A Walker into Walls!

Well, Matt an’ Anabelle, you've done..  got hitched.
You're making quite a statement in this world,
where each of us hears slogans that are pitched
towards that self expression that's been hurled

at us since we were born: to think of who

is Number One, according to this Myth -

the story that gives rise to culture's zoo

of “Zees” & “Sows”, & “Mx”, ’gainst “Mister”, “Miss”.

Our culture's “self expression”, feigning love

is “helping others out” - so they'll help you -

a kind of, well, obsession, where folk shove

you, for what their desires want you to do.

It's needed, so they say, for their “self-love”,

because they're flat out doing that at all.

Unless you ask for help from up above,

where-ever you are standing now, recall

you’ll prob'ly sink to life as it is here,

as though this is the whole of what is known.

The best help we could have might be a clear

map of where others have been, so we're shown,

and benefit from who has gone before.

The chance to learn from others who share well,

and live a life that is self for-get-ful.

Thus saving us from bringing more of hell

to this ol' Earth, from living like the best

things of this life have come from laws, and pow'r.

Both Matt & Belle, you're hereby placing bets

on 'nother way of living in this hour!

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Our society tells us “put yourself first”, “look after number one!”,  “go for your dreams”. Depending on the context, there can be some truth in those statements, but as a guiding light, an overall dictum, or way forward, I reckon you won't stay married more than a couple of years if you follow this advice. If I spend my time focussing on what makes me feel good, on demanding that you treat me as I want to be treated, I end up turning life with my mate into a battle between despots, and I can easily miss love.

As Mat 'n Annabelle know, the person who was (in my opinion) the most loving authentic leader that humanity has seen, communicated his own shocking Way forward, to hopeful followers:

Give up all rights to yourself, take up your instrument of slow, undignified, painful death, and follow me!

This Way forward is at odds with our society's mantra regarding the way forward, and ends up demanding that I treat others in the same way that I would want to be treated, if I was in their shoes. But, because we are creatures of our culture, you’ll take on your culture's way, unless you continue to choose an alternative. An alternative can be chosen, and our statements can be made; not just by our words, and sometimes only by our actions.

As I view life and marriage at the moment, the real issue that makes them “sing”, or work well, does not have much to do with income or religion: It seems to me that there are two mindsets, one that is scraping for skimpy resources, at the cost of others, as put to us by the dominant Empire based on laws and power, and motivated by the fear of losing control; or there's a mindset that is  sharing abundant resources, at the cost of ourselves out of love, as put to us by humans who are working with the creator of the Universe, for his world and life. This second mindset sees life in this world, as a precursor to & faint picture of what is coming. A bit like our life before we were born, in the womb of our mother was a precursor to and faint picture of life in this world.

This involves not only learning from others, but also learning to listen deeply to them. And of necessity finding your own fulfilment in responding to your creator's wooing call to step up, to Love! So, we're talking about a marriage focused not on self-fulfillment, but on self-giving.

(You might see in this poemish reflection thingo, parts where I am acknowledging a lovely mindset in you two. I hope you'll also see a description of the mindset I think you're up against in our disintegrating culture - what to beware of, and I hope you'll see a few hints as to how to move forward, given the battle we find ourselves in, between these two mindsets. A better name for this might actually be: A Walker into Walls - & through them!)

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In this world…

So ev'ry person who has lived before

me is now living, or else they have died,

there's not a lot born 90 years or more

ago, who still enjoy what we call “life”.

And when we speak of people who were born

two hundred years ago (or more) on Earth,

the number who are living is then torn

in pieces smaller than we are at birth.

It's nearly all the people before then,

humanity both good & bad & ’tween,

who've gone this way. What really matters when

we live, and die, is not so often seen.

And “John the Washer”, Jesus called the great-

est prophet ever born of women here,

then died by Herod's wife, who's now the “late

Herodias”, and “ex” of him, so dear

to all her aspirations for success;

she hoped to stay the wife of Jewish king,

so got ol’ John the Washer made an “ex”,

by cutting off his head, then she could sing!

Well, for a while, she might have smiled, no tears,

and felt like she had bettered him, she won.

But nowadays they've both been dead for years;

if there's a resurrection, then which one

would you be wanting to catch up with when

you got a chance to meet and greet and know

the people that you asked to see, d'ya ken

my meaning, from what you've seen here below?

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Matthew 7 F)loods/fire/famine - will come...

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“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’

(as though the words must spell what is “a thing”),

will enter to the realm where God's adored

where he who sources love has pow'r of king.

It’s only those continuing to do

the will of heaven's Father, who'll be there.

For many will on judgment day say to

me, ‘Lord, Lord, don’t you know, remember where

you met us? In your name we prophesied.

