Tell ya what..

Arabian Knights warring in their tales -

enough to keep a slave returning more

(along with giving pleasure out in bales

to feed de-sire-ous hungry one, for sure).

For life that's grown less sparky, & more dross,

is loaned a purpose by a goodly tale.

For life itself quite often comes across

as an adventure - Jonah and the whale,

or ev'ry life that's lived on Earth at all,

with hopes and fears, like heaven, & like hell,

which battle for allegiance, and which call

for us to follow closely, to do well.

The story is a gift to lead us on,

exploring more of why we are all here.

And his story is like a cloak we don,

when a good man lets his full life appear,

and shows his weaknesses as well as strengths.

These weave to give protection and some ease

in living in this wild world where at length

somehow we find ourselves not always pleased,

yet still needing to grow up as we're meant

to, as some tiny foetuses, or babes,

in need of love, and culture that's not bent,

a parent who "helps thrive", who not just "saves".

We want your model to fulfil in us

your dreams, & also grow in ours as well.

We see the methods used by your Jesus.

Dementia loses stories; yet would "..tell.."

"..ya what to do or think", "the way da go",

without the recall of how story's work.

Good leadership, will fill you in to know

the story (small & big), it will not shirk!

Oh God, I think I start to realise

once more, the way you set us up to win.

We have to see each person "through your eyes"

and step into your story to begin,

and then be willing for no bed-time tale,

but high-adventure, myst-er-y, suspense.

And live within your story, right wholesale,

advancing it with you, through to "the end".

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Click on this link, then the red button "Run STORY" to start choosing what you read  of  a version (twined together by pauloswalkeros) of  the announcement of Yeshua - H I S  S T O R Y, IN HISTORY.

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Moving right along

Well thank you God for taking us on this..

this journey to grow up to be like you.

To motivate our actions like Jesus,

from love of you first, then to others too.

We sometimes do that "Jacob trick"* to try

to force your hand, where you would gladly give.

Instead of breaking our hand off, you cry,

and model for us your alternative.

Not focusing on pow-er & co-er-

sion, but on choosing to respond "in kind",

in kindness, grace, new Isra'-el° inferred

from bless'ed God's good rain, and sun that shined

on good and evil both, he just "is love."

And like a sun is pow'r'd by elements

and yet is building more, and is above

us, as the source of energy that's spent

on Earth, to birth all biological

life, and maintain it. Light's a metaphor.

And God is light, yet heavy, logical,

and passionate, source of all "goods" for sure.

And knowing such, we trust we'll be put right

to then receive new bodies that endure.

And speaking via wind, and waves, & light,

it looks like we'll be able to ensure

that we ourselves, and others looking on

will then be able to live more in line

with your own creativity, wisdom,

& love, and peace, and joy, right all the time.

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*Jacob's way of sneaky manipulation, is at least like love in one way - that love is sneaky (as wise as a serpent); it's sneakyness is not used to trap, or force or coerce, but to give the other ev'ry chance to be enfolded in grace and love (as harmless as a dove).

° Israel is the new name God gives Jacob, after he has at least held on to the end, and will limpingly persue this sneaky abundant giving, instead of tricking, stretching, & kniving. And Yeshua is God's gift of a new Israel to humanity. The starting progenitor of a new nation, or people, of God.

(cf. I have come to give living abundantly, or the Lord Jesus's statement that impressed Paul as archetypally significant: It is more blessed to give than to receive.)

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the flavour of God's favour ..

The Lord says "I will rescue those who love 

me. (Love's a thing that's precious in his  eyes).

He will protect who trusts in who's above.

Who trusts in his own name, he won't despise.

"And when they call me, I will answer them,

for I will be with them in trouble too.

And I will rescue them, and honour when

the timing is the best" - see what I'll do.

"I will reward them with a long life and

I'll give them my salvation, as they gave

me their reception, welcomed me quite grand-

ly in their rooms, in situations grave."

