05 May 2018

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Saturday, 05 May 2018

Happy Saturday to all.

Quiet around here today.  Might have more to say later on.  Might not.



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Today's reading, chapters 11 and 12 of 1st Samuel.
There is, unfortunately, something in the human mind that wants to follow the crowd.  Even if the crowd is headed in the wrong direction.  Most of us have seen it, sometimes even remarked on it, shaking our heads.  Some of those things are minor and unimportant, actually.  Some of them are hugely important.  Yes, it is helpful if we all, or at least all of us in a town, speak the same language. (some of us have seen the current version of the confusion of languages at Babel, in our own town.  NOT a good thing).  But I've seen and heard too often the mocking of people when someone's attire is "last year's fashion", haw haw.  Or a hair style.  Someone was showing the other day some hair styles and clothing styles from the 1980's, with mocking laughter.  Shoes as well.  Do these things really matter?  I don't think so, but others care, care deeply in fact.
The people of Israel wanted a king, just like the nations around them had.   They got one.  The other kings tended to be pretty bad.  Ditto.
So I hesitate when I hear this sort of "keep up with the times" stuff even in the church.
And I know of too many cases, sadly, where the leaders in that group are no better than Saul.


1st Samuel 11

Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh–gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.
2  And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.
3  And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days' respite, that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel: and then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to thee.
4  Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices, and wept.
5  And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh.
6  And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly.
7  And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.
And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
9  And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabesh–gilead, To morrow, by that time the sun be hot, ye shall have help. And the messengers came and shewed it to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.
10  Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To morrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you.
11  And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.
12  And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.
13  And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day: for to day the Lord hath wrought salvation in Israel.
14  Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.
15  And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the Lord; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.




1st Samuel 12

1  And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you.
And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day.
3  Behold, here I am: witness against me before the Lord, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.
4  And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand.
And he said unto them, The Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, He is witness.
And Samuel said unto the people, It is the Lord that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.
7  Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the Lord of all the righteous acts of the Lord, which he did to you and to your fathers.
8  When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the Lord, then the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.
9  And when they forgat the Lord their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.
10  And they cried unto the Lord, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord, and have served Baalim and Ashtoreth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.
11  And the Lord sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe.
12  And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the Lord your God was your king.
13  Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have desired! and, behold, the Lord hath set a king over you.
14  If ye will fear the Lord, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the Lord your God:
15  But if ye will not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then shall the hand of the Lord be against you, as it was against your fathers.
16  Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the Lord will do before your eyes.
17  Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the Lord, in asking you a king.
18  So Samuel called unto the Lord; and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel.
19  And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king.
20  And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart;
21  And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.
22  For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people.
23  Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:
24  Only fear the Lord, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.
25  But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.



04 May 2018

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Friday, 04 May 2018


brief and late.  Wife is still quite ill.  She just ate a little bit, the only thing other than two piece of toast, she' had all day.  Perhaps a good sign.  Perhaps.  We  hope.  Now, normally, it takes at least two days, sometimes three, before a round of antibiotics begins to show any effect whatever.  Today is the first day of the antibiotic pills, after the injection yesterday, so perhaps we'll see some improvement by Sunday.

Today is the National Day of Prayer.  I had planned to attend a gathering of such, but events took over and prevented that. 

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And now, well, the Lord has granted the wish of the people for a king.  They got one, all right.
Saul wasn't great, as we shall see.  But, as we see even today, the Lord can make use of imperfect people.  Indeed, it's the only kind available.

