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Panhandling Peter and the Anvil of Inspiration
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Peter slept in an old left shoe in an alley, all nustled up next to his ma and pop
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Even though it would make his ma right upset, Peter didn't actually want to be a panhandler
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He'd always wanted to be a monster since he was little, but Peter had gotten his head beat with the reality stick one too many times (that's what Ma called her favorite cane) and he knew a panhandler was all he'd ever grow up to be
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When Ma had left for work, Peter talked to the only one who listened in these situations: his pop
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Peter had no right to complain, though
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Peter left his alley, chin up and face forward
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Peter had always been taught that in situations like these, he should look at things realistically
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So Peter did just that
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Peter woke up in a room with an old man sitting in a rocking chair
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He didn't blink much and kept staring at Peter and twitching his nose
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It really creeped Peter out
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"Peter, what's the problem?" Pop's rocking chair creaked slowly
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He rocked close enough so that Peter could see his liver spots
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Peter screamed as the rabbit sunk his teeth into his skull
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Peter woke up in a cold sweat on the side of the street
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Peter had some money in his coat pocket all of a sudden, though the change had fallen through the hole at the bottom and had spilled out all over the sidewalk
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Peter Tompkins and Christopher
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Peter Dooley was a portly man
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He was doing his time there before Peter was born
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What trouble could Peter have been in? But he was half smiling, his head turned a little to one side, looking at me sideways, as though willing me gently to come clean, to myself as well as to him
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I also reasoned that if I could get local politics on board that this would give the Gardai and my worm of a boss Peter Dooley pause for thought before they tried to shut me down
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It was Peter, my boss
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I had a quick look at the phone and realized it wasn't Peter this time but a local number
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Now I've spoken to Peter again and he has a message for you, but I'll give it to you myself
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to 1 Peter 2:24
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By the way, Sophie is married to a structural engineer called Peter
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to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall
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"tend" are from the same word, (poimaino)(Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:9; John 21:16)
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must be his (1 Peter 5:3, Greek, tupos , example), as the word means "the pattern in conformity to which a thing must be made
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Peter says it best in 1 Peter 2:21-22 - “ For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth
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” Peter simply informs us that there is no better example than that of Jesus
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Peter was concerned with forgiveness in Matthew 18:21-22 - “Then
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came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I
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“I wouldn't rule out that possibility,” agreed Peter -one of the few in our class the guru thinks high of
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And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you” (1 Peter 1:24,25)
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Peter said, “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the
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My good friend Louise has often asked me to visit her at the law office she works in as a secretary, so as to introduce me to Peter, one of the lawyers
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For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost (2 Peter
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Since Christ’s words are truth and the apostles were guided into all truth and we have all of truth today (2 Peter 1:3)
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all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:3)
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! The apostle Peter admonished, “And
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multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8)
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Peter admonished, “Finally, be ye of one mind, have compassion one of another, love as
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Maybe this is why we have the story of Simon Peter being the one to exclaim, “Thou art the Christ! The Son of the Living God!” What is it that Jesus asked for that response? He asked who people say that He is
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What do you say about Jesus? Is He a prophet? Is He the Messiah? But when Jesus asks the disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” it is Peter that cries out, “You are the Son of the Living God…”
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Why is this important? Peter goes one step further than calling Jesus the Messiah
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Peter even had to have a vision just to enter the house of a Gentile
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Peter has even said in Acts 3:21 that Jesus is contained in the heavens until the restoration of all things as spoken of in the prophets
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One of the famous words of Jesus to Peter was, “He who lives by the sword dies by the sword
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But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judæa, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: for these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day
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Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost
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These words of Peter are to be best understood in the context of the Kingdom of God
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Peter, and all who were at Jerusalem, knew the Scriptures
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This is why the decree is made by Peter to come out from this wicked generation
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Peter is calling to that remnant that is yet to surrender to the Messiah Jesus
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It has been almost 2000 years and we are finding ourselves back in the same place that Peter proclaimed this message from
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And isn’t it interesting that Peter quotes Joel? We find that in Joel, it is at this moment that God pours out His Spirit that the judgment comes! Yet we don’t stop there
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When Peter spoke of His resurrection, no one dared challenge it
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out on the open moor by way of Peter Tavy in the county of Devon
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out here on the open moor by way of Peter Tavy in the county of Devon
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Peter is a real leader, he and Alakar are bloody great!
