Today's Readings And Stuff -- Friday, 15 June 2018

Sigh..   Another week about gone.  The longest day of the year is less than a week away.  From then on, the countdown to Winter,  the shortest day, begins.
But tomorrow will be a bit of a party gathering here.




Song of the day goes with what was going through my mind yesterday afternoon and evening, and into the night.  An "oldie but goodie", one I recall from my youth, but rarely heard these days in most venues.  Remember "Take Time To Be Holy"?  It came to mind as I was crouching by the veggie garden outside, pulling weeds.  Pulling weeds in a garden is one of those jobs that is never ever "done".  Spend two  hours, even in a small garden like ours, pulling weeds.  Go get a drink of tea or lemonade, and look at the garden.   You'd swear no one had ever done anything there.  The more you clear, the more you see.  Dealing with my own sins and failures feels like that.  The closer that I get to Him, the more of my own sin nature that I can see.  The "that's not so bad" attitude that I once held looks pretty awful now.   Trying to come into the very Presence of the Lord demands more of us than that.  This is pretty good instruction for living the Christian life.

1. Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
   Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word.
   Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak,
   Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.
2. Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
   Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone.
   By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
   Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.
3. Take time to be holy, let Him be thy Guide;
   And run not before Him, whatever betide.
   In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord,
   And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word.
4. Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul,
   Each thought and each motive beneath His control.
   Thus led by His Spirit to fountains of love,
   Thou soon shalt be fitted for service above.

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2nd Kings 15

1  In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign.

2  Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.

3  And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah had done;

4  Save that the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burnt incense still on the high places.

5  And the Lord smote the king, so that he was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house. And Jotham the king's son was over the house, judging the people of the land.

6  And the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

7  So Azariah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.

8  In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months.

9  And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, as his fathers had done: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.

10  And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote him before the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.

11  And the rest of the acts of Zachariah, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

12  This was the word of the Lord which he spake unto Jehu, saying, Thy sons shall sit on the throne of Israel unto the fourth generation. And so it came to pass.

13  Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the nine and thirtieth year of Uzziah king of Judah; and he reigned a full month in Samaria.

14  For Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah, and came to Samaria, and smote Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.

15  And the rest of the acts of Shallum, and his conspiracy which he made, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

16  Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the coasts thereof from Tirzah: because they opened not to him, therefore he smote it; and all the women therein that were with child he ripped up.

17  In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of Judah began Menahem the son of Gadi to reign over Israel, and reigned ten years in Samaria.

18  And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord: he departed not all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.

19  And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land: and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand.

20  And Menahem exacted the money of Israel, even of all the mighty men of wealth, of each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back, and stayed not there in the land.exacted: Heb. caused to come forth

21  And the rest of the acts of Menahem, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

22  And Menahem slept with his fathers; and Pekahiah his son reigned in his stead.

23  In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekahiah the son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned two years.

24  And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.

25  But Pekah the son of Remaliah, a captain of his, conspired against him, and smote him in Samaria, in the palace of the king's house, with Argob and Arieh, and with him fifty men of the Gileadites: and he killed him, and reigned in his room.

26  And the rest of the acts of Pekahiah, and all that he did, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

27  In the two and fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekah the son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned twenty years.

28  And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.

29  In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglath–pileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abel–beth–maachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria.

30  And Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and smote him, and slew him, and reigned in his stead, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah.

31  And the rest of the acts of Pekah, and all that he did, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

32  In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel began Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign.

33  Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok.

34  And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord: he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done.

35  Howbeit the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burned incense still in the high places. He built the higher gate of the house of the Lord.

36  Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

37  In those days the Lord began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah.

38  And Jotham slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.

 2nd Kings 16

1  In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign.

2  Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord his God, like David his father.

3  But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel.

4  And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.

5  Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to war: and they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him.

6  At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria, and drave the Jews from Elath: and the Syrians came to Elath, and dwelt there unto this day.from Elath: Heb. from Eloth

7  So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath–pileser king of Assyria, saying, I am thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise up against me.

8  And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent it for a present to the king of Assyria.

9  And the king of Assyria hearkened unto him: for the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried the people of it captive to Kir, and slew Rezin.Damascus: Heb. Dammesek

10  And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath–pileser king of Assyria, and saw an altar that was at Damascus: and king Ahaz sent to Uriah the priest the fashion of the altar, and the pattern of it, according to all the workmanship thereof.Damascus: Heb. Dammesek

11  And Uriah the priest built an altar according to all that king Ahaz had sent from Damascus: so Uriah the priest made it against king Ahaz came from Damascus.

12  And when the king was come from Damascus, the king saw the altar: and the king approached to the altar, and offered thereon.

13  And he burnt his burnt offering and his meat offering, and poured his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings, upon the altar.his peace offerings: Heb. the peace offerings which were his

14  And he brought also the brasen altar, which was before the Lord, from the forefront of the house, from between the altar and the house of the Lord, and put it on the north side of the altar.

15  And king Ahaz commanded Uriah the priest, saying, Upon the great altar burn the morning burnt offering, and the evening meat offering, and the king's burnt sacrifice, and his meat offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings; and sprinkle upon it all the blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice: and the brasen altar shall be for me to enquire by.

16  Thus did Uriah the priest, according to all that king Ahaz commanded.

17  And king Ahaz cut off the borders of the bases, and removed the laver from off them; and took down the sea from off the brasen oxen that were under it, and put it upon a pavement of stones.

18  And the covert for the sabbath that they had built in the house, and the king's entry without, turned he from the house of the Lord for the king of Assyria.

19  Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

20  And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.

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 Today, verses 9-16 in Psalm 119.  Verse 11 is a great "life verse".

BETH.    
בּ

 

9  Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

10  With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

11  Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

12  Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes.

13  With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.

14  I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.

15  I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.

16  I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

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Today, chapter 3 in the  Epistle to the Romans

Romans 3

1  What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?

2  Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

3  For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

4  God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

5  But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man)

6  God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?

7  For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?

8  And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.

9  What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;

10  As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

11  There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

12  They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

13  Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:

14  Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

15  Their feet are swift to shed blood:

16  Destruction and misery are in their ways:

17  And the way of peace have they not known:

18  There is no fear of God before their eyes.

19  Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

20  Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

21  But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

22  Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

24  Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

25  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

26  To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

27  Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

28  Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

29  Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:

30  Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

31  Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.