05 April 2014

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Saturday, 05 April, 2014

not quite so late today but still late.  Weird life I lead these days.
We got in very late, so, naturally, slept in FAR later than intended and had much to do.  Off to the neighboring town, with two missions

  • catch up with one of Dear Wife's old friends, a former room mate in fact, who was operating a booth at a craft show at a local church.
  • over to the Big Box hardware=type store to get items for working on our deck.  Loong overdue, and the town is giving us grief over the delay, but money was the issue.  The check that hit our door yesterday has helped much with that.
off we went.  ORIGINALLY, we were led to understand that this craft show was at a local mall.  Never been there before, and Wife had not been there in about 30 years (yes, when you live out of the area a long time, going to the mall on occasional visits probably isn't your top priority).  After finding our way inside and making a tour, became obvious this was not The Place.  More text messages etc. to Old Friend at which time we were advised of the correct location.  Off we went.  Another place I've never been before.  During most of our 22 years in the South, churches with "Orthodox" in the name were very few and far between.  Today, I went through an area with half a dozen or so, several with the "onion domes' that bespeak the affiliations.  Not too many, say, Serbian Orthodox churches in Lower Alabama.  Went past one.  Several Greek Orthodox, one Russian, one Ukrainian, one I'm not sure of.  And competing Lutheran and Presbyterian ones, in at least one case on opposite corners of an intersection (ELCA vs. LCMS, for the interested).  Old Roomie's mother treated her like her own daughter, which I think was good for them both.  Wife and I are now the "old ones" in our families, which is a bit hard to find.  So A Good Time was had.

Then off to the Home Depot.  We sometimes hit Lowe's, but their customer service has been abysmal in several states now, so we went the other way.  There used to be a regional chain called Stambaugh-Thompson, but it seems to have gone belly-up.  We dropped over $450 in deck rails, posts, risers, rails, steel post brackets, etc etc.  And bought a battery-powered saw.  Got home and discover that battery is not included, nor is the charger.  Displays why the price was so low, perhaps.

Tomorrow is another day.

===================================

The Old Testament reading is chapters 15, 16, and 17 form the book of the Judges.  The rest of the story of Samson is found here.


1
But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in.
2
And her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her; therefore I gave her to thy companion: is not her younger sister fairer than she? take her, I pray thee, instead of her.
3
And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure.
4
And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails.
5
And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and also the standing corn, with the vineyards and olives.
6
Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire.
7
And Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease.
8
And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.
9
Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi.
10
And the men of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? And they answered, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us.
11
Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? what is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.
12
And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.
13
And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock.
14
And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.
15
And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.
16
And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.
17
And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramathlehi.
18
And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?
19
But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore he called the name thereof Enhakkore, which is in Lehi unto this day.
20
And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.


1
Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her.
2
And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him.
3
And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron.
4
And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.
5
And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.
6
And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee.
7
And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withes that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.
8
Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withes which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.
9
Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withes, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.
10
And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound.
11
And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that never were occupied, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.
12
Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And there were liers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them from off his arms like a thread.
13
And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.
14
And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep, and went away with the pin of the beam, and with the web.
15
And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth.
16
And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death;
17
That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.
18
And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath showed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand.
19
And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.
20
And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.
21
But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.
22
Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.
23
Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.
24
And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us.
25
And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars.
26
And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them.
27
Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport.
28
And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.
29
And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left.
30
And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.
31
Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.


1
And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah.
2
And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my son.
3
And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.
4
Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah.
5
And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.
6
In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
7
And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.
8
And the man departed out of the city from Bethlehemjudah to sojourn where he could find a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.
9
And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levite of Bethlehemjudah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place.
10
And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in.
11
And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons.
12
And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.
13
Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.



====================

The New Testament reading is verses 1-24 of Luke chapter 10.

1
After these things the LORD appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.
2
Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
3
Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.
4
Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.
5
And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.
6
And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.
7
And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.
8
And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:
9
And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
10
But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,
11
Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
12
But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.
13
Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
14
But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.
15
And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.
16
He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.
17
And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
18
And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
19
Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
20
Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
21
In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.
22
All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.
23
And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:
24
For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.


04 April 2014

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Friday, 04 April 2014

VERY late and VERY short.  Oooops.

unexpectedly long day.  Had some mail this morning, actually had an unexpected check in it, enough to cover a few needed items.  Came at a very good time.  But by the time we got going, got it to bank, ran by two different Big Box stores, stopped for dinner at Bob Evans, talked on phone with dentist office re a hurry-up Monday morning appointment they've decided is needed right away, put a little gas in car, etc., well, it was quite late.  I need to send this off and then get a little bit of rest.  Not doing real well myself.

========================

The Old Testament reading is chapters 12, 13, and 14 of the Judges.  Things are not doing well, that happens when you and your society hate the Lord.  As we are finding out.  Here we see the early part of the story of Samson. 


1
And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire.
2
And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands.
3
And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me?
4
Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites.
5
And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay;
6
Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.
7
And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.
8
And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.
9
And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years.
10
Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem.
11
And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years.
12
And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun.
13
And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel.
14
And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.
15
And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites.


