stead-ly entrusted

And when they hurled their insults at him, he

did not retaliate; and when he bled

and suffered, he made no threats, 'n-stead-ly

entrusted himself to the One who’d fed

and cared for him thus far, and who could judge

the whole world justly, ’coz he knows each one.

In this he taught us firmly not to budge,

to not repay insults and evil done

by evil men as though they were it’s  source,

but recognize that they've become a slave,

and still do blessing (make that your recourse),

for to this you were called; like Christ, behave.

His blessings then, your load will enlighten.

You're spesh’ly blessed if you suffer for good.

So, ‘Do not fear their threats, nor be  frightened.’

But in your hearts revere Christ as your Lord.

And always be prepared to give response -

an answer, to each questioner who asks

your basis for the hope they see - who longs

(respectfully & gently do this task)!

And, keep a cle-ar conscience - as you're blamed.

They speak maliciously against your good

behaviour in Christ Jesus. Be they  shamed

of all their slander, for you’ll both have stood

one day, will stand before Creator God

who’ll judge if we are worth growing more as

his children, and it must seem rather odd

to have to say “This embryo, this mass..

of cells has not worked out, it will not be

conformed to greater purposes and plans,

so maybe it can compost an old tree

and see if good might come that way. Humans

aren’t really finished products here on Earth

as we know it, this is a kind of womb,

and we are baby embryos pre-birth,

untill we enter Life more, at a tomb.

For following this Jesus is “through death”,

and suff-er-ing seems “par for course”, not “curse”..

So if it is God’s will, to suffer yet,

may it be ‘coz you're doing good, not worse …

And Christ showed us that suff’ring ain't all bad:

it wasn't coz he’d earned it (but we had),

his aim was to bring us back to our Dad,

and made alive with God’s life’s really “mad”!

So since Christ suffered bodily, alert

yourselves as well with this same attitude:

so kinds of love that “love” - to their own hurt

(that’s of these bodies), sin can't touch such dudes.

As a result, you will not live the rest

of earthly lives for your own (weak) desires,

but rather for the will of God (strong, best);

enough is wasted on self-centred liars.

To those who suffer ‘ccording to God’s will:

commit yourselves to their  Creator’s faith-

ful ways and to himself, and let him fill

you with his love-life, keep on, a “good wraithe”.

---

When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
1 Peter 2:23 NIVUK

Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

…

But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. ‘Do not fear their threats ; do not be frightened.’  But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits – to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water (that destroyed the world, in Noah's day, but held up Noah's Ark - above all the flood, and saved their lives) symbolises baptism that now saves you also – not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience towards God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,. 1 Peter 3:9‭, ‬14‭-‬16‭, ‬21 NIVUK

Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body has finished with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do – living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. …. But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. … So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.  1 Peter 4:1‭-‬3‭, ‬5‭, ‬19 NIVUK

the stories of the lost/found coin, lamb, son..

Matt, good to hear
that things went well
when you went near
that special dell.

God, please do now
your specialty,
love works somehow
quite quietly,

invisibly,
in life's story.
That is to me
your great glory!

Our lives are such -
stories connect.
He taught us much,
and resurrect-

-ed, so now he
whom God chose "King",
enters stories
so as to bring

his storeyed life
(second storey)
to who'll be "wife"-
follow his lead,

join in his plans
help them come true,
so bring heaven's
life down here too.

faithful

Well, faith in someone (who's truatworthy) is

a way of making hopes to become real,

and sometimes, if we're not the greatest whiz,

I think it’s the foumdation, and the seal,

that means they are delivered in the end.

If good friends know you're hoping for something,

it can be the whole reason that they send

the thing to you, your faith in them can bring

it on, because they know you know them well,

and will continue trusting in their  best,

and such a faithful friendship lives to tell

and bring creative things to life, and rests

in what it is, and what can THEN be done.

Depending on the person who’s your friend,

and how faithful they are, and how much fun

they like to have … will bring a certain end.

