12 April 2014

Today's Readings and Stuff == Saturday, 12 April 2014

it's been a long day.  Got a lot of work done outside, now that weather is cooperating just a bit.  Dear Wife even was able to come outside and lend a hand, and mainly give some encouragement.  Good for her to be out in the light and it helps with the chronic Vitamin D deficiency.  But not too much sun as she can't take much of it, partly due to some of the meds she's on.  Made it nice.
Then we ended up going with next-door niece&husband over to nephew's place (niece's brother) for a cookout.  8 adults, 3 kids 7,2, 1.  Good time was had.
But at the end, we were about done in. 
Tomorrow is another day.  Palm Sunday.

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

The Old Testament passage for us is chapters 10, 11, and 12 of 1st Samuel.  This is a time of transition.  We see Saul anointed as king, though he was reluctant.  And we see him begin to act in that role.


1
Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?
2
When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel's sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?
3
Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the plain of Tabor, and there shall meet thee three men going up to God to Bethel, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine:
4
And they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hands.
5
After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy:
6
And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.
7
And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee.
8
And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and show thee what thou shalt do.
9
And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.
10
And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.
11
And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?
12
And one of the same place answered and said, But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?
13
And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.
14
And Saul's uncle said unto him and to his servant, Whither went ye? And he said, To seek the asses: and when we saw that they were no where, we came to Samuel.
15
And Saul's uncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto you.
16
And Saul said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses were found. But of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he told him not.
17
And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpeh;
18
And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of them that oppressed you:
19
And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes, and by your thousands.
20
And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken.
21
When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken: and when they sought him, he could not be found.
22
Therefore they inquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet come thither. And the LORD answered, Behold he hath hid himself among the stuff.
23
And they ran and fetched him thence: and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.
24
And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king.
25
Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.
26
And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched.
27
But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought no presents. But he held his peace.


1
Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabeshgilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.
2
And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.
3
And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days' respite, that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel: and then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to thee.
4
Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices, and wept.
5
And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh.
6
And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly.
7
And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.
8
And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
9
And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabeshgilead, To morrow, by that time the sun be hot, ye shall have help. And the messengers came and showed it to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.
10
Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To morrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you.
11
And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.
12
And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.
13
And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day: for to day the LORD hath wrought salvation in Israel.
14
Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.
15
And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.


1
And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you.
2
And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day.
3
Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.
4
And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand.
5
And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, He is witness.
6
And Samuel said unto the people, It is the LORD that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.
7
Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD of all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did to you and to your fathers.
8
When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.
9
And when they forgat the LORD their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.
10
And they cried unto the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.
11
And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe.
12
And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the LORD your God was your king.
13
Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have desired! and, behold, the LORD hath set a king over you.
14
If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God:
15
But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your fathers.
16
Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes.
17
Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king.
18
So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.
19
And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king.
20
And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart;
21
And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.
22
For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.
23
Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:
24
Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.
25
But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.





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The New Testament passage is verses 22-35 in Luke chapter 13.

22
And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.
23
Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,
24
Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
25
When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
26
Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
27
But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
28
There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
29
And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
30
And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.
31
The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee.
32
And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.
33
Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.
34
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!
35
Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.



11 April 2014

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Friday, 11 April 2014

Supposed to hit 70 degrees today.  Hurrah.  Meanwhile, the forecast is that in the coming week, we'll have at least two nights with a low in the 20's.  Meanwhile, yesterday's high in Tulsa where older daughter teaches, was in the high 80's.  And she was unhappy about it.  Oh, well.

Was nice enough that we got a lot of the needed and overdue outside work done on our hovel.  Had been hoping to do it since last fall, but winter weather hit early and hard and I am no longer up to lying in the snow and ice with temps in the teens.  Just can't do it any more.  So trying to catch up with some things.  Just not enough time or energy or money to do everything that really needs to be done.  And we are STILL waiting for some work to be done that we had in fact paid for, and was supposed to have been done back in early OCTOBER!    I'm about ready to haul the guy into court, but a) he's a friend of niece's husband's father, and b) until we get the work done we're out of compliance with the local building code but he doubles as one of the inspectors for that code section.    Makes things tricky.

Will try to get more of that work done today.  Have today and tomorrow to do it.  Am not comfortable doing some of this on Sunday.  Just does not seem right, and it isn't. 

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

The Old Testament reading is chapters 7, 8, and 9 of 1st Samuel.  We're heading into the transition.  The people wanted a king, so as to be like the nations around them.  They're about to get their wish -- we see here the first mentions of Saul, who will be that king -- but it's not going to turn out well.
We say previously the problems that Eli had with his ungodly sons, and how that turned out.  Unfortunately, Samuel, for all his virtues, did not learn that lesson very well. And his sons turned out badly as well.  It did diminish his legacy, and probably caused his warnings to the people to be discounted.  He wasn't the first in that spot, and certainly wasn't the last either.


1
And the men of Kirjathjearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD.
2
And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.
3
And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
4
Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.
5
And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.
6
And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.
7
And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
8
And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.
9
And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him.
10
And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.
11
And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Bethcar.
12
Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.
13
So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
14
And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
15
And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
16
And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.
17
And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the LORD.


1
And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
2
Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.
3
And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
4
Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,
5
And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
6
But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.
7
And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
8
According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.
9
Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
10
And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king.
11
And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.
12
And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.
13
And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
14
And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
15
And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
16
And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
17
He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.
18
And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.
19
Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;
20
That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
21
And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD.
22
And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.


