Today's Readings and Stuff -- Friday, 16 March 2018

Happy Friday to all.  The huge "lake effect" snow dump that we were expecting last night appears to be about an inch.  Yes, we have some flakes falling down now, and swirling around in the air, but not "white out" conditions.  But I'm not sure of what the roads are like, and have no where to be today, which is fine by me.
I'd expected to have to go out today, headed Across The Line to the Pharmacy to pick up the shipped-in unusual meds refill for wife.  But she got notified early afternoon yesterday that they'd arrived, so I thought to go then and to avoid a blizzard situation today.  No harm done.
We are now in the 2nd half of March.  Official beginning of Spring is in just a few days.  Doesn't mean the end of snow and cold of course, not around here.  But a hopeful mile marker.

Another night of weird dreams and a couple of songs.  One in particular, I was in a large place, reminded me of a convention center or very large hall.  And filled with people, vendor tables, all that.  And all, every one of them, in sadness and sorrow, all consumed with loneliness and loss of hope, no love, no joy.  And no God.  I remember speaking to a few of them, complimenting them on some thing of vague detail, and they broke down in tears.  I was given to understand that, for many there, it was the first words of affirmation that they'd heard in VERY long times, the first words that might be a ray of hope.  None of them knew the Lord, except perhaps as an element of bad language.
Our world is full of similar cases.  What are we doing to address that?

People Need  The Lord is one of the songs that came to mind in that.  It's an old one, but good.  And the video that accompanies this one is well done.

I Need Thee Every Hour    
Yes, I need Him every hour and every second.  So do we all.  Sometimes we forget that.  And some were never told.

and then, with a worthy preface here,  Then Came  The Morning
appropriate this time of year, but also the rest of the year. 

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The Old Testament passage is chapters 31 and 32 in the book of Numbers

This is  something that upsets some of our "liberal" friends.  War and slaughter and judgment, commanded by the Lord.

Numbers 31

1  And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

2  Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.

3  And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the Lord of Midian.

4  Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war.

5  So there were delivered out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.

6  And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand.

7  And they warred against the Midianites, as the Lord commanded Moses; and they slew all the males.

8  And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.

9  And the children of Israel took all the women of Midian captives, and their little ones, and took the spoil of all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods.

10  And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelt, and all their goodly castles, with fire.

11  And they took all the spoil, and all the prey, both of men and of beasts.

12  And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and unto the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by Jordan near Jericho.

13  And Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the congregation, went forth to meet them without the camp.

14  And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from the battle.

15  And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive?

16  Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord.

17  Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him.

18  But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.

19  And do ye abide without the camp seven days: whosoever hath killed any person, and whosoever hath touched any slain, purify both yourselves and your captives on the third day, and on the seventh day.

20  And purify all your raiment, and all that is made of skins, and all work of goats' hair, and all things made of wood.

21  And Eleazar the priest said unto the men of war which went to the battle, This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord commanded Moses;

22  Only the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead,

23  Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water.

24  And ye shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and ye shall be clean, and afterward ye shall come into the camp.

25  And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

26  Take the sum of the prey that was taken, both of man and of beast, thou, and Eleazar the priest, and the chief fathers of the congregation:

27  And divide the prey into two parts; between them that took the war upon them, who went out to battle, and between all the congregation:

28  And levy a tribute unto the Lord of the men of war which went out to battle: one soul of five hundred, both of the persons, and of the beeves, and of the asses, and of the sheep:

29  Take it of their half, and give it unto Eleazar the priest, for an heave offering of the Lord.

30  And of the children of Israel's half, thou shalt take one portion of fifty, of the persons, of the beeves, of the asses, and of the flocks, of all manner of beasts, and give them unto the Levites, which keep the charge of the tabernacle of the Lord.

31  And Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses.

32  And the booty, being the rest of the prey which the men of war had caught, was six hundred thousand and seventy thousand and five thousand sheep,

33  And threescore and twelve thousand beeves,

34  And threescore and one thousand asses,

35  And thirty and two thousand persons in all, of women that had not known man by lying with him.

36  And the half, which was the portion of them that went out to war, was in number three hundred thousand and seven and thirty thousand and five hundred sheep:

37  And the Lord's tribute of the sheep was six hundred and threescore and fifteen.

38  And the beeves were thirty and six thousand; of which the Lord's tribute was threescore and twelve.

39  And the asses were thirty thousand and five hundred; of which the Lord's tribute was threescore and one.

40  And the persons were sixteen thousand; of which the Lord's tribute was thirty and two persons.

41  And Moses gave the tribute, which was the Lord's heave offering, unto Eleazar the priest, as the Lord commanded Moses.

