Samuel is list'ning.. well..

Well Sam the Man is growing older still,
and though you tell me that's the way of men
upon this Earth - has been, and always will
be, here in time, the years add on again.

Sam, don't grow old in ways that mean you won't
still be a child, and laugh, and share yourself,
your inside thoughts and feelings. See you don't
grow old and sit yourself upon the shelf!

-  unless that shelf is where God puts you to

communicate his love and mercy with

dramatic creativity (& truth):

Ezeki’el, and Hanani*, and “kith

& kin” of prophets, sent to this ol’ world,

like Jeremiah, Micaiah^, and John, ...

quite often into prison they were hurled

and left upon a shelf, while “life” went on

about them (though the people who were “out-

-side had no inkling of dimensions more)

before the “TARDIS°”, God was still a lout

(compared to many standards, we adore)!

A shelf within his TARDIS is the best.

But better still, is when he’s in there too!

And those adventures there, leave all the rest

behind, in Version One of what he’ll do.

So take your lead from Version Two of Man

and his mates who were faithful to the  truth,

and love that poured upon them. He began

a new way forward, starting in his youth!

---

*   “At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him: ‘Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand. Were not the Cushites and Libyans a mighty army with great numbers of chariots and horsemen ? Yet when you relied on the Lord , he delivered them into your hand. For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.’  Asa was angry with the seer because of this; he was so enraged that he put him in prison. At the same time Asa brutally oppressed some of the people.”. 2 Chron. 16:7‭-‬10 NIVUK

°  from a T.V. show called Dr. Who. The TARDIS, which could seem as small as a phone box, was bigger on the inside than it was on the outside.

^  Ahab king of Israel asked Jehoshaphat king of Judah, ‘Will you go with me against Ramoth Gilead?’ Jehoshaphat replied, ‘I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will join you in the war.’ But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, ‘First seek the counsel of the Lord .’  So the king of Israel brought together the prophets – four hundred men – and asked them, ‘Shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I not?’ ‘Go,’ they answered, ‘for God will give it into the king’s hand.’ But Jehoshaphat asked, ‘Is there no longer a prophet of the Lord here whom we can enquire of?’  The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, ‘There is still one prophet through whom we can enquire of the Lord , but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.’ ‘The king should not say such a thing,’ Jehoshaphat replied. So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, ‘Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.’  Dressed in their royal robes, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing-floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them. Now Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had made iron horns, and he declared, ‘This is what the Lord says: “With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.” ’ All the other prophets were prophesying the same thing. ‘Attack Ramoth Gilead and be victorious,’ they said, ‘for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.’  The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, ‘Look, the other prophets without exception are predicting success for the king. Let your word agree with theirs, and speak favourably.’ But Micaiah said, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what my God says.’ When he arrived, the king asked him, ‘Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I not?’ ‘Attack and be victorious,’ he answered, ‘for they will be given into your hand.’ The king said to him, ‘How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord ?’  Then Micaiah answered, ‘I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd, and the Lord said, “These people have no master. Let each one go home in peace.” ’ The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, ‘Didn’t I tell you that he never prophesies anything good about me, but only bad?’ Micaiah continued, ‘Therefore hear the word of the Lord : I saw the Lord sitting on his throne with all the multitudes of heaven standing on his right and on his left. And the Lord said, “Who will entice Ahab king of Israel into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?” ‘One suggested this, and another that. Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the Lord and said, “I will entice him.” ‘ “By what means?” the Lord asked.  ‘ “I will go and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,” he said. ‘ “You will succeed in enticing him,” said the Lord . “Go and do it.” ‘So now the Lord has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours. The Lord has decreed disaster for you.’ Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah went up and slapped Micaiah in the face. ‘Which way did the spirit from the Lord go when he went from me to speak to you?’ he asked. Micaiah replied, ‘You will find out on the day you go to hide in an inner room.’ The king of Israel then ordered, ‘Take Micaiah and send him back to Amon the ruler of the city and to Joash the king’s son, and say, “This is what the king says: put this fellow in prison and give him nothing but bread and water until I return safely.” ’  Micaiah declared, ‘If you ever return safely, the Lord has not spoken through me.’ Then he added, ‘Mark my words, all you people!’ 2 Chron. 18:3‭-‬27 NIVUK

Up he got...

