Today's Readings and Stuff -- Tuesday, 04 December 2018

Today was one of the "watch the great-nephew next door" days, as mom at work, dad sleeping after a 12-hour night shift, and great-niece at kindergarten.  He (the little guy) is VERY active, Wife has some energy and mobility issues, so Yours Truly gets to fetch & carry and also to corral the little one as he tries to climb over baby gates, pull down furniture, and numerous other activities.  So, after that, he finally went down for a nap, I put him in crib in same room as his dad sleeps in, and we beat a retreat.  Wife's been pretty much down for the count afterwards, though we did eat a little bit during that.  She's in some pain, but she wants me to hold off on the pain creams etc. that actually do a lot of good, meaning she wants to wait until around bed time so that they don't wear off as she's trying to sleep.  OK, her call.
I got four loads of laundry done, washed dishes (by hand), did the cleaning cycle on her CPAP (technically a Bi-PAP but few know the term), made the bed, etc. etc.  All the "around the house" chores, etc. that I do. 
Trying to do some reading.  Am way behind on that.  Picked up a volume at the library on the history of hymns, a subject that I'm really enjoying.  And that's just *hymns*, there are a whole lot of what I think that we can term "spiritual songs" that are out there, the Black Gospel, Southern Gospel, "praise and worship", categories just for examples, that come to us often out of deep personal experiences.  The stories behind all  of them are often moving: these aren't jingles that someone composed to accompany a TV show or an advertisement for jelly or automobiles or something.  So the story behind the songs is quite often worth knowing.  Consider for example that many  of the Psalms of  David came about as he was, often literally, running for his life!  He knew the Source of his security, and it wasn't in earthly form.  Many of us, me included, needed something to shake us up and bring us to our senses.  And from that point forward, we have a duty to let others know.



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Hosea 7

1When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without.

2And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face.

3They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.

4They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened.

5In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners.

6For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.

7They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me.

8Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.

9Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not.

10And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the Lord their God, nor seek him for all this.

11Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.

12When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard.

13Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me.

14And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me.

15Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me.

16They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

Hosea 8

1Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the Lord, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.

2Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee.

3Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him.

4They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off.

5Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?

6For from Israel was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.

7For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.

8Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.

9For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.

10Yea, though they have hired among the nations, now will I gather them, and they shall sorrow a little for the burden of the king of princes.

11Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin.

12I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing.

13They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it; but the Lord accepteth them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt.

14For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.

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Revelation 4

1After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

2And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

3And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.

4And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

5And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

6And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.

7And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.

8And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

9And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,

10The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

11Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.