Talks With Dad

Talks with Dad...Above and Within Copyright Doug Blair, Waterloo ON. 2020

Conversation Posted on ​February 9, 2020

It’s late at night And I’m awake Some prayer will do For settling sake.

The room is dark But bright the way I’m listening now

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For what you say.

And come you do Most precious Lord To miss this time Could ill afford.

The issues shrink The troubles small When placed aside Your glorious “ALL”. (Psalm 103: 3) And You are here For comfort mine To me you come To me You shine.

Though fellow souls Will have You too Omnipresent That’s what you do.

The sleep seems small

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Compared to this Your whispered hope Your Lover’s kiss. http://momentsmidstream.blogspot.com/2011/01/all.html https://issuu.com/deedub51/docs/prayerlessness

Dialogue Through the Clouds Posted on ​January 22, 2017

I don’t feel much like praying right now Sir. Fred that is precisely when you must pray. Breakthrough comes no other way to a child of Mine.

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Things are such a mess. I just need some time to myself Sir. You know, to work through this.

Fred, my Spirit works it through, not you.

Sir, I have made some really bad decisions lately, particularly with things as tough as they are.

Fred I know all about that. I was there…and yes sometimes shaking my head. But I cut my kids slack when needed. And never let go.

Sir I am afraid to let it out; to let You or any other know the full picture right now. It would be too confusing and mortifying. I might really lose it.

Fred I watched my Son hang before the mockers, naked and vulnerable.

He did this so that one day you could dispense His honest love, Our honest love without reserve or concern for self. And experience the joy.

Capice?

OK Dad we’ve been here before haven’t we. Thanks for that. I love You. I must love You.

David Under Attack (psalm 11) DECEMBER 10, 2019​ / ​ISSUUDOTCOMSLASHDEWANE​ /​ ​EDIT

Could I have a break Lord.

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Could I rest a while

Slowly watch the sunrise

Catch an infant’s smile

Hear the turtle cooing

Hear the tambourine

Get a rest from testing

Slander quite obscene.

But I know your servants

Raise the devil’s ire

Bring the nasty naysaying

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Persecution’s fire

Takes us to our knees Lord

To discern your will

You remain the Shepherd

I your lambkin still.

Make them feel the heat now

That you see and know

That you fend off arrows

Love this pained one so.

They must get the message

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You defend your own.

Even undeserving

Evil overthrown.

Doing Good Only issuudotcomslashdewane​January 31, 2020

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We take the barbs

And try to keep on smiling

And words profane

Are launched to make us wince.

The extra mile

Is carried through obedience

For those who

Vilify our Prince.

The Prince of Peace

And all they want is trouble

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And angry thoughts

Command their waking hours.

And we will serve

For those who take for granted

To render good

With Grace and Heaven’s powers.

We reach the Highest

With petitions forged in challenge

And angels come

To hedge us all around.

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True priests and kings

Who gain the Ear Omnipotent

In battle

That progresses underground.

Gutsy Prayers "Pastor, teach us to pray." The two young couples approached Eugene Peterson in absolute earnest. They felt that their prayers were awkward, insincere, imitative, short and ineffectual.

"Why don't you take a good look at the Psalms. King David was a man who knew how to pray. He covered most of the situations which you will face. Study his approach."

Weeks passed and the Pastor heard no more, but then a somewhat apologetic knock at the door of his study. "It doesn't seem to be helping, sir. The King James language seems so archaic and foreign.

We cannot get at the heart of David through it all."

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'Well friends, said Peterson, 'that is unfortunate because those prayers were really quite visceral, frank, elemental and unrestrained. If David were ticked off he let God know. If desperate he hollered out for help. If joyful, the very heart-strings sang.

Perhaps I might attempt a paraphrase of a couple of them to break the ice for you.'

Thus began the much celebrated paraphrase of the entire Bible which we now recognize as "The Message".

Those young couples discovered a prayer life which was spontaneous, honest, unvarnished and delightfully personal. They were coming closer to God's heart. Hearing from Him. Pleading in ways consistent with His will. Becoming angry where He was angry.

Chuckling at the things that humoured Him. Delighting over His victories.

It took for them the vernacular and street-wise which Peterson had incorporated into his texts.

At a time of personal crisis, and not too long ago, I found myself examining Peterson's text and walking dark streets, yelling out at God in very direct terms about the need. He was not offended. He visited me. He settled me. He gave me fresh courage.

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The answers came later‌

One could go on forever about the riches, resting and revelation coming from honest prayer. But simply stated, if you want to learn how to pray...PRAY. God delights in the dialogue and will bring you to greater sensitivity and awareness of His will. Here a little, there a little.

https://sites.google.com/site/conversationabove/conversation-pray er

https://issuu.com/deedub51/docs/prayerlessness

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