For he loves Love and honestly in truth

he gave the right, authority they've got,

the privilege to be his very youth,

well starting as the children of the God—

that is, to those who trust in His own name, 

instead of their desires, which are at war

with others 'coz they want the very same 

things, or they're jealous, like Cain, and abhor

whoever has what they desire. They fight

and quarrel for their own pleasures, and such.

Unfaithful people! - don't know what is right,

but want to be the world's friend very much.

God's spirit in God's people fans desire

that's fearcer, for it comes from love and grace,

"Resist the Devil, Run to who's your Sire,

Submit to God who's judge. It's him who saves!"

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The Lord says "I will rescue those who love me, I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call me, I will answer, I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honour them!!

I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation" Psalm 91:14-16 (PM Version)

'But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the right, the authority, the privilege to become children of God—that is, to those who believe in, and adhere to, and trust in, and rely on, His name!!'  John 1:12‭-‬13 (CR Version)

Where do all the fights and quarrels among you come from? They come from your desires for pleasure, which are constantly fighting within you. You want things, but you cannot have them, so you are ready to kill; you strongly desire things, but you cannot get them, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have what you want because you do not ask God for it. And when you ask, you do not receive it, because your motives are bad; you ask for things to use for your own pleasures. Unfaithful people! Don't you know that to be the world's friend means to be God's enemy? If you want to be the world's friend, you make yourself God's enemy. Don't think that there is no truth in the scripture that says, “The spirit that God placed in us is filled with fierce desires.”  But the grace that God gives is even stronger. As the scripture says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” So then, submit yourselves to God. Resist the Devil, and he will run away from you. Come near to God, and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners! Purify your hearts, you hypocrites! Be sorrowful, cry, and weep; change your laughter into crying, your joy into gloom! Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. Do not criticize one another, my friends. If you criticize or judge another Christian, you criticize and judge the Law. If you judge the Law, then you are no longer one who obeys the Law, but one who judges it. God is the only lawgiver and judge. He alone can save and destroy. Who do you think you are, to judge someone else?  James 4:1‭-‬12 GNTD

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Telling the story

 Click on the red button "Play on itch.io" above to start choosing what you read/hear of version twined together by pauloswalkeros of  the announcement of Yeshua - H I S  S T O R Y!

Christ's attitude...

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. 1 John 2:15‭-‬17 (PM Version)

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Oh God we want this attitude of Christ's

to be our own, and his own view of life.

So nothing else will do, or will suffice

'till you are Lord, in sickness and in strife,

as well as times that feel quite good, and are

quite comf'table & beautiful as well.

We ask for help to look full at the star

whose light makes life on Earth more than a hell.

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I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.  My command is this: love each other as I have loved you. John 15:11‭-‬12 NIVUK

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.  In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:. Philippians 2:1‭-‬5 NIVUK

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birthday more as metaphor

ToPW: Bro, happy birthday. Sorry, I won't make it to your party today. It sounded like a lot of fun in the text. I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun. Peace and wisdom to you …

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FromPW: I'll be missing you bro. Have a great day.... & ... Remember whose you are? (You don't own yourself even.... You have been bought at a price... The lifeblood of the anointed one)

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Well I'll be missing you at party time.

But have yourself a great day all the same. 

"Remember whose you are?!?" - and aren't. Let shine!

Who knew you way before you had a name.

And they'll be there when you come out and stuff,

and when you're named by love and truth themselves,

when you receive a body that's more tough,

for tougher jobs, in tougher world, with health.

As those Ambassadors of that new world

said many years ago: You have been bought!

No longer owned by Self, or Satan curled 

around you making sure your world is fraught

with things that catch the addict part of you,

with habits that ensnare and won't let go,

the empty way of life that's all you knew,

like Ghost nets that float by & bind you so.

I reckon this whole world's a metaphor,

or metaphorical to those who get

how metaphor works to help us see more.

Each metaphor's a  signpost, which as yet

as well as being on its own in space,

then does connect, by pointing elsewhere to

an other thing that "is", in other place,

which (if it's at the same time) can help you

to understand your placement here with friends

(& enemies, if such are with you too)

within the larger picture, means or ends,

according to the purpose that made you!

