27 January 2018

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Saturday, 27 January 2018

I am SO ready to have January (and the rest of this winter) in the distant rear-view mirror.   This is the very last Saturday in January, so we're heading in the right direction.
We're at 9  hours 54 minutes of "day" as the astronomers term it, and picking up more than 2 minutes per day, so we're close to the 10 hour mark.   Should be across the 11 hour mark well before the end of February, which will be nice.  And February will be the last of the months with long names for a good while, which is always a good sign.

Today will not be as nice as yesterday, but it's predicted to be well above the freezing point for most of the day, which is A Good Thing.  Stayed above freezing during the night, and expected to be just barely below that point tonight.  Most of the large piles of snow have melted away.  All of these are very good things.  But .......  count it for my genetically dour nature.  I see that the weekend is, by local standards, decent.  The week to follow, cool to cold but dry.  NEXT weekend is predicted to be "snow events".  We shall see.  I am more than ready for sunshine and sandals. 

More than ready for several changes of direction.  This has been a period of near-hibernation, and I don't mean just the current winter season.  Something is , or some things are, going to change, in a positive direction I believe.  The details and direction I do not pretend to know, but this is not what I am supposed to be about.  But we shall see:  I have been wrong on occasion.  Hope not.




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Our reading today is chapters 3 and 4 of the Exodus.
Moses.  That is a name that is giant even thousands of years after the fact.  Yes, the Lord called upon him to do some pretty big stuff.  He doubted his ability.  Of course.  He couldn't do any of this, not on his own strength.  But with the Lord, yes.  We're all in a similar situation.  The Lord has a call one every one of us.  One beyond our strength and capability.  But not beyond His.



Exodus 3

3:1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.

3:2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

3:3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.

3:4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.

3:5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

3:6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

3:7 And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;

3:8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.


3:9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.

3:10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.

3:11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

3:12 And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.

3:13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?

3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

3:15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, the LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.

3:16 Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt:

3:17 And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.

3:18 And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.

3:19 And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.

3:20 And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go.

3:21 And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty.

3:22 But every woman shall borrow of her neighbor, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.




Exodus 4

4:1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.

4:2 And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.

4:3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.

4:4 And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:

4:5 That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.

4:6 And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow.

4:7 And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh.

4:8 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.

4:9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.

4:10 And Moses said unto the LORD, O my LORD, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.

4:11 And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?

4:12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.


4:13 And he said, O my LORD, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.

4:14 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.

4:15 And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.

4:16 And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.

4:17 And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.

4:18 And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.

4:19 And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life.

4:20 And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.

4:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.

4:22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:

4:23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.

4:24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him.

4:25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.

4:26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision.

4:27 And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him.

4:28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him.

4:29 And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel:

4:30 And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.

4:31 And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.

26 January 2018

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Friday, 27 January 2018

This day has gone by fast, and pretty much eaten up with errands, stuff that "has to be done" and right now.  I appear to be, VERY slowly, getting a teense better from the "crud" that's been kicking me around for well over a week.  Not over it yet, but some better.  At the very least, no worse than yesterday.

Wife's been having it pretty rough.  She went in to take a nap a few hours ago, and is still in bed under blankets.  We have a doctor appointment for Monday afternoon, and I suspect he'll be concerned about her condition.  We hope and pray for an improvement, and the Lord is still in the business of doing  miracles -- we've seen a few -- but this constant being on the very edge of things does wear a person down, and has.   But we shall see.

We had a pretty nice day, weather-wise.  I believe that the temperature made it all the way up to 50° or so. and a great deal of the snow we had been accumulating melted off.  That's probably made driving on re-frozen ice a bit exciting, so I intend to stay off the roads.

Other than that, a pretty quiet day around here.  There's something ticking in the clockworks in the back of my mind:  I can hear the gears grinding in there, but nothing has come out yet.  Not ripe  yet, I guess.

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For  our Old Testament reading and meditation, we change gears a bit.
Today we begin the book of the Exodus, chapters 1 and 2.  This is, again, an account of events that occurred several thousand years ago, and affect our world to this day.  The Jews certainly make a point of remembering, and teaching their children, about what great things that the Lord did for them, His miraculous involvement.  That's something we should be doing with our kids, telling them about what the Lord has done for us, and for our own ancestors.  We don't always do that, which is wrong.
But I've also heard that there are others who are, yes, angry about what the Lord did.  As we will see later on, when the children of Israel finally began the Exodus, they took with them of the treasures of ancient Egypt.  Some of the Egyptians and the Moslems, want those treasures back!