Well up he got, and said to all, there, then,

(this Jesus who was healing in God's name,

and tying all of life to this God when

he spoke and healed, and argued with and blamed

the other leaders who enforced their laws,

[well after they interpreted them all,

yet lived with pow’r and luxury because

they didn't have to bear their brunt (& fall)].

He said "Come here to me, all of you who

are weary (for he knew there was a lot)

and carry heavy loads, I say to you

that I will give you rest (that’s what I've got)!"

And later on that Paul, “Ambassador

for Jesus’ reign as King of all that's here!”

said “God has given us no spirit, or

resolve, or temp’rament  of timid fear,

but he has passed to us his pow’r of love,

and self control, that out-controls all else.

For riches against Love, ain't from above,

and who is rich in God, is poor in Hell’s

control that tries to “make” folk (who can't choose,

they have to take a course), no  “partnership”.

But when we live in Love, we trust one who’s

longed to empow’r, and longs to help equip.

Instead of these ol’ bodies here on loan,

within a realm that’s doomed to run right down,

he want’s to give us bodies we can own,

with smiles upon them that don't need to frown.

---

Jesus is saying "Come to me, all of you who weary and are carry heavy loads, and I will give you rest." Mat 11:28 (PM Version)

God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self control. 2 Timothy 1:7, (PM Version)

Blessed are those who are poor in spirit and realise their need for God, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. Mat 5:3 (PM Version)

not Blame, but Game !

Oh God give wisdom that discerns your ways
and methods forward, for our time and place,

and culture, to see good that then displays
your loving, patient, kindness that creates

and broods on options to communicate

somehow the love, that will appreciate

and understand at length, if not quite straight

away, that in God’s time they will relate,

so folk will know God, not as “doctrinaire”,

but as a father who looks out and stares

for signs of that repentance, that repairs,

and makes his way from home, that has no cares

about what others think, that has no pride.

But open to each other one, will ride

or run out to returning sons, and bide

his time till then. He’s crazy, I'll confide.

That prodigal ol’ father who valued

much more than all his stuff, his youngest dude,

and wished his oldest wouldn't be a prude

but would one day, get party attitude!

Oh God, you're always leading us to more

adventure that we hardly can ignore

(because your DNA in us gets bored?)

to love more than our suffering, before

we even see how that will be relieved.

Oh God my heart’s too cold to be believed,

please make that job you started off “Achieved !”:

a heart of love like yours that isn't peeved.

travelling as specks...

The world’s impatient, wanting to succeed;

“a destination come to”, I believed

was all that really matted, so no need

to value much the processes which weaved

and danced about, and in and out, to make

an heirloom piece of craftsmanship that’s worth

the waiting for, instead of (with that snake)

just acting on de-si-re, which then  birthed

the kind of animal, quite Dragon -like,

that likes to fly itself, to win the day,

with hoarded treasure (where folk cannot hike),

it hopes to win each challenge it will face.

But I will wait for God, the Lord of lords,

amidst the challenges I face on  days,

& there I find he’s better than my hoards

of treasure, in his splendour! He just waits.

So I will wait. Not just recall the past

nostalgic-like, as though all’s done and said.

The best is yet to come, and it will last,

so I look forward to what is ahead!

Don’t doubt God’s mighty pow'r to work in you

accomplishing amazing things. He will

achieve much more than ever you could - do,

or even then - imagine. He is still

at work. His new creation has begun,

his pow-er to create is now at work

in us, when we co-operate, each  one.

And he’s determined, he will never shirk.

