Today's Readings and Stuff -- Friday, 27 May 2016
Two weeks ago, we had SNOW here. Today we are well into the 80's and have been there for most of the week. Ohio. What more needs to be said.
Wife was "watching" great-niece yesterday. So she's been recuperating from that ever since. She's up on her feet now, but has been horizontal for most of the last 28 hours. Foot was swelled up, black/bruised, and paid was great. The new podiatrist we saw this week gave (well, sold) her some special insoles to try. Appears that they made things worse. He made mention of some totally custom ones that could be arranged, for a "mere" $400 or so, all of it out of our limited funds. Meaning that it ain't gonna happen, can't. We simply do not have it. So we'll continue "our' routine of massages, pain pills, moisturizer on the whole area, and elevation so much as is possible.
She sent me down to the "local" market to get some items that were suddenly needed. Niece's husband next door very kindly put new brake pads on the front wheels of our ancient vehicle last night. VERY grateful. Very. The grinding sound is gone. Good! But now we have an odd vibration in the front end when making low speed turns, and if you hit a rough spot on the road there's some very noticeable vibration in the steering wheel. Not good, I think. And they (he and niece) had to work late tonight and are leaving in the morning for a 3-day weekend at a camp site that his family has right at a state park. So no chance to consult with him. Have to wait until he gets home Monday night (and then has to work Tuesday morning). So we shall see, and I'll do no driving until Sunday morning en route to church services.
Can't miss church Sunday. This is a very small and aging congregation. But there are FOUR baptisms scheduled for Sunday morning. Not sure of who all, but two of them are teens. Can't miss that -- haven't seen the baptistry used for a year. Good sign, I hope.
==================================================
========================================
The Old Testament reading is chapters 20, 21, and 22 of 1st Chronicles.
1
|
And
it came to pass, that after the year was expired, at the time that
kings go out to battle, Joab led forth the power of the army, and wasted
the country of the children of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But
David tarried at Jerusalem. And Joab smote Rabbah, and destroyed it.
|
2
|
And
David took the crown of their king from off his head, and found it to
weigh a talent of gold, and there were precious stones in it; and it was
set upon David's head: and he brought also exceeding much spoil out of
the city.
|
3
|
And
he brought out the people that were in it, and cut them with saws, and
with harrows of iron, and with axes. Even so dealt David with all the
cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned
to Jerusalem.
|
4
|
And
it came to pass after this, that there arose war at Gezer with the
Philistines; at which time Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Sippai, that
was of the children of the giant: and they were subdued.
|
5
|
And
there was war again with the Philistines; and Elhanan the son of Jair
slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear staff was
like a weaver's beam.
|
6
|
And
yet again there was war at Gath, where was a man of great stature,
whose fingers and toes were four and twenty, six on each hand, and six
on each foot and he also was the son of the giant.
|
7
|
But when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea David's brother slew him.
|
8
|
These were born unto the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.
|
1
|
And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.
|
2
|
And
David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel
from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I
may know it.
|
3
|
And
Joab answered, The LORD make his people an hundred times so many more
as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants?
why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of
trespass to Israel?
|
4
|
Nevertheless
the king's word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed, and
went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.
|
5
|
And
Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And all they
of Israel were a thousand thousand and an hundred thousand men that drew
sword: and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that
drew sword.
|
6
|
But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them: for the king's word was abominable to Joab.
|
7
|
And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel.
|
8
|
And
David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this
thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for
I have done very foolishly.
|
9
|
And the LORD spake unto Gad, David's seer, saying,
|
10
|
Go and tell David, saying, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things: choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.
|
11
|
So Gad came to David, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Choose thee
|
12
|
Either
three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes,
while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three
days the sword of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land, and the
angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now
therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent
me.
|
13
|
And
David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the
hand of the LORD; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall
into the hand of man.
|
14
|
So the LORD sent pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men.
|
15
|
And
God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was
destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said
to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the
angel of the LORD stood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.
|
16
|
And
David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between
the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out
over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed
in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
|
17
|
And
David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be
numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for
these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O LORD
my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that
they should be plagued.