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1 Corinthians 6:15‭-‬20, 7:23‭-‬24; 1 Peter 1:14‭-‬23; Ephesians 2:11‭-‬18; 

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So sixty years! - more mirth on Earth, since birth.

Thanks to Sophie Tosh for her rendition below of the setting where this piece of Life Poetry was first published!

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Well thanks to you who've come to celebrate

the gift of life within God's great big World.

And I am pretty lucky with my mate!

Yup, with Katrina Ellen I've been "girl-ed".

And how good's that! Also together we

have now been blessed with both some girls and boys.

And all the while we hope this place will be

a little better off with some bright noise.

Some little running feet, with faces bright

and full of hope, while bringing into play 

more faithfulness, in every special night,

and friendship that is growing ev'ry day.

And friends who've come along with "gifts" to share

(not presents that they only give to me,

but by their presence in our Cook Park where

the folk from town can gather under tree,

they share with all of us, since they are made

(as children of the most creative one),

creatively, to kick back in the shade,

and listen to some yarns and have some fun.

And that's the best bit, friends who will not baulk.

And when they meet and share the love with folk

with whom they'd hardly ever stop & talk,

the sense of humour strengthens with each joke,

or game, or fun time sharing something good.

It's funny how we sometimes let things slip,

and don't be grateful for each day we could.

So thanks for all the goodness we have sipped!

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Jesus's kinda twist on the old wordings/understandings:

[against a background where the Jews were resting on their laurels as the "the chosen few", seeing themselves as the highest and best, deserving the service of the other nations, instead of following God's lead with them in "hearing their cry, and coming down to (see for himself) what life was really like for them, and getting his hands dirty in serving them.]

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"Many are called, but few be choos'n!"

Or

"Many be called on. Few be chosen, for destruction."

 Or 

"Many called, few picked!"

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Matt22:14, Mat12:42-50; Lk10:42, 12:42-43, Mk 12:42ff, John 12:42-43 

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-Who chews (the views of news) to choose the "trues"?

- not just "true statements" - words   divorced from  lips,

but ones  who think -  "true men", "true women",  whose 

unitedness is  "life's     true     way",  in   sips .

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 [my lesson from a weekend get-together in Feb 2020]

How do we join in partnership with him?1

-  When even asking questions like that can

seem like we think ourselves a god that shim-

mers. Pretty special, not someone who's banned

from entering again into that place,

the Garden, where the overlap in time

occurs, between dimensions within space:

of rule or reign, of reason and of rhyme, 

the rule of God in there is right in line

with human rule, with no disparity.

Yet humans made alternative divines,

and gave them room to live and also breathe,

so Pharaohs, & then Caesars down the track,

and little kings in castles ev'rywhere,

have let this way of thinking (which does smack

of treason), be the way, they say, they "care".

To get their news out helps folk live in line

and helps them magnify (to others too)

the rule of this alternative divine,

but grows a cynicism deep in you.

It is a growing thing, and looks alive.

This message as it spreads enhances rule,

but rule that's somehow like an insect hive,

with absolute obedience, like a tool.2

Yet fealty to the First One, who made all

(for life and health, with goodness that abounds)3,

and news of it, though it may seem quite small,

is more alive and pow'ful than it sounds!4

For that First One, with his own kind-a rule

stands quite apart from most of history

as we have come to know it; he's no fool

he doesn't need our salesmanship to be

now growing leadership as a real GOD;

or learning what true fatherhood looks like.

Where-ever Jesus put his foot he trod

on holy ground, as God’s own little tyke!

And round God’s leadership that’s based on love

(an unconditional and positive

regard, that he empowers like his glove,

or rather skin on hands and feet; the sieve

in which all actions test as “live” or “dead”;

& through which all his actions come to life),

his other living stones, gems faceted,

now glimmer with their gleams, cut with a “knife”.