Exodus 1


1:1 Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob.

1:2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,

1:3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,

1:4 Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

1:5 And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already.

1:6 And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.

1:7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.

1:8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.

1:9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:

1:10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.

1:11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.

1:12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.

1:13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor:

1:14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigor.

1:15 And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:

1:16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.

1:17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.

1:18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive?

1:19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them.

1:20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.

1:21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.

1:22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.




Exodus 2

2:1 And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi.

2:2 And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.

2:3 And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink.

2:4 And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him.

2:5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it.

2:6 And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children.

2:7 Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?

2:8 And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother.

2:9 And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the women took the child, and nursed it.

2:10 And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.

2:11 And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.

2:12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

2:13 And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?

2:14 And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.

2:15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.

2:16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.

2:17 And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.

2:18 And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day?

2:19 And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock.

2:20 And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread.

2:21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.

2:22 And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.

2:23 And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.

2:24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.

2:25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.





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Our Bible text in the Poetry heading today is Psalm 20.
Remember that David, who brought us the great majority of the Psalms, wrote more than a few of them as "cries of the heart", in moments of trouble and distress, several when he was fleeing for his life, or menaced by hostile forces.

Psalm 20


20:1 The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee;

20:2 Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion;

20:3 Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah.

20:4 Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.

20:5 We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions.

20:6 Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand.

20:7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.

20:8 They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.

20:9 Save, LORD: let the king hear us when we call.




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The passage for us this day in the New Testament is chapter 20 in the Gospel of Matthew.
Jesus and the disciples are en route to Jerusalem and the cross.  Not tearing up any speed records along the way, He is teaching and ministering the entire way.  I sometimes wonder about those He touched during this journey, how they carried that memory in the times to come.

Matthew 20

20:1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.

20:2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.


20:3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

20:4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.

20:5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.

20:6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?


20:7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.

20:8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.

20:9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.

20:10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.

20:11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,

20:12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.

20:13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?

20:14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.

20:15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?

20:16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

20:17 And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them,

20:18 Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribe
s, and they shall condemn him to death,

20:19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.

20:20 Then came to him the mother of Zebedees children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.

20:21 And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.

20:22 But Jesus answered and said,
Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.

20:23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.

20:24 And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren.

20:25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.

20:26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;

20:27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:

20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.


20:29 And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.

20:30 And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David.


20:31 And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David.

20:32 And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?

20:33 They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.

20:34 So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.








25 January 2018

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Thursday, 25 January 2018

Last Thursday in January.  Lord willing, a week from today we shall have entered into February.  Not my favorite month, but better than January.

Song of the day came to me last evening and would not leave.  I confess I've never sung it, but wish that I had.  An a capella male group, and the title is great as well:  His Grace Reaches Me.   Sing along with it, you won't regret it, and the message fits us all, I think.  Don't really expect much argument on that one.  Hope not, anyway.

Wife was sick during the evening, night, and morning.  She actually got up around 02:00 and sat in shower a little while to try to let the steam clear her head and deal with with all the "itchies" from the contact urticaria all over her back.  Helped a bit, I think, at least for getting a bit of sleep (her, not me).   But she's been horizontal, or nearly so, most of the day.  I got to make the secondary grocery run which also included getting one of her prescriptions refilled.  For some odd reason, some of her meds are notably less expensive on one side of the nearby state line than on the other.  We generally go to the Big Box pharmacy right over the state line because it's much closer (about 7 miles rather than 17) but today's was cheaper on our side even though it's 10 miles further.  So I did the thing, picked up a few needed things like yeast and some over the counter sinus  / crud / flu stuff for both of us.  Neither of us feels good, and haven't.
But she's heading across the yard in a few minutes to take care of the little ones.  Hopefully not contagious.

 31 here, going to 50 or so tomorrow.  9 hours 50 minutes of "day", and 2 minutes 1 second better tomorrow.  Making headway.  Might just make it to the 10 hour mark by the dawn of the new month.  Would certainly be an improvement over what we had at the Winter solstice, roughly 9 hours 10 minutes.  At the Summer Solstice in June, that will be around 15 hours 11 minutes, much better to my mind.  Gives a person something to look forward to, anyway.



