one more..

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A father's worded message to his son;

"Just trust me son, you will grow up like me.

The process can't be stopped, once it's begun,

for no one else can interfere, you'll see

that bit by bit, and line by line you'll learn;

until you start to see the world like God,

that's Yahweh-Lord, creative love won't spurn

the Earth that he created - it's not odd -

it's meant to give expression to  Heaven,

to here enflesh, embody what is true,

to draw upon and grow to show, leaven-

ing me-a matter to be more than you

might guess from just mat-eer-yal-ism's take

on ev'rything. It squanders, as it must, 

it sees just what an animal can make:

of me-a wind that's blown on me-a dust,

of love & war, & justice, hatred too.

It doesn't understand a symphony.

So step by step, we follow the One who

fulfilled what heaven's reign is meant to be,

to find ourselves (well, one day borne through Earth)

out of this me-a flesh-&-blood life to

God's kind of caring life with God's own mirth,

and joy, and crooning rule with  wisdom too,

which rules, as partner of creative love,

to make a new creation, as was planned,

No thing, that's on its own, but 'from above'

renewed & energised, as a HU..MAN.

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• ...And because you belong to him, the power[a] of the life-giving Spirit has freed you[b] from the power of sin that leads to death… The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. … For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children[g] of God….Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”[i]  For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are... And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[p] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.(see Romans 8)

• And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by (its being run on) human desires… (see 2 Peter 1)

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Sick fellow

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God, please keep doing your good healing work

widin dat body dere in Dubbo's dirt.

And thanks dat you will never slob, or shirk.

You'll never do us harm, (though maybe hurt).

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Second time with same class on same day.

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"Oh God please help us (by your presence here),

to learn to give attention where you would,

and listen to the students that appear

to understand, then too the ones who should.."

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.. not alone……*

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..this morning I woke with a memory in my head, of a phrase I said to my daughter last night, that was likely to give an untrue picture, or, that was maybe  in some other way somehow untrue. I may not have been intentionally boasting (I don't know, but God knows). But it does 'smell' of that to me: 

On looking at it carefully this morning, in God's presence, I became aware that… the untrue thing in my statement was not so much my words, or that my 'motive' (at one level) might have sunk to being - to boast about myself. 

But I do wonder whether I was lifting up my heart in that moment (thinking about my daughter and the purpose of creative love for our conversation). Being "conscious of God", noticing the tell-tail signs, and drawing the logical, fitting (and bold, even if scary) conclusions.  There seems to have been a certain super-awareness of self there… 

• I see that it might be simply an alertment from God about my native weakness, of wanting people to approve of me, and love me, and appreciate me, without me having to do the hard work (that God does) of suffering, & suffering them to come to me, to use up my focus, and time of life, and all my resources, - simply entrusting myself and the righteousness of my cause to the one who judges justly, and loves mercy, and creates lovingly and powerfully (through his word breathed into the dust - of his earth, and - of his making), and walking humbly with him.

a slight phasing out of an awareness of (the privilege of) myself being a vehicle of the coming together of heaven & earth, shown by a kind of mechanistic talk or stance, within my soul, that drags God's good world back into the meaninglessness & purposeless of simply animalistic mechanism on top.

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God thanks, you sent Yeshua, here to save 

us from our 'birthright' - more like our 'birthwrong'- 

of living "without you", until the grave

with self as king of solit'ry kingdom, 

that makes no cov-en-ants or compacts with 

all other kingdoms unless mine's The Boss.

That has not many citizens or kith

at all (to save it ever feeling loss),

that will allow no dual cit'zenship,

that's even for the king. And won't allow 

renouncement of its titles, like kingship,

- once taken up, they can't be dropped somehow. 

[I have some "royal blood", from up above,

from having come from Yahweh King himself 

who rules by leading in creative love. 

This royal lineage, increasing health,

means ruling's in my blood potentially, 

but I must get the 'software' downloaded

(I'm using here machine analogy), 

or else think 'training' (even cow that's goaded).

