Bob's Pearls of Wisdom

[Preacherman777]

I find that the songs of Petra that are written by Bob contain a wealth of wise sayings. They often come in bridges of songs, but may come from other places as well. I have often been inspired by these sayings, such as this one from "Hey World"

"Down the corridor of life in between our death and birth, we might start lose our way in the search to find our worth. Our value comes in the fact we live. Life is a gift only God can give."

I wonder if others have their favorite inspirational sayings from Bob's lyrics as well.

[sue d.]

"Hello Again"

Speaking of meeting up with people in heaven:

"We'll remember them for now, but not then."

Circular reasoning or something, but I really like it.

[cvs2kids]

So many to choose. But a line that has stuck with me over the years is from God Pleaser.

" just want my life to glorify His Son, To make my Father proud that I'm His child before I'm done, No need to pat me on the back or stop to shake my hand, I just want to hear my Father say, "well done".

Its meant more to me in the last 8-10 years then when I first heard it.

[executioner]

Two that always stick with me are


"Hurry up and wait upon the Lord"

"Nothing in the Heaven's or Earth can stand against the fervant prayer of a righteous man"

[Jan]

No Doubt - all of it; especially this part:

Sometimes we want to think we know
The ways He will choose to make us grow
But it's never the way of our choosing
and we can't always see what He's using.

And "This Means War!" - all of it - I have always loved those lyrics.

[blayze5150]

"Waters never part until our feet get wet." -Beyond Belief
"Dare to win by losing all" -Beat the System
"'So much for Jesus,' you said in jest, then you got a visit from an unwelcome guest" -This Means War
The entire chorus of "Stand in the Gap"
"More Precious thean Rubies, More Precious than Gold, Mighty is the wisdom of the Lord" -Council of the Holy
"But with my weaknesses admitted, you will keep allthat I've committed, so I commit my heart to you, My first Love" -First Love

Is anyone else surprised Bob hasn't made it into the Baptist Hymnal yet? If he has, please correct me!

[St_Augustines_Pears]

"Hello Again"

Speaking of meeting up with people in heaven:

"We'll remember them for now, but not then."

Circular reasoning or something, but I really like it.

Actually, Sue...that line is about how every earthly argument/disagreement will be forgotten when we get to heaven. It's in the second verse. Here's the complete lyrics, which are based on Revelation 21:4.

Everybody has to say their goodbyes, while they wipe away the tears from their eyes
Eveybody bids a fonder farewell, when they know there won't be any sequel
Everybody says a sayonara, when they know they won't be back tomorrow
Everybody hopes to have reunions, back together with the ones they knew once
There's a salutation that's reserved for heaven's own...

Hello again - we're back together
Hello again - we're here forever
Hello again - rejoined in heaven
Hello again...

Eveybody's gonna be there waiting, they just want to see you graduating
Gonna see the ones who've gone before us, they'll be cheering in a mighty chorus
Everybody will be glad to see ya, even if it wasn't their idea
Every argument will be forgotten, we remember them for now but not then
When we see each other there'll be just one thing to say...

Say goodbye to the loneliness forever, say hello to the garden once again
Say goodbye to this world of stormy weather, say hello to the One who calls you friend
I can't wait until we're reunited and we say...

As I've mentioned before, the GOD FIXATION album really helped my grieving when my Dad died. After Dad passed away, I dug this album out and started playing it a lot. Hearing these lyrics while reading scriptures like Revelation 21:4, Luke 15:3-7, Luke 23:39-43, etc. let me deal with my feelings of loss and helplessness.

In fact, I had GOD FIXATION on continuous play just a few days ago...June 7, my Dad's birthday. Songs like "Hello Again", "Over The Horizon", "Falling Up", "Shadow Of A Doubt", and "The Invitation" are a great balm when you're depressed and missing someone. I also had "Blessed Be Your Name" (from II GUYS FROM PETRA) on repeat for awhile, too.

Anyway, back on topic. One of my favorites is a few lines from ON FIRE's "Open Book"...

"When the cover of this book is closed, the final chapter read
I hope You find it worth the reading, I hope "well done" is said..."

I've always said I would like two songs played at my funeral..."Open Book" and the gospel hymn "Look For Me".

[p-freak]

I like this one:

"All our identity rests in the knowledge of who we're created to be" (Marks Of The Cross)

and this one:

"Never perfect, but perfectly forgiven" (Life As We Know It)

[Jonathan]

"...It seems so hard to think there was a time that I used to call this wasteland home."

Those who thirst often don't realize it. True life comes in Jesus Christ. Drink deep of him, and like the song says, you will never thirst again.

[knotodiswrld]

I can't believe nobody else has picked:

"Get On Your Knees, And Fight Like A Man!"
You'll pull down strongholds if you just believe you can

"This ... Means .... War!!!!"

"... put garbage in ... get garbage out" (From Computer Brains.)

[SCJ-7]

Definitely Bob Hartman is one of the best Christian songwriters of all time. His songs are not only songs, they are powerful messages about God and other Christian issues:

1."I'm not forsaken, The Lord is my Light, I know He's making a way in the night"...
Mountains and Valleys:Petra.

2. "Jesus is the answer to everything you need to know"...
Get Back to the Bible:Petra.

3. "Face to face with sin, you better think again, you better think again"...
Think Twice:No Doubt.

4."See Jesus lives inside me, and I know He's there to stay"...
Falling Up:God Fixation.

5: "Never Perfect, but Perfectly Forgiven"...
Life As We Know It:Jekyll and Hyde.

This is one of the reasons why I became a Pethead many years ago: Petra songs are really Christian Songs...

[Jan]

First Love - the first time I heard it, it just resonated with me so much. I thought, if I could write a song, this would be it.

"Because you first loved me, Jesus
You will always be
My first love."

[Jan]

[quote="knotodiswrld"]
"This ... Means .... War!!!!"

Yes - I love that one!! So victorious and inspirational. Even if he meant it to be for teenagers, I still love it now as an older person. "The Victor is sure and the victory secure." Amen!!

[shawnpfan2010]

"Humanistic lies lament
The holocaust is imminent
Doomsday prophets in the news
Predicting who will light the fuse
The fate of His creation isn't subject to a man
The final consummation is according to His plan"


So true for the times we are living in.

[shawnpfan2010]

Do you think that Bob wrote this, thinking about all the crap he went through, trying to get people to understand that God can use christian rock music to win souls to Christ??

"When the crowns of gold all lay before His feet
Then the worthy Lamb of God is the treasure we will keep
Some may call me foolish - some may call me odd
But I'd rather be a fool in the eyes of men
Than a fool in the eyes of God"