1st Samuel 9

Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power.
And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.
3  And the asses of Kish Saul's father were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses.
4  And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of Shalim, and there they were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them not.
5  And when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave caring for the asses, and take thought for us.
6  And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go.
7  Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we?
And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way.
(Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)
10  Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was.
11  And as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here?
12  And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now, for he came to day to the city; for there is a sacrifice of the people to day in the high place:
13  As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him.t
14  And they went up into the city: and when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high place.
15  Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying,told…
16  To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.
17  And when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people.
18  Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is.
19  And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer: go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to day, and to morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart.
20  And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father's house?
21  And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?
22  And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which were about thirty persons.
23  And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.
24  And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which is left! set it before thee, and eat: for unto this time hath it been kept for thee since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day.
25  And when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house.
26  And they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.
27  And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on,) but stand thou still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God.



1st Samuel 10

1  Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?
2  When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel's sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?
Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the plain of Tabor, and there shall meet thee three men going up to God to Beth–el, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine:
4  And they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hands.
5  After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy:
6  And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.
7  And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee.
8  And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt do.
9  And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.
10  And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.
11  And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?
12  And one of the same place answered and said, But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?
13  And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.
14  And Saul's uncle said unto him and to his servant, Whither went ye? And he said, To seek the asses: and when we saw that they were no where, we came to Samuel.
15And Saul's uncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto you.
16  And Saul said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses were found. But of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he told him not.
17  And Samuel called the people together unto the Lord to Mizpah;
18  And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of them that oppressed you:
19  And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes, and by your thousands.
20And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken.
21  When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken: and when they sought him, he could not be found.
22  Therefore they enquired of the Lord further, if the man should yet come thither. And the Lord answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff.
23  And they ran and fetched him thence: and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.
24  And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the Lord hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king.
25  Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the Lord. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.
26  And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched.
27  But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.


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Today, a prayer of Moses.
Ever feel that this is your prayer?  I have.  I do.  Perhaps all of us.

Psalm 90

A Prayer of Moses the man of God.
 
1  Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
2  Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
3  Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.
4  For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night
Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.
7  For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.
8  Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.
9  For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.
10  The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
11  Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.
12  So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
13  Return, O Lord, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.
14  O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15  Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.
16  Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.
17  And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.


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Today, another change.  The book, the Acts of the Apostles.  This is the beginning of the Church.


Acts 1

The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
2  Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
4  And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
6  When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
9  And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
10  And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11  Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
12  Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.
13  And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.
14  These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
15  And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)
16  Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.
17  For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.
18  Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.
19  And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.
20  For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.
21 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
22  Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.
23  And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
24  And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,
25  That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.
26  And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.


03 May 2018

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Thursday, 03 May 2018

More plan changes. 
We had an appointment at rheumatologist a good distance hence for the 2nd in a series of 3 weekly injections for knee joint (synovial fluid) degeneration.  But she was sick all night, got almost no sleep.  So, neither did I.  First thing this morning, call the rheumatologist and check if safe to take injections while battling an infection.  Or risk exposing staff and other patients to it. They finally decided that, contrary to the normal protocols, best is to delay a week.  Fine.  Then call "family doctor" to see if any openings.  Nope.  Doc is out of the office yesterday, today, tomorrow.  They suggested a walk-in clinic about the same distance.  So, off we went.  Yep, has upper respiratory infection.  Two injections.  Several prescriptions issued.
JUST got back.   Just another day in "Happy Land".  Waiting for notification that prescriptions are ready, at which point Yours Truly will make the run over Across The Line to retrieve.  Fun life.

Better weather, generally. Yesterday made it into the upper 70's, at long last.  I dragged out one of our window-type A/C units and stuck it in a window.
Worked.  Well, it did for a while.  But evidently having a TV monitor, an A/C unit, and a coffee maker, all on the same circuit, is a no-go situation.  Kicked off the TV, the computer, the A/C unit, the alarm clock on my side of the bed, the living room lights, etc.  So ..  unplug the A/C.  In a bit, I'll move that unit to another window and outlet, hopefully on a separate circuit.
Wife, lacking the thryoid gland that went pre-cancerous some years ago, can't handle much temperature range at all.  The last 5 years that we lived in central Alabama, we had no A/C.  Read that again.  NO air conditioning in central Alabama!  Yes, she was in misery throughout.  While she was physically able to work, particularly the final few years before things got real bad, she was in an office all day, and in a temperature controlled environment.  The last year or two, stuck at home and seriously ill, no such option.  We set up some alternative to help a bit, but, dealing with a seriously ill spouse, while stuck in a job that, contrary to all promises and solemn agreements, paid less than half my normal income while her medical costs skyrocketed, was a no-win situation.  Part of why we pulled up stakes and moved.
Wasn't a fun time.  Still isn't, really.  I have to believe that there is some Purpose at work here, but sometimes it's easier to hang onto that than other times. 




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Lots of stuff going on with Samuel.  NOT exactly an easy time for a prophet in Israel.  The Lord knew that a pretty good and tough person was going to be required.  Samuel fit.
Unfortunately, just as was noticed with Eli and his sons, Samuel's sons went far astray.  I guess that sort of thing hasn't died out, has it?
And, just as today, the urge to be just like everyone else, was present.  With rotten outcomes.  Just like now.


1st Samuel 7

1  And the men of Kirjath–jearim came, and fetched up the ark of the Lord, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the Lord.
2  And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjath–jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.
And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtoreth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
4  Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtoreth, and served the Lord only.
5  And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray for you unto the Lord.
6  And they gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.
7  And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
8  And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the Lord our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.
9  And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the Lord: and Samuel cried unto the Lord for Israel; and the Lord heard him.
10  And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.
11  And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Beth–car.
12  Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called the name of it Eben–ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.
13  So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
14  And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
15  And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
16  And he went from year to year in circuit to Beth–el, and Gilgal, and Mizpah, and judged Israel in all those places.
17  And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the Lord.


1st Samuel 8

1  And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
2  Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beer–sheba.
3  And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
4  Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,
5  And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
6  But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord.
And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
8  According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.
9  Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
10  And Samuel told all the words of the Lord unto the people that asked of him a king.
11  And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.
12  And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.
13  And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
14  And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
15  And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.officers: Heb. eunuchs
16  And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
17  He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.
18  And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord will not hear you in that day.
19  Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;
20  That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
21  And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the Lord.
22  And the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.



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Psalm 89

Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite.
 
1  I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations
For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.
3I   have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,
4  Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.
5  And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Lord: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.
6  For who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord?
7  God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.
8  O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?
9  Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.
10  Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm.
11  The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them.
12  The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name.
13  Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.
14  Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.
15  Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.
16  In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.
17  For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.
18  For the Lord is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king.
19  Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.
20  I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him:
21  With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him.
22  The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him.
23  And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him.
24  But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted.
25  I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers.
26  He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.
27  Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.
28  My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.
29  His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.
30  If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;
31  If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments;break: Heb. profane
32  Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.
33  Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.
34  My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
35  Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.
36  His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.
37  It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.
38  But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed.
39  Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground.
40  Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin.
41  All that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his neighbours.
42  Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice.
43  Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast not made him to stand in the battle.
44  Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground.
45  The days of his youth hast thou shortened: thou hast covered him with shame. Selah.
46  How long, Lord? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?
47  Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?
48  What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.
49  Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?
50  Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants; how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people;
51  Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O Lord; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed.
52  Blessed be the Lord for evermore. Amen, and Amen.



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Today, chapter 21 in the Gospel of John, completing it, and the year's run through the Gospels.
Talk about an intense gathering!  It must have been in their hearts for the rest of their lives.
And, note also, Peter is asked that question three times.  The same number of times that he had denied Jesus.  Coincidence? 


John 21

1  After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself.
2  There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.
Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.
4  But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.
5  Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.
6  And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.
7  Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.
8  And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.
9  As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.
10  Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.
11  Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.
12  Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.
13  Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.
14  This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.
15  So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
16  He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
17  He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.
19  This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.
20  Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?
21  Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?
22  Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.
23  Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?
24  This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.
25  And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.