And strangely all the gleams are never seen

at any one time, just the opposite!

They’re cut so there will always be a gleam

from most directions that you look on it.

And those whose eyes are “tuned in” to that cue

need only see the smallest kind of gleam,

and they will focus in, move, and they’ll do

whatever must be done, they'll live the dream.

It’s also like a tiny living seed,

since it has pow’r of life within itself

the DNA communicated reads

itself into new life, and then good health.

And now I see: the stories that depict

the Life of God on Earth within his Christ,

are like those facets, or the seeds of it.

I needn’t fear, for each one will suffice

to indicate the kind-a Life that’s come

to Earth; and my job is to let that spir-

it of the Life of God lead me in some

Way, so that what I choose to let them hear..

from this here mouth, will come in God’s own time.

Oh God we love this partnership1 with you,

so, as Yeshua did, apostles chimed

in (with the Loving spirit of you too)

and said “When you speak, speak as one who says

the oracles of God, to those who hear.”5

So I will do my part, and leave the rest

to you my God1, till you in me appear!6

I now see that I am in Christ, that Eed-

en, tabernacle or temple,7 of God.

The God himself within this world has freed

up access to that central garden plot,

right through the 8gate into that verdant patch

where life that’s come from heaven has come down,9

and we who walk upon this stair10-way match

him,11 who has brought us life: Heav-en’s “fool” clown!

And when I think of  those "triplets" - of God's:

the Life of God (once offered on that tree),

the Way (Most Excellent) that Jesus trod,

the Truth that may be all reality,

then most I see I need God's Life, of course

which is to say God's Love & Truth expressed,

which can't be fully outlined from its source,

but can be incubated in a “nest”.12

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1.  Phil 4:2-3; 1 Thess 3:1-5; Phil 4:2-3; 2 Cor 6:1-2; 2 Pet 1:1-11
2.  Mark 10:42
3.  Gen 1 - Days 1, (twice on day)3,4,5,(twice on day)6; "God saw that it was good"; Mark 10:17-18 
4.  1Pet 4:1-6, 2Pet 1:2-11; Mark 1:14-15, 8:35 ; 1Cor 15:1-2; Heb 4:12; Rom 1:9-17, 15:16-19, 16:25-27; Gal 1:6-19; 1Thess 1:5-10, 2:8-12; 2 Tim 1:8-12; Rev 14:6-7 …
5. 1 Peter 4:7-11
6.  “until Christ is formed within you” Galatians 4:19  or untill you are formed “in Christ”, where our Christ (= King) is like a mother whose body is to her born/ unborn child, it’s source of both food and drink.
7. The tabernacle/skin-tent & the temple, with their embroidered pomegranates and bells, dividing walls, cherubim and (alter) where a beast was killed to “clothe” the children of God, were dramatic props standing for the Eden Garden of communion with God. Jesus tabernacled/ skin-tented among us (John 1:14), Peter and Paul speak of other humans tabernacling/skin-tenting here (2 Cor 5:1-10; 2 Pet 1:13); We are individually (and together) the temple of God (Cor ), (or living stones within it) (Eph; 1 Peter)
8.  I am the door, the gate.. (John) 
9.  “Come down from heaven”: the one born from heaven, from above, who then bears witness (John 3:) the bread of life (John 6:).
10. Jesus words to Philip “you will see … ascending and decending upon the son of Adam” tying in with Jacob’s dream of seeing a ladder or stairway with angels ascending and descending to and from heaven.
11. Copy him, follow him, & make his attitude and spirit and way of life our own.
12. How I longed to gather you as a hen gathers its chicks (The prophets, speaking for God; and Jesus speaking for God (Luke)) and see footnote 6, above.

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1 DOZEN WINE / OL' CHEESES! TASTING HERE

TODAY! SOME PALATE PLEASERS TOO!   :    I says   :

DRINK SOME, PROPOSE A TOAST, & RAISE A CHEER! 

- TO WHAT YOU KNOW AS TRUE, & GOOD, - & PAYS!

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