I hear your naming of your Man to be:

"Emmanuel" and know that in him, &

within his love, within this partnering,

I never need to walk, or even stand -

"without this God" again! He is himself, 

in all that he is for us, door or gate, 

a way to get to God, the source of health,

and then, that God is with us, as of late,

we need reminding. I would stay within 

your holy love, creative presence here

that makes up options 'on the fly' I've seen,

or 'in the air', or 'on the wind', you sheer-

ly breathe the "breath of life' that comes from God 

& out to anywhere he wants to go.

These bodies he'd inhabit, so he's trod

the earth in them, till "sleep", and we shall know.

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What should I do my king, with this above? 

- to grow to be like you want me - from here, 

& now, in your time, so it would appear, 

all goodness comes together in your love, 

and then vibrates in him, in unison, 

in union with your 'son', to whom you've give-

-en sovereignty, and leadership. We live

when under him in ev'ry sphere begun.

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*  "The time is coming, and is already here, when all of you will be scattered, each of you to your own home, and I will be left all alone. But I am not (ever really) alone, because the Father is with me." John 16:32

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GOOD!

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"Good Jew? I do not know if that's a thing?"

- a fellow said, as he heard of the man.

"Good Nazarene?" - another's whispering

back to a friend, as he tells what he can

of this man who's distinctive, certainly.

A carpenter, a brother, and a son. 

A neighbour, and a subject, he's a free

man, but in occupied land, where he's none

of those who use what power they can get

to make the others look more up to him.

Yet in a sense, his destiny's to let

all look on him, held high, on scornful whim.

He's held in high esteem by tiny group

of those who side with who the GOD picked out,

as good man, good teacher, "Good job!", the scoop

was "Well done! I AM S O  PLEASED!" He's no lout.

Not on his own adventure, self-made man.

He lives as under good authority.

He's learning to do all the good he can,

while simply trusting THE GOOD GOD, unseen.

Yet not "unknown", for intimately he

is open of himself, his hopes and dreams,

and ignorances too, he needn't be

the one in charge. He has a god! It seems

he calls him "Father", "Papa" or the like,

and he suggests we call him that ourselves.

He's known to be a good teacher. I'll hike 

on through this world like him. Picture of health-

-y human, son of Adam, Re-al Man.

The kind of person God would see and say

about him, like ol' Job, "Good!", for he can

not live alone, apart from God one day!

And he said, with authority that brought

capacity (when listened to, to join),

that folk should "Follow me!" Now that is fraught

with difficulties, same as a Dad with boy

'n girl of his own fam-i-ly. But he

is 'secret weapon' of the good to come,

for ev'ry tiny trusting act, he'll see

and make it to come true, fully - & some!

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he moved on

---

He moved on then and entered into their ..

their synagogue; a man was inside with 

a withered hand, and they asked him who cared,

“Now, is it lawful to cure on Sabbath?”

They asked this, and they had this man there, so 

that they might soon accuse him, in their court. 

He said to them, “Suppose one of you goes

home, now with only one sheep and it falls 

into a pit today; will you not lay 

hold of it, lift it out? Why yes, you would!

Of how much more worth is a human, say?

Than is a sheep! So it is lawful (Good!)

to do good on the Sabbath.” He said to 

the fellow, “Stretch your hand out.” And he did.

He stretched it out, and it was "good as new".

The Pharisees went out & planned to rid..

.. that place and culture of his influence.

They did this on the holy day of God:

the Sabbath rest. Arresting folk and hence, 

no law was broken, technically, they trod

a distance that's allowed (no Sabbath harm).

But at their core, the spirit of the deal,

they followed after Cain (son of Adarm,

the first). They grieved he'd not be "made to heel!"-

o-be-dient to his elders (leaders who

had learned the Hebrew text, and read it well).

Their motives he would read, and follow through,

but not respond in kind, and bring more hell.

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He left that place and entered their synagogue; a man was there with a withered hand, and they asked him, “Is it lawful to cure on the Sabbath?” so that they might accuse him. He said to them, “Suppose one of you has only one sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath will you not lay hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a human being than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and it was restored, as sound as the other. But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him. Matthew 12:9‭-‬14 NRSVUE

Who is wise and knowledgeable among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be arrogant and lie about the truth. This is not wisdom that comes down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. James 3:13‭-‬16 NRSVUE

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Genna: "Having rules and laws allows a place for mercy."

