God sways....

God's ways.…

God swipes.…

God's wipes.

In fact God has a kind of “Dad-joke” sense of humour:

‘Though Ephraim built many altars for sin offerings, these have become altars for offering sin. Hosea 8:11

God's “chosen ones”, are not those he has put on the invitation list, or called on, or invited. They are those who actually came. They are “the chosen”! Those who have chosen to respond to God's faithfulness, generosity, and celebration of goodness, by joining in with things in God's world with the same spirit, or attitude, or aim and goal that God has.

They are not subjects of the King, they are children of the King, they are now emulating his approach to life, learning from him how to behave, how to maintain, how to live, they walk in his ways, and thus are being trained by him how to live as a “god”, ruling over his world as an over-lord, gladly under our own over-lord. The community grows…

---

Hear the word of the Lord, you Israelites, because the Lord has a charge to bring against you who live in the land:

‘There is

no faithfulness,

no love,

no acknowledgment of God

(knowledge of

• God,
• the ways of God
• the laws of God
• the gifts/ plans/ hopes/ love of God)

in the land.  …

There is only

cursing,

lying and murder,

stealing and adultery;

they break all bounds, and

bloodshed follows bloodshed.  

…

my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.

…

‘Because you have rejected

knowledge,

I also reject you

as my priests;

because you have ignored

the law of your God,

I also will ignore

your children.

...

The more priests there were,

the more they sinned against me;

they exchanged

their glorious God

for

something disgraceful.  

‘They will eat but not have enough;

they will engage in prostitution but not flourish,

because they have deserted the Lord to give themselves to prostitution;

old wine and new wine take away their understanding.

My people consult a wooden idol,

and a diviner’s rod speaks to them.

A spirit of prostitution leads them astray;

they are unfaithful to their God.

Hosea 4:1‭-‬2‭, ‬6‭-‬7‭, ‬10‭-‬12 NIVUK

---

Jesus’ summary of this phenomenon, of God looking for a responsive faithfulness, before doing more mighty deeds, and to dub them “the chosen”:

‘Consider carefully what you hear,’ he continued. ‘With the measure you use, it will be measured to you – and even more.  Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.’ Mark 4:24‭-‬25 NIVUK

https://appallinglife.blogspot.com/2018/08/fleaced-wedding-feast.html?

https://appallinglife.blogspot.com/2018/11/jesus-parable-of-great-feast-luke-1415.html?

---

Having a good day?

Txt from PW: Well bro, it doesn't feel good. I've been coughing and spluttering every hr or so...

---

Oh God, the healer of all who've been healed
within your world. Sustainer of all life.
I'm asking you to act as you've revealed
yourself in Jesus, who joined in our strife,

and yet commanded things for others well.
The fever and the wind and waves, and tree,
and unclean spirits who had come to dwell
in people, so to steal, destroy, and bleed.

The unclean spirits  weaken and would kill,
against the life that God is giving still.
The Lord, he longs to walk, and always will,
with weary ones, to take our loads untill

we walk within his world, as he too walked,
while holding the big hand of Father God,
and letting nothing leave us scared or balked.
We trust you and would tread where he has trod!

---

Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him. This is the way we may know that we are in union with him:  whoever claims to abide in him ought to live [just] as he lived. The New Commandment.
1 John 2:4‭-‬6 NIVUK

a response to such goodness

I give thanks to The Lord, for He is good, for His loving kindness endures forever. 1Chronicles16:34 (PM Version)

I give thanks to The Lord,
for He is good,
His loving kindness will
endure until....

I give thanks to my head,
who created,
who's teaching me to love
from high above,

yet who has come below
to clearly show
how to live thankfully
and thus be free.

---

Some meetings now before we meet

God help us please, with meetings round the place,
to use time well, and look to see the trace-
es you have left around us all about.
And thus to see your good works here worked out.

---

Ephesians 2:8‭-‬10

Another bro is crook...

Oh God please heal that brother there from all
the sicknesses he's got, give him your grace.
Please help the kids and his wife not to fall
away from trusting who helps most, in case

they hold their own desir's, and won't let go.
Please send your people, to put face to name.
Your love would see that they could always know,
or bet at least against that sick'ning shame

& guilt, and all that cynicism too,
which will not wait till your help comes at last,
and will not trust that you know what to do
much better than all those who stand aghast.

I let you know, I'm fearful for them Lord.
So now I s'pose you've prob'ly given that
sense to me. Anything I can afford
to help these kids and parents? Can I act?

I'm starting off with talking to you now,
and maybe then I could ask Sister, Bro.,
"What has been hap'nin'? Anything, somehow,
that could be done to help? What do you know?"

---

earth as in heaven

Sorry bro ... sick in bed

God please heal this man's body
to be hearty, hale & whole;
as in his spirit, what he
sees is clear right to his soul.

---

who do I look to for my riches?