If God's the friend, and his spirit is poured

on top of us from heaven onto earth,

(like happened to Christ Jesus, who”s our Lord)

the desert places of our hearts “rebirth”,

and then become the fertile places whence

real righteousness emerges & brings peace,

enduring quietness marries confidence,

and justice kisses mercy in the least

suspecting places.; and though storms still rake,

we’re blessed; and rest secure & undisturbed;

we sow seed to produce fruit for the sake

of God and goodness, much more unperturbed!

---

Faith brings our hopes into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for. It is all the evidence required to prove what is still unseen.  Hebrews 11:1 (PM Version)

'When the Spirit is poured on us from on high, the deserted places of our hearts become fertile & justice meets us in the least suspecting places. Righteousness emerges & brings peace; an enduring quietness and confidence. Though the storms still come, we are blessed; we remain secure & rest undisturbed; and we sow seed to produce fruit for His sake regardless, for the prosperity of all...' Isaiah 32:15‭-‬20 (CR Version)

possibilities..

The things that are  impossible for man

are possible with God.” He said to them.
So, if you are “with God”, you can “BE STILL,

AND KNOW that he is GOD! - & always will

be. Know also that being scared of folk’s
a dangerous trap (for Sheila, or for bloke),
but who trusts in The Lord is kept quite safe,

and you’ll find that his love does un-en-slave.

---

The things that are  impossible for man are possible with God. Luke 18:27
( PM Version)

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD!! Psalm 46:10 (PM Version)

The fear of man is a dangerous trap, but whoever trusts in The Lord is kept safe. Proverbs 29:25 (PM Version)

Living under a Lord

Wait patiently for God, who is The Lord;

be strong, and let your heart take courage. Yes

wait patiently for his command, assured

that he knows times and places and what's best.

But you will have to get to know this God,

and keep on too, to know his very heart.

And this is not so really very odd

for all friendships move t’ward this from the start.

And if you have a “Lord”, who’s over you

(when you're a child, this might be Mum 'n’ Dad),

at first you’ll be told everything to do,

but later on you’re told, why just a tad

of all the details; you're expected to

fill in the gaps (not with your made up thoughts),

but knowing your Lord’s heart you know to do

what’s needed, and that’s backed up by the “oughts"

of life, like having loyalty to love

& truth, and thus the kind of “Lord” you’ve got

will be a curse, or blessing from above,

and you’ll rejoice, or be sad, quite a lot.

So in this world, consider it pure joy,

my brothers/sisters, whenever you face

those trials of many kinds. You know, “O boy!”

this testing of your faith will bring more grace;

endurance will grow in you. Let it grow,

for when it’s done you will be perfect. Know,

it will complete love, and will always show

God’s good supply in right time here below!

---

Wait patiently for The Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage. Yes wait patiently for The Lord. Psalm 27:14 (PM Version)

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds. For you know that when faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. James 1:2-4 (PM Version)

mother mending

Txts: How's your lady? - TxtBack: Slow and steady I'd say. ... ( our son, and his fiance) visited today (& will tomorrow)...  in pretty good spirits I think. The plan is for her to be able to go home (in ten days).
......................................

So sister down there - hearing from your man,
about what's going down there with yourself -
it sounds like you're in step (that's where you can)
with "pretty good spirits" which bring(s) on health!

And we are glad to hear that news today!
We know this life is only "in the womb",
but still the gift of these bodies is great
and part of growing "up", before the tomb;

which really is the doorway into life
that's bigger than inside our very mum,
and even though there'll be much greater strife,
we get to know her more, when out we come!

That sounds all nice, and most of us would choose
it as the best way forward, without doubt,
it's just the process seems to hurt, we lose
our freedom, we're constrained, and pushed about.

Love and hugs
("Mother's Day")

Stormy Questions....

Stormy Questions

The day that Jesus taught (with “Tell” & “Show”)

the people and disciples, ended by

their teacher saying to them “Let us go -

right over lake, & to the other side.”

Now I'm rememb’ring Sam-u-el the seer

when he was young, and dedicated to

the God of Isra’el, who then came near,

and taught this Samu’l, even as he grew.

