14 May 2016

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Saturday, 14 May 2016

Cold and rainy out.  We are planning (Lord willing) to take a run in about an hour to a nearby town. There is a garden club there, one possessed of a couple of nice greenhouses, that holds a big two-weekend plant sale every year, it's their main fundraising effort.  We've gone the last two years, planning to do so again.   Good way to get tomatoes, for example.  The tomatoes and many other plants are "heirloom" varieties.  And they also introduce some varieties that are interesting if unfamiliar to most of the untutored.  Like us.
The retirement check is expected to "hit the bank" Tuesday, Wednesday at the latest.  I have $18 to my name, and will have to put $5 in the gas tank.  Not sure how many plants that can get us, but we'll try.  If, of course, Dear Wife is Up To It.  She's snoozing right now after having breakfast.

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The Old Testament reading is chapters 9, 10, and 11 of 2nd Kings.  Had Moses and Joshua known that this state of affairs would be the result of all their struggles, I doubt that they would have been pleased.  I don't think that the Lord was, either.


1
And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ramothgilead:
2
And when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among his brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber;
3
Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not.
4
So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramothgilead.
5
And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and he said, I have an errand to thee, O captain. And Jehu said, Unto which of all us? And he said, To thee, O captain.
6
And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel.
7
And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel.
8
For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel:
9
And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah:
10
And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. And he opened the door, and fled.
11
Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord: and one said unto him, Is all well? wherefore came this mad fellow to thee? And he said unto them, Ye know the man, and his communication.
12
And they said, It is false; tell us now. And he said, Thus and thus spake he to me, saying, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel.
13
Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew with trumpets, saying, Jehu is king.
14
So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (Now Joram had kept Ramothgilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria.
15
But king Joram was returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.) And Jehu said, If it be your minds, then let none go forth nor escape out of the city to go to tell it in Jezreel.
16
So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; for Joram lay there. And Ahaziah king of Judah was come down to see Joram.
17
And there stood a watchman on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. And Joram said, Take an horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace?
18
So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu said, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me. And the watchman told, saying, The messenger came to them, but he cometh not again.
19
Then he sent out a second on horseback, which came to them, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu answered, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me.
20
And the watchman told, saying, He came even unto them, and cometh not again: and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously.
21
And Joram said, Make ready. And his chariot was made ready. And Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out against Jehu, and met him in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite.
22
And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?
23
And Joram turned his hands, and fled, and said to Ahaziah, There is treachery, O Ahaziah.
24
And Jehu drew a bow with his full strength, and smote Jehoram between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot.
25
Then said Jehu to Bidkar his captain, Take up, and cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite: for remember how that, when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, the LORD laid this burden upon him;
26
Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons, saith the LORD; and I will requite thee in this plat, saith the LORD. Now therefore take and cast him into the plat of ground, according to the word of the LORD.
27
But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu followed after him, and said, Smite him also in the chariot. And they did so at the going up to Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he fled to Megiddo, and died there.
28
And his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his sepulchre with his fathers in the city of David.
29
And in the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab began Ahaziah to reign over Judah.
30
And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window.
31
And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace, who slew his master?
32
And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs.
33
And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trode her under foot.
34
And when he was come in, he did eat and drink, and said, Go, see now this cursed woman, and bury her: for she is a king's daughter.
35
And they went to bury her: but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands.
36
Wherefore they came again, and told him. And he said, This is the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel:
37
And the carcass of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel; so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel.


1
And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to them that brought up Ahab's children, saying,
2
Now as soon as this letter cometh to you, seeing your master's sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, a fenced city also, and armor;
3
Look even out the best and meetest of your master's sons, and set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house.
4
But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand?
5
And he that was over the house, and he that was over the city, the elders also, and the bringers up of the children, sent to Jehu, saying, We are thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not make any king: do thou that which is good in thine eyes.
6
Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye be mine, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to morrow this time. Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, which brought them up.
7
And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent him them to Jezreel.
8
And there came a messenger, and told him, saying, They have brought the heads of the king's sons. And he said, Lay ye them in two heaps at the entering in of the gate until the morning.
9
And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye be righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him: but who slew all these?
10
Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the LORD hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah.
11
So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolk, and his priests, until he left him none remaining.
12
And he arose and departed, and came to Samaria. And as he was at the shearing house in the way,
13
Jehu met with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who are ye? And they answered, We are the brethren of Ahaziah; and we go down to salute the children of the king and the children of the queen.
14
And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing house, even two and forty men; neither left he any of them.
15
And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him: and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give me thine hand. And he gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.
16
And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD. So they made him ride in his chariot.
17
And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the LORD, which he spake to Elijah.
18
And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much.
19
Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.
20
And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it.
21
And Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was full from one end to another.
22
And he said unto him that was over the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he brought them forth vestments.
23
And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal, and said unto the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the LORD, but the worshippers of Baal only.
24
And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed fourscore men without, and said, If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape, he that letteth him go, his life shall be for the life of him.
25
And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal.
26
And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burned them.
27
And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day.
28
Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.
29
Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan.
30
And the LORD said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.
31
But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin.
32
In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel;
33
From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.
34
Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
35
And Jehu slept with his fathers: and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead.
36
And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty and eight years.


