Today's Readings and Stuff -- Saturday, 07 January 2017

Was awakened this morning by the plaintive howls of three cats who were certain of imminent starvation if someone, meaning Yours Truly, did not immediately arouse himself and provide canned food.  This was, mercifully, at around 06:20, not the 04:55 as has sometimes been the case.  So I did get a bit of needed rest, before walking on bare feet over a cold floor to Do The Deed.  Noting, throughout, that the bowl of rather expen$ive dry food that I'd put out before retiring was little disturbed.  Whatever.  Came back, tried to rest a bit more in a concession to the toasty warm +2° F.  Not sloth, surely not.  And Dear Wife was, finally, sleeping soundly, and has told me that my body gives off a LOT of heat which keeps her warm and is a bit of a comfort too.  As it is for me.  So I stared at the ceiling, read the passages copied below, counted some blessings, and thought of the state of the world and the people within it.  NONE of which is conducive to sleeping in, so I arose and "nuked" a cup of coffee left over from yesterday.
She's up now, and we have something in the oven for a brunch.  Cats have taken over the bed:  they mostly lie on it all day, until they want our chairs in the evening and fret  until we go to bed.  In the morning, after breakfast, they want the bed back, and "encourage" us to rise and be about our business.  It is sometimes said that, "dogs have owners.  Cats have staff".  Which is probably both true and an indication of the relative power structure here.

We see some interesting things out of mass murder at the Orlando Airport yesterday.  "interesting".

Like, for example, that CNN, wobbling between the "Communist News Network" / the "Clinton News Network" / and the "Crappy News Network", has put out photos of the shooter that have been photoshopped to make this person of Puerto Rican origins appear to be much "whiter" than he really is, therefore lending credence to the usual "white Hispanic" lines they  push.  A bit of editorial propagandizing, in other words, which is the new normal for the Fake Stream Media.
Or the reports that there are photos of him wearing a keffiyeh in a design and pattern suitable for members of ISIS, the army of the "Religion of Pieces", and that he'd been claiming some sort of leanings in that direction.  Reports, by the way, that the Fake Stream Media have been "sitting" on.
Or that the FBI was supposedly "aware" of this guy, but chose to do nothing about it.
Or the like.
Perhaps it's "jihad comes to America", except that jihad has been in America at least since the time of the FIRST bombing of the World Trade Center, back in 1993. when Clinton, the Rapist-in-Chief, was running things.  With many attacks since then, all of them hurriedly reclassified as things like "workplace violence" or "attacks on the LGBTQWERTY community" or the like.
Trust.  It's an important thing.  Hard to gain, easy to lose, nearly impossible to regain.  Trust.  I don't, and no one should, trust the media at all.  Not one bit.  And the same is true of the once-honored tax-funded agencies that are tasked with the protection of the nation.  Like the FBI.  Like the CIA.  Like the NSA.  Like ICE.  Like TSA.  Like IRS.  Like DOD.  Like DIA.  Like DOJ.  Like HSA.  Like ........  too many others.
It's not just another case of the "who will watch the watchers?" issue, a question that dates back to the Roman poet Juvenal around the 1st century.  It's more like the "what is truth?" question/sneer that we associate with Pilate.  Increasingly, "truth" is redefined as being "whatever the powerful, the in-crowd, the politically correct-politically connected say it is".  So it is perfectly OK, indeed nearly required, to ensure that the REAL enemies of All That Is Good are understood to be white Christian males without degrees in Wymyn's Studies or Gender Grievances.  Deviations are either to be ignored or punished as Hate Speech.  Which is one thing on the 4th grade playground, something very different when it is mandated in the elementary school classrooms, the TV news studio, the Congress, the White House, the United Nations, or, sadly, in more than a few pulpits.  Need examples?
Richard Fernandez, a columnist always worth the read, gets into this and related matters, particularly in his most recent,   Fernandez, by the way, has had some practical personal experience in some things, having originated in the Philippines.

I'll try to pry the semi-frozen door open in a bit and check things out.  Perhaps some mail went.

