling with the way in which the gospel (good news) is often presented. A book that helped me work through a lot of my theology was [A More Christlike God](https://www.amazon.ca/More-Christlike-God-Beautiful-Gospel-ebook/dp/B00WJG0NGE/ref=sr%5F1%5F1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1483067320&sr=1-1&keywords=a+more+christlike+god&ref=matthew-d-burkholder.ghost.io) by Bradley Jersak.  
  
fire and brimstone  
  
gnashing words  
my heart limps on  
long before it had left  
it was already gone  
  
in the crimson break before  
the end, the final night's score  
fear perches, ready to take me once more  
to taunt and take me to places i know  
a fire's horrid answer  
the truth will i now know?  
  
memories carved  
will one day they crack?  
in the life after death  
this burden breaks my back  
  
my crime they say  
is as clear as the day  
of being born  
of living  
of the air  
i am stealing  
i once was a light  
i could see in a mirror  
before *it* arrived  
and darkened my cheer  
age has left its mark  
and robbed me of joy  
  
oh fire and brimstone  
is this who You are?  
oh fire and brimstone  
i guess i'll run far  
  
when i sought ancient cloth  
to relieve the pain  
instead of relief  
they burdened me again  
and left me with thought  
that damn screaming thing!  
and all i heard was wrath and Your rage  
and i'm afraid now to see You  
as i farewell my old age  
this death bed my coffin  
open, my sins to see  
  
oh fire and brimstone,  
please don't take me!