1
And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal.
2
But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.
3
And he was with her hid in the house of the LORD six years. And Athaliah did reign over the land.
4
And the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the rulers over hundreds, with the captains and the guard, and brought them to him into the house of the LORD, and made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of the LORD, and showed them the king's son.
5
And he commanded them, saying, This is the thing that ye shall do; A third part of you that enter in on the sabbath shall even be keepers of the watch of the king's house;
6
And a third part shall be at the gate of Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the guard: so shall ye keep the watch of the house, that it be not broken down.
7
And two parts of all you that go forth on the sabbath, even they shall keep the watch of the house of the LORD about the king.
8
And ye shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand: and he that cometh within the ranges, let him be slain: and be ye with the king as he goeth out and as he cometh in.
9
And the captains over the hundreds did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest commanded: and they took every man his men that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that should go out on the sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest.
10
And to the captains over hundreds did the priest give king David's spears and shields, that were in the temple of the LORD.
11
And the guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, round about the king, from the right corner of the temple to the left corner of the temple, along by the altar and the temple.
12
And he brought forth the king's son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, God save the king.
13
And when Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people into the temple of the LORD.
14
And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was, and the princes and the trumpeters by the king, and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets: and Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried, Treason, Treason.
15
But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the host, and said unto them, Have her forth without the ranges: and him that followeth her kill with the sword. For the priest had said, Let her not be slain in the house of the LORD.
16
And they laid hands on her; and she went by the way by the which the horses came into the king's house: and there was she slain.
17
And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD's people; between the king also and the people.
18
And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and brake it down; his altars and his images brake they in pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers over the house of the LORD.
19
And he took the rulers over hundreds, and the captains, and the guard, and all the people of the land; and they brought down the king from the house of the LORD, and came by the way of the gate of the guard to the king's house. And he sat on the throne of the kings.
20
And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was in quiet: and they slew Athaliah with the sword beside the king's house.
21
Seven years old was Jehoash when he began to reign.




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The New Testament reading is verses 1-24 in the 5th chapter in the Gospel of John.


1
After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2
Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
3
In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
4
For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.
5
And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
6
When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?
7
The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.
8
Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
9
And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.
10
The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.
11
He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.
12
Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?
13
And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.
14
Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.
15
The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.
16
And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.
17
But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
18
Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
19
Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
20
For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.
21
For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.
22
For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
23
That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
24
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.






13 May 2016

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Friday, 13 May, 2016

Today is "Friday the 13th".  I am not superstitious, but it's not my favorite date.  I suspect that certain cable channels will be replaying the awful movie "Friday the Thirteenth" over and over.  Never have watched it, actually, not my sort of thing and I'm not much for movies anyway.

Wife is doing a teeny bit better.  We shall see: we have a brief (I hope) trip tentatively scheduled for tomorrow morning, but We Shall See.

Rain was predicted for today.  Never happened, at least as of this moment. Probably will occur over night and tomorrow.  Inasmuch as sub-freezing temperatures, even SNOW, are being predicted for parts of the Upper Midwest and mountainous areas of the NorthEast.  So some rain is OK.

TV and radio and Interntet sites are full of the acrimony over Obama's diktat about full access to private areas, like restrooms and and locker rooms, for that class of the delusional who call themselves "transgendered".  Reminds me of some of the accounts in our current Old Testament readings.

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The Old Testament reading is chapters 6, 7, and 8 from 2nd Kings.