It says the Lord was with him and would do

things way “behind the scenes”, so that Sam’s words

were true descriptions of what happened to

those he spoke of, and saw he clearly heard.

So God revealed himself, appeared and spoke

to Sam-u-el, through Sam-u-el to those

God sent him to, that’s all of God’s own folk.

Yeshua’s job’s no smaller, I suppose.

When Samu’l spoke, then all of Is’ra’el

would listen, but when Jesus spoke they tried

to rid the Earth of him, send him to “hell",

(though some were there, who listened, when he cried

out, for, recall the storm with brother wind

and sister waves, who heard and then obeyed)

yet some men heard his word were disciplined,

and left the crowd, embarked in boat (where stayed

the seated Jesus who was carried thence).

And other boats were also there as well.

But suddenly a strong wind blew up, hence

the waves began to spill into their “shell”,

so it was just about to fill and sink.

But Jesus slept with head on tiller's seat -

in back of boat. Disciples did not think,

in fear they woke him up and asked - in heat,

“Respectfully, oh Teacher, don't you care?

- that we’re about to die?”  Then Jesus stood

up and commanded wind, “Be quiet there!

and said to waves, “Be still!” and then they could

all see and hear, the wind die down, and calm

enveloped all those folk who sat, dismayed.

But Jesus did not say “Don't be alarmed”,

instead he asked them “Why are you afraid?

Do you still have no faith?”  But they were more

then scared, than they had been in storm before,

and asked each other, “Who’s this man? - “What law

exists that wind and waves obey, adore?”

His students, if they thought some more on this,

recalling Teacher’s words, I just wonder

if noted they, that he said not amiss:

“Let us go over … lake”, and not “..under …”.

---

As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him and made come true everything that Samuel said. So all the people of Israel, from one end of the country to the other, knew that Samuel was indeed a prophet of the Lord . The Lord continued to reveal himself at Shiloh, where he had appeared to Samuel and had spoken to him. And when Samuel spoke, all Israel listened.  1 Samuel 3:19‭-‬21 GNTD

On the evening of that same day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they left the crowd; the disciples got into the boat in which Jesus was already sitting, and they took him with them. Other boats were there too. Suddenly a strong wind blew up, and the waves began to spill over into the boat, so that it was about to fill with water. Jesus was in the back of the boat, sleeping with his head on a pillow. The disciples woke him up and said, “Teacher, don't you care that we are about to die?”  Jesus stood up and commanded the wind, “Be quiet!” and he said to the waves, “Be still!” The wind died down, and there was a great calm. Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Why are you frightened? Do you still have no faith?” But they were terribly afraid and began to say to one another, “Who is this man? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” Jesus and his disciples arrived on the other side of Lake Galilee, in the territory of Gerasa. As soon as Jesus got out of the boat, he was met by a man who …

Mark 4:35‭-‬41 GNTD; Mark 5:1‭-‬2 GNTD

faith's secret..

So where your treasure is, your heart is too,

and shows what you trust in, to keep it safe.

And what you speak about, will speak of you,

and how you say the words, shows what’s enslaved

you, yet, or freed you up to re-create

along with God, as he's right into that.

And so Faith’s secret’s in your heart I say,

and from your mouth, as words, or kisses splat.

“This is the day The Lord has made”, he said,

“We will rejoice, and gladden in it, too”.

His words, and heart responses will be led

by what his faith is placed in! And that’s  true.

And though you must endu-re many trials

for these few years upon this little Earth.

These hard things prove your faith is more than smiles

it's genuine, it is refined, and worth

much more than gold (which also is refined).

Be truly glad! There’s great joy up ahead.

And when your faith remains strong you will find

these trials have served to bring you praise instead.

Much praise, and glory, honour will be yours

when Jesus is seen as the Christ of God

-  revealed unto the whole world, then, because

you cannot keep a good man down for long.

And when all the pretences are undone,

and what is true, is known for what it is,

I want to be known as his servant/son,

and my responses to be like to his.