'Twas in your name that we cast demons out,

and we did many miracles, and cried

the news of all your power. We would shout!

But I will have to say to them, ‘Good bye!

Away from me, you lawless rebels! I’ve

not known, or ever been joined to you! I

would say I've never really met you.' Strive

to hear my teaching and apply it, for

each person hearing it, who lives it out,

is like a wise man who built his house or

home ON un-shak-a-ble foundations flout-

ing all the rains, and river-floods, and winds,

that come to beat upon his house or home.”
“Yet anyone who hears my teaching, grins

but doesn’t live it out, they're on their own,

and like a foolish man who builds perhaps

on sand; when wind and rain, and river-floods

had beat upon his house, it then collapsed,

and swept away - was just like all the  duds!

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And by the time that Jesus finished up

his speaking to the crowds who were dispatched

amazed and overwhelmed, his words erupt-

ed, HIS teaching's authority's unmatched!

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Matthew 7 (The Passion Translation)

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Refuse to be “The Judge” of others, and judgment[a] will not be passed on you. 2 For you’ll be judged by the same standard that you’ve used to judge others. The measurement you use on them will be used on you.[b] 3 Why would you focus on the flaw in someone else’s life and yet fail to notice the glaring flaws of your own?[c] 4 How could you say to your friend, ‘Let me show you where you’re wrong,’ when you’re guilty of even more? 5 You’re being hypercritical and a hypocrite! First acknowledge your own ‘blind spots’ and deal with them, and then you’ll be capable of dealing with the ‘blind spot’ of your friend.[d]

6 “Who would hang earrings on a dog’s ear or throw pearls[e] in front of wild pigs? They’ll only trample them under their feet and then turn around and tear you to pieces!

7 “Ask, and the gift is yours. Seek, and you’ll discover. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. 8 For every persistent one will get what he asks for. Every persistent seeker will discover what he longs for. And everyone who knocks persistently will one day find an open door.[f]

9 “Do you know of any parent who would give his hungry child, who asked for food, a plate of rocks instead? 10 Or when asked for a piece of fish, what parent would offer his child a snake instead? 11 If you, imperfect as you are,[g] know how to lovingly take care of your children and give them what’s best, how much more ready is your heavenly Father to give wonderful gifts[h] to those who ask him?”

The Golden Rule
12 “In everything you do, be careful to treat others in the same way you’d want them to treat you, for that is the essence of all the teachings of the Law and the Prophets.”

The Narrow Gate
13 “Come to God through the narrow gate, because the wide gate and broad path is the way that leads to destruction—nearly everyone chooses that crowded road! 14 The narrow gate and the difficult way leads to eternal life—so few even find it!”

False Prophets
15 “Constantly be on your guard against phony prophets. They come disguised as lambs, appearing to be genuine, but on the inside they are like wild, ravenous wolves![i] 16 You can spot them by their actions, for the fruits of their character will be obvious. You won’t find sweet grapes hanging on a thorn bush, and you’ll never pick good fruit from a tumbleweed. 17–19 So if the tree is good, it will produce good fruit; but if the tree is bad, it will bear only rotten fruit and it deserves to be cut down and burned. 20 Look at the obvious fruit of their lives and ministries, and then you’ll know whether they are true or false.”

Jesus Warns of Pretenders
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the realm of heaven’s kingdom. It is only those who persist in doing the will of my heavenly Father. 22 On the day of judgment many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, don’t you remember us? Didn’t we prophesy[j] in your name? Didn’t we cast out demons and do many miracles for the sake of your name?’ 23 But I will have to say to them, ‘Go away from me, you lawless rebels! I’ve never been joined to you!’[k]

24 “Everyone who hears my teaching and applies it to his life can be compared to a wise man who built his house on an unshakable foundation. 25 When the rains fell and the flood[l] came, with fierce winds beating upon his house, it stood firm because of its strong foundation.

26 “But everyone who hears my teaching and does not apply it to his life can be compared to a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 When it rained and rained and the flood came, with wind and waves beating upon his house, it collapsed and was swept away.”[m]

28 By the time Jesus finished speaking, the crowds were dazed and overwhelmed[n] by his teaching, 29 because his words carried such great authority, quite unlike their religious scholars.[o]