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Today's Old Testament reading is chapters 18 and 19 of the Genesis.
This will contain the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, which most of us know.  The nature of the wicked behavior in those towns that earned this destruction has, particularly in recent years, become a matter of some controversy.  At one time, certainly in my younger days, it was understood and agreed that it was male-on-male homosexual practices, hence the word "sodomy".  As that particular sin is being "decriminalized" in many places, sadly in more than a few church denominations, there's been a concerted effort to redefine the sin as being one of "lacking hospitality" or "discrimination against migrants" or the like.
Also rarely remarked upon, and certainly NEVER in my youth, is the mention of the later conduct of Lot and his daughters.  Having just been rescued by angels! from the destruction, they took him aside, got  him drunk, and committed incest with him!  Perhaps that had been part of the permissive culture of Sodom, I don't know.  But the outcome of that behavior was the origins of two nation/tribes that would long trouble the Hebrews: the Amorites and the Moabites.  Bad things normally result from bad conduct, and bad conduct from bad beliefs and attitudes.  Just another example.  Most of us can think of more.

Genesis 18

1 And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; 2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, 3 And said, My LORD, if now I have found favor in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: 4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: 5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said. 6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. 7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. 8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat. 9 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. 10 And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. 12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? 13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? 14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. 15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh. 16 And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. 17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; 18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. 20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; 21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. 22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD. 23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? 25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? 26 And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes. 27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD, which am but dust and ashes: 28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it. 29 And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake. 30 And he said unto him, Oh let not the LORD be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there. 31 And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake. 32 And he said, Oh let not the LORD be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake. 33 And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

Genesis 19

1 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; 2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night. 3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat. 4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: 5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them. 6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, 7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. 8 Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof. 9 And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door. 10 But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door. 11 And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door. 12 And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: 13 For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it. 14 And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law. 15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. 16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. 17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. 18 And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my LORD: 19 Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast showed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die: 20 Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live. 21 And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken. 22 Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. 23 The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. 24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; 25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. 26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. 27 And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD: 28 And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace. 29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt. 30 And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters. 31 And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth: 32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. 33 And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. 34 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. 35 And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. 36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. 37 And the first born bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day. 38 And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.

incidentally, the town named Zoar here, still exists under the name of "Zoara" and is one the so-called "East Bank" of the Jordan River, southeast of Aqaba, in an area where the nations of Jordan and of Saudi-infested Arabia collide.

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Our New Testament reading is chapter 6 of the Gospel of Matthew.  This continues Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount", part of the whole, and something fit for consideration every day.  These are not "handy suggestions for personal fulfillment", they are His commands as well.  And a key to the kind of people that we should, with God's moment-by-moment help, aiming to become.

Matthew 6

 

1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.  

2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.  

3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:  

4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.  

5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.  

6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.  

7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.  

8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.  

9 After this manner therefore pray ye:  

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 

11 Give us this day our daily bread.  

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.  

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.  

14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.  

16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.  

17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;  

18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.  

19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:  

20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:  

21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 

22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.  

23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!  

24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.  

25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?  

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?  

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:  

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?  

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?  

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Friday, 06 January 2017

Happy Friday to all.  I woke to a "toasty" +2 degrees this morning, the 05:05 "dance of the "starving kitties".  Never  could get back to sleep, something about bare feet on a cold floor and the body's reactions to all of that.  Now, yes, there have been times, too many times, in my life when 05:00 was a normal "get up" time to go to work.  (Not counting the several times that this was when I was just getting home FROM work).  That's no longer the case. But while I don't have to rise that early, I don't want to fall into the temptation to stay in bed  until 10:00 or so, it creates some bad habits.

So I lay in bed, read the passages below, spent some time praying over them, traded some text messages and e-mails, responded to a few things on "social media".  Then my  phone got hijacked, again.  I'm afraid of ransomware, and the like, and studiously avoid known phishing sites and such.  But the next 48 hours or so will tell.  This phone is one I got back in 2013 when I was still working.  With our deal (as one-time cell phone dealers), I could get a newer one essentially for free , but have liked this one.  We shall see.

Hot water in the bathroom sink had been frozen, finally got it flowing again.  Hope the drain isn't frozen as well, that happens sometimes.  I see that the schools are closed in our most recent out-of state home as there were predictions of more than an inch of snow there.  That was in central Alabama.  Ditto for our home previous to that, in eastern Tennessee, Anderson County.  Ditto for one home previous to THAT, in western Arkansas, Sebastian County  Ditto for the one previous to THAT, in eastern Tennessee, Blount County.  One wonders how they would have take to what we had last night and what is out there right now, here.  Oh well.

Wife seems to be a teeny bit better.  A bit.  Not in quite as much pain as the last few days, and perhaps a slightly lower fever.