---

The secret of Faith is in your heart and in your mouth Roman 10:8 (PM Version)

This is the day The Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it!! Psalm 118:24 (PM Version)

Be truly glad!!! There is wonderful joy ahead. Even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials prove that your faith is genuine, being refined by fire, your faith is more precious than gold. So when your faith remains strong through these trials, it will bring you much praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. 1 Peter 1:6-7
(PM Version)

a 3rd person helped two good brothers work though a misunderstanding in a difficult situation

If your brother sins against you, go & have it out with him... if you know your brother has something against you go and sort it out with him... Yeshua

Amen, & God please 
keep giving your grace
& wisdom so these
good brothers can face

you (and each other)
and see through your eyes
each as their brother,
sort out, not despise..

live out their master's
eternal culture..
though no disaster
from snake or from vulture

can stop Him building
his ekklesia/
government will bring
more power than Caesar

to bear on this earth
the strength & the will
of heavenly mirth,
joy and love until

these brothers, like us,
will become open
to hard things, and trust
more than what's spoken..

And yet where they can
to not tire of speech
if that blows heaven's
winds more here through each.

AMEN

spouse's dad died

my life-partner's Dad passed away today, ...

---

Well thankyou God for bringing near to him,
a holy woman (tied to you through "Spence").
Please work to open their fam'ly, to win
their loyalty, and his wife's, further, hence

I'm glad Yeshua himself is The Way,
and not "theol-o-giz-ing people" 's scraps,
who think that thinking truth, not to obey
the will of God, is mainly what helps chaps.

---

...she will be ...(out of the country, with her family) another week.

---

Oh God please help this lady (and her man).
Please help them in what's needed for them each.
If anyone can do that now, you can.
And they might need your help to further reach

into your heart of love, and trust, and truth,
and learn with you as teacher there your-self
please take them back beyond the stage of "youth",
to a small child, image-inning's in health,

while at the same time list'ning to obey,
(like little Samu'l : "Speak Lord, for I'll hear"..
~ and pass on what I should which-ever way
you tell me to, and thanks for coming near).

---

Home - a loan?

Txt2PWyesterday: Got  loan this afternoon

Yee-har! Well, thank you God for your good gift
to Russ and Sue, their names are written in
the book of life, more live with each new leaf
that grows to nourish fruit they've bitten in.

For he who said both eat and drink of ME,
is in himself the tree of life whose limb
has grown within this atmosphere to free
up Oxygen, so we can breathe again.

And in this ecosystem, we know gifts

can even be our lim(b)itations too.

Along with Russ and Sue, therefore we  lift

some voices to say “We see what you do!”

And so we ask for more, not from our greed,

but just because we're still so frail as well,

we know that you know better ev’ry need

we have, and that you're saving us from “hell”

(from turning this whole world, and too our selves,

into a rubbish dump, a refuse pile),

we don't want to be just sitting on shelves,

we want to bear the load, and walk the “mile”!

Please help them not to stop learning to trust,

now that you've opened opportunities

to settle their own hearts in God, why must

that happen, we are asking you to please

do grow resilience in each person who

now comes to live within that household there,

and build your new community through Sue

'n’ Russ ’ll up and walk with you, who dare.

Parables

Pictures, Analogies, Representations, Images, Likenesses, Examples, Stories, Similes, Metaphors, Similitudes, Icons, Graphs, Diagrams,...

Again Jesus began to teach beside

Lake Galilee. The crowd that gathered round

him was so large that he got in to ride

a boat, and sat down in it, out from land,

in water, and the crowd stood on the shore

at water's edge. And he used par-a-blés*

to teach them many things (that would not bore):

“Well, listen! Once there was a man … one day …

And Jesus when concluding, said, “Listen,

then, if you have some ears - given by God!”

It’s like he pushed them to get eager when

they had a gift - to use it! - He gave prod!