God blesses those who are poor in spirit and realise their need for Him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. Mathew 5:3 (PM Version)

God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. Psalm 46:1 (PM Version)

When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on him, he will lift you up and give you honour. James 4:10 (PM Version)

.............................................

God is our refuge 
and he is our strength, always ready to
help when shadows length-

-en, when trouble looms
if I will bow down 
to the Lord it dooms
independent crowns.

When i put my self
under his clear rule
all of my old wealth
must be dropped as fool-

ish ness and thrown off.
His new creation
he will then lift up,
with great elation.

God blesses those who
are therefore poor in
spirit, for they threw
"own wealth" in the bin.

They admit their need
for their brand new self.
Old one was a seed -
husk was sent to hell!

God says very clear-
ly the second shot
(when Heaven comes near
to Earth) - theirs, the lot!

Like a little child..

My father is just “Daddy”, said the boy,

so full of years (a plural now you see)

that he had now full two or three enjoyed

and started to explore more (round him) free.

He didn't know much data ’bout his “Dad”

-  for sometimes he would call him that as well -

how many jobs or tests that he had had,

but he knew Dad's love deep, and full, - no “shell”.

He kept himself in it full ev'ry day,

his world turned into hell if Daddy frowned;

He never asked his Siri for the way,

or said “OK” to “Google” on the ground.

I 'spose he still was learning how to use

technology quite close to him instead,

and one day when his Mum or Dad would choose,

he'd learn to use those others, “Get ahead”

(that's what our world around, might often say)!

For now his Mum & Dad are glad to see

him learn to use the head he's got today,

and neck and arms and hands an’ feet, and knee.

And all his body (seeming now to work),

was complex, more than cars, or iphones; though

at times it seemed to stumble, go berserk,

or words would wangle, thinking would be slowed.

He didn't know that much about his toys,

but often he’d take them to other worlds

where he'd look after them (like Dad did “boy”)

so they would be at home where they were hurled.

---

Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’  Mark 10:15 NIVUK

---

Reckon yourselves to be .... (2)

Does it make sense to say “shut the windows

(to any moonlight out there in the night)

so that my little candle which here glows

will shine to help us read with brighter light!”?

No! If we're done with reading in the dark,

then let's contrive to let more light in quick!

Forget our ownership - “Whose is this mark?”

And make some skylights. Stop playing at tricks.

If we are those who’ve died to sin; how can

we live in it a moment longer? For,

well, don’t you know that ev’ry living man

or woman, who in following Christ more

participated in that drama he

said would be good for his people to do:

to have a wash (a bath, or shower, be

ok) - it came from Jesus, who's a Jew,

and all their washings, in their pools, from pots,

must be in running water, so it's poured,

(that's “living water” - puns he loved a lot)

or flowing in and out, like that ol’ Jord-

an river where John did his washing too,

to wash away the “sins” of all the land,

when people came and shouted to the blue

sky overhead, then he'd wash, they would stand

& as one walked up, out of “walking” wat-

er (“ran up out of running water” too),

then God poured out of heaven what he ought-

a (Jesus said he'd give “good gifts” to you).

---

By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.  Romans 6:2‭-‬4 NIVUK

And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptised by him in the River Jordan. And this was his message: ‘After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptise you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.’  At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised by John in the Jordan. Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’ At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness … Mark 1:4‭-‬5‭, ‬7‭-‬12 NIVUK

If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’  Luke 11:13 NIVUK

---

Reckon yourselves to be .... (1)

If following dis-eye-as is as though

we're slaves of them, and they're our way to see

the possibilities which we could know,

coz they define our motives, what we be...

If how we live can be just as our will

would have us be, then we could only pray

“God, not your will, but mine be done” until

we were the same as all here, in our day.

If my dis-eye-as are my only boss,

the source of my agendas, outcomes, and

my only motive - high as they be - loss

of love can be explained. My heart must stand

as stone would stand, a monument, quite still

and centred on my name in others eyes,

or any other thing. I’d not fulfil

the way that Jesus showed me to the skies.

Which was to die to that whole way of life,

to die to self, as god of this whole place,

to now deny that self's contest, the strife

that comes from our own wills to have our ways.

If we ignore the way that Christ laid down

when he laid down his life upon that cross,

if we try just to take the ruler's crown

without a death and burial, no loss(!),

Then I perceive that all my best intents

will still be overpowered by my “sin”,

that comes from self-ish genes, in all events

I'll rash'nalize as things go out from in.

---

meet the neighbours

So Mark, and Nima, Marty, Steve, and Paul

were having dinner, table tennis, all.

While listening laughing, by the fire-live

had kids a running through on Sieben Drive!

The ladies sat and drew and coloured in.

Some kids did some in leau of making din,

and sometimes played at dress-ups, mucked around,

and Mark and Mae's good honey did abound!

I'd say it was a good night at Watson's.