News is full of four drug O.D. deaths in a neigboring city over the holiday weekend.  One victim was over 60, another over 50.  I was encountering drug addicts, junkies if you prefer, more than 40 years ago in that same city.  Had hoped we would never see that again.  But we do.  It's not a pretty thing, trust me on that.  I have found dead human bodies before.  Not an enjoyable experience or memory.  None were of those close to me, I can't imagine what it feels like to find your dad or brother dead on the floor with a needle in his arm.  No, drug use is NOT a "victimless crime".

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The reading in the Old Testament today is chapters 15, 16. and 17 of the Genesis.  This is the Lord and Abram.  This is where Abram, "exalted father", is renamed Abraham, "father of a multitude".  And Sarai, meaning "princess" is renamed Sarah, implying "THE Princess".
Pretty fancy names for old folks with no kids.  "Father"??

There is something in most of us that wants to leave a mark on the world that will outlast us.  For these people, often nomads, a fixed marker was outside of their scope.  The mark, the legacy, would be their children.  IF, of course, they had any.  The lack of children at this point in their lives, had to have weighed on Abram and Sarai, both.  A mark, it might be thought, of Divine displeasure.
We often try to make marks even today.  Remember the motivation for the Tower of Babel?  To leave a mark.  I see buildings in cities and towns with names on the fascia.  So-and-so's Science Building at the University.  The so-and-so Family Center at a church site.  The so-and-so Boulevard.  And so forth.  I've been in churches with little brass plates on the ends of some of the pews, a sign of the person or family whose donations paid for that pew.  The Nobel Prize, named for Mr. Nobel.  The Pulitzer prize, same thing.  Need more examples?  Sometimes these things are done after the passing of the individual named, sometimes, particularly street names, are done as a reward to the real estate developer.  Not a whole lot removed from the dog who urinates at the corners of "his" yard, leaving a "no trespassing" notice that other dogs will detect.
What kind of a legacy do we leave?  After all, none of us will live in this body forever.  Any of us could pass within the next 24 hours.  I had a neighbor die recently, just a day after we'd talked.  Gone now.  His legacy is a big garage he'd just built to house his racing cars, something that his wife of less than six weeks' duration, probably has zero interest in.  Some legacy!  Oh, and several ex-wives and at least one child who'd not seen him in years and at least one grand-child who never met him.  Legacy.
Who rates our legacy?  The map maker for the town?  The trustees of the church or college or library?  Short-term, if so.  For those unfamiliar, I recommend meditation upon a bit of poetry recalling Ozymandias.
Jesus, who should be our model, left no physical monuments, nor children of His body.  His immediate disciples mostly died in bad ways, mostly without progeny or wealth.   Their legacy, and His too, was obedience to the Father.  The Lord took that obedience, and used it to change the world.
Abraham also was obedient, and it changed the world too.  He was the father of the Jews, which would include Jesus and  those disciples.  With quite a bit of opposition, too.  That hasn't changed.
To Abraham, that promise of the land his descendants would hold, seemed vast beyond belief.  Yet, as the Scripture records, "he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.".
That grant of land, which promise is still good, extended from the Nile River to the Euphrates River.  Quite a bit of land!  As in, a good bit of what is now Egypt, over to Iraq and parts of Turkey.  So much for the "west Bank" wails!
Now, there is nothing necessarily wrong with naming stuff after those whose efforts made those things possible.  Necessarily.  Yes, it can become an idol of sorts (see the descendants of Gideon for example).  But our real legacy, our real legacy, is a living one.  The lives we have touched, by God's grace.  All of us have touched some.  Sometimes for good, sometimes not.  And sometimes we don't even realize it.  But the Lord knows, and sometimes those we've touched know as well, and perhaps we will learn of it in Glory.  Or before the White Throne.
The promises that the Lord made to Abraham and Sarah came to pass.  When Isaac (meaning "he will laugh") was born, Sarah was 90 years old!  Abraham was 100, as we will see in a few days.  WELL beyond the point at which we would think people capable of having children.  But if the Lord could create the world, and light, and gravity, with a word, nothing is beyond His reach.  We do well to remember that.  When all seems lost and dark and hopeless, when we are tempted to despair and lose hope, He is still there.  I know.