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Our reading for the day in the Old Testament is chapters 49 and 50 in the Genesis, concluding it.
It's worth looking back over the readings for the last few weeks.  In just 3-1/2 weeks, we've seen the rewind of history beginning with those wonderful words, "In the beginning, GOD!  ".  Through generations of men, civilizations rising and falling, the birth, life, and death of many, and the setting in motion of events that very much affect us today, thousands of years later, and in ways we often overlook.    For example, remember Abraham's son, Ishmael?  His descendants are very much still around, and still harbor resentment and hatred towards the descendants of Isaac.  Ishmael was the progenitor of the Arabs, and the Moslems consider themselves to be his heirs.  As the Jews consider themselves the descendants of Isaac.  See?   You may know people named Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, or the like.  Know anyone named Lot, or Esau, or Onan?  Probably not.   Probably no towns named Babel either.  Though I do sometimes drive past a road named after Sodom, but I don't know the story behind that, and don't really want to.  Pretty bad to have a sin named after you, right?

So we are to the point where Jacob / Israel has rejoined his son Joseph in Egypt, died, and is buried.  Joseph is pretty well running things just due to his post.  And his brothers are, understandably, concerned that it might be "get back at them" time.  Joseph makes as strong a statement of faith and obedience to the Lord as we can fathom, in verse 20 of chapter 50.  Yes, they thought to do evil, but God used it for good.  Happens that way more often than we realize.  If we will only trust Him.

Genesis 49

49:1 And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.

49:2 Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.

49:3 Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:

49:4 Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.

49:5 Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.

49:6 O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honor, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their self-will they digged down a wall.

49:7 Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.

49:8 Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee.

49:9 Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?

49:10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

49:11 Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes:

49:12 His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.

49:13 Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon.

49:14 Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens:

49:15 And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute.

49:16 Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.

49:17 Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.

49:18 I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD.

49:19 Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last.

49:20 Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties.

49:21 Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words.

49:22 Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:

49:23 The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:

49:24 But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)

49:25 Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:

49:26 The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.

49:27 Benjamin shall raven as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.

49:28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them.

49:29 And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,

49:30 In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace.

49:31 There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.

49:32 The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth.

49:33 And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.




Genesis 50

50:1 And Joseph fell upon his father's face, and wept upon him, and kissed him.

50:2 And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel.

50:3 And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed: and the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten days.

50:4 And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found grace in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying,

50:5 My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come again.

50:6 And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear.

50:7 And Joseph went up to bury his father: and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt,

50:8 And all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father's house: only their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen.

50:9 And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen: and it was a very great company.

50:10 And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days.

50:11 And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians: wherefore the name of it was called Abelmizraim, which is beyond Jordan.

50:12 And his sons did unto him according as he commanded them:

50:13 For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a buryingplace of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre.

50:14 And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.

50:15 And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him.

50:16 And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying,

50:17 So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.

50:18 And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.

50:19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?

50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

50:21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.

50:22 And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father's house: and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years.

50:23 And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation: the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph's knees.

50:24 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

50:25 And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.

50:26 So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.




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Our reading in the Poetry today is Psalm 19.
If you don't make a practice of reading these out loud, I urge you to try it today, with particular emphasis on the beginning and the end.  This is Good Stuff.  Would that we would live by it!

Psalm 19

19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

19:2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.

19:3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.

19:4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,

19:5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.

19:6 His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

19:8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

19:11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

19:12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.

19:13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.

19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.




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And the New Testament reading and meditation is chapter 19 in the Gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 19


19:1 And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judaea beyond Jordan;

19:2 And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there.

19:3 The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

19:4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,

19:5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?

19:6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.


19:7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?

19:8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

19:9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.


19:10 His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.

19:11 But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.

19:12 For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.


19:13 Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.

19:14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

19:15 And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.

19:16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

19:17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

19:18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,

19:19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.


19:20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?

19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

19:22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

19:23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.

19:24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.


19:25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?

19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

19:27 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?

19:28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

19:29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

19:30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.




24 January 2018

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Wednesday, 24 January 2018

A lot in my mind today.  Perhaps more later on.  Perhaps.
one correction from yesterday:  I omitted the link to "My Help Cometh From The Lord"..  My fault.