So thank you Sandy, Marty for the fun

and taking the initiative to ask

us all around this eve'ning that's just past!

learning together to pray for groups of people God brings into our lives.

Done, 1, 
2, 3, 4.
Someone's
teaching more.

Thanks God
if you please.
Bow, nod,
as your trees

do, we
want to more
as he
did before

us, now
we'll follow
somehow,
not wallow

in selves-
pity for
these elves
want you more.

So thanks
for yourself,
our bank's
very health-

y now
since you're it.
We now
grin a bit.

Amen.
See you then.
Or when
New Heaven(s)

& New
Earth's in view.
Now you
have us too.

Since we've
thought, and let
stories
take us, get

where you
want us to;
God, "too
right!" - with you!

@ the death of a friend's nephew.

Oh God, we lift this fam'ly up to you.
The Riley family, with the death of Paul,
a son and brother, cousin and nephew,
a husband once, and father, that’s not all...

a friend and colleague at his workplaces,
a neighbour, and a driver on our roads,
so one who'd visit dangerous places
like intersections, lane-changes -with loads!

The funeral plans have yet to finalise,
so please God, keep them in your mind today.
What really matters can surface at times
like this when all the junk is blown away.

We hear there's been some good affirmations
about this fellow that have lifted hearts
in ways that smell of your orchestrations,
who died but made the resurrection start.

So he who turns real mourning into dance
(we are not saying we're the ones who can),
gives wine that makes hearts glad, when water's stance
is satisfact'ry and meets law's demand.

We know that death is coming to us all
but somehow we get foggy soon enough.
And then build up our life in big & small
ways, just as though we are so big and tough.

We hear those words about a little child;
compared to you we are not all grown up!
We ask that this Paul's life will in some wild
way more reflect you, like a buttercup!

more on lesson (more on)

Well what just happened back there at that place?

I knew there was a protocol, a way,

a definition, to speak clear and trace

a movement, or a practice to display…

But several times today a rule of life,

an expectation, or agreed-on drill,

a definition meant to shrink the strife,

can seem to be a hard note, or too shrill.

But yet, when my own mind allows for God,

that maybe there's another way to see,

if there's a Goodness and if it has got

an access to communicate with me,...

& if my English isn't its own tongue

(or if my language isn't rich enough),

it might communicate with things undone,

or thoughts and times of all the other stuff.

But anyway, I saw that when I “grasp”

on something in my mind, it often has

my push or pull that comes behind quite fast,

and often that reaction is a spasm.

It might once help, but's mostly in the way,

and causes problems more often than not.

I'd like to send that demon off today!

And so I'm asking for your help now God.

I just remembered what Yeshua did,

when deafness came and caused some things like that,

he lifted up his eye, with opened lid,

and opened up his mouth, then looked back flat!...

But strangest thing of all; with upward look,

he loudly sighed, or gave a spirit groan,

no word occurred, dain't say the heavens shook,

but afterwards that man was not alone.

And maybe it was then that Jesus knew

(but maybe he already knew) the word;

he'd just before, communicated, clued

the fellow in on things he'd not have heard.

That one word, he (in Aramaic) said,

as he was looking back towards the man,

“Ephatha”, which meant “Open up” and led

to that man hearing, finding that he can

then speak, as he himself was spoken to.

First Yeshua has spoken as that man

could only speak - a shriek, or groan, or coo,

then after that his tongue now loosed began…

and straightaway  he knew the language too.

The other one, a boy, a man's own son

who had those fits and spasms, quite a few,

and foaming at the mouth, was also dumb,

had Jesus speak to demon agents too,

and told them to get out, and not come back,

and when they knocked him down and left him blue,

he acted to dispel their faithless lack,

and gave him to his father on his feet.

I see in place of my own spasms now,

my need for praying, opening complete-

ly, trusting my own father then somehow.

---

Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis.  There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him. After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spat and touched the man’s tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, ‘Ephphatha!’ (which means ‘Be opened!’ ). At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosed and he began to speak plainly.  Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. People were overwhelmed with amazement. ‘He has done everything well,’ they said. ‘He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.’ Mark 7:31‭-‬37 NIVUK

 

When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.   ‘What are you arguing with them about?’ he asked. A man in the crowd answered, ‘Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.’   ‘You unbelieving generation,’ Jesus replied, ‘how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.’ So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the boy’s father, ‘How long has he been like this?’ ‘From childhood,’ he answered. ‘It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.’   ‘ “If you can”?’ said Jesus. ‘Everything is possible for one who believes.’ Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!’ When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. ‘You deaf and mute spirit,’ he said, ‘I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.’ The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, ‘He’s dead.’ But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.  After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, ‘Why couldn’t we drive it out?’ He replied, ‘This kind can come out only by prayer. ’ Mark 9:14‭-‬29 NIVUK (plus see Matt. 17:14‭-‬20 NIVUK  )