I Samuel 9
1
Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power.
2
And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.
3
And the asses of Kish Saul's father were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses.
4
And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of Shalim, and there they were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them not.
5
And when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave caring for the asses, and take thought for us.
6
And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honorable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can show us our way that we should go.
7
Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we?
8
And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way.
9
(Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)
10
Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was.
11
And as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here?
12
And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now, for he came to day to the city; for there is a sacrifice of the people to day in the high place:
13
As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him.
14
And they went up into the city: and when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high place.
15
Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying,
16
To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.
17
And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people.
18
Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is.
19
And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer: go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to day, and to morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart.
20
And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father's house?
21
And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?
22
And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlor, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which were about thirty persons.
23
And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.
24
And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which is left! set it before thee, and eat: for unto this time hath it been kept for thee since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day.
25
And when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house.
26
And they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.
27
And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on), but stand thou still a while, that I may show thee the word of God.




-----------------------------

The New Testament reading is verses 1-21 in Luke chapter 13


1
There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
2
And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
3
I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
4
Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
5
I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
6
He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.
7
Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?
8
And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
9
And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
10
And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.
11
And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.
12
And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
13
And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
14
And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.
15
The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?
16
And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?
17
And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.
18
Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it?
19
It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.
20
And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God?
21
It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

10 April 2014

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Thursday, 10 April 2014

quiet here but will be a long day.  Dear Wife is back on her chemotherapy routine.  As some may know, she suffers from several autoimmune diseases, chief being things like lupus, compounded by rheumatoid arthritis as well as things like Sjogren's Syndrome and collateral matters, such as the Graves' Disease that necessitated the removal of her thyroid gland and most of the parathyroids as well.  And a host of inter-related issues.  Docs have her on a chemo routine, methotrexate in fact, in an effort to depress the over-active immune system that is slowly killing her.  She takes this drug once a week and it really knocks her down for about two days, and then slowly recovering some strength.  So she took the pill last evening and will hopefully be feeling better by noon Saturday and able to attend church Sunday.  She just got a referral call yesterday for an initial appointment with a rheumatologist (finally), the first time she's seen one in several years.  Where we lived in Alabama, there were NONE within 100 miles.  Her appointment is in mid-June, the very earliest that could be arranged.  So I'll be playing nurse today and tomorrow while also trying to do some long-overdue outside work.  Got to do both.  Sis-in-law and her husband were by yesterday afternoon to provide some help and guidance on the work, for which I am grateful.  But it is hard to be joyful in some circumstances.

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The Old Testament reading is chapters 4, 5, and 6 in 1st Samuel.  Young Samuel is coming into view as a mature person, while Eli and his sons are not only failing to lead Israel in any useful spiritual way, but are at the very least complicit in the degeneration of the society.  A degeneration that is signaled when the Ark of the Covenant, a visible reminder of the Lord's involvement in their nation, is captured by their enemies.  For all the good it does them.  But it leads to the death of Eli and his sons.  And a grim time for Israel.  Time for Samuel to step forward.  He does.


1
And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.
2
And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.
3
And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.
4
So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth between the cherubim: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
5
And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.
6
And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the LORD was come into the camp.
7
And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore.
8
Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness.
9
Be strong and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight.
10
And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.
11
And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.
12
And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head.
13
And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching: for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out.
14
And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli.
15
Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see.
16
And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army, and I fled to day out of the army. And he said, What is there done, my son?
17
And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken.
18
And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.
19
And his daughter in law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her.
20
And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it.
21
And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband.
22
And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.


1
And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod.
2
When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
3
And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again.
4
And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him.
5
Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day.
6
But the hand of the LORD was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with emerods, even Ashdod and the coasts thereof.
7
And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us: for his hand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god.
8
They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they answered, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried about unto Gath. And they carried the ark of the God of Israel about thither.
9
And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great destruction: and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had emerods in their secret parts.
10
Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people.
11
So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to his own place, that it slay us not, and our people: for there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.
12
And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods: and the cry of the city went up to heaven.


1
And the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months.
2
And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do to the ark of the LORD? tell us wherewith we shall send it to his place.
3
And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.
4
Then said they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him? They answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.
5
Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.
6
Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? when he had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed?
7
Now therefore make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on which there hath come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them:
8
And take the ark of the LORD, and lay it upon the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which ye return him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by the side thereof; and send it away, that it may go.
9
And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Bethshemesh, then he hath done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that smote us: it was a chance that happened to us.
10
And the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home:
11
And they laid the ark of the LORD upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their emerods.
12
And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Bethshemesh.
13
And they of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.
14
And the cart came into the field of Joshua, a Bethshemite, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they clave the wood of the cart, and offered the kine a burnt offering unto the LORD.
15
And the Levites took down the ark of the LORD, and the coffer that was with it, wherein the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone: and the men of Bethshemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day unto the LORD.
16
And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.
17
And these are the golden emerods which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering unto the LORD; for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Askelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;
18
And the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fenced cities, and of country villages, even unto the great stone of Abel, whereon they set down the ark of the LORD: which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua, the Bethshemite.
19
And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the LORD, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.
20
And the men of Bethshemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God? and to whom shall he go up from us?
21
And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjathjearim, saying, The Philistines have brought again the ark of the LORD; come ye down, and fetch it up to you.



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The New Testament reading is verses 35-59 in Luke chapter 12.

35
Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;
36
And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.
37
Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.
38
And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.
39
And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.
40
Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.
41
Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?
42
And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?
43
Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
44
Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.
45
But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;
46
The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
47
And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
48
But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
49
I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?
50
But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!
51
Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
52
For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.
53
The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
54
And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is.
55
And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass.
56
Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?
57
Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?
58
When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison.
59
I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.