Today's Readings and Stuff -- Monday, 13 August 2018

Today, a lot of thoughts, mostly as a result of reflection on yesterday's events.
As noted then, I had to miss church services in order to be in attendance at a family event.  In so doing, I found myself listening to the accounts of some people who are determined to never darken a church door, and raising their kids the same way.
There is a culture clash here.  We're supposed to be leading others to a relationship with the Lord, but many of us prefer the ambiance of the "holy huddle".  That's understandable, and comforting, and can be encouraging, but it's not necessarily our assignment.
What some revert to, when faced with this situation, is argument.  Now, stating the faith we hold isn't evil.  But that is not necessarily effective, depending upon method.  And depending upon motive.  Is our motive bringing others to a saving knowledge of Christ, or is it to win an argument and feel good about ourselves?  I think we've all seen -- or done -- some efforts that drove people from the Lord, not to Him. 
I'm troubled by all of it.

Along the way, my mind has been hearing some songs.  If the reader hasn't by now guessed that I often meditate on these things, please know that such is the case.

So, today:
I love all of these, and have sung them in several venues.  I do miss that.


Link - "Be Thou My Vision"

and

  Look For Me Around The Throne

or

I Stand Amazed



and, finally- "Knowing You, Jesus"

All I once held dear Built my life upon All this world reveres And wants to own All I once thought gain I have counted loss Spent and worthless now Compared to this Knowing You Jesus, knowing You There is no greater thing You're my all You're the best You're my joy my righteousness And I love You Lord Now my heart's desire Is to know You more To be found in You And known as Yours To possess by faith What I could not earn All surpassing gift of righteousness Knowing You Jesus, knowing You There is no greater thing You're my all You're the best You're my joy my righteousness And I love You Lord Oh to know the power of Your risen life And to know You in Your sufferings To become like You In Your death my Lord So with You to live and never die Knowing You - (spoken) Knowing You Jesus, knowing You There is no greater thing You're my all You're the best You're my joy my righteousness You're my all - (spoken) You're my all You're the best You're my joy my righteousness And I love You Lord You're my all You're my all You're the best You're my joy my righteousness And I love You Lord Love You Lord You're the best My joy, my righteousness For the rest of my days

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More in Job.  Oh, and a reminder of another song, inspired by Job.
I Know That My Redeemer Liveth.  Yes, it's in the Messiah, but it was inspired by Job 19:25

Job 7

1Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?an appointed…: or, a warfare

2As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:earnestly…: Heb. gapeth after

3So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.

4When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.the night…: Heb. the evening be measured?

5My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome.

6My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.

7O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good.shall…: Heb. shall not returnsee: to see, that is, to enjoy

8The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.I am…: that is, I can live no longer

9As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.

10He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.

11Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

12Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?

13When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint;

14Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions:

15So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.life: Heb. bones

16I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity.

17What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?

18And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?

19How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?

20I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?

21And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.

Job 8

1Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

2How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?

3Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?

4If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;for…: Heb. in the hand of their transgression

5If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;

6If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

7Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.

8For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:

9(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:)nothing: Heb. not

10Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?

11Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?

12Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb.

13So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish:

14Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider's web.web: Heb. house

15He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure.

16He is green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden.

17His roots are wrapped about the heap, and seeth the place of stones.

18If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee.

19Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow.

20Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers:help…: Heb. take the ungodly by the handcome: Heb. shall not be

21Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.rejoicing: Heb. shouting for joy

22They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought.

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Psalm 140

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.

1Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man;violent…: Heb. man of violences

2Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.

3They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah.

4Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.

5The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah.

6I said unto the Lord, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord.

7O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.

8Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah.lest…: or, let them not be exalted

9As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.

10Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again.

11Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.an…: or, an evil speaker (Heb. a man of tongue), a wicked man of violence, be established in the earth: let him be hunted to his overthrow

12I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.

13Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.

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2nd Corinthians 11

1Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.

2For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

3But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

4For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

5For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.

6But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been thoroughly made manifest among you in all things.

7Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?

8I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.

9And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.

10As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

11Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.

12But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.

13For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

14And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

15Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

16I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.

17That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.

18Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.

19For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.

20For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face.

21I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also.

22Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.

23Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.

24Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.

25Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;

26In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;

27In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

28Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

29Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?

30If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.

31The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.

32In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:

33And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.