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tough times

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God help your boy to keep on growing as

your life in him is choosing to (most times).

And we heard what you did with that "Jesus"

fellow, who they said then grew. Sublime

he seemed to me to be. I heard it said

that he grew up in wisdom, height or strength,

and grew as friend to God, but not instead 

- as well as - to people who are at length

to be an image of yourself on Earth.

And that is the arena that we're in,

as well as "from above", where comes our birth

from you yourself our Father. Yes you've been

that very function to us in our lack.

And that is what now gives hope to us here,

where things are incomplete. We would turn back

to you to one day BE, not just APPEAR…

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in dependent streak 2

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Well, talking with a mate  just yesterday,

about our own propensity to think 

that once we boil things down (and I would say

that's any job, or project, or life linked)

to working principles (for all, that's true),

that WE can then "just do it" (Nikē style)

it all depends on us, & our world-view... 

are WE "with God", or "without God" this while?

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"For a long time Israel was without the true God and without a teaching priest and without law, but when in their distress they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found by them. In those times it was not safe for anyone to go or come, for great disturbances afflicted all the inhabitants of the lands. They were broken in pieces, nation against nation and city against city, for God troubled them with every sort of distress. But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.” 2 Chronicles 15:3‭-‬7 NRSVUE

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. Ever since the creation of the world God’s eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been seen and understood through the things God has made. So they are without excuse, for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles. Romans 1:19‭-‬23 NRSVUE

…remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. … So then, you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone; in him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God. Ephesians 2:12‭, ‬19‭-‬22 NRSVUE

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in dependent streak.. or "make straight a way for him"!

in dependent  streak or 

"make straight a way for him!"

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Backstory

Talking with a mate Tuesday arvo about our propensity to think that once we boil it (any job, task, project, life) down to the working principles, 

WE can "just do it"; 

which might be true; it all depends on our world-view... 

are WE "with God", or "without God"?

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I might be bad (& that not just a tad),

but help is on the way! So I can say

that I am glad whenever I be sad,

if that can draw, me back once more, today,

to you, my GOD, my heart, remade to beat

in time with yours, and now because it's sweet

with joy that's tasted, as your boy could see

't coming more, eternally and free-

ly given, from a heart that puts in fruit

a seed that could be planted and take root(!)

then going deeper, put up higher shoots

until the seed is multiplied. A hoot!

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Some thinking more, on what was said before:

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My independent streak.. can't just be tweaked!

It's dire. But my sire/ coach ain't weak.

And if he sticks around, then I am bound

to get better, and better. He's a freak!

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Are you my God and King, my counsellor -

the one who's bothered ev'ry time I'm hurt?

Do you, like Bob, let ev'ryone know your..

your mobile number? "They'll treat you like dirt."

Like dirt! I say. Our human race is cracked.

We're broken down, and need road-side assist.

It feels like you'll be wrung out, and not backed

up, you'll be like a spare tyre, ..only missed

if we're in trouble- like we have a flat.

The worst thing is that I am one of these!

I'd like for this to not be where I'm at,

but I've described me well, it seems to me,

such that I here can say, confess, our plight,

yet still be in it, here today, tonight.

My need is clear. It's like I've got some blight.

And you, great Doctor, you can set me right!

If only I will share my plight with you,

and not lay off, embarrassed, cov'ring up.

Then simply take my medicine, as you do

dispense it to me, and then not disrupt,

but yes, revere(!) - and see it's life & death.

At times I see this, soberly and clear.

Without you, and your knowledge, with your steth-

o-scope, but also just your friendship dear…

..I'm stuffed! In all the worst sense that is me!

But I am holding on to your clear word.

I never need, again, to ever be

without you! That's the best thing I have heard!

Halleluyah! Amen & amen.

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Post script

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Txt2me: Hey, Hope things have been fantastic. ...

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Response: Well ... learning to be grateful for the many amazing gifts I've been given, instead of sulky about some disrespect from some kids in a class where they feel trapped.

A big process. But I've got an expert personal-trainer who is intent on helping me get there! 

That gives me the most hope.

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