---

'The world is impatient & wanting a destination; process is little valued. But I wait for the Lord amidst the challenges I face & there I find Him - in the waiting; in all His splendour!'  Psalm 27:14 (CR Version)

Forget the past and look forward to what is ahead. Philippians 3:13  (PM Version)

Never doubt Gods mighty power to work in you and accomplish amazing things. He will achieve infinitely more than you ever imagine. For His miraculous power is at work in you. Ephesians 3:20 (PM Version)

Loaded Words*

---

* Words are very helpful, and even necessary, but are still not the essential core (the Word of God, the Message from God is), and Jesus’ words to the Jews are: “If I fail to do what my Father does, then do not believe me. But if I do, even though you have no faith in me personally, then believe in the things that I do.” John 10:34-38 And the gospels translate Jesus’s (Aramaic) words into the trade language of the day (Koine Greek); and his message is variously communicated as centering on “the Kingdom of God” (in Mark & Luke), “the Kingdom of Heaven” (in Matthew), “Eternal Life” (in John)...etc

---

For certain groups of people, loaded Words
and Language, Ideas, Metaphors, become
quite cliched, & can then become absurd,°
cease to smell nice, or bring all lovely, some

fresh wind of paradise, or incense smoke.
For though they hold the food that once was good,
and though it had been eaten by some bloke,
or sheila in the past, its goodness could

still have to be composted then be spread
around and then be dug in, near to plants.
Until that time, we’ll sometimes need to shed
the cliched words or things that feel like rants.

For some, we have to be prepared to say
to people, in the Lord’s name: “You’re released -
no need for you to do C, B, & A,
& maybe you just should forget all these

specific ways of talking about God,
his hopes, and dreams, and possibilities,
just “Follow Love with every drop of blood
within your body.” I think that that frees

up people, or at least it sometimes can,
to help them to take hold of what is core.
Creative words, expressions: “Son of Man”
“Eternal Life”, “God’s kingdom”, and some more,

are what can serve some people, for some time,
and needs be freed for times, from meanings past
so people blossom, their lives freshly rhyme,
until we come to where we’ll be at last.

---

° originally instead of 'absurd,' the text (at the end of the third line of the first stanza) read  'like "turds", '. I changed it at a friend's suggestion. Both are true.

Along with...

Keep praying, being watchful, with a heart

of thankfulness for good that has come home.
Wait quietly in God’s presence, and don't start

until your hope is found in Him alone.

Since he’s my rock, salvation, fortress too,

I will not be shaken. My health may fail,

and my spirit may grow weak, but God, you

remain my strength of mind; wind, & my sail!

And you are mine forever, I’m yours first!

And so your “rule” is not a matter of

our eating, or our drinking (hunger, thirst),

but living goodness, peace, and joy and LOVE

that's fruited in these gardens by his self,

the Holy Spirit of the God who is.

If you put these things first your  common-wealth

is set to serve God's Christ, and he is pleased.

The Lord leads humble people in what’s right,

he only teaches them what are His ways.

We want our energies, however slight,

to work along with his, to all good’s  praise.

If God is standing with us, tell me, who

could ever stand against us then at all?

It’s just that he is hidden here from view,

within us, and we look to be so small.

But there is fruit because he is with us,

and in us, and it comes out in this way;

in love & joy, & faith, & hope, & peace.

The Joy of God is our strength, ev’ry day!

---

Keep praying, being watchful with a thankful heart. Colossians 4:2 (PM Version)

I wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him alone. He is my rock and my salvation, my fortress, I will not be shaken Psalms 62:5,6(PM Version)

My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever. Psalms 73:26 (PM Version)

The Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you put these things first in serving Christ you will please God. Romans 14:17-18 (PM Version)

The Lord leads the humble in what is right, teaching them His way. Psalms 25:9 (PM Version)

If God is standing with us, tell me, who then could ever stand against us?  Romans 8:31 (PM Version)

The Joy of the Lord is my strength!!  Nehemiah 8:10 (PM Version)

Habakuk's little bro.