Genesis 15

1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. 2 And Abram said, LORD God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? 3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. 4 And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. 5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. 6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness. 7 And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it. 8 And he said, LORD God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? 9 And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. 10 And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not. 11 And when the fowls came down upon the carcasses, Abram drove them away. 12 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him. 13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; 14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. 15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. 16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. 17 And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. 18 In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: 19 The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, 20 And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaim, 21 And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

Genesis 16

1 Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. 2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. 3 And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. 4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. 5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee. 6 But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thine hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face. 7 And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. 8 And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. 9 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands. 10 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. 11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction. 12 And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. 13 And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me? 14 Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered. 15 And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael. 16 And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.

Genesis 17

1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. 2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. 3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, 4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. 5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. 6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. 8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. 9 And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. 10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. 11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. 12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. 13 He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant. 15 And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. 16 And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. 17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? 18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! 19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. 20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. 21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. 22 And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham. 23 And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him. 24 And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 25 And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 26 In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son. 27 And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him.

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The New Testament passage is verses 27-48 in the 5th chapter in the Gospel of Matthew.  More of the Sermon on the Mount.  Jesus teaching, we do well to remember that.  Anyone think we can carry out His commands -- for they are that, commands, not trite suggestions -- in our own power?  I can't.

 Matthew 5:27-48

27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. 29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: 32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. 33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: 34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: 35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. 36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. 37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. 38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. 41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. 43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Thursday, 05 January 2016

Sigh.  Another of "those days".  Or weeks, perhaps.

We had this part of the week somewhat planned.  Yesterday, Dear Wife was going to cut my hair.  Today she was going to "watch" the Little One, the great-niece next door.  And a few other things were in the works as well.  Didn't happen.  Wife has been running a low-grade fever for more than a week now.  One of the nasty effects of the autoimmune diseases that she suffers with, is that the immune systems, having nothing better to do, attack the good things in the body.  Things like skin, eyes, heart, kidneys, and, well, you get the idea.  The remedy is drugs that suppress the immune systems,  Which, in turn, keep those systems from fighting the real germs, etc., as well as having their own sometimes nasty side effects.  So she's probably got a low level sinus thing going, or a cold, or whatever.  One of those drugs, a very good one but extremely high dollar, is taken weekly by self-administered injections and is on the schedule for today, but will be skipped.  And we have a doctor appointment set for Monday morning.  At which time, hopefully, her situation will be addressed.  There have been some new, worrisome developments.  Like hives or welts or rashes or something that mysteriously appear on her back or arms or legs, generally where she's resting her arms on the chair or has wrinkles in her dress in the back or such.  A bit of hydrocortisone cream on the affected areas gets some relief, often nearly immediately, and also helps with the intense itching that seems to accompany all of this.  Perhaps the doc can shed some light on this as well.

But the result of all of this is that she wasn't able to be upright long enough to do the barber thing yesterday, and it may be awhile before she can.  So I look like Jeremiah Johnson.

And it also meant that she didn't feel up to taking care of the Little One today, and asked Niece to find an alternate.  Didn't help that great-niece is sick herself.  Niece asked her mother to substitute, but it would appear that this didn't happen either, as niece's car is still next door.  I'd imagine that she had to call off work herself, which is not what they need right now.

Niece and her husband went to doc yesterday for an ultrasound.  She's recently (Christmas Day) announced that "they" are pregnant.   Due in June in fact.  And as a result of yesterday, it is thought that the new arrival will be a boy.  Neat!  And the name is now set.  The father's name is Robert.  His father's name is Robert.  HIS father's name is Robert (and he's still with us).   So we expect to have a Robert IV later this year.  Not the worst heritage, but I'm glad I didn't get my dad's first name, a rather obscure Biblical one, thought not quite as bad as Habakkuk.

So Wife is on the recliner, with a blanket doubled up over her and an orange cat on top of that, staying warm.

She had a rough night, not helped by that "rescue" kitten/cat getting a "bug" or a "conniption" and racing through the place, using us as part of the race course, leading to me tossing her (the cat) out of the bedroom and securing the door.  Wife got a bit of fitful sleep after that, as did I, but when we were wakened at 04:58 by several "starving" creatures at the bedroom door, I got up and fed them, and she decided to relocate to the recliner.  She often sleeps better in it than in bed, and that proved to be the case, and she slept, hard, until nearly 10:00, which was probably what she needed.  I also laid down in bed and slept, hard for an hour or so, and then kept things quiet so she could sleep as long as possible.  I sat quietly and read. 