1
And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.
2
Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye.
3
And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go.
4
So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood.
5
But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.
6
And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he showed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim.
7
Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it.
8
Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.
9
And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down.
10
And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.
11
Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not show me which of us is for the king of Israel?
12
And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.
13
And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.
14
Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.
15
And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
16
And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.
17
And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
18
And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
19
And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria.
20
And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.
21
And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?
22
And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.
23
And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.
24
And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria.
25
And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver.
26
And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king.
27
And he said, If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress?
28
And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to morrow.
29
So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son.
30
And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.
31
Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.
32
But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man from before him: but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door: is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?
33
And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of the LORD; what should I wait for the LORD any longer?


1
Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the LORD, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.
2
Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.
3
And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?
4
If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.
5
And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians: and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there.
6
For the LORD had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.
7
Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life.
8
And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it.
9
Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king's household.
10
So they came and called unto the porter of the city: and they told them, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but horses tied, and asses tied, and the tents as they were.
11
And he called the porters; and they told it to the king's house within.
12
And the king arose in the night, and said unto his servants, I will now show you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we be hungry; therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, When they come out of the city, we shall catch them alive, and get into the city.
13
And one of his servants answered and said, Let some take, I pray thee, five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city, (behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel that are left in it: behold, I say, they are even as all the multitude of the Israelites that are consumed:) and let us send and see.
14
They took therefore two chariot horses; and the king sent after the host of the Syrians, saying, Go and see.
15
And they went after them unto Jordan: and, lo, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their haste. And the messengers returned, and told the king.
16
And the people went out, and spoiled the tents of the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD.
17
And the king appointed the lord on whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the gate: and the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died, as the man of God had said, who spake when the king came down to him.
18
And it came to pass as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, shall be to morrow about this time in the gate of Samaria:
19
And that lord answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if the LORD should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.
20
And so it fell out unto him: for the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died.


1
Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the LORD hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years.
2
And the woman arose, and did after the saying of the man of God: and she went with her household, and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years.
3
And it came to pass at the seven years' end, that the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines: and she went forth to cry unto the king for her house and for her land.
4
And the king talked with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisha hath done.
5
And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored a dead body to life, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life.
6
And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed unto her a certain officer, saying, Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now.
7
And Elisha came to Damascus; and Benhadad the king of Syria was sick; and it was told him, saying, The man of God is come hither.
8
And the king said unto Hazael, Take a present in thine hand, and go, meet the man of God, and enquire of the LORD by him, saying, Shall I recover of this disease?
9
So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels' burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Thy son Benhadad king of Syria hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this disease?
10
And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou mayest certainly recover: howbeit the LORD hath showed me that he shall surely die.
11
And he settled his countenance stedfastly, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept.
12
And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child.
13
And Hazael said, But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The LORD hath showed me that thou shalt be king over Syria.
14
So he departed from Elisha, and came to his master; who said to him, What said Elisha to thee? And he answered, He told me that thou shouldest surely recover.
15
And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died: and Hazael reigned in his stead.
16
And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign.
17
Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.
18
And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife: and he did evil in the sight of the LORD.
19
Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah for David his servant's sake, as he promised him to give him alway a light, and to his children.
20
In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves.
21
So Joram went over to Zair, and all the chariots with him: and he rose by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him about, and the captains of the chariots: and the people fled into their tents.
22
Yet Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time.
23
And the rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
24
And Joram slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.
25
In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign.
26
Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri king of Israel.
27
And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the LORD, as did the house of Ahab: for he was the son in law of the house of Ahab.
28
And he went with Joram the son of Ahab to the war against Hazael king of Syria in Ramothgilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram.
29
And king Joram went back to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.






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The New Testament reading is verses 31-54 of the 4th chapter in the Gospel of John.

31
In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.
32
But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.
33
Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?
34
Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
35
Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
36
And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
37
And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.
38
I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.
39
And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.
40
So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.
41
And many more believed because of his own word;
42
And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
43
Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.
44
For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.
45
Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.
46
So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.
47
When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.
48
Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
49
The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.
50
Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.
51
And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.
52
Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.
53
So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.
54
This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.





12 May 2016

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Thursday, 12 May 2016

Happy Thursday to all who stop by.  May it be a good day for you.