Though the Internet comes crashing down,
the NBN gives up,
I will not let my face show frown
'cause your love is enough.

When my woman says "Let's turn it off";
& the future all seems skewed,
I won't grump or grouch a lot
but I will turn to you,

and more than that, I will rejoice
and praise you for your love,
like that best of all your boys
who came from up above:

when he prayed for those who mocked
he rose above suff'ring,
& (though we were all very shocked)
you raised him up as King!

PW and Tim Watson

little sibbling, not so dribbling...

Do not be deceived,

my dear broth’!

Every good and graceous gift

is “from above”;

coming down

from the Father of all heavenly lights,

who does not change on us overnight,

but is steady as the noonday sun

lookin’ down on us - ev’ry one.  

(Do not be deceived)

By his own will

he brought us into being

through the word of

(through the word of) truth,

so that we should have first place among

(first place among) all his creatures.  

Remember this then,

my dear broth’!

Be quick to listen,

(Yes everyone!)

but slow to speak and

slow to become

angry. Anger

- that is human

does not achieve God's righteous purpose.

So get rid of

every filthy habit and all wicked conduct.

Submit to God

and accept the word that he plants in your hearts,

which is able

(which is able) to - save you.

Do not deceive yourselves

by just listening to his word;

instead, put it into practice

(put it into practice).

The person who listens to the word,

but does not

put it into practice

(put it into practice)

is like a man who looks in a mirror and sees

himself as he is.

He takes a good look at himself

and then goes

away and at once forgets

forgets what he looks like.

.. But those

those who look closely

into the perfect law that sets

law that sets folk free,

and keeps on payin' attention to it

and does not simply

listen and then forget it,
but

put it into practice

(put it into practice)—

they will be blessed by God in what they do
(who-oo)

they will be blessed by God in what they do.

Does any one of you

think that you are religious?

If you have no self-control

of your tongue,

your religion is worthless

religion is worthless!

- and you

you deceive yourself

(you deceive yourself).

What God the Father

considers to be

pure and fair-dinkum

religion is this

(this is what he

thinks is gen-u-in):

to take care of the fatherless

and widows in their suffering

and to keep one-self

(oneself) from being

corrupted by the world

(corrupted by the world).

~~-0-~~

Quick! Quiick! Queeck!

-  Listen, look, learn!

Slow down, slow down, slow down!

-  Wait until your turn!

Be slow to anger,

slow to speak.

Be quick to listen,

and to weep!

- as well as laugh

at the chaff!

-  the dead old husks

that won't be bathed.

---

Do not be deceived, my dear friends! Every good gift and every perfect present comes from heaven; it comes down from God, the Creator of the heavenly lights, who does not change or cause darkness by turning. By his own will he brought us into being through the word of truth, so that we should have first place among all his creatures.   Remember this, my dear friends! Everyone must be quick to listen, but slow to speak and slow to become angry. Human anger does not achieve God's righteous purpose. So get rid of every filthy habit and all wicked conduct. Submit to God and accept the word that he plants in your hearts, which is able to save you. Do not deceive yourselves by just listening to his word; instead, put it into practice. If you listen to the word, but do not put it into practice you are like people who look in a mirror and see themselves as they are. They take a good look at themselves and then go away and at once forget what they look like. But if you look closely into the perfect law that sets people free, and keep on paying attention to it and do not simply listen and then forget it, but put it into practice—you will be blessed by God in what you do.  Do any of you think you are religious? If you do not control your tongue, your religion is worthless and you deceive yourself. What God the Father considers to be pure and genuine religion is this: to take care of orphans and widows in their suffering and to keep oneself from being corrupted by the world. James 1:16‭-‬27GNTD

Be happy with those who are happy, weep with those who weep. Have the same concern for everyone. Do not be proud, but accept humble duties. Do not think of yourselves as wise.  Romans 12:15‭-‬16 GNTD

interrupt, or interpret-up?

My wife just told me that tonight I was...