Wife was not up to the secondary (smaller) monthly shopping trip yesterday, so it was delayed until today.  And today she's feeling even worse, so the plan is for me to head out shortly.  Icy roads and wrecks around the area, a "normal" in this area.

didn't happen.  She's not up  to it, and right now neither am I.  The snow continues to fall here, not heavily but continuously.  Staying home, eating Cold-Eze, Mucinex, and drinking it down with the Wal-Mart version of Alka-Seltzer cold relief.  With lots of fluids.

A week from tomorrow will have us past January and into the month of February.  Now, February isn't great, but it does have the virtue of being the shortest of the months.  So, well, I'm trying to be positive, which is not always easy.

I was actually able to run a washer load of clothes yesterday (and, please, no nasty remarks that claim a loss of manhood for doing it:  I was a bachelor for 15 years and if I hadn't washed clothes and dishes, it could have gotten ugly).  That may not seem significant, but if you'd been utterly without water for more than 2-1/2 weeks, as we were, little things like washing clothes, dishes, even your face, without hauling water into the place, get to be pretty significant events in your life.  So I did a load.  Now, they were primarily Wife's things, and she's taken to things that have lots of  artificial fibers that have to be hung to dry.  And, as I accuse her, are to be washed in virgin's tears during the first 20 minutes of the full moon while chanting incantations in long-lost Celtic tongues.  Which may be a bit of an exaggeration, but not much of one.  So the shower rod is currently occupied with spandex leggings and the long tops she wears to cover things when she wears them in public.
My stuff, well, nothing so far.  Our dryer still doesn't dry.  In a week or so, depending on other necessary outlays, we intend to place an order for a new heating element for it.  About 15 years ago, she worked in the office of a local (in west Arkansas) rent-to-own / cash advance joint and sometimes helped (or watched) the crew refurb some of the appliances, like dryers.  So she knows far more about this than do I.  So, Lord willing, we'll be able to wash & dry clothes here.  For the last few months, I've been doing the washing here (when we had water) and then hauling the sodden mess to a nearby laundromat for the drying part of the cycle.  Nothing I haven't done before: in those long-distant bachelor days, I always hauled my clothes to a laundromat.  And at 02:00, as it often was, you didn't have a crowd.  Though you did have some "interesting" people there sometimes.  I don't have that issue these days.
But, again, this is one of those blessings that in time we take for granted, as if we are somehow "owed" these conveniences.  Nothing could be further from the truth, of course.  But we are prone to this failure to recognize our blessings and be grateful.




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Our reading for the day in the Old Testament for the day is chapters 47 and 48 in the Genesis.
Israel has found a safe place in Egypt, with Joseph providing for them a refuge that would have been impossible any other way.

Genesis 47

47:1 Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen.

47:2 And he took some of his brethren, even five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh.

47:3 And Pharaoh said unto his brethren, What is your occupation? And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers.

47:4 They said moreover unto Pharaoh, For to sojourn in the land are we come; for thy servants have no pasture for their flocks; for the famine is sore in the land of Canaan: now therefore, we pray thee, let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen.

47:5 And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying, Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee:

47:6 The land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell: and if thou knowest any men of activity among them, then make them rulers over my cattle.

47:7 And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.

47:8 And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou?

47:9 And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.

47:10 And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.

47:11 And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.

47:12 And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father's household, with bread, according to their families.

47:13 And there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very sore, so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine.

47:14 And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house.

47:15 And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth.

47:16 And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail.

47:17 And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year.

47:18 When that year was ended, they came unto him the second year, and said unto him, We will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not ought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands:

47:19 Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, that the land be not desolate.

47:20 And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the land became Pharaoh's.

47:21 And as for the people, he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof.

47:22 Only the land of the priests bought he not; for the priests had a portion assigned them of Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them: wherefore they sold not their lands.

47:23 Then Joseph said unto the people, Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh: lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the land.

47:24 And it shall come to pass in the increase, that ye shall give the fifth part unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for them of your households, and for food for your little ones.

47:25 And they said, Thou hast saved our lives: let us find grace in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh's servants.

47:26 And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth part, except the land of the priests only, which became not Pharaoh's.

47:27 And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly.

47:28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years.

47:29 And the time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt:

47:30 But I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their buryingplace. And he said, I will do as thou hast said.

47:31 And he said, Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed's head.




Genesis 48

48:1 And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

48:2 And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.