|
18
|
Then
the angel of the LORD commanded Gad to say to David, that David should
go up, and set up an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Ornan
the Jebusite.
|
19
|
And David went up at the saying of Gad, which he spake in the name of the LORD.
|
20
|
And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four sons with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat.
|
21
|
And
as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the
threshingfloor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground.
|
22
|
Then
David said to Ornan, Grant me the place of this threshingfloor, that I
may build an altar therein unto the LORD: thou shalt grant it me for the
full price: that the plague may be stayed from the people.
|
23
|
And
Ornan said unto David, Take it to thee, and let my lord the king do
that which is good in his eyes: lo, I give thee the oxen also for burnt
offerings, and the threshing instruments for wood, and the wheat for the
meat offering; I give it all.
|
24
|
And
king David said to Ornan, Nay; but I will verily buy it for the full
price: for I will not take that which is thine for the LORD, nor offer
burnt offerings without cost.
|
25
|
So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight.
|
26
|
And
David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings
and peace offerings, and called upon the LORD; and he answered him from
heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.
|
27
|
And the LORD commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof.
|
28
|
At
that time when David saw that the LORD had answered him in the
threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there.
|
29
|
For
the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the
altar of the burnt offering, were at that season in the high place at
Gibeon.
|
30
|
But David could not go before it to enquire of God: for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of the LORD.
|
1
|
Then David said, This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Israel.
|
2
|
And
David commanded to gather together the strangers that were in the land
of Israel; and he set masons to hew wrought stones to build the house of
God.
|
3
|
And
David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the
gates, and for the joinings; and brass in abundance without weight;
|
4
|
Also cedar trees in abundance: for the Zidonians and they of Tyre brought much cedar wood to David.
|
5
|
And
David said, Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is
to be builded for the LORD must be exceeding magnificent, of fame and of
glory throughout all countries: I will therefore now make preparation
for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death.
|
6
|
Then he called for Solomon his son, and charged him to build an house for the LORD God of Israel.
|
7
|
And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God:
|
8
|
But
the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood
abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto
my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight.
|
9
|
Behold,
a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will
give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be
Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days.
|
10
|
He
shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be
his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel
for ever.
|
11
|
Now, my son, the LORD be with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of the LORD thy God, as he hath said of thee.
|
12
|
Only
the LORD give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge
concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the LORD thy God.
|
13
|
Then
shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and
judgments which the LORD charged Moses with concerning Israel: be
strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed.
|
14
|
Now,
behold, in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the LORD an
hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of
silver; and of brass and iron without weight; for it is in abundance:
timber also and stone have I prepared; and thou mayest add thereto.
|
15
|
Moreover
there are workmen with thee in abundance, hewers and workers of stone
and timber, and all manner of cunning men for every manner of work.
|
16
|
Of
the gold, the silver, and the brass, and the iron, there is no number.
Arise therefore, and be doing, and the LORD be with thee.
|
17
|
David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying,
|
18
|
Is
not the LORD your God with you? and hath he not given you rest on every
side? for he hath given the inhabitants of the land into mine hand; and
the land is subdued before the LORD, and before his people.
|
19
|
Now
set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise
therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the LORD God, to bring the ark
of the covenant of the LORD, and the holy vessels of God, into the house
that is to be built to the name of the LORD.
|
========================================
==========================================
The New Testament reading is verses 22-42 in the 10th chapter in the Gospel of John.
22
|
And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.
|
23
|
And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch.
|
24
|
Then
came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou
make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.
|
25
|
Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.
|
26
|
But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
|
27
|
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
|
28
|
And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
|
29
|
My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
|
30
|
I and my Father are one.
|
31
|
Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
|
32
|
Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
|
33
|
The
Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for
blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
|
34
|
Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
|
35
|
If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
|
36
|
Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?
|
37
|
If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.
|
38
|
But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
|
39
|
Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,
|
40
|
And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode.
|
41
|
And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true.
|
42
|
And many believed on him there.
|