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Funny how you should know St Peter & St Paul’s - I used to sing in the choir there! Actually, I met John, my husband, through the church in Blandford
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‘We would have loved children,’ she said slightly wistfully, ‘But Peter and I left it rather too late
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‘Did she tell you that Peter virtually sat on her doorstep for a year trying to persuade her to marry him? He is a persistent so-and-so, that brother of mine
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’ I said ingenuously, and he has the grace to concede that he and Peter are alike in some ways
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Peter and I grew up watching her struggle
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Peter was at theological college at the time and felt he should have been able to do something – he couldn’t of course, but I don’t think he ever really got over it; he was very close to Mum
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I mean, where would Alice be without the Reverend Dodgson or Peter Pan without dear old Mister Barrie?”
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It would be nice to be married in the village church with Peter officiating … I wonder how Simon would feel about that … then there’s the question of whether Peter would be willing to marry me, a divorcee, in church
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‘Simon, have you given any thought to how?’ he looks puzzled, ‘I mean, Church or registry office, Peter presiding or what?’
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‘Hi Jane, is Peter there? … thanks
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… hi, Peter … question for you, where do you stand on marrying divorcees?’
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‘As long as you’re happy about it, Peter, I’d hate to cause you problems of conscience
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Simon scribbles down dates and promises to get back to Peter as soon as we’ve decided on the most suitable
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I don’t know what Peter has said to him but whatever it is, it has had a positive effect
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Anna decides that it would be sensible for her to move out as soon as they get back from honeymoon saying that they can probably camp with Jane and Peter for a few days if they have to
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Jane greeted me with a much appreciated cup of coffee – Peter joined us when he got back from his visit to the Hospice – he’d flopped on a chair accepting gratefully the mug Jane handed him
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Peter talked a lot about Simon … it’s patently clear that Peter is very proud of his brother
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Little things, like the fact he used to bring his mother flowers from the fields near where they lived, and that, as a very small child, he would follow Peter everywhere
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Jane served up a meal of chicken casserole for us and we ate it at the kitchen table – Peter had to dash off after the meal to carry out some parish visiting, and mentioned that he’s off to see Sally about the memorial service
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Our guest list is very short – Peter and Jane, Rob, Trish and Leo, Jo and Alastair, Sally and her three children, Gary, Mel and her husband Andrew, Claire and her other half and a couple of Simon’s cousins he is particularly close to
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Apart from Philip, there was a beefy guy called Peter and a spectacled
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‘Yes, Peter is very good at that sort of thing – you know he’s going to be Anna’s brother in law, don’t you?’
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realized it was their master, Peter cried out to Him,
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” Peter got out of the boat
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Peter cried out, “Lord
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Peter started out with faith, the belief that he could
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The moment Peter began to fear, his clear intention
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Peter lets us in, welcoming me with a kiss on the cheek and thumping his brother as usual
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Jane casually drops into the conversation that the cake will be delivered on Tuesday morning – I’d completely forgotten about a wedding cake … how could I have forgotten that! Peter and Jane insist that they will foot the bill for the alcohol and although Simon does his best to shout them down, they are adamant and refuse to budge
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Apart from going through the service, which Peter wants to do with us quietly in church in his capacity as vicar, that is about it for the arrangements for Tuesday
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‘It hasn’t left my side since I got it, Peter
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Peter only turns on the lights that we’ll need, leaving pools of shadows in the corners
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Simon and I stand together by the choir stalls while Peter fusses around collecting the books he is going to use
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Peter goes on to explain that in return for me promising to honour and obey, Simon is promising to love and cherish me … more than a fair exchange, I reckon
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While Peter turns off lights and locks up, we stroll out into the churchyard
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We are still standing there, arms round each other, when Peter comes round the side of the church
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Peter includes us in the prayers by name; this hits Simon – I hear his sharp intake of breath - this whole brother/vicar thing has depths for both of them which I can only dimly perceive
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As we are leaving, I thank Peter for his kind words and for the picture