48:3 And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,

48:4 And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.

48:5 And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.

48:6 And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance.

48:7 And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same is Bethlehem.

48:8 And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who are these?

48:9 And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them.

48:10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.

48:11 And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath showed me also thy seed.

48:12 And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.

48:13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near unto him.

48:14 And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn.

48:15 And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day,

48:16 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.

48:17 And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head.

48:18 And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.

48:19 And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.

48:20 And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.

48:21 And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers.

48:22 Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.



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Our reading in the Poetry section today is Psalm 18.  Another one that really needs to be read out loud, and with feeling, or sung, as the Psalms often have been and were probably so intended.
There is a modern arrangement of this, or at least it's based upon this.

Psalm 18

18:1 I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.

18:2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

18:3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

18:4 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.

18:5 The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.

18:6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.

18:7 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.

18:8 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.

18:9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.

18:10 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.

18:11 He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.

18:12 At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.

18:13 The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.

18:14 Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.

18:15 Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.

18:16 He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.

18:17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.

18:18 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.

18:19 He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

18:20 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

18:21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

18:22 For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.

18:23 I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.

18:24 Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.

18:25 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;

18:26 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.

18:27 For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.

18:28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.

18:29 For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.

18:30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

18:31 For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?

18:32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.

18:33 He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.

18:34 He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.

18:35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.

18:36 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.

18:37 I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.

18:38 I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.

18:39 For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.

18:40 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.

18:41 They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.

18:42 Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.

18:43 Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me.

18:44 As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.

18:45 The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.

18:46 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.

18:47 It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.

18:48 He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.

18:49 Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.

18:50 Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.



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Our passage in the New Testament today is chapter 18 in the Gospel of Matthew
This is Jesus teaching, and these are not suggestions, they are commands.  Treat them as such.  Is it hard?  Most assuredly!  We can not do these things, we can not become that kind of person, without His presence in us and our obedience to Him.  There simply is no other way.

Matthew 18

18:1 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

18:2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,

18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

18:4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

18:5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

18:6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

18:7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!

18:8 Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.

18:9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

18:10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

18:11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

18:12 How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?

18:13 And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.

18:14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

18:16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

18:17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

18:18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

18:19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

18:21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

18:22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

18:23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.

18:24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.

18:25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

18:26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

18:27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

18:28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.

18:29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

18:30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.

18:31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.

18:32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:

18:33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?

18:34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

18:35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.




23 January 2018

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Tuesday, 23 January 2018

My Help Cometh From The Lord 
 Another of those "came to me in the middle of the night" pieces.  Hard to argue, isn't it?
(Ref Psalm 121)

I will lift up mine eyes to the hills
from whence cometh my help,
my help cometh from the Lord,  
the Lord which made Heaven and Earth. 
He said He will not suffer thy foot,  
thy foot to be moved, 
Lord which keepeth thee,  
He will not slumber nor sleep. 

(Bridge)

For the Lord is thy keeper,  
the Lord is thy shade  
upon thy right hand,  
upon thy right hand. 
Nor the sun shall not smite thee by day,  
nor the moon by night,  
He shall preserve thy soul  
even forever more.


[Chorus:]
My help, my help, my help,  all of my help cometh from the Lord. 
[Verse]
[Bridge]
[Chorus]

[Bridge]

[Chorus]
[Vamp:]
     [Altos:]  Lift up mine eyes... 
     [Sopranos:]  lift up mine eyes... 
     [Altos:]  unto the hills...
     [Tenors:]  He is my strength...
    [All:]  All of my help cometh from the Lord.

Yes, we should have such a song in our hearts, no matter what.  No matter what.


Following the Lord, surrendering to His will instead of our own, changes us.  It should, after, all, He has a whole lot to do to conform us to His will and His way.
Sometimes, normally perhaps, that comes through our day-to-day walk with Him, something that we must fix on even before leaving our beds.  Otherwise, the events of the day, good, bad, or indifferent, will occupy our attention and divert the focus.  True?
But sometimes that change comes about as a result of BIG events.  Sometimes, and it's frequently the case, they come about when our own strength and resources are exhausted, when all seems hopeless and futile, and doom and gloom and despair are all around.  Some of us can testify to that, and how meeting Him there in our times of greatest need changed us.
But there are other situations.  I think all of us secretly yearn for a "mountain top moment", a personal equivalent of being present at the Transfiguration.  I've not had quite that, but yes, there have been times when He was so close that I could almost hear Him speak out loud.  That changes a person, believe me!
There have been other "mountain top experiences".  I am minded of the account in Genesis 22, when Abraham took his son Isaac up to the mountain, built an altar, and proceeded to undertake the sacrifice of his own son upon that altar.  As we know, the Lord stepped in.  I promise to you this day that neither of them came down that mountain unchanged.  They both offered what was most precious to them, and the Lord honored that commitment.