[& (though not fully) I slightly became

aware of]  interrupting you two bods

tonight a fair bit. That verse, yes the same

one quoted by me through the night about

small brothers of James being “quick” and “slow”;

that’s quick to listen, slow to speak like louts,

& slow to anger, I would like to know

in my ex-per-i-ence, not just my head.
I'm sorry for my actions, unlike him

who modelled all the words that James there said:

his other brother - I would be his kin.

I didn’t represent him well to you.
So please forgive me (and pray for me too).
- And by God's grace, with Spirit's help I'll do

what he suggests to now replace my few

ol' earthly wisdom's habits of mind and

it’s practices. Feel free to help me with

what wisdom comes to your mind, understand

-ing that comes to who are his kin and kith.

That I might be (your vision God, I see),
as he your son, was even when abrupt:
"interpret up" for people when they/ we
would benefit, instead of "interupt".

That's as a gen'ral rule (this ain't for fools),
but rules are just for games, within your field,
where love could get a card, and break the rules,
but just as likely smile, and pray, and yield.

---

After a night of planning and preparing a report with some friends on a team with us.

"As for me and my household....."

Please God save these from harm and evil too,
I somehow feel responsible for them,
but much better by far, is that "to you
they have responded, for you are their hen,

and they're your chicks, and some  have run to you",
as their defense, as their strong tower, who
when they're in trouble, they will run right to
and find themselves as "gathered,  and made true".

God's peace be on all those who live within
this household {which is much more than 'this house' -
a household might've chosen tent-livin',
and they can make some orn'ry things look grouse!

B'coz they are creative sparks from him,
who thought up good, then talkin' to 'imself,
an' talkin' to the thing he was makin',
created this whole world, from 'off the shelf',

- that's as a way of speaking - in 'iz mind,
and then used 'this', to make some more o' 'that',
then put them both together, and we find
that WE have been made up, with a 'spit splat'.

And yet we aren't just sparks, or his robots,
(unless we're bound within that world-view where
we always must interpret what we've got
so saying "we're machines that SEEM to care").

He also told our story to us so
we'd know that we are no less than "his kids",
and told us to remember, so we'd grow
up more to be like him until our lids

can open up, and then when we come out
the screaming, and the crying, and the smiles,
the celebrating (with all of God's shouts)
his children have been born after 'a while'.

So when a household's made of baby gods,
and 'shalom' means to thrive, as gardens grow;
if they're connected to "The GOD", what odds
'dyou bet against, in saying "that will show"?}

Now I recall Ye-SHU-ah prayed for all
his children, who had let him lead them and
then listened to his voice, and then recalled,
and built upon that rock! Thus will I stand!

new creations...

Us humans here like moths,
In cocoons to be unfurled,
Curled up in wombs unknowing,
Where soon we would be hurled.

New wings, new possibilities,
Never before been tried,
For now we start to dream,
And our wings become untied.

CCU

Change - MAY be DUE, Not far away!

Well Christiaan and I went for a walk

and swim at Pretty Beach this very day.

We saw some sand-dunes likewise wandering

across a fence line, over a path-way,

This somehow seemed like it may signify

my way of life through May, & then through dune:

it may mean wandering, unjustified,

responding to the winds of change (and doom),

not as an in-div-id-u-al who’s planned,

and taken the initiative, and sees,

like a machine (that’s fully, toe-t’lly “manned”)

and “brings it on”, as bone by dog is seized.

I don't think this idea is wrong (it floats),

& neither do I think that you do too,

but like the black and white piano notes -

they're not the “bad” and “good” ones for a tune,

there’s other ways (more complex), to work out

what notes will best combine, to bring out well

the tune or melody that “hangs about”

until someone can give it notes to tell

it’s story -  which is not the same at all

as every other one that would be told

(although their similarities aren't small,

and every one may have a bit of gold).

Well anyway, I think I must respond

in all the small and big parts of my life,

and let each grain be moved (as though a wand

had waved, which spells this  landscape’s end is rife).