Not the most exciting life, but we had a place to sleep and food to eat, and the Lord looking over it all.  We're blessed and grateful.  Now, a miraculous healing would be most welcome, but perhaps He has a better plan.  We shall see.

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The Old Testament reading today is chapters 12, 13, and 14 of the Genesis.  Abram is being led by the Lord from where he was to where the Lord wanted him to be.  And we see here the Lord's promises to him, of the possession of a land that his descendants would have.  Descendants that he, Abram, already an old man, had none of.  None.  I'm sure Abram was sorely tempted to wonder, "Are You kidding me, Lord?".  Tempted, because none of this seemed possible in any way.  Except that it did come to pass.  Not without struggle, and those struggles continue to this very day.  Look up on maps some of those locations.  Hebron, for example.  It's on the "West Bank" of the Jordan River, south of Jerusalem.  The ill-named "palestinians" claim it, but it was and still is part of the patrimony granted by the Lord to the Jews.  Same for Bethel, which is north of Jerusalem.  The louts of the U.N. deny all of that, sadly with the connivance of Obama, but the Lord over-rules all of them.
We also see here the appearance of one Melchizedek, king of Salem.  I presume that "Salem" later became known as "Jerusalem". 

Genesis 12

1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. 4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. 5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came. 6 And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land. 7 And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him. 8 And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD. 9 And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south. 10 And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land. 11 And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon: 12 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive. 13 Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee. 14 And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair. 15 The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house. 16 And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels. 17 And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife. 18 And Pharaoh called Abram and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife? 19 Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way. 20 And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.

Genesis 13

1 And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. 2 And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. 3 And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai; 4 Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD. 5 And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. 6 And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. 7 And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land. 8 And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. 9 Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left. 10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. 11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. 12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. 13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly. 14 And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: 15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. 16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. 17 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee. 18 Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD.

Genesis 14

1 And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations; 2 That these made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar. 3 All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea. 4 Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5 And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emins in Shaveh Kiriathaim, 6 And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto Elparan, which is by the wilderness. 7 And they returned, and came to Enmishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezontamar. 8 And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim; 9 With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five. 10 And the vale of Siddim was full of slime pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain. 11 And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way. 12 And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed. 13 And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram. 14 And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan. 15 And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus. 16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people. 17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale. 18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. 19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: 20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. 21 And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. 22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, 23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich: 24 Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.

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The New Testament passage is verses 1-26 from the 5th chapter in the Gospel of Matthew.
This is the beginning of what is normally called the Sermon on the Mount.  This is as good an exposition of our faith as there is to be found.  One could, and should, meditate at length on every individual verse and phrase.  Doing so for a year, or a month, wouldn't be a bad element of any serious Bible study.  This is setting one's heart to hear and obey the Lord in everything, beginning with our innermost thoughts and attitudes.  It certainly makes my own to be lacking His perfection, but that's the point of having a target.

Matthew 5:1-26

1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:  

2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,  

3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  

4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.  

5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.  

6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 

7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.  

8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.  

9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.  

10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.  

12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.  

13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.  

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.  

15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.  

17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 

18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.  

19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  

20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.  

21 Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:  

22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.  

23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;  

24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. 

25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.  

26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Wednesday, 04 January 2017

Not a good night for Dear Wife.  After I got up at 05:45 to feed cats, etc. and try to get going, she finally lapsed into a deep sleep, first she'd had all night.  She's still asleep, though at least one cat is in there curled up to give her warmth and some emotional support for both of them.  I don't pretend to understand, never will.  I got up and did the "morning routine" stuff.  Made a tin of muffins for us, but probably over-baked them a bit.  Taste good anyway. 

She'd promised to cut my hair today:  I haven't been to a real barber since around 2003, saves a bit of money over the last 13-1/2 years.  That was the same guy, by the way, who had given Elvis Presley his first military haircut.  Fred has passed on now, but his son is the mayor of that little town in western Arkansas.  Some of those people who, had it not been for our having careened across half the United States, we'd have never met.  That was back in Arkansas, which was both before and after sojourns in east Tennessee, and before our time in Alabama, before our move back to Ohio. 