Would we do as well??  I fear to ask that even of myself.

Which led to the second 'song of the day'.  I Have Decided To Follow Jesus.   Like so many others of our hymns, there is a story, a very moving story, behind the song or hymn.  Would I do as well??  The question shames me.

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We had a brief thaw yesterday.  Actually made it into the 50's!!  A good bit of snow melt.  But, of course, "the rest of the story".  Heavy rain bands last night and rain today.  And a temperature tonight of 24°.  Can  you pronounce "black ice"?  Oh, and tomorrow's "high" of 29°.
But we are up to 9 hours 46 minutes of "day", and pick up another 1 minute 56 seconds tomorrow, so we are still picking up speed en route to the Equinox, and to the mile markers along the way, the 10 hour mark fast approaching and the 11 hour mark a bit behind that.

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Our Old Testament passage today is chapters 45 and 46 of the Genesis.

Genesis 45

45:1 Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren.

45:2 And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard.

45:3 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence.

45:4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.

45:5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.

45:6 For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.

45:7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

45:8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

45:9 Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not:

45:10 And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast:

45:11 And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty.

45:12 And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you.

45:13 And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither.

45:14 And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck.

45:15 Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.

45:16 And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, Joseph's brethren are come: and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants.

45:17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan;

45:18 And take your father and your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land.

45:19 Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come.

45:20 Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours.

45:21 And the children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way.

45:22 To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment.

45:23 And to his father he sent after this manner; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way.

45:24 So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way.

45:25 And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father,

45:26 And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not.

45:27 And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived:

45:28 And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.



Genesis 46

46:1 And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac.

46:2 And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I.

46:3 And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation:

46:4 I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.

46:5 And Jacob rose up from Beersheba: and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.

46:6 And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him:

46:7 His sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt.

46:8 And these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn.

46:9 And the sons of Reuben; Hanoch, and Phallu, and Hezron, and Carmi.

46:10 And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman.

46:11 And the sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

46:12 And the sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah, and Pharez, and Zarah: but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. And the sons of Pharez were Hezron and Hamul.

46:13 And the sons of Issachar; Tola, and Phuvah, and Job, and Shimron.

46:14 And the sons of Zebulun; Sered, and Elon, and Jahleel.

46:15 These be the sons of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob in Padanaram, with his daughter Dinah: all the souls of his sons and his daughters were thirty and three.

46:16 And the sons of Gad; Ziphion, and Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri, and Arodi, and Areli.

46:17 And the sons of Asher; Jimnah, and Ishuah, and Isui, and Beriah, and Serah their sister: and the sons of Beriah; Heber, and Malchiel.

46:18 These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter, and these she bare unto Jacob, even sixteen souls.

46:19 The sons of Rachel Jacob's wife; Joseph, and Benjamin.

46:20 And unto Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him.

46:21 And the sons of Benjamin were Belah, and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and Ard.

46:22 These are the sons of Rachel, which were born to Jacob: all the souls were fourteen.

46:23 And the sons of Dan; Hushim.

46:24 And the sons of Naphtali; Jahzeel, and Guni, and Jezer, and Shillem.

46:25 These are the sons of Bilhah, which Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter, and she bare these unto Jacob: all the souls were seven.

46:26 All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of his loins, besides Jacob's sons' wives, all the souls were threescore and six;

46:27 And the sons of Joseph, which were born him in Egypt, were two souls: all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, were threescore and ten.

46:28 And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen.

46:29 And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.

46:30 And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.

46:31 And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father's house, I will go up, and show Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my father's house, which were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me;

46:32 And the men are shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.

46:33 And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation?

46:34 That ye shall say, Thy servants' trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.




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Psalm 17

17:1 Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.

17:2 Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.

17:3 Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.

17:4 Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.

17:5 Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.

17:6 I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.

17:7 Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them.

17:8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,

17:9 From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.