And when he was alone, some of those who

had heard him came to him, with those  twelve men

-  disciples, and they asked of him now to

explain the parables. He looked at them…

“Well you’ve been given now the secret (king,

to make sense of the secrets of his reign,

the secret that you have here ain't a thing,

but it still helps make sense…)  he looked again...

the secret of the Kingdom of the God,”

“But all the others, not here, are outside,

they get to hear those parables a lot.

And while they stay there, they’ll look near and wide

yet not see; they may listen, - they won't "get".

For if they did, why they’d re-turn to God,

and he’d forgive, for he’s for giving yet.’”

Then Jesus said “You are not such a clod”...

and asked them, “Do you now not  understand

this parable you heard now? - Wait a tick,

we’ll change that (by the secret now at hand)!

How, then, will you “get” parables? - And quick?

… (See  Mark 4:14‭-20 )

Then Jesus kept on, “Who of you would  bring

a lamp in and then cover it right up?

You put it on it’s lampstand, that’s the thing!

(These parables are meant to help light  up!)

The folk who “get” that much will turn around

and ask, and think, and go back to the source,

till meaning is dis-covered, & is found.

They listen with the ears they “got”, of course!

He said to them, “Pay close attention to

these things you hear! For images abound.

The same rules that you use to judge those who

are round you will be used on you, I've found!

The vicious or the virtuous cycles:

the seed that’s planted bears a bigger crop.

Whether you ride mine, or Bill's, or Michael's,

the way you move might keep on and not stop>.

Those who have got something will be given

much more, because they act and use and go

t' where their curiosity has driven

them, but with those who don't, it is not so.

And Jesus went on to say to them all,

“The Kingdom of God is like this...” again.

“The reign of God, the way he does his rule,

is diff’rent from how it is here with men…”

Another time he says: “What shall we say

God’s leadership is like?” he even asked.

“What parable shall we use here today

to help us see what it is like, it's task?

And then he said, it's like this. “A man takes

a small seed (so it’s living, not just “stuff”)...”

He heralds out his message and he makes

up heaps of parables like these (some tough),

he told them as much as they could take in

and understand. He always used a few.

He wouldn’t speak to them without using

some stories, but when he was with those who

would get alone with him and ask a lot,

and let him ask a lot of them as well,

he would explain till all of them had got

the whole of it, for they had him, who’d tell!

---

*  the French-like pronunciation is used here - the plural ae sound as in the end of cafe, valet, balet, fiance, pericopae(?)

> Thinking of Mulgar Bill's Bicycle

“Again Jesus began to teach beside Lake Galilee. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it. The boat was out in the water, and the crowd stood on the shore at the water's edge. He used parables to teach them many things, saying to them:  “Listen! Once there was a man who .... And Jesus concluded, “Listen, then, if you have ears!” When Jesus was alone, some of those who had heard him came to him with the twelve disciples and asked him to explain the parables. “You have been given the secret of the Kingdom of God,” Jesus answered. “But the others, who are on the outside, hear all things by means of parables, so that, ‘They may look and look, yet not see; they may listen and listen, yet not understand. For if they did, they would turn to God, and he would forgive them.’”  Then Jesus asked them, “Don't you understand this parable? How, then, will you ever understand any parable? … Jesus continued, “Does anyone ever bring in a lamp and put it under a bowl or under the bed? Isn't it put on the lampstand? Whatever is hidden away will be brought out into the open, and whatever is covered up will be uncovered. Listen, then, if you have ears!”

He also said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear! The same rules you use to judge others will be used by God to judge you—but with even greater severity. Those who have something will be given more, and those who have nothing will have taken away from them even the little they have.”

Jesus went on to say, “The Kingdom of God is like this. A man scatters  ...

“What shall we say the Kingdom of God is like?” asked Jesus. “What parable shall we use to explain it? It is like this. A man takes a ...

Jesus preached his message to the people, using many other parables like these; he told them as much as they could understand. He would not speak to them without using parables, but when he was alone with his disciples, he would explain everything to them. Mark 4:1‭-‬3‭, ‬9‭-‬13‭, ‬21‭-‬26‭, ‬30‭-‬31‭, ‬33‭-‬34 GNTD