So, perhaps, I'll get some hairs cut.  Starting to look like Jeremiah Johnson, or the like.  At least one of our neighbors cuts his OWN hair, which I'm not quite ready to do.  I guess that if you put the right size "comb" on the clippers and do the whole thing at a uniform length, it's OK.  Not quite ready for either an all-over buzz cut, or shaving it as one does.  Of course, if I lose much more, it'll be an option.  I've seen photos of my dad at age 30 (before I was born) and he was essentially bald, a receding hairline that took most everything back to the "crown".  I'm a good bit past 30 now, and still have more than he did, so I should be grateful.  I guess.  And, yes, mom cut his hair, and the rest of us boys' hair as well.  Money was well beyond tight.

The news this morning is already full of woe, and rancor, and troubles.  I guess it was ever thus, but it can wear one down.  Certainly can't really be permanently fixed by human efforts, we have thousands of years of history to confirm that.

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The Old Testament reading this morning is chapters 9, 10, and 11 of the Genesis.
Been quite a lot here in just a few days.  From the Creation, to the Fall, to Cain and Abel, to the Flood, and the Tower of Babel.  And now we see Shem and his descendants including Abram - later to be renamed Abraham -- and his wife Sarai, later to be Sarah.  The ancestors of many.  But we also see the start of the Canaanites, and many others who will be present later in the records.   The results of the other two sons of Noah, Ham and Japeth, are and have long been subjects of speculation and controversy.  I don't pretend to know the truth of the matter, and perhaps it is not all that important in the chain of events that leads to the Christ, and to our world today.  I dimply do not know, and doubt that anyone living really does.

Genesis 9

1 And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. 2 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. 3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. 4 But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. 5 And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. 6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man. 7 And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein. 8 And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, 9 And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; 10 And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth. 11 And I will establish my covenant with you, neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. 12 And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. 14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: 15 And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. 17 And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth. 18 And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan. 19 These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread. 20 And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: 21 And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. 23 And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness. 24 And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him. 25 And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. 26 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. 27 God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. 28 And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years. 29 And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and he died.

Genesis 10

1 Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood. 2 The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. 3 And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah. 4 And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. 5 By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations. 6 And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan. 7 And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtechah: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan. 8 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD. 10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. 11 Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, 12 And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city. 13 And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim, 14 And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (out of whom came Philistim,) and Caphtorim. 15 And Canaan begat Sidon his first born, and Heth, 16 And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite, 17 And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, 18 And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad. 19 And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha. 20 These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations. 21 Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born. 22 The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram. 23 And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash. 24 And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber. 25 And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan. 26 And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah, 27 And Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah, 28 And Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba, 29 And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab: all these were the sons of Joktan. 30 And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar a mount of the east. 31 These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations. 32 These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.

Genesis 11

1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. 2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. 3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. 4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. 5 And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. 6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. 7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. 8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. 9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth. 10 These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood: 11 And Shem lived after he begat Arphaxad five hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. 12 And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years, and begat Salah: 13 And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters. 14 And Salah lived thirty years, and begat Eber: 15 And Salah lived after he begat Eber four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters. 16 And Eber lived four and thirty years, and begat Peleg: 17 And Eber lived after he begat Peleg four hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters. 18 And Peleg lived thirty years, and begat Reu: 19 And Peleg lived after he begat Reu two hundred and nine years, and begat sons and daughters. 20 And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat Serug: 21 And Reu lived after he begat Serug two hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters. 22 And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor: 23 And Serug lived after he begat Nahor two hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. 24 And Nahor lived nine and twenty years, and begat Terah: 25 And Nahor lived after he begat Terah an hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and daughters. 26 And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran. 27 Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot. 28 And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees. 29 And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah. 30 But Sarai was barren; she had no child. 31 And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there. 32 And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.

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The New Testament passage is chapter 4 of the Gospel of Matthew.
Jesus, having been baptized by John and confirmed by the Spirit, is tempted.  And resists the tempter.  Great success events are often immediately followed by the attacks of the devil.  Even Jesus, so don't be surprised. 
And then He begins calling His disciples.  I don't think they'd woken that morning expecting that.  Possibly they had heard of Him, hard to tell.  But note something:  it records that when He called, they IMMEDIATELY left whatever they were doing, and leaving their whole life and world behind them, abandoned all to follow Him.  That's still the model.  Easy to say, hard to do.

Matthew 4

1 Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. 5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him. 12 Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; 13 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: 14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, 15 The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; 16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. 17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. 21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. 22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him. 23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. 24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. 25 And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.