17:10 They are inclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly.

17:11 They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth;

17:12 Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.

17:13 Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword:

17:14 From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.

17:15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.




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The New Testament passage is chapter 17 in the Gospel of Matthew.

Quite a contrast here!  We begin with a true "mountaintop experience", the Transfiguration.  We'd like to think "I Wish I could have been there".  OK.  Me too..  But don't forget that of those present, when the soldiers came, they ran away like scared rabbits, and one denied knowing Him.
We end with Jesus en route to His crucifixion in Jerusalem, something He knew in advance.



Matthew 17

17:1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

17:2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

17:3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

17:4 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

17:5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

17:6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.

17:7 And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.

17:8 And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.

17:9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.

17:10 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?

17:11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.

17:12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them
.

17:13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

17:14 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,

17:15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.

17:16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.

17:17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.

17:18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.

17:19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.


17:22 And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:

17:23 And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again
. And they were exceeding sorry.

17:24 And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?

17:25 He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?

17:26 Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.

17:27 Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.


22 January 2018

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Monday, 22 January, 2018

Well, the gas company was out on our street again today.  Again.  Here Friday and Sarurday.  But this time they're sure that the diagnosed and fixed the problem.  Again.  That's about the fifth time I've heard that.  So the were out today, a big crew with two backhoes and laborers and pipefitters and all kids of folks.  Perhaps this settles the matter once and for all.  Finally,  Would be nice.

Wife just got home from "watching" the kids next door, the second time today.  She's about done in, and so am I:  starting to think that nasty flu has hit both of us, but we shall see.  Hope not.


an unusual "song of the day", and, yes, it's another one from the Gaithers.  It's been running through the head All Day Long!  "The Longer I Serve Him".   Expresses very well what my attitude should be, and sometimes is.
But there is a close runner-up.  "He Touched Me".  That's my testimony, possibly yours as well.

=================
====================

The reading for the day in the Old Testament is chapters 43 and 44 of the Genesis.

Genesis 43

43:1 And the famine was sore in the land.

43:2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.

43:3 And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

43:4 If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:

43:5 But if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

43:6 And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?

43:7 And they said, The man asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down?

43:8 And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.

43:9 I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever:

43:10 For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time.

43:11 And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:

43:12 And take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight:

43:13 Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man:

43:14 And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.

43:15 And the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

43:16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, Bring these men home, and slay, and make ready; for these men shall dine with me at noon.

43:17 And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph's house.

43:18 And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses.

43:19 And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they communed with him at the door of the house,

43:20 And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:

43:21 And it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand.

43:22 And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks.

43:23 And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them.

43:24 And the man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender.

43:25 And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.

43:26 And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth.

43:27 And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?

43:28 And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance.

43:29 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son.

43:30 And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.

43:31 And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.

43:32 And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.

43:33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marveled one at another.

43:34 And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.






Genesis 44

44:1 And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in his sack's mouth.

44:2 And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.

44:3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses.

44:4 And when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?

44:5 Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.

44:6 And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same words.

44:7 And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing:

44:8 Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks' mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold?

44:9 With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen.

44:10 And he said, Now also let it be according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless.

44:11 Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack.

44:12 And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.

44:13 Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.

44:14 And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.

44:15 And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?

44:16 And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord's servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found.

44:17 And he said, God forbid that I should do so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.

44:18 Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh.

44:19 My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother?

44:20 And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him.

44:21 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him.

44:22 And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die.

44:23 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.

44:24 And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.

44:25 And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food.

44:26 And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother be with us.

44:27 And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two sons:

44:28 And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since:

44:29 And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.

44:30 Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life;

44:31 It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave.

44:32 For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever.

44:33 Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren.

44:34 For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.





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Our reading in the Poetry category today is Psalm 16

Psalm 16

16:1 Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.

16:2 O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee;

16:3 But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.

16:4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.

16:5 The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.

16:6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.

16:7 I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.

16:8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

16:9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.

16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.



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The assignment in the New Testament is chapter 16 in the Gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 16

16:1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.

16:2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.

16:3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

16:4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas.
And he left them, and departed.

16:5 And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.

16:6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

16:7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.

16:8 Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?

16:9 Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?

16:10 Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?

16:11 How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?

16:12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

16:13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

16:14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

16:15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.


16:20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

16:22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.

16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

16:28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.