42  And of the children of Israel's half, which Moses divided from the men that warred,

43  (Now the half that pertained unto the congregation was three hundred thousand and thirty thousand and seven thousand and five hundred sheep,

44  And thirty and six thousand beeves,

45  And thirty thousand asses and five hundred,

46  And sixteen thousand persons;)

47  Even of the children of Israel's half, Moses took one portion of fifty, both of man and of beast, and gave them unto the Levites, which kept the charge of the tabernacle of the Lord; as the Lord commanded Moses.

48  And the officers which were over thousands of the host, the captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds, came near unto Moses:

49  And they said unto Moses, Thy servants have taken the sum of the men of war which are under our charge, and there lacketh not one man of us.

50  We have therefore brought an oblation for the Lord, what every man hath gotten, of jewels of gold, chains, and bracelets, rings, earrings, and tablets, to make an atonement for our souls before the Lord.

51  And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of them, even all wrought jewels.

52  And all the gold of the offering that they offered up to the Lord, of the captains of thousands, and of the captains of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels.

53  (For the men of war had taken spoil, every man for himself.)

54  And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tabernacle of the congregation, for a memorial for the children of Israel before the Lord.

Numbers 32

1  Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle;

2  The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spake unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and unto the princes of the congregation, saying,

3  Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon,

4  Even the country which the Lord smote before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle, and thy servants have cattle:

5  Wherefore, said they, if we have found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan.

6  And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here?

7  And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the Lord hath given them?

8  Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadesh–barnea to see the land.

9  For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the Lord had given them.

10  And the Lord's anger was kindled the same time, and he sware, saying,

11  Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me:

12  Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the Lord.

13  And the Lord's anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the Lord, was consumed.

14  And, behold, ye are risen up in your fathers' stead, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the Lord toward Israel.

15  For if ye turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and ye shall destroy all this people.

16  And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones:

17  But we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities because of the inhabitants of the land.

18  We will not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance.

19  For we will not inherit with them on yonder side Jordan, or forward; because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side Jordan eastward.

20  And Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will go armed before the Lord to war,

21  And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the Lord, until he hath driven out his enemies from before him,

22  And the land be subdued before the Lord: then afterward ye shall return, and be guiltless before the Lord, and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the Lord.

23  But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out.

24  Build you cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which hath proceeded out of your mouth.

25  And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spake unto Moses, saying, Thy servants will do as my lord commandeth.

26  Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, shall be there in the cities of Gilead:

27  But thy servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before the Lord to battle, as my lord saith.

28  So concerning them Moses commanded Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel:

29  And Moses said unto them, If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over Jordan, every man armed to battle, before the Lord, and the land shall be subdued before you; then ye shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession:

30  But if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.

31  And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As the Lord hath said unto thy servants, so will we do.

32  We will pass over armed before the Lord into the land of Canaan, that the possession of our inheritance on this side Jordan may be ours.

33  And Moses gave unto them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and unto half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, with the cities thereof in the coasts, even the cities of the country round about.

34  And the children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer,

35  And Atroth Shophan, and Jaazer, and Jogbehah,Jaazer: also called, Jazer

36  And Beth–nimrah, and Beth–haran, fenced cities: and folds for sheep.Beth–nimrah: also called, Nimrah

37  And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kiriathaim,

38  And Nebo, and Baal–meon, (their names being changed,) and Sibmah: and gave other names unto the cities which they builded.gave…: Heb. they called by names the names of the cities

39  And the children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead, and took it, and dispossessed the Amorite which was in it.

40  And Moses gave Gilead unto Machir the son of Manasseh; and he dwelt therein.

41  And Jair the son of Manasseh went and took the small towns thereof, and called them Havoth–jair.

42  And Nobah went and took Kenath, and the villages thereof, and called it Nobah, after his own name.

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Psalm 55

To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David.

1  Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication

2  Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise;

3  Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me.

4  My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.

5  Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.

6  And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest.

7  Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah.

8  I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.

9  Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.

10  Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it.

11  Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets.

12  For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him:

13  But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.

14  We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.

15  Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.

16  As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me.

17  Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.

18  He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.

19  God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.

20  He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant.

21  The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.

22  Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved

23  But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.

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Luke 10

1  After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.

2  Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

3  Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.

4   Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.

5 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.

6 And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.

7 And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.

8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:

9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,

11 Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

12 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.

13 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

14  But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.

15 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.

16  He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.

17  And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

18  And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

19   Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

20  Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

21  In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

22  All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.

23  And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:

24   For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

25  And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

26  He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

27  And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

28  And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

29  But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

30  And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

31   And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

37And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

38  Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

39  And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.

40  But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

41  And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

42  But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.