1
And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.
2
And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not.
3
And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.
4
Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing:
5
For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.
6
Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name:
7
But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death.
8
Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born.
9
And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband was not with her.
10
And the woman made haste, and ran, and showed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the other day.
11
And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and said unto him, Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman? And he said, I am.
12
And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?
13
And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware.
14
She may not eat of any thing that cometh of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing: all that I commanded her let her observe.
15
And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee.
16
And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the LORD.
17
And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honor?
18
And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?
19
So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD: and the angel did wonderously; and Manoah and his wife looked on.
20
For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground.
21
But the angel of the LORD did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the LORD.
22
And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.
23
But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have showed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these.
24
And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.
25
And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.


1
And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.
2
And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.
3
Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.
4
But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.
5
Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.
6
And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.
7
And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.
8
And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcass of the lion.
9
And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcass of the lion.
10
So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.
11
And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.
12
And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments:
13
But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.
14
And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle.
15
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so?
16
And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?
17
And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.
18
And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion? and he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.
19
And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.
20
But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.


========================

The New Testament reading is verses 37-62 of Luke chapter 9

37
And it came to pass, that on the next day, when they were come down from the hill, much people met him.
38
And, behold, a man of the company cried out, saying, Master, I beseech thee, look upon my son: for he is mine only child.
39
And, lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out; and it teareth him that he foameth again, and bruising him hardly departeth from him.
40
And I besought thy disciples to cast him out; and they could not.
41
And Jesus answering said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? Bring thy son hither.
42
And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tare him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father.
43
And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God. But while they wondered every one at all things which Jesus did, he said unto his disciples,
44
Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men.
45
But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.
46
Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.
47
And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him,
48
And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.
49
And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.
50
And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.
51
And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,
52
And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.
53
And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.
54
And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?
55
But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
56
For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.
57
And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
58
And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
59
And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
60
Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.
61
And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.
62
And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

03 April 2014

Today's Readings and Stuff --- Thursday, 03 April 2014

still waiting for dentist office to call about the missing filling/cap on the tooth they did root canal on Tuesday.  Not sure a hole providing passage for food particles, germs, etc. up into the jawbone is A Good Thing, but perhaps it's OK

Not feeling well, but perhaps a bit better than yesterday.  Dear Wife is in recliner leaned back and not up to very much.  Understand that this is frequent with someone suffering some of her medical issues.  We truly have Been Through It and we're not through yet.

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Old Testament assignment for today is chapters 10 and 11 of the book of the Judges.


1
And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim.
2
And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.
3
And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years.
4
And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which are in the land of Gilead.
5
And Jair died, and was buried in Camon.
6
And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him.
7
And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon.
8
And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.
9
Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim; so that Israel was sore distressed.
10
And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim.
11
And the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines?
12
The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand.
13
Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more.
14
Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.
15
And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day.
16
And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.
17
Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpeh.
18
And the people and princes of Gilead said one to another, What man is he that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.


1
Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah.
2
And Gilead's wife bare him sons; and his wife's sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father's house; for thou art the son of a strange woman.
3
Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered vain men to Jephthah, and went out with him.
4
And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel.
5
And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob:
6
And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon.
7
And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, Did not ye hate me, and expel me out of my father's house? and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress?
8
And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Therefore we turn again to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.
9
And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them before me, shall I be your head?
10
And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The LORD be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words.
11
Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all his words before the LORD in Mizpeh.
12
And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me to fight in my land?
13
And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore restore those lands again peaceably.
14
And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon:
15
And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon:
16
But when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the wilderness unto the Red sea, and came to Kadesh;
17
Then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land: but the king of Edom would not hearken thereto. And in like manner they sent unto the king of Moab: but he would not consent: and Israel abode in Kadesh.
18
Then they went along through the wilderness, and compassed the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land of Moab, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, but came not within the border of Moab: for Arnon was the border of Moab.
19
And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land into my place.
20
But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his coast: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and pitched in Jahaz, and fought against Israel.
21
And the LORD God of Israel delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they smote them: so Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country.
22
And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan.
23
So now the LORD God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess it?
24
Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the LORD our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess.
25
And now art thou any thing better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them,
26
While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and in all the cities that be along by the coasts of Arnon, three hundred years? why therefore did ye not recover them within that time?
27
Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, but thou doest me wrong to war against me: the LORD the Judge be judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon.
28
Howbeit the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah which he sent him.
29
Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon.
30
And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,
31
Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.
32
So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands.
33
And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.
34
And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter.
35
And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back.
36
And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon.
37
And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows.
38
And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains.
39
And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel,
40
That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.





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The New Testament reading is verses 1-36 in Luke chapter 9


1
Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.
2
And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.
3
And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece.
4
And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart.
5
And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.
6
And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where.
7
Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and he was perplexed, because that it was said of some, that John was risen from the dead;
8
And of some, that Elias had appeared; and of others, that one of the old prophets was risen again.
9
And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see him.
10
And the apostles, when they were returned, told him all that they had done. And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.
11
And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.
12
And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place.
13
But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people.
14
For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company.
15
And they did so, and made them all sit down.
16
Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.
17
And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.
18
And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?
19
They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again.
20
He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God.
21
And he straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing;
22
Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.
23
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
24
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
25
For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?
26
For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.
27
But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.
28
And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.
29
And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.
30
And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias:
31
Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.
32
But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.
33
And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said.
34
While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud.
35
And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
36
And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen.