07 April 2018

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Saturday, 07 April, 2018 with some updates

Another weekend is upon us.  First one in April, of course.  Tomorrow, Lord willing of course, is the 2nd Sunday in April.
Yet another of those eeevil snow events last night.  I hate the very sight of the beastly stuff at the best of times.  But today, we were "volunteered" to drive up on the State Line to "watch" Wife's nephew's kids, 11 and 6.  So ..... up and all that.  Pscked up some coffee, etc., then to leave.  Except that the car doors were frozen shut.  So ... I crawled in the hatch, wriggled over seats, etc., managed to get doors open.  Of course, vehicle's windows and doors under inches of ice and snow.  Managed to clear enough to get going, with only one stop to clear more of it off.  Made it, intact.  Kids are up, dumb TV programs on, and they're playing on electronic devices.  Whee. I guess.
Might make it from the current 23° all the way up to 38° later.  Maybe.

I got almost no sleep last night, much on my mind.  More later, perhaps.

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updates here:

first, we made it home

But last night was a mostly sleepless night.  Wrestling with some issues, with nothing really resolved yet.  Much of it is some things I've been struggling with since relocating to this area.  Mostly, they revolve around the "why am I here?" questions.  It hasn't escaped my attention that I see all around me the unmistakable signs of a culture on its deathbed, or beyond that with too many signs of degeneration to ignore.  Nor has it escaped attention that we are surrounded by those who either never heard the Good News, or, if heard, rejected it.  Nothing good comes from that, and the signs of that are all around.
I am not, and have never been, an evangelistic type of person.  Not only am I one of those "odd" introverts, but I'm not a good salesman or outreach person in the best of circumstances.  I can address a group of hundreds, and have, but clam up when around 2 or 3, or, worst of all, one.    But someone needs to.

And, as ever, some of my inward turmoil turns me to some songs of the faith.  Several were on my mind all night, and all day right to the present.

  • Love Divine, All Loves Excelling.  I rarely hear this any more, but it's been ringing in my mind's ear for nearly 24 hours.  Pay attention to the words, as ever.  "Take away the love of sinning" is something that needs to be emphasized, but there are others.
    •  1. 
Love divine, all loves excelling,
joy of heaven, to earth come down;
fix in us thy humble dwelling;
all thy faithful mercies crown!
Jesus thou art all compassion,
 pure, unbounded love thou art;
 visit us with thy salvation;
enter every trembling heart. 
    • 2. 
Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit
 into every troubled breast!
 Let us all in thee inherit;
 let us find that second rest.
Take away our bent to sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
 end of faith, as its beginning,
set our hearts at liberty. 
    •  3. 
Come, Almighty to deliver, 
 let us all thy life receive; 
suddenly return and never, 
nevermore thy temples leave. 
Thee we would be always blessing, 
serve thee as thy hosts above, 
pray and praise thee without ceasing, 
 glory in thy perfect love. 
    •  4. 
Finish, then, thy new creation; 
pure and spotless let us be. 
Let us see thy great salvation 
 perfectly restored in thee; 
changed from glory into glory, 
 till in heaven we take our place, 
till we cast our crowns before thee, 
 lost in wonder, love, and praise.  Feeling oneself to be a complete and utter failure in every way is not enjoyable.  Feeling oneself to be failing the Lord is worse, worse by far.


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Joshua 7

But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel.
And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth–aven, on the east side of Beth–el, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai.
And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few.
4  So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai.
5  And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.
6  And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.
7  And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord God, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan!
8  O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies!
9  For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?
10  And the Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?
11  Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.
12  Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.
13  Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the Lord God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.
14  In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the Lord taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the family which the Lord shall take shall come by households; and the household which the Lord shall take shall come man by man.
15  And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel.
16  So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken:
17  And he brought the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man; and Zabdi was taken:
18  And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.
19  And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.
20  And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:
21  When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
22  So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it.
23  And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the Lord.laid: Heb. poured
24  And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor.
25  And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the Lord shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.
26  And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the Lord turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day.




Joshua 8
1  And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land:
2  And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it.
3  So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent them away by night.
4  And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against the city, even behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready:
And I, and all the people that are with me, will approach unto the city: and it shall come to pass, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them,
6  (For they will come out after us) till we have drawn them from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: therefore we will flee before them.
7  Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the city: for the Lord your God will deliver it into your hand.
8  And it shall be, when ye have taken the city, that ye shall set the city on fire: according to the commandment of the Lord shall ye do. See, I have commanded you.
9  Joshua therefore sent them forth: and they went to lie in ambush, and abode between Beth–el and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua lodged that night among the people.
10  And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.
11  And all the people, even the people of war that were with him, went up, and drew nigh, and came before the city, and pitched on the north side of Ai: now there was a valley between them and Ai.
12  And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Beth–el and Ai, on the west side of the city.
13  And when they had set the people, even all the host that was on the north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.
14  And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at a time appointed, before the plain; but he wist not that there were liers in ambush against him behind the city.
15  And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.
16  And all the people that were in Ai were called together to pursue after them: and they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city.
17  And there was not a man left in Ai or Beth–el, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.
18  And the Lord said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the city.
19  And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand: and they entered into the city, and took it, and hasted and set the city on fire.
20  And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.
21  And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned again, and slew the men of Ai.
22  And the other issued out of the city against them; so they were in the midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side: and they smote them, so that they let none of them remain or escape.
23  And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.
24  And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them, and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword.
25  And so it was, that all that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai.
26  For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.
27  Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey unto themselves, according unto the word of the Lord which he commanded Joshua.
28  And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even a desolation unto this day.
29  And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remaineth unto this day.
30  Then Joshua built an altar unto the Lord God of Israel in mount Ebal,
31  As Moses the servant of the Lord commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which no man hath lift up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the Lord, and sacrificed peace offerings.
32  And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel.
33  And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel.
34  And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law.
35  There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them.



06 April 2018

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Friday, 06 April 2018

Woke yesterday to snow all over, and more falling through the morning.  By nightfall, it had all melted.  We are expecting 50° today, and 23° tonight.  Barely above freezing, even the "highs" through the weekend, and snow predicted for Tuesday.    But by Saturday next we should be seeing a high of 64°  Meanwhile, our most recent home is predicting a high of 79 today, low 80's by next Friday and Saturday, much more to my liking.  Oh, well

But. when we looked outside this morning, just a few traces.  Gusty winds, surely, and not barefoot & shorts weather, but not half a foot of snow on the ground either.  We'll take it, not that there is much choice in the matter.  Could be worse.  Saw a notice earlier from the area of west Arkansas where we once lived (and older daughter & hubby still do).  I hadn't paid much attention to the matter during our years there, but elsewhere in the state, the production of various berries is an important agricultural issue and major source of income for some growers.  This is not the sort of greenhouse thing done in these parts, it's outdoor semi old-style growing familiar to those of us who used to make a modest bit of money picking berries.  They have plants  out there, growing, flowering, developing some fruit albeit tiny yet.  And terrible cold weather, snow and ice and hail included, hitting there about now.  Which will be a terrible hardship for them, of course, and affect the whole region.  As well as those of us who look forward to the fruit.  More of that awful "catastrophic global warming" nonsense.  I wonder how the serial liars like Al Gore and all of the eco-Nazi "warmists" will choose to spin the matter.  Or, as likely, the lamestream media (LSM) will choose to ignore it.  Has happened before, of course.

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Today, in the Old Testament, chapters 3 and 4 of Joshua.  The people are entering the land that the Lord assigned to them.  Time to take it.  But first, fulfill the Lord's law regarding circumcision.  I see that some of the "progressives" are moving quite hard to outlaw the practice.  While, of course, allowing female genital mutilation. 
And then, the matter of Jericho.
This is about war, and bloodshed, and all that goes with it.  A most uncomfortable matter for many Christians.  I grew up in and am related to very many who are ensconced in the so-called "peace churches", who forbid, at various levels, any form of war or fighting, promoting what they term "nonresistance".  Quakers / "Society of Friends" (and there are quite a few around here), Mennonites and their cohorts among the Amish, Mennonite Brethren, and various others.  Generally, they prefer to avoid passages such as this, ones that show the Lord not only permitting warfare and violence, but in fact commanding it.  I've heard and read several attempts to "square the circle" on the matter.  I respect the belief, though I do not -- fully -- share it.  The bad things about war and violence are no secrets, and more than a few who claim Divine endorsement were and are liars, and I don't mean just the Moslems.  So, at least in my youth, some of these passages were pretty much ignored.  And probably still are.


Joshua 5

And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.
2  At that time the Lord said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.
3  And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.
4  And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt.
5  Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised.
6  For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord: unto whom the Lord sware that he would not shew them the land, which the Lord sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.
7  And their children, whom he raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way.
8  And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole.
9  And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day.
10  And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.
11  And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day.
12  And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.
13  And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?
14  And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?captain: or, prince
15  And the captain of the Lord's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.


Joshua 6

1  Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.
And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.
3  And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.
4  And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.
5  And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.
6  And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord.
7  And he said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the Lord.
And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns passed on before the Lord, and blew with the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed them.
And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rearward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.
10  And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.
11  So the ark of the Lord compassed the city, going about it once: and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp.
12  And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord.
13  And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rearward came after the ark of the Lord, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.
14  And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days.
15  And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times.
16  And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city.
17  And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the Lord: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.accursed: or, devoted
18  And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.
19  But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the Lord: they shall come into the treasury of the Lord.


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Psalm 71

In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.
2  Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.
3  Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.
Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
5  For thou art my hope, O Lord God: thou art my trust from my youth.
6  By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.
7  I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.
8  Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.
9  Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.
10  For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together,
11  Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him.
12  O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help.
13  Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.
14  But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.
15  My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.
16  I will go in the strength of the Lord God: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.
17  O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.
18  Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.
19  Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!
20  Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
21  Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.
22  I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.
23  My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.
24  My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.



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Here, chapter 2 in the Gospel of John.
Here, the miracle of transforming water into wine.  This is, and has long been, one of those records touched only lightly in many churches.  Jesus?  Providing wine?  Most uncomfortable.  I grew up in, and have long been affiliated, with Christian assemblies where the use of wine is either banned or at the least, very strongly discouraged.  I'm not fully convinced that its use is a sin, but I am quite certain that it is generally unwise.  I've seen at very close range the damage to people and lives and whole regions as a direct result of use and over-use of alcohol of all sorts.  But Jesus made wine.  A dilemma, and there is no getting around it.  I have chosen to avoid it.  Your mileage may vary.


John 2

1  And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:
2  And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.
3  And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.
4  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.
5  His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.
6  And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.
7  Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.
8  And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.
9  When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,
10  And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.
11  This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
12  After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days.
13  And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,
14  And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:
15  And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;
16  And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.
17  And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.
18  Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
19  Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
20  Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
21  But he spake of the temple of his body.
22  When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
23  Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.
24  But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,
25  And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.




05 April 2018

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Thursday, 05 April, 2018

And another day has dawned.  For that, we are thankful.

Snow on the ground when we woke, from last night's "event".  More snow on and off during the morning.  More than a week into Spring, well into the month of April.  Yet,  just this week, I've received several wild-eyed missives from people I have long known, raving about out of control global warming and the warmest year every and predictions of catastrophe Real Soon Now.  One grows weary of this nonsense, and nonsense is the most polite term that I can employ:  the terminology degenerates quickly from that point on.

Wife is doing a little bit better.  Sitting in a hot shower this morning, with all the steam, seemed to be of some help.  So we shall see.  The Plan is that, in a few hours, we shall trudge through the White Stuff across the back yard, and take up the duty of "watching" the great-niece and great-nephew briefly while niece is  off to work.  Be there around 4:30.  Wife's nephew's wife supposedly showing up about half an hour later, she to take her daughter -- one of the two great-nieces -- along with the great-niece we're "watching" to some gymnastics class.  Which will leave the two of us with a 9-month-old great-nephew, until his dad gets home, and he's usually off by 6 p.m. so it shouldn't be long.  Outside of doctor visit, this is about the first that Wife has been out of the house for several weeks and the kids are suffering withdrawals, as is she.    I'm going along for Just In Case.