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Footnotes:
Matthew 7:1 It is God’s judgment that is being implied by the passive verbs.
Matthew 7:2 See Rom. 2:1.
Matthew 7:3 Or “Why do you see a speck in your brother’s eye but fail to see the beam of wood sticking out of your own eye?”
Matthew 7:5 Or “You hypocrite, why don’t you first remove the beam sticking out of your own eye? Then you can see clearly to remove the small speck out of your brother’s eye.” Jesus is clearly teaching that our blind spots prevent us from accurately evaluating the needs of others.
Matthew 7:6 As translated from the Aramaic. The Greek is “Don’t let the dogs have consecrated [holy] meat.” The Aramaic word for “earrings” is almost identical to the word for “holy.” Earrings and pearls are symbols of spiritual truths given to us by God. They give us beautiful “ears” to hear his voice and impart lovely pearls of wisdom, which are not to be regarded lightly or shared with those who have their hearts closed. The Aramaic word for “throw” is almost identical to the word for “to instruct” or “to teach.” The value of wisdom is not appreciated by those who have no ears to hear it.
Matthew 7:8 Clement of Alexandria attributes an additional saying to Jesus and states that it is from the Hebrew Matthew: “The one who seeks should not cease until he finds, and in finding he shall marvel, and having marveled he shall reign, and having reigned he shall rest.” Miscellanies 2.9 (de Santos 3; Lagrange 9) and Miscellanies 5.14 (de Santos 4; Lagrange 10).
Matthew 7:11 Or “although you are evil.”
Matthew 7:11 Hebrew Matthew is “give his good Spirit,” a reference to asking for the Holy Spirit. See also Luke 11:13.
Matthew 7:15 Hebrew Matthew adds a phrase, “They are full of deceit as wild, ravenous wolves.” There is at least a hint here of the Benjamite prophecy found in Gen. 49:27.
Matthew 7:22 Or “preach in your name.”
Matthew 7:23 The Aramaic can be translated “From everlasting I have not known you.”
Matthew 7:25 Or “rivers.” See also Song. 8:7.
Matthew 7:27 Or “and great was its fall!”
Matthew 7:28 The Greek word used here, ekplesso, is a strong verb that means “awestruck, filled with amazement, astonished, panic stricken, something that takes your breath away (being hit with a blow), to be shocked, to expel, to drive out.” Clearly, Jesus spoke with such glory and power emanating from him that his words were like thunderbolts in their hearts. May we hear his words in the same way today.
Matthew 7:29 Or “scribes” (experts of the Law). Jesus taught from an inner knowledge of God and his Word, for his teaching emphasized obedience to God from the heart, not just outwardly keeping laws.
The Passion Translation (TPT)
The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017 by BroadStreet Publishing® Group, LLC.
Used by permission.

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Matthew 7 E)veryone's doing ’t ...

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“Well, come to God through narrow and tight gate

(as baby travels through the birth canal).

Your old life will be finished ’coz of late

it's too constraining, though there's more that shall

not feel “too easy”, it might feel quite hard,

yeah, mightn't be much fun, it's difficult.

The wide gate and the broad path is the yard

for “slaughter”; that's not saying it's their fault...

but nearly all us critters choose that road!

The narrow gate, the hard way, leads to life,

There's few that find it, many have been slowed

to stopping point, and feel like they're in strife.

And so they are, the way to go is ON.
“Be ON your guard, & ON the lookout for

those phony prophets, looking genuine,

though dressed as lambs, they're feeding no one more

than just themselves, they're feeding on the flock.

And you can spot them by their actions (for

no fruit of character will stay un-knocked).

You won’t find sweet grapes hanging on a thorn

bush, and you’ll never find an apple got

from saltbush or a tumbleweed, you tell

the tree by what it's fruit is (or is not).

You say “the tree is bad”, if it's fruit, well,

is not much good, and there's a case for chop-

ing down and getting rid of such a plant.

Check out their fruit, not where they sprout a lot.

For words are cheap, and can be full of cant!

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"As for me and my household....." [B]

Oh thank you God for all the ways these folk
reflect and pass on goodness in this world.[1]
The kindness and the hard work that each bloke
& sheila shows, the beauty that's been hurled

out, in them, through them, 'coz of who they are
when their best side is shown and acted on.
The smile, the thoughtful action or answer,
creative (& forgiving) work that's shone,

& added to the human project thus
far, all reflections of their father God.
I start to see why you go to such fuss
receiving back your lost lambs to the fold.

Please God, save these from harm and evil too,
I somehow feel responsible for them,
but better too 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
to say "we are 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!

...

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[1] When I have felt like giving up praying for people, or using time up considering them, I've been reminded again of the starting point of - giving thanks for them… start with thanksgiving, let love grow in me for them, to do more. Like with all drama and acting, the audience and actors are participating by maintaining a "suspension of disbelief", but this is using a suspension of unlove, so that love has a chance to send roots down. e.g. Paul says something like ( "I find that always...", or "firstly...", "...I thank my God for you" Rom 1:8; 1 Cor 1:4,14; 14:18; Philip1:3; Col 1:3; 1Thess1:2; 3:9; 2Thess 1:3; 2:13; ...

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