Dear Wife will be going next door in a little while to "watch" the Beloved Great-Niece while mom and dad are at work.  Dad gets off first, so Wife should be home by 6:30 p.m.  Gives the both of them something to look forward to.  When our kids were small, we had to pay someone to watch them while we worked.  We do it for the joy of it.  And it gives Wife something to look forward to.  These days, she spends nearly all her waking (and some of the snoozing ones as well) in a recliner in the living room.  Not much of a life, but unless and until she fully recovers from that major surgery on her foot, ankle, leg, and tendons last fall, there's not much she can do.  So the few hours she spends with a 3-year-old named after her is good for both of them.  And makes things a bit easier the niece and her husband.  We (she, actually) are the primary "sitters".  One every week or so, the respective grandmothers get a day.  Since the one lives only two doors down, that's not too bad, but my sister-in-law lives across town and transport is occasionally an issue, particularly in bad weather.

It's warm enough today -- FINALLY!  In mid-May at that! -- that I have all the windows open and a window fan going in the one.  We have been told to expect some nasty thunderstorms beginning in just a bit, so having some more-or-less fresh air circulating is A Good Thing.  But we live within a mile radius of six steel-related manufacturing plants, one of them only a block and a half away.  And that doesn't include the two trucking firms or the UPS Freight yard in that same radius.  So the term "fresh air" has to be understood in that context.  Since I spent nearly 30 years working in manufacturing operations across half the U.S., it's nothing I haven't been around, but I didn't work in the steel segment and we didn't live in easy walking distance either.
I guess we were sent here for a reason.

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The Old Testament reading is chapters 4 and 5 of 2nd Kings.  Remember how the people wanted to have a king so that they could be like the nations all around them?  They got their wish.  Unfortunately for them and for everyone.  "Place not thy faith in princes" was good advice then, and it still is.  I think about that a lot as we are being caught up in the election cycles.
The Lord sent, first, Elijah, and now Elisha.  Talk about a tough area for ministry!



1
Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.
2
And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.
3
Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbors, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.
4
And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.
5
So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.
6
And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.
7
Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.
8
And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.
9
And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.
10
Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.
11
And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there.
12
And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him.
13
And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people.
14
And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old.
15
And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door.
16
And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.
17
And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.
18
And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers.
19
And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother.
20
And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died.
21
And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out.
22
And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again.
23
And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.
24
Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee.
25
So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite:
26
Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well:
27
And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.
28
Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me?
29
Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child.
30
And the mother of the child said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her.
31
And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked.
32
And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed.
33
He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD.
34
And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm.
35
Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.
36
And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son.
37
Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.
38
And Elisha came again to Gilgal: and there was a dearth in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him: and he said unto his servant, Set on the great pot, and seethe pottage for the sons of the prophets.
39
And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds his lap full, and came and shred them into the pot of pottage: for they knew them not.
40
So they poured out for the men to eat. And it came to pass, as they were eating of the pottage, that they cried out, and said, O thou man of God, there is death in the pot. And they could not eat thereof.
41
But he said, Then bring meal. And he cast it into the pot; and he said, Pour out for the people, that they may eat. And there was no harm in the pot.
42
And there came a man from Baalshalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the husk thereof. And he said, Give unto the people, that they may eat.
43
And his servitor said, What, should I set this before an hundred men? He said again, Give the people, that they may eat: for thus saith the LORD, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof.
44
So he set it before them, and they did eat, and left thereof, according to the word of the LORD.


1
Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honorable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valor, but he was a leper.
2
And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife.
3
And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.
4
And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.
5
And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.
6
And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.
7
And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.
8
And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.
9
So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
10
And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.
11
But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.
12
Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.
13
And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?
14
Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
15
And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.
16
But he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.
17
And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules' burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD.
18
In this thing the LORD pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon thy servant in this thing.
19
And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.
20
But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.
21
So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?
22
And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.
23
And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him.
24
And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.
25
But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither.
26
And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?
27
The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.




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The New Testament reading is verses 1-30 in the 4th chapter of the Gospel of John.
Jesus is attracting some attention.  And meets someone with several needs.  History recounts that some of those who met Him during this time went on later to be powerful testimonies of His Presence and power.  The woman at the well, and the persons she told of Jesus, I don't know.  But it had to affect some in a powerful way.

1
When therefore the LORD knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,
2
(Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)
3
He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee.
4
And he must needs go through Samaria.
5
Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
6
Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.
7
There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.
8
(For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)
9
Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
10
Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
11
The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
12
Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?
13
Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
14
But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
15
The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.
16
Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.
17
The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:
18
For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.
19
The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
20
Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
21
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
22
Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
23
But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
24
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
25
The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
26
Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
27
And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?
28
The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,
29
Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
30
Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.