With any luck, I'll catch up on some reading, especially if the Little Guy decides to sleep through it all, which at that age is a distinct possibility.  Quite an exciting life we lead these days.

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Our reading today is chapters 3 and 4 in the book of Joshua.  Now they cross Jordan, a milestone in the Exodus from Egypt.  I like the references to making a monument to it, a physical focus of remembrance of what the Lord had done for them.   And I like the visual of the Jordan River in full flow until the feet of the Levites bearing the Ark were in the water.  It was at that point, and not before, that the river's flow was stopped.  How would you like  to have been one of those in the lead?  Walk out into that??!!?  Sometimes the Lord's specific commands don't seem to make sense.  At least to us.  But, sometimes, it's a test of  our obedience.  After all, He could have picked them up in Egypt, immediately transported them to the land, at it already cleared of enemies, with houses and food and such all ready.  He certainly could have done so.  But He didn't.  There was a point to that journey.  There's a point to our journeys as well.  And to what we go through, our struggles and trials. 


Joshua 3
1  And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over.
2  And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host;
3  And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it.
4  Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.
And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the Lord will do wonders among you.
6  And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.
7  And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.
8  And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.
9  And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the Lord your God.
10  And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.
11  Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan.
12  Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.
13  And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.
14  And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people;
15  And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)
16  That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zarethan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.
17  And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.



Joshua 4

And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the Lord spake unto Joshua, saying,
2  Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,
3  And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night.
4  Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man:
5  And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:
6  That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?
7  Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.
8 And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the Lord spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.
9  And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.
10  For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until every thing was finished that the Lord commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over.
11  And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over, that the ark of the Lord passed over, and the priests, in the presence of the people.
12  And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spake unto them:
13  About forty thousand prepared for war passed over before the Lord unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.
14  On that day the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.
15  And the Lord spake unto Joshua, saying,
16  Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of Jordan.
17  Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of Jordan.
18  And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up unto the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all his banks, as they did before.
19  And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.
20  And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.
21  And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?
22  Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.
23  For the Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over:
24  That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the Lord your God for ever.




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Today, Psalm 70.  Quite a few of these psalms, particularly the psalms ascribed to David, came about while he was in dire straits, sometimes running for his life from powerful enemies.  
 
Psalm 70

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance.
 
1  Make haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O Lord.
Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul: let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt.
3  Let them be turned back for a reward of their shame that say, Aha, aha.
4  Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified.
5  But I am poor and needy: make haste unto me, O God: thou art my help and my deliverer; O Lord, make no tarrying.



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Today, we begin a trip through the Gospel of John.  
John is sometimes referred to as "the apostle that Jesus loved", which isn't a bad thing to be known by.  Now, I believe in miracles, one of them being that He loves even me.  THAT is a miracle, believe me:  I'm not terribly lovable, at least by human standards, and I believe that the Lord has higher standards than that.  So He loves me in spite of myself, and totally because of what Jesus did and is still doing.  And because that is His character:  God is love.
When I was a youth, we were "encouraged" to memorize Scripture.  Now, I'm glad we did:  some of those passages have been an enormous help to me in the midst of some very dark days and hours.  Planting those seeds was a Godsend.    One of those passages is here, verses 1 - 14 of chapter 1, with particular emphasis on the first 5 verses.  There are some foundational things there.

 
John 1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2  The same was in the beginning with God.
3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4  In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
6  There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7  The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
8  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9  That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
10  He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11  He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
16  And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
17  For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
18  No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
19  And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
20  And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
21  And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.
22  Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
23  He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
24  And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.
25  And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?
26  John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;
27  He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
28  These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29  The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
30  This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
31  And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
32  And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
33  And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
34  And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
35  Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;
36  And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
37And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
38Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?
39  He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.
40  One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.
41  He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
42  And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
43  The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.
44  Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
45  Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
46  And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
47  Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
48  Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
